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The Land Desk focuses on environmental and community issues in the Western United States, offering insights into climate change, housing crises, wildlife, and energy transitions. It critically examines the impact of human actions on the landscape, exploring solutions and highlighting the complexity of environmental stewardship.

Environmental Issues Community Development Climate Change Housing Crisis Wildlife Management Energy Transition Natural Disasters

The hottest Substack posts of The Land Desk

And their main takeaways

About that FB EV-bashing meme

530 implied HN points • 10 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Social media Electric Vehicles Mining
  1. Some viral posts try to discredit electric vehicles by highlighting the environmental impact of mining materials for their production.
  2. The environmental impact of electric vehicles needs to be compared to that of traditional gas-powered vehicles to provide context.
  3. Despite the mining required for electric vehicles, they often have lower emissions over their lifecycle compared to gasoline-powered cars.

Data Dump: Oil and Gas Spills

432 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Fossil fuels Natural Gas Environmental Impact
  1. Headlines often focus on calamities related to clean energy, overlooking the more deadly impacts of oil and gas infrastructure.
  2. Oil and gas incidents, like hazardous material spills and pipeline failures, occur regularly and have significant environmental and societal consequences.
  3. Media coverage tends to sensationalize clean energy accidents while downplaying the frequent and impactful mishaps in the oil and gas industry.

Yes, Biden broke a promise. And it's okay.

432 implied HN points • 16 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics Energy Climate change Environmental Policy
  1. Biden has made some questionable decisions regarding public lands and energy, but he has also protected certain lands from fossil fuel energy development.
  2. Biden did not fulfill his promise to end oil and gas drilling on public lands, but he has taken significant actions to protect certain federal lands and reduce emissions.
  3. Judging politicians solely on promises kept or broken may not be productive; evaluating their policies and actions is more important.

Data Dump: National Park visitation 2023

255 implied HN points • 30 Jan 24
🏝 Travel National parks
  1. National Park visitation in popular areas bounced back in 2023 after a temporary easing in 2022 due to high gas prices.
  2. Glen Canyon Recreation Area saw a huge surge with over 5 million visitors in 2023, breaking previous records.
  3. Utah's 'Big Five' national parks, like Zion and Arches, experienced fluctuations in visitation numbers with some implementing reservation systems.
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USGS includes Indigenous knowledge in Grand Canyon uranium study

137 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics
  1. The USGS is now including Indigenous knowledge in their studies of uranium mining near the Grand Canyon, providing a more comprehensive view of potential impacts.
  2. There's a push for mining law reform, with a proposed Mining Regulatory Clarity Act potentially allowing mining operations on public land without proving the presence of valuable minerals, risking further environmental impacts.
  3. In Arizona, a bill has been introduced that aims to prohibit public funds from promoting actions like reducing greenhouse gas emissions or reusing water from human waste, sparking debate and criticism.

Messing with Maps: Ski area history edition

157 implied HN points • 24 Jan 24
🏝 Travel History
  1. Historical ski areas in southwest Colorado faced challenges in development and funding.
  2. Ski areas like Kendall Mountain in Silverton have interesting stories of past attempts and eventual success.
  3. There were many local ski hills in southwest Colorado, but in the early 1980s regulations started impacting operations.

In the wake of a disaster

412 implied HN points • 08 Sep 23
🎭️ Culture Disaster
  1. The post discusses a disaster that happened fifty-three years ago
  2. The author expresses gratitude towards supporters and readers
  3. Readers are encouraged to subscribe for a 7-day free trial

On the housing supply-side theory

373 implied HN points • 19 Sep 23
💰 Finance Real Estate
  1. Building more homes may not solve the Western housing crisis
  2. The Western U.S. housing crisis has gained significant media attention
  3. Various news outlets have covered the roots of the housing issue

When the flood comes

255 implied HN points • 05 Sep 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate
  1. The author realized a climate disaster was imminent when a weather app predicted heavy rain in Greece.
  2. They were surprised by the forecast of five inches of rain in a single day.
  3. The post discusses the impacts of extreme weather events related to climate change.

Silverton Mountain Ski Area changes hands

176 implied HN points • 04 Oct 23
🏝 Travel Adventure Property
  1. Aaron and Jen Brill sold Silverton Mountain Ski Area and other properties to Aspenites Andy Culp and Brock Strasbourger.
  2. The new owners operate an adventure-travel company, sparking excitement and concern in Silverton.
  3. The change in ownership has caused a mix of emotions in the town, reminiscent of reactions to the original project proposal years ago.

Weather Whiplash Roundup

157 implied HN points • 12 Sep 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Weather Climate Natural Disasters
  1. We are experiencing interesting and uncertain times in terms of climate and water.
  2. There is a mix of extreme weather events like flash floods and droughts happening in the same regions.
  3. Consider subscribing to The Land Desk for more detailed articles on these topics and a 7-day free trial.

Foto Friday:Report from the Road

353 implied HN points • 17 Mar 23
🏝 Travel Photography
  1. The rain was relentless, falling steadily and cold from the soggy sky all night and all day.
  2. Snow turned fields into swampy mud bogs.
  3. Decaying elk carcass behind the house was being dismantled by wildlife.

Ditch cars and reduce mining

255 implied HN points • 21 Feb 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Transportation Mining Electric Vehicles Environmental Impact
  1. Transportation sector with internal combustion engines is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.
  2. Electric vehicles require more minerals like copper, rare earth elements, cobalt, nickel, and lithium for batteries.
  3. Transitioning from internal combustion cars to electric vehicles may result in a significant increase in mining, which can harm the environment and communities.

Pondering Page, Arizona (and Lake Powell)

176 implied HN points • 22 Mar 23
🏝 Travel Destinations Exploration Adventure
  1. Driving into Page, Arizona from the east is a unique experience with significant elevation changes.
  2. The town of Page, Arizona has a strange atmosphere due to being a tourist destination built around a dam and power plant.
  3. Vermilion Cliffs in the horizon provide a spectacular view when approaching Page, Arizona.