A new law in Maine aims to take the cost burden of recycling away from taxpayers to manufacturers. One environmental advocate said the change could be “transformative.” Many nations with similar laws have seen their recycling rates soar.

From Afghanistan: * Taliban limiting cash withdrawals fm. banks and Western Union to $150/week. Therefore help for Afghans in-country best direct to individuals. * Note: traditional $-transfer (hawala) is still working. Maybe rush to "modern banking" not so great?

From Afghanistan: * Techtonic rift bet. southern and western Taliban factions still shooting lava. Mullah Baradar (dep. PM) reportedly shot and wounded by rivals. * Western (Haqqani) branch on top for now, & favored by ISI.

100% of Americans have opinions about the government and yet...

Development finance turns out to be yet another revenue stream for corrupt governments. World Bank and IFC not especially careful.

CORRECTION to my earlier tweet re rift between southern (Quetta Shura) Taliban and EASTERN (not western -- don't know why I keep doing that) Haqqanis. Haqqanis, based in far eastern Afghanistan and across the Pak. border enjoy close support from Pak mil. intelligence (ISI).

I am ashamed to have to say that this case study in corruption American style is my senator. D. Party: stop courting Joe Manchin. typeinvestigations.org/investigation/…

If Washington wants freedom of movement for Afghans, then pressure on Pakistan is needed. Everyone I know is confirming it is nearly impossible to cross the land borders.

Please see my "Resources" post for latest on ways to help Afghans, and some news from the ground. It's #2 in this series -- can't get Twitter to post the latest version. sarahchayes.org/blog-1

Life inside Afghanistan is exceedingly hard. I am trying to gather some financial support for half a dozen families I've known for more than a decade. This is medicine-dropper work, but it matters: gofundme.com/f/economic-rel…

Saw this great tree up close once. It is magnificent. The walk to the tree was a moving experience. This is awful.

This is the same Mike Pompeo responsible for the Doha Agreement that essentially handed Afghanistan over to the Taliban...so they'd allow us to withdraw? Why couldn't we just withdraw? What else got exchanged? Americans: Afghanistan is a mirror. Let's look b/f it's too late

1 billion tons GHGs was underreported by countries with large oil & gas industries over the past 5 years. And another billion tons was uncounted by other countries that don't regularly report oil & gas sector emissions fastcompany.com/90677559/this-… Al Gore Climate TRACE RMI

Say what you like about blockchain technology, it appears to make ballot box stuffing immeasurably more efficient.

Then there's this: meforum.org/62656/abraham-…. Note: Dems. excel at this conversion-of-gvt.-job-into-portfolio-earnings trick, too.

President Biden's urge for global cooperation on climate at the #UNGA rings a little hollow when the US is still set to unleash a 'climate bomb' of fracked gas on countries around the world. gwitness.org/2PYwPBE

Thanks, Nancy. What I didn't have time to get into was how the corruption and failure we fostered in the Afghan government mirrors our own. 2 lost wars, econ. meltdown, opioid epidemic...all of whose authors have gained wealth and honor despite catastrophic policies.

U.S. officials mulling how to deal with Taliban going forward? Here's a thought: Narcotics kingpin designations. (Would have been equally valid for Pres. Karzai's brother.) spytalk.co/p/taliban-incl…

Outside of my usual lane -- but you'll be seeing more of this from me. Those who love the natural world, PLEASE trouble to take your trash out with you. I walk and swim rivers too, and am heartbroken to see how we treat them. washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/…