Mike Perham
@mike.perham.net
Software engineer, biking + housing advocate in Portland, OR Admin of https://urbanists.social/invite/h7sS4a8X 🚵🏻⚽️🌎
Organized climate change denial is one of the worst crimes ever committed & it continues on in force today. The difference between a world that took it seriously in the 90’s compared to the world we are entering will be billions of unnecessary deaths and displacements.
I know some people love Cormac McCarthy but this type of prose in Blood Meridian is mentally exhausting to parse.
Wes used a building that he recently completed on Killingsworth to estimate the difference in per unit cost from 3 stories (the max allowed right now on most Portland lots) and 5 stories. At 3 stories, the cost was $278,000 per home. At 5, the cost was $236,000. That is $42,000 in savings *per home*
The challenge for us in Portland and much of the US is how do you do civic shading where the dominant pattern is wide roads, parking lots, and patchworks of public space governed by under resourced agencies who do not work together or prioritize shade?
Bryn Davidson - Lanefab@lanefab.com · 3d agoA friend’s recent photo of civic shading in Malaga
One of the clearest descriptions of climate dynamics for laypeople that you’ll ever hear: “It will inevitably get worse. It will get worse and worse and worse.”
This isn't the new normal. It's just the beginning
This summer’s disasters appear to have boosted climate multilateralism, at least within Europe, and underscored the need to tackle fossil fuels. But we may not be waiting long for the scientists' “wor...
nationalobserver.com
A great day to remember +30% of Oregon's carbon pollution comes from transportation, yet ODOT, Governor Kotek + the legislature are defunding transit while advancing multiple multi-billion dollar freeway expansions that will only make Oregon's air pollution and carbon emissions even worse #orpol
Portland DSA@portlanddsa.bsky.social · 2d agoThe climate crisis is accelerating. We’ve got a Mayor + some city councilors running cover for Zenith Energy. We’ve got a state legislature captured by corporate $ facilitating a data center build out for these energy sucking monsters. Let’s get serious, shall we?
The only reason Bluesky is a liberal bubble is because it’s not algorithm driven & reality has a liberal bias. This is super simple.
The Verge@theverge.com · 2d agoBluesky's new CEO Toni Schneider on the platform's reputation for being a liberal bubble: "Yes, we definitely want that to change. It is already changing. It certainly wasn’t designed to attract one specific group of people."
Let's go on a bike ride! Hope to see you on August 29 for a community ride celebrating climate investments throughout East Portland, ending at one of my favorite events of the year - the Jade District Night Market. RSVP here: https://loom.ly/SYFxrFQ
Is everyone aware of the General Motors streetcar conspiracy? In the mid-20th century, auto and oil interests bought up electric streetcar systems across the US and systematically replaced them with bus routes and paved roads, funneling commuters toward private cars.
General Motors streetcar conspiracy - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
If you want to know why the US is largely a gerontocracy, this is a major factor. Vote.
Ryan Packer@typewriteralley.bsky.social · 4d agoIt's time to post the current election turnout breakdown by age bracket chart again and remind you that ballots are due by Tuesday!
The nasty little thing with climate change is that the situation progressively gets worse as long as we emit greenhouse gases, and that is irreversible. So there's no happy message "Let's bring emissions to zero and then everything will be alright" Nope, everything will be worse than it is now. 1/
Really can’t wait for the @cbbworld.bsky.social show in Portland this month.
willonzo@willonzo.bsky.social · 4d agoStill thinking about this today for @pftompkins.bsky.social ‘s excellent interpretation of an Englishman doing an Irish accent,a different Englishman doing an American accent,Andy Daly’s valiant attempt at Geldof,and @scottaukerman.bsky.social ‘s Irish accent which landed just short of a hate crime
Tomorrow is a national holiday in Hawaiʻi (but not in the U.S.). Let me explain why you’ve probably never heard of La Ho’iho’i Ea Day. 🧵
The only public water fountain I noted in Basque country: a 50m water line run up and over a street to a nearby building. Incredible juryrig. American cities could never.
