Jack McGovan
@jackmcgovan.bsky.social
📤 12482
📥 809
📝 316
Writer and environmental journalist @ Sentient, The Guardian, Hakai etc www.sower.world 🇬🇧🏳️🌈
pinned post!
A charity is gaining momentum pushing for state-subsidised diners to be reintroduced across the UK to improve access to affordable, healthy, and climate-friendly food. Not everyone is convinced, however, that there's a chance in the current political climate. My latest for Sower ⬇️
loading . . .
What if dinner was public infrastructure?
A Scottish charity wants to reintroduce state-subsidised diners for all—potentially a big ask in the current political climate.
https://www.sower.world/public-diner-uk-climate/
19 days ago
11
202
58
reposted by
Jack McGovan
Felipe Gaona
4 days ago
Open AI loses copyright case in Germany. Judge Elke Schwager summarized the case saying that if you want to build something and need components, "then you purchase them and do not use the property of others."
loading . . .
Blow for OpenAI in Germany as court rules song lyrics used illegally
A German court ruled on Tuesday that OpenAI violated copyright on nine popular songs in a lawsuit that marked another attempt to prevent the free use of artists' content online. The Munich Regional Co...
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/blow-openai-germany-court-rules-151638208.html
53
6813
2809
reposted by
Jack McGovan
Brian Merchant
5 days ago
How is AI *really* impacting jobs? Henley Chiu, the CTO of Revealera, a jobs data analysis firm, analyzed 180 million jobs listings in 2024 and 2025, in an effort to find out. Chiu found an: -8% drop in all jobs postings -~30% drop in art, photography, writing jobs -22% drop in journalism jobs
loading . . .
What’s really going on with AI and jobs?
Record-breaking layoff reports, Amazon's mass firings, and a slump in entry level employment. Is AI behind it all?
https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/what-the-hell-is-going-on-with-ai
21
892
506
reposted by
Jack McