Good News, New Mexico

GNNM#3 - With all of the unhappy news floating around, it's about time we reflect on some good news from around the world, the US, and New Mexico.

Media outlets have left me feeling down and overwhelmed with ecological and societal doom as of late. Between NIMBY City Council members blocking affordable housing in Albuquerque, fires and floods in New Mexico, the US Supreme Court clawing back environmental and democratic protections, devastating wars in Ukraine and Palestine, and a US Presidential election that has the whole world on edge, it’s easy to overlook the good news stories.

Let’s take a few minutes to focus on some good news internationally, in the US, and, since 87% of my followers are in New Mexico, I’ll touch on some local wins as well.

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International good news

Britain’s Labour Party wins big

An “ultra low emissions zone” in London - Yui Mok/PA Images, via Getty Images

Yesterday, Britain’s left-leaning Labour Party ended the Conservative Party’s 14-year stint controlling the UK. Keir Starmer will be Britain’s next prime minister as her party secured a comfortable majority in parliament:

Source: The New York Times

The Labour Party aims to, among other things, repair international relationships and “Make Britain a clean energy superpower.” Unlike the degrowth climate advocates in much of Europe and the conservative parties everywhere, the Labour Party sees, “that economic growth, energy security, lower bills, and addressing climate change can be complementary.”

Whatever your politics might be, the Labour Party’s success is an objective win for the climate. Great Britain was the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, which kicked off a global economic boom like the world has never seen, and the country has been one of the major emitters of climate-changing emissions since. While the country’s economic might is today overshadowed by the likes of the US, China, Germany, Japan, and India, Britain still holds an important role in creating a framework for balancing economic prosperity with environmental obligations.

If the Labour Party succeeds in offering an alternative to degrowth (the misled environmental philosophy calling for a smaller economy in exchange for fewer emissions), they could encourage other European countries to follow suit with pro-growth and pro-climate policies.

Renewables reached 30% of electricity generated in 2023

Last month, the AP reported that “For the first time, 30% of electricity produced worldwide was from clean energy sources as the number of solar and wind farms continued to grow fast.”

The AP’s report also showed that hydropower, the long-time dominant renewable energy, saw a drop in 2023 due to flooding in India, China, and North America. As climate catastrophes disrupt the economy, it will be important to diversify our energy mix, and it appears that the world is doing so.

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National good news

More US cities are adopting efficient land use policies

According to the Parking Reform Network, a non-profit that educates the public on parking policy and reform, 69 cities in the US have eliminated parking mandates, a number that’s grown drastically since 2020. Parking lot mandates create unwalkable neighborhoods, drive up housing prices, and leave cities with large swaths of underutilized land.

Thanks to organizations like the Parking Reform Network and Strong Towns, cities are learning how vehicle storage can negatively affect urban life. Car-centric urban design often feels too deeply ingrained in American culture, and the amount of work ahead of us can feel daunting, but it’s clear that energy is building for change. American cities were built for cars, but 69 of them have taken meaningful steps to reverse that wrong.

American pandemic recovery is hard to deny

This topic may deserve its own post soon, but it’s important to quickly note that the US is emerging from the pandemic much stronger than any other country, and much stronger than many people realize. The pandemic affected everything from the US stock market to high school graduation rates, but today, things are looking pretty good. Here are some of the meaningful metrics that are improving:

• Americans are starting to feel better about the economy as inflation eases.

• The stock market continues to break records amid favorable inflation data.

• US job and wage growth numbers are slowing, but are still strong - suggesting the Fed is still on track for a “soft landing.”

• Despite growing concern about crime stats in the US as the Presidential election nears, the stats show crime is down nationwide.

• HS graduation rates are the highest ever, surpassing pre-pandemic levels.

• Teen use of tobacco and e-cigarette products is down.

So, on paper, the US is doing extremely well. Off paper, the vibes are weird, to say the least, but you can ignore much of the negative vibes meant to distract and scare you into making a rash decision on election day.

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New Mexico good news

Abq’s Louisiana Boulevard is getting a Vision Zero makeover

Construction started on one of Albuquerque’s deadliest stroads, Louisiana Blvd. The street is set to receive the city’s first protected bike lane, more transit options, and traffic-calming infrastructure as the City works to decrease pedestrian fatalities and injuries in the US’s most dangerous city for pedestrians. By implementing this project, hundreds of homes and shops will become more accessible - improving transit equity, and public health, and decreasing climate-changing emissions.

According to KRQE news, “The $1 million project is scheduled to last 45 days and is the first major project to be paid for through funds generated from the Automated Speed Enforcement program.”

New Mexico legislators set to receive full-time aides

Source

New Mexico’s legislative council approved a measure on June 24th allowing state legislators to hire full-time staff. New Mexico’s legislature is the only volunteer state legislature in the nation - meaning they don’t receive a salary, non-senior members don’t have staff, and they lack office space in their respective districts.

Rep. Susan Herrera told KOB, “What we’re asking for is to have the paid Legislature to have a longer session and to have staff. So this is the first time we’ve ever been able to kind of break that barrier. And the Legislature voted for us for the first time in our entire history to have staff for the New Mexico State legislators.”

Increasing the resources available to state lawmakers enables them to make more informed decisions and interact with their constituents more. This is a small step towards fully modernizing the New Mexico Legislature - improving the function of our state government and democracy.

For more on the importance of modernizing New Mexico’s legislature:

New Mexico's Legislature needs to get paid

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Thanks for reading the 3rd installment of Good News, New Mexico. Hopefully, you can reflect on these positives and go about your day a little happier than before.

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Attention readers - Ruidoso, New Mexico has been experiencing devastating wildfires and floods that have caused irreparable and costly damages. The fires (around 85% contained to date) were said to be started by lightning. Two people have been killed, and 1,400 structures destroyed.

If you have the means, one way you can take action today is to donate to the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico - one of the organizations helping those afflicted by the fires and floods in and around Ruidoso. To donate, click the link below:

Impact Fund for Lincoln & Otero County (Link)

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