FIFA is trying to privatize the World Cup to maximize insider profits. I’m proud of this statement from the European national teams: www.uefa.com/news-media/n... ⚽️
Statement on behalf of UEFA and its 55 national associations
UEFA and its national associations will not participate in FIFA competitions.
uefa.com
Squishiness on trans rights is a dealbreaker for me because (a) it’s a straightforward issue of personal freedom and bodily autonomy much like abortion, and (b) the right is obviously coming after us cis gays next.
ashley 🌹@clearlyashley.bsky.social · last wk.trans rights frankly is a top 5, potentially top 3 issue for me despite not being trans and not having any trans family being bigoted against trans folks not only hurts my trans friends and every trans person but is so predictive of further bigotry
This is an excellent snapshot of a superb idea! A state public bank that serves the public interest and returns profits back into our public purse instead of sending to Wall Street and investor class elites. We could do this is WA, all we need is political will. @waforpublicbanking.bsky.social
California Public Banking Alliance@capublicbanking.bsky.social · last wk.CPBA’s @trinitytran.bsky.social breaks it down. CA is the world’s 4th-largest economy, yet we pay billions in interest & fees to Wall Street banks and private investors. North Dakota’s economy is just 1/50th our size. Its public bank returned $335M to the state last year. Imagine our potential!
The Prime Minister of Spain: “This climate emergency is exceeding every threshold and scale that scientists have long warned all of Spain and Europe about.” This is the realistic climate discourse the world needs. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/28/w...
“When African exporters adapt their production and certification processes to meet Chinese requirements, they are gradually decoupling from the regulatory ecosystems of the US and Europe, making it harder for Western powers to reassert their influence through trade agreements or sanctions.”
Scott Lincicome@scottlincicome.bsky.social · last wk."China’s zero-tariff play aims to lock in African loyalty: Tax-free trade with African nations marks Beijing’s latest move to win over the Global South from tariff-imposing Western rivals" asiatimes.com/2026/07/chin...
I've made a thing, and I need folks to help me test it. I'll be going to TNR this week. If you are too and have an android phone (or better and android phone and a speaker!), then please dm me to be added as a tester. Learn more about the app at cyclesync.us
The costs of net zero are a lot lower than the costs of current policy
Chris Wallace@chriswallace.bsky.social · 2w ago‘Bordeaux…is considering a total evacuation of the city of 270,000 people, with fires just 30 miles away. ‘France has already launched its largest peacetime evacuation.’ www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/c6ffeee...
Maybe, JUST MAYBE, @tinakotek.bsky.social should stop pushing for building more freeways. We're charting a course where Oregon's wildfires will emit more than our entire transportation sector.
Riding bikes is 10X more important than electric cars for reaching net-zero cities. And that’s just the climate emissions. Doesn’t include the massive public & personal cost difference, the air & noise pollution difference, the massive space difference, etc, etc…Via @theconversation.bsky.social
Cycling is ten times more important than electric cars for reaching net-zero cities
Active travel can help tackle the climate crisis earlier than electric vehicles – even if you swap the car for a bike for just one trip a day.
theconversation.com
It's not too late to take @pbotinfo.bsky.social's survey and weigh in on the Green Loop Concept Plan out now. But it will be too late next week, the online survey closes July 27th. This is a great opportunity to smash the "more trees!" button multiple times 🌱 www.portland.gov/transportati...
Section 4: Share Your Input!
portland.gov
Oh no. 🥵 Losing contact with deep space craft is very bad.
Andy Scollick@andyscollick.bsky.social · 2w agoThe Madrid Deep Space Communication Complex at Robledo de Chavela municipality in the Community of Madrid, Spain on fire. Burgohondo wildfire. 📷 via Infues Avila
