Mark Rozema
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markrozema.bsky.social
Mark Rozema
@markrozema.bsky.social
Dad, grandpa, and husband. Writer. Interests include botany and geology. Lover of dogs, rivers, and bees. Seeking a path into a livable future for my grandkids.
Something may be shifting, but not all on its own. It is up to all of us to shift it further. Counter the lies. Support fired fed workers and tell their stories. Hold on to heroes, defend the vulnerable. BTW, Snyder’s book On Tyranny makes a great gift for teens, especially the graphic version.
Something is shifting. They are still breaking things and stealing things. And they will keep trying to break and to steal. But the propaganda magic around the oligarchical coup is fading. (1/2)
February 23, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Woke up this AM to frost on the kale. Beauty surrounds us, in quiet ways, even as dominators do their damage. We can fight against damage, even as we are sustained by beauty. I will be more attentive to the beauty than ever I have been before—not as a diversion, but as motivation for the fight.
January 22, 2025 at 7:43 PM
I was raised to see Jesus as an advocate for the vulnerable. A source of grief in the past decade has been to see many Christians bow to Caesar and pretend it’s Jesus. In recent days, we’ve been reminded of the testimony of Jimmy Carter, MLK, and now, Bishop Budde. May their light shine brightly.
January 22, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Going to remember what day it is. This is the last speech MLK ever gave. It took courage to give it. The next day, he was shot. He knew it was coming. It’s worth listening to the whole thing. Sure, it’s long… but what else have you got to listen to today? www.youtube.com/watch?v=gC6q...
MLK: I've Been To The Mountaintop!
YouTube video by The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change
www.youtube.com
January 20, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Reposted by Mark Rozema
Tomorrow noon east-coast time, 9am Pacific: we'll be here to talk about beloved community, power, storytelling, and enter this next era of US history together, heads held high, friends held close. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gf_y...
January 20, 2025 at 1:41 AM
Beautiful testimony. Two great lines: “They had a rack next to the sink where they would hang ziplock bags to dry,” and “He celebrated the majesty of everything from the smallest minnow to that grand circulation of waters.” RIP, good and faithful servant. www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjcW...
WATCH: Jimmy Carter’s grandson honors 39th president's life, legacy in eulogy | Carter Funeral
YouTube video by PBS NewsHour
www.youtube.com
January 10, 2025 at 3:16 AM
This is spot on. An important read.
Now Is the Time for Courage.

"So many who were so loud in warning about the dangers of Trump now speak only in whispers if at all. Media figures who claimed to be the bastion of protection for our democracy now make pilgrimages to temper Trump’s anger." www.democracydocket.com/opinion/now-...
Now Is the Time for Courage
From Marc | I started Democracy Docket to be fearlessly independent and unapologetically pro-democracy.
www.democracydocket.com
December 16, 2024 at 12:54 AM
Economic, ecological, and social unravelling go hand-in-hand. The cost of not taking care far exceeds the cost of taking care. The incoming regime, in their rush to exploit, commodify, and deplete everything under the sun for the short-term enrichment of billionaires, won't want us to realize this.
“Climate change is making geopolitics less stable, which harms climate action. This will worsen climate change, meaning more geopolitical instability, and so on.”

We are perilously close to going into a worsening “doom loop.”

#ActOnClimate

theconversation.com/a-doom-loop-...
A ‘doom loop’ of climate change and geopolitical instability is beginning
Climate change is driving inflation and instability, which harms climate action. But it’s not too late to escape the doom loop.
theconversation.com
December 14, 2024 at 9:28 PM
Yes, yes, yes. This essay really hits the nail on the head. “I share Buber’s faith in the sacredness of human interrelationship. And I honor any form of contemporary spiritual teaching, religious or not, that reminds us to place justice, and one another’s well-being, over ambition—or winning.”
For TIME, went as deep into the muck as I could:

"We are not chatbots, optimized for achievement and sent to conquer this country and then colonize the stars through infinite data accumulation. We are human beings who care deeply about one another...Musk will not save us." time.com/7176515/tech...
Why a Technocracy Fails Young People
For many young people, becoming a tech giant is very appealing—but it isn't a magic bullet, writes Greg M. Epstein.
time.com
December 8, 2024 at 6:24 AM
Long time FB user who doesn’t want to support Zuck. Don’t know how to find/build community on Bsky. Maybe I don’t grasp the nature or method of the platform. Still new, so I know I have to give it time, but I feel like I’m walking down the street talking to myself. Looking for birds of a feather.
December 8, 2024 at 3:20 AM
If you love the Grand Canyon and you love botany, give this podcast a listen. I haven't read the book yet, but I surely will now. I am also pleased to discover a podcast about the lost women of science, and intend to listen to other episodes.
December 6, 2024 at 6:48 AM
Worried about life under the reign of the king and his right-hand billionaire? Me too. Belle offers good counsel: Build your network. Go into the archives (Belle and Beau are a team) for videos. Consult emergency preparedness and community networking playlists. www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWON8-d7whY
Let's talk about preparing for hard times and the basics....
YouTube video by Belle of the Ranch
www.youtube.com
December 3, 2024 at 12:43 AM
My favorite book is “Song of the Dodo.” Smart, humorous, entertaining—while simultaneously addressing the most important subject under the sun. Would not have read it had I not first found David Quammen’s work in Outside in the 1980’s. Thank you, @quammen.bsky.social
December 3, 2024 at 12:28 AM
Richard Nelson’s birthday. I remember his humility, kindness, and deep love for fellow creatures. A gentle soul, competitive at water polo. If he were still with us, I doubt he’d be on social media. He’d be in the woods recording ravens. vimeo.com/1034043572/6...
Richard Nelson Speaks: The first time I recorded a natural sound (podcast)
Edited and produced by Liz McKenzie for Encounters North
vimeo.com
December 2, 2024 at 5:42 AM
Kash Patel is trending. But let’s not lose sight of what sustains us. Lest we forget that we share this earth with ancient, dignified, and magnificent beings, here is an article about some trees, and the people who have a relationship to them. What is sacred to you? Hold on to it.
December 2, 2024 at 5:26 AM
This film about a woman’s relationship to the ocean is 7 minutes well spent. Thinking about power: the power to dominate, exploit, and deplete. And a different sort of power: the power to heal, nurture, and sustain. Which kind impresses us? We can choose. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Skew...
Waves - A Portrait of Maria á Heygum
YouTube video by Heidrik
www.youtube.com
December 1, 2024 at 1:31 AM
Reposted by Mark Rozema
Growing wine grapes under solar panels can increase yields by 60%.
That seems like the definition of unalloyed good news
www.pv-magazine.com/2024/11/29/a...
Agrivoltaics can increase grape yield by up to 60%
French agrivoltaics company Sun'Agri says that two of its facilities increased grape yields by 20% to 60% in 2024, compared to areas without solar panels. The PV modules helped regulate temperature fl...
www.pv-magazine.com
November 30, 2024 at 9:42 PM
First post on Bluesky. I’m used to writing essays. Now I’ll have to write snippets. Okay, then. I too worry about the future. Not sure how to resist. But I’ll hold on to what and who I love. One thing I love: Monkeyflowers at the snout of Lower Curtis Glacier, North Cascades. A sacred place to me.
November 25, 2024 at 6:20 PM