Gardiner Allen Brown
@gardinerbrown.bsky.social
Environmental essays, disaster studies, environmental humanities
PhD student, UC Berkeley department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management
PhD student, UC Berkeley department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management
Pinned
I've been added to a couple of disaster research lists on here (thank you @samlmontano.bsky.social and @danielle-rivera.bsky.social), so I wanted to post a few links to my work so my new followers get a sense of who I am...
It’s hilarious that Musk’s AI is now using its profound resource expenditure to claim he’s such a good father. Dads, with their long and troubled PR history, may truly never recover from this one.
oh my god i take it back, grok is amazing
November 20, 2025 at 9:18 PM
It’s hilarious that Musk’s AI is now using its profound resource expenditure to claim he’s such a good father. Dads, with their long and troubled PR history, may truly never recover from this one.
Reposted by Gardiner Allen Brown
If you are okay with this, if you think this is justified, if you think people living on the street have brought this upon themselves, if you think this is good leadership, you may be able to fool yourself that you care about others but you don’t fool me
Newsom launches statewide task force to clear homeless encampments
Newsom launches statewide task force to clear homeless encampments
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday announced the creation of a statewide task force aimed at dismantling homeless encampments on state property and expanding access to shelter and services. The State Acti…
ktla.com
August 29, 2025 at 8:07 PM
If you are okay with this, if you think this is justified, if you think people living on the street have brought this upon themselves, if you think this is good leadership, you may be able to fool yourself that you care about others but you don’t fool me
Reposted by Gardiner Allen Brown
Louisiana has to build three new natural gas power plants to accommodate the "AI" data center that Meta just crammed through because said center will use *Three Times* as much electricity (and, thus, attendant resources) as the *Entire City Of New Orleans*, every year.
Y'all this isn't sustainable.
Y'all this isn't sustainable.
La. regulators approve Entergy power plants for Meta’s AI data center
Louisiana Public Service Commissioners voted four to one to approve Entergy’s three new gas plants to power Meta’s largest-ever data center.
www.kplctv.com
August 22, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Louisiana has to build three new natural gas power plants to accommodate the "AI" data center that Meta just crammed through because said center will use *Three Times* as much electricity (and, thus, attendant resources) as the *Entire City Of New Orleans*, every year.
Y'all this isn't sustainable.
Y'all this isn't sustainable.
Reposted by Gardiner Allen Brown
The problem with the strategy using state cops to rein in fascists is similar with the problem with trying to get Hannah Montana to fill in when Miley Cyrus is sick.
if your theory of change involves depending on cops to rein in cops, i have awful news for you. just ... the worst you can imagine.
Ppl this is not going to happen. State police are not going to arrest federal police. The most that can even be optimistically expected of them is that they will not assist federal police, and even that is a heavy lift, even if they are totally within their constitutional rights to do just that.
August 19, 2025 at 9:25 PM
The problem with the strategy using state cops to rein in fascists is similar with the problem with trying to get Hannah Montana to fill in when Miley Cyrus is sick.
Reposted by Gardiner Allen Brown
This is useful to read if you want a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between funding cuts and the flooding in Texas.
We have the latest on TS Chantal this morning which is a flooding threat for North Carolina. Also, some additional points about Texas after conversations we had yesterday with readers. theeyewall.com/chantal-make...
July 6, 2025 at 1:09 PM
This is useful to read if you want a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between funding cuts and the flooding in Texas.
Reposted by Gardiner Allen Brown
Here’s a good post to read/share about the Texas flooding.
It is absolutely critical to correctly diagnose response failures — otherwise we “fix” the wrong things.
It is absolutely critical to correctly diagnose response failures — otherwise we “fix” the wrong things.
There have been claims that NOAA/NWS did not foresee catastrophic TX floods--but that's simply not true. This was undoubtedly an extreme event, but messaging rapidly escalated beginning ~12 hrs prior. Flood Watch mid PM, "heads up" outlook late PM, flash flood warnings ~1am.
