Currently in Portland — September 18, 2023: The clouds are back!

The weather, currently.

Cooler temps and fall vibes are back this Monday, which is a relief. And that’s not just my desire for fall talking. We’ve just come off yet another stretch of record-breaking temps for this time of year. Thankfully, Monday will be in the low 70s and partly cloudy. We’ll even have a chance of some sprinkles in the morning. The cooler temps this week also mean I’m going to make another attempt at seed planting, now that the weather is more germination friendly. Between now and the end of October is the best time for getting in seeds, bulbs, and even some fall veggies—especially things like lettuce that can be planted almost anytime.

— Stella Harris

What you need to know, currently.

The State of California filed a lawsuit on Friday against the five largest oil companies and their lobbyists, alleging that they deliberately misled the public to protect their profits — putting lives at risk and worsening extreme weather, creating billions of dollars of damage in the process.

"Oil and gas companies have privately known the truth for decades — that the burning of fossil fuels leads to climate change — but have fed us lies and mistruths to further their record-breaking profits at the expense of our environment. Enough is enough," said Rob Bonta, California's attorney general.

The lawsuit pits the largest US economy against the heart of the global fossil fuel system — and is analogous to the recent successful lawsuits against utility companies in California for their role in sparking deadly wildfires. This time, California is demanding the oil companies pay their share of damages to the state for their decades of lies.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, in the largest climate march since Covid, more than 75,000 people rallied in NYC explicitly to end the era of fossil fuels. The demands were clear: President Biden must declare a climate emergency and take immediate action to wind down fossil fuel production and use throughout the economy. And that work needs to be done with climate justice at its center.

Here’s AOC’s full speech at Sunday’s global climate march to end fossil fuels in NYC:

It’s happening, y’all.

— Eric Holthaus

What you can do, currently.

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One of my favorite organizations, Mutual Aid Disaster Relief, serves as a hub of mutual aid efforts focused on climate action in emergencies — like hurricane season. Find mutual aid network near you and join, or donate to support existing networks: