Pique Behind the Curtain Vol. 33

A newsletter for those who are interested in climate solutions, media and film production

June 08, 2022

Pedaling Toward Progress

Welcome back to our weekly newsletter, Pique Behind the Curtain. If you’ve come in search of climate content, new film features, and all-around positive vibes, then you’ve come to the right place.

Climate Success Story: How New Amsterdam Reclaimed Their Streets

In the 1960s, cities like Amsterdam existed at the mercy of motorists. A high rate of vehicular child deaths led to a period of intense activism and resulted in what is now referred to as the ‘bicyclist capital of the world’.

At the beginning of the 20th century, entire neighborhoods in Amsterdam were destroyed to make room for motorized traffic, leading to an unprecedented number of casualties peaking at 3,300 in 1971 - more than 400 of which were children. The tragic loss motivated the formation of action groups that took to the streets, the most notable of which was Stop de Kindermoord or “stop the child murder”. (Seems like a reasonable request, no?).

The movement grew rapidly and characterized the 1970s in Holland as a time of activism and civil disobedience. The group held bicycle demonstrations and occupied roads to block traffic - even throwing parties on the roads they decided themselves to close down!

After the oil crisis in 1973 quadrupled the price of gas, the government was further motivated to push legislation toward efficient energy use. The installation of car-free Sundays allowed children to play freely and reminded Dutch citizens and politicians of the advantages cutting back on cars, and increasing cycling, could have for the city.

Today, the Netherlands is home to 22,000 miles of cycle paths. More than 25% of all trips in the country are made via bike - a percentage that rises to 38% when looking at Amsterdam alone. The numbers are staggering compared to the 2% of trips made on two wheels in the UK.

Because they don’t use any gas, bikes avoid releasing harmful greenhouse gas emissions that pollute the atmosphere and contribute to climate change. It is estimated that just moderate increases in bicycle use each year could save 6 to 14 million tons of CO2.

Watch our TikTok on Amsterdam’s Bicycle revolution here!

Sneak Pique: Cruz Foam

Of the 380 million tons of plastic that are produced every year, 50% is for single-use purposes such as product packaging. And once that styrofoam packaging becomes marine litter, it degrades into microplastics making it almost impossible to collect.

Cruz Foam knows that source material choices in packaging now have a direct impact on not only the climate crisis, but consumer prices and human suffering. Using chitin, an abundant natural biopolymer found in organisms like crab, shrimp, and lobsters, they are creating novel thermoplastic pellets that eliminate the need to use harsh, environmentally-harmful chemicals in the packaging production process.

This way, next time you forget your reusable mug you can grab a coffee and feel a little less shellfish. (Yeah, we went there.)

Want to learn more? Tune back in next week for the full film.

Good Climate News!

This week in good climate news 🌍:

Well, Oil be Damned. That’s a Win for Climate!

A bid to dismiss a lawsuit against ExxonMobil was rejected last week by Massachusetts’ highest court. The lawsuit was served by the state and accuses the oil giant of misleading the public about the role its fossil fuels play in contributing to climate change.

(For a mega-quick explanation on the insane PR campaign run by natural gas, check out this video.)

It is unfortunate public knowledge that ExxonMobil has a long history of attacking science and scientists in order to undermine and delay climate action. I mean, come on. Even Harvard has called them out. They did it by contributing quietly to climate science while simultaneously contributing loudly to promoting doubt about that science, by using language to subtly shape public thought surrounding climate change, and by telling the public one thing and then saying and doing the other behind the curtain. Sneaky is an undserstatement.

So, the real question is why? Do ExxonMobil company executives hate clear skies and pristine, trash-free beaches? No. Certainly not. But it is because climate action affects the bottom dollar of the oil industry… big time. The company and industry as a whole have operated a sophisticated propaganda machine for decades, but they’re starting to face some serious (dare we say, deserved?) backlash.

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court upheld a lower court ruling that rejected ExxonMobil’s argument that a state law protected it from being sued. The state argues that the company has engaged in a “sophisticated, multi-million dollar campain” to stir up doubt about the reality of climate change, climate science, and the direct relation between fossil fuels and climate change. Basically, they greenwashed before greenwashing was a dictionary definition.

But this court ruling the latest win in a string circuit courts upholding climate change cases, offering hope for future legislative efforts. Exxon won’t change on its own. It will require stricter global emissions standards to help protect the climate and a court system that recognizes legal action is our most powerful accelator to progress.

What We’re Watching, Reading, and Listening to

Searching for more positive climate content? Look no further!