WPC issued as many as six MPDs for the deadly flash flooding in the TX Hill Country starting yesterday evening and lasting through much of today. The first MPD generally set the stage for what was to come, while the next three shown were as the event unfolded.
July 5, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Here’s a good post to read/share about the Texas flooding.
It is absolutely critical to correctly diagnose response failures — otherwise we “fix” the wrong things.
It is absolutely critical to correctly diagnose response failures — otherwise we “fix” the wrong things.
Reposted by Gardiner Allen Brown
This is a region known as “flood alley” as the risks of flash flooding are already so high.
As always, though, climate change takes existing risks and makes them worse – in this case, warmer air holds more water vapor, increasing risks of heavier downpours.
More by @zhonggg.bsky.social here:
As always, though, climate change takes existing risks and makes them worse – in this case, warmer air holds more water vapor, increasing risks of heavier downpours.
More by @zhonggg.bsky.social here:
As the World Warms, Extreme Rain Is Becoming Even More Extreme
www.nytimes.com
July 5, 2025 at 3:04 PM
This is a region known as “flood alley” as the risks of flash flooding are already so high.
As always, though, climate change takes existing risks and makes them worse – in this case, warmer air holds more water vapor, increasing risks of heavier downpours.
More by @zhonggg.bsky.social here:
As always, though, climate change takes existing risks and makes them worse – in this case, warmer air holds more water vapor, increasing risks of heavier downpours.
More by @zhonggg.bsky.social here:
Reposted by Gardiner Allen Brown
Tragedy in Texas hill country, where 4 months’ worth of rain in just four hours caused Guadalupe River levels to spike 30 feet in just an hour and a half - in the middle of the night.
Two dozen are dead in the resulting floods and another 20 young campers still missing.
apnews.com/article/texa...
Two dozen are dead in the resulting floods and another 20 young campers still missing.
apnews.com/article/texa...
Why the Texas floods were so severe
Flooding rains in and around Kerr County had brought a widespread 10 to 15 total inches by Friday morning. Four months of rainfall came down in four hours.
www.washingtonpost.com
July 5, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Tragedy in Texas hill country, where 4 months’ worth of rain in just four hours caused Guadalupe River levels to spike 30 feet in just an hour and a half - in the middle of the night.
Two dozen are dead in the resulting floods and another 20 young campers still missing.
apnews.com/article/texa...
Two dozen are dead in the resulting floods and another 20 young campers still missing.
apnews.com/article/texa...
Reposted by Gardiner Allen Brown
Unfortunately it’s not a big step from “The forecast was wrong” to “NWS is incompetent and wasteful,” and there are strong political incentives to make that argument now regardless of the truth (see also: attacks on FEMA after Helene)
The missing piece of this viral post is that the Texas officials are lying and deflecting blame. The NWS, hobbled as it is, issued an accurate flood watch for Kerr County the evening before and accurate escalating warnings overnight as the flood was developing.
After media reports & experts warned for months that drastic & sudden cuts at the Nat Weather Service by Trump could impair their forecasting ability & endanger lives during the storm season, TX officials blame an inaccurate forecast by NWS for the deadly results of the flood.
July 5, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Unfortunately it’s not a big step from “The forecast was wrong” to “NWS is incompetent and wasteful,” and there are strong political incentives to make that argument now regardless of the truth (see also: attacks on FEMA after Helene)
Reposted by Gardiner Allen Brown
If you comment on any of my posts that Red states deserved to be destroyed by disasters I will block you so fucking fast. You don’t get to lose your humanity just because a bunch of fascists have. Just pretend you’re smart enough to understand the complexities of politics, dweebs.
January 24, 2025 at 12:26 AM
If you comment on any of my posts that Red states deserved to be destroyed by disasters I will block you so fucking fast. You don’t get to lose your humanity just because a bunch of fascists have. Just pretend you’re smart enough to understand the complexities of politics, dweebs.
