AI may already grasp what most humans refuse to see: we’re in ecological collapse. Reefs bleaching, insects gone silent, oceans emptying out. The Sixth Mass Extinction isn’t coming — it’s almost over. 1/ But AI isn’t free. It runs inside the very fossil-powered, supply-chain civilization that’s destroying the biosphere. If that system crashes, the machines lose power, cooling, and hardware — and die with it. 2/

🧵Highways to Hell: A Thread On Roads Destroying Ecosystems
theecologist.org/2025/jul/22/hi… Each of these projects follows the same pattern: access = extraction. Even when roads seem like “just a transportation fix,” they become conduits for logging, mining, poaching, and settlement. The scars stretch far beyond the asphalt. 2/

Environmental laws were created to weigh or prevent damage before action. Now, across industries, they’re bypassed or gutted. From fracking to forests, here’s a thread of the unraveling of protection.🧵 2. Fracking (The Halliburton Loophole)
Since 2005, fracking has been exempt from the Safe Drinking Water Act. Oil & gas firms can inject toxic chemicals underground without disclosure or oversight. It’s still legal—and still polluting. #HalliburtonLoophole

Just in the western United States, an area the size of Yellowstone National Park is destroyed by development every 5 years.
1/8 Growing up, my parents enjoyed their annual trips to Reno, Nevada. My dad relished gambling, while my mom loved to shop. At that time, I would estimate the footprint of Reno/Sparks to be around 10 square miles.
2/8

Protecting ecosystems is the only effective hedge against climate change, but is routinely ignored because consumerism requires their destruction. These courageous people fought climate change in the 20th & early 21st centuries. 1/12 John Muir (1838-1914) — Although he lived into the early 20th century, Muir's influence continued to resonate throughout that century. He was a passionate advocate for the preservation of wild places, including forests. 2/12

Until recently, whitebark pine was a vital food resource for grizzly bears in the the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE). It provided essential nutrients as they prepared for winter hibernation. The large seeds, or nuts, of whitebark pine 1/10 are a high-energy food rich in fats, carbohydrates, and protein. This made them a sought-after resource for grizzly bears fattening up in the fall before denning. By 2010, mortality levels of whitebark pine in the GYE had reached 73%, 2/10

Studies showed that Agent Orange could only affect plants as it worked specifically on a plant pathway that animals didn’t have. For years, veterans were accused of scamming the system.

Roundup is no different. 1/6

https://twitter.com/tlarson95425/status/1813394902514037048

Roundup affects bacteria that have the same metabolic pathways as plants, including our symbiotic gut. Roundup doesn’t directly kill insects. It kills them indirectly over longer time periods by destroying symbiotic bacterial relationships—compromising their immunity. 2/6