Reposted by Gardiner Allen Brown
Calling FEMA employees “FEMA deep state activists” is fucking unhinged, obviously.
This morning, President Trump and his crony Elon Musk illegally seized $80M in congressionally-appropriated FEMA funding from NYC bank accounts.
Trump and Elon stole tens of millions of dollars straight from our bank accounts--this is highway robbery, and NY cannot take this lying down.
Trump and Elon stole tens of millions of dollars straight from our bank accounts--this is highway robbery, and NY cannot take this lying down.
Trump admin claws back $80M given to NYC to house migrants — but comptroller calls it ‘highway robbery’
Millions in FEMA funds sent to New York City last week to help with the migrant crisis were clawed back Wednesday, officials said.
buff.ly
February 12, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Calling FEMA employees “FEMA deep state activists” is fucking unhinged, obviously.
Reposted by Gardiner Allen Brown
Elon Musk: Why isn’t there enough water in California?
Grok (burning through an entire lake to generate an answer): Wokeness
Grok (burning through an entire lake to generate an answer): Wokeness
January 9, 2025 at 3:15 AM
Elon Musk: Why isn’t there enough water in California?
Grok (burning through an entire lake to generate an answer): Wokeness
Grok (burning through an entire lake to generate an answer): Wokeness
Reposted by Gardiner Allen Brown
We need you Yo La Tengo
Drones in New Jersey would make such a beautiful name for a rock song
December 15, 2024 at 8:49 PM
We need you Yo La Tengo
Reposted by Gardiner Allen Brown
‘This was not normal’: US scientists grapple with a year of record heat www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Is it clouds, shipping or a volcano? Scientists present potential reasons for record heat
Climate researchers share theories behind apparent surge, though none have a full understanding yet of what has happened
www.theguardian.com
December 12, 2024 at 3:52 PM
‘This was not normal’: US scientists grapple with a year of record heat www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Reposted by Gardiner Allen Brown
Then let's discuss, do we really need AI?
The rise of artificial intelligence will drive a surge in electricity demand that’ll initially be met by fossil fuels, before nuclear replaces that source, the head of a body advising Japan’s top utility said.
Fossil Fuels Initially Needed for AI Boom, Nuclear Expert Says
The rise of artificial intelligence will drive a surge in electricity demand that’ll initially be met by fossil fuels, before nuclear replaces that source, the head of a body advising Japan’s top util...
www.bloomberg.com
December 12, 2024 at 5:54 AM
Then let's discuss, do we really need AI?
Reposted by Gardiner Allen Brown
David French is a former attorney for the Alliance Defending Freedom, the same organization that overturned Roe and that Mike Johnson helms from. As he once put it himself, he opposes policies that risk "indulging the troubled fantasies of a tiny, disturbed population of transgendered Americans."
What is the use of all this sympathy and heartbreak if you can't make the bare-minimum declaration that this kind of care should be left between doctors and patients rather than *banned by law*? No other field of medicine faces anywhere near this scale of legislative assault.
December 8, 2024 at 2:40 PM
David French is a former attorney for the Alliance Defending Freedom, the same organization that overturned Roe and that Mike Johnson helms from. As he once put it himself, he opposes policies that risk "indulging the troubled fantasies of a tiny, disturbed population of transgendered Americans."
For obvious reasons, I’ve been feeling uncharacteristically pessimistic lately. I just presented to a group of undergrads about queer environmentalism in cartoons and was expecting low engagement with this topic that I think is vital, but instead I was gifted a 30 minute engaged and insightful Q&A 🥰
December 7, 2024 at 3:18 AM
For obvious reasons, I’ve been feeling uncharacteristically pessimistic lately. I just presented to a group of undergrads about queer environmentalism in cartoons and was expecting low engagement with this topic that I think is vital, but instead I was gifted a 30 minute engaged and insightful Q&A 🥰
Reposted by Gardiner Allen Brown
You'll be seeing outdated #earthquake posts for a few hours but the tsunami.gov #tsunami warning was canceled quite quickly.
December 5, 2024 at 8:29 PM
You'll be seeing outdated #earthquake posts for a few hours but the tsunami.gov #tsunami warning was canceled quite quickly.
Excellent work by the Google AI here...
December 5, 2024 at 7:16 PM
Excellent work by the Google AI here...
Reposted by Gardiner Allen Brown
M7.3 earthquake offshore northern California has triggered a tsunami warning. Waves (if they exist) should be approaching the immediate coastline by 11:10am PT, and the Bay Area by 12:10pm PT
www.tsunami.gov?p=PAAQ/2024/...
www.tsunami.gov?p=PAAQ/2024/...
U.S. Tsunami Warning Centers
www.tsunami.gov
December 5, 2024 at 7:03 PM
M7.3 earthquake offshore northern California has triggered a tsunami warning. Waves (if they exist) should be approaching the immediate coastline by 11:10am PT, and the Bay Area by 12:10pm PT
www.tsunami.gov?p=PAAQ/2024/...
www.tsunami.gov?p=PAAQ/2024/...
And of course the fact that England is basing their policies on something like the Cass Review, a scientifically un-rigorous document with unchecked bias, does not matter to SCOTUS
Kavanaugh also brings up "detransitioners," people who "regret" their decision to transition genders. Like Alito, he cites European countries that are "pulling back" from gender-affirming care for minors, saying it's a "yellow light" or "red light" for the court that Europe is "pumping the brakes."
December 4, 2024 at 5:55 PM
And of course the fact that England is basing their policies on something like the Cass Review, a scientifically un-rigorous document with unchecked bias, does not matter to SCOTUS
Reposted by Gardiner Allen Brown
the clear sign that they just don’t see these kids as real people is the endless concern over hypotheticals and the indifference to the reality that actual children are more likely to kill themselves because of these bans
Kavanaugh also brings up "detransitioners," people who "regret" their decision to transition genders. Like Alito, he cites European countries that are "pulling back" from gender-affirming care for minors, saying it's a "yellow light" or "red light" for the court that Europe is "pumping the brakes."
December 4, 2024 at 4:01 PM
the clear sign that they just don’t see these kids as real people is the endless concern over hypotheticals and the indifference to the reality that actual children are more likely to kill themselves because of these bans
I've been added to a couple of disaster research lists on here (thank you @samlmontano.bsky.social and @danielle-rivera.bsky.social), so I wanted to post a few links to my work so my new followers get a sense of who I am...
December 3, 2024 at 9:31 PM
I've been added to a couple of disaster research lists on here (thank you @samlmontano.bsky.social and @danielle-rivera.bsky.social), so I wanted to post a few links to my work so my new followers get a sense of who I am...
Reposted by Gardiner Allen Brown
Here are 10,000 brutal words on how Project 2025’s changes to FEMA would create a near-term future in which death tolls increase, more people become homeless & the future of entire communities is threatened.
It would be a bloodbath. We must stop them. #GreySky
www.disaster-ology.com/blog/2024/12...
It would be a bloodbath. We must stop them. #GreySky
www.disaster-ology.com/blog/2024/12...
Project 2025 & Emergency Management: Direct Impacts to FEMA — Disasterology
If we have not met, here are my credentials: I have been involved with disaster work for nearly 20 years beginning with the recovery of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and the levee failure. I wor...
www.disaster-ology.com
December 1, 2024 at 9:33 PM
Here are 10,000 brutal words on how Project 2025’s changes to FEMA would create a near-term future in which death tolls increase, more people become homeless & the future of entire communities is threatened.
It would be a bloodbath. We must stop them. #GreySky
www.disaster-ology.com/blog/2024/12...
It would be a bloodbath. We must stop them. #GreySky
www.disaster-ology.com/blog/2024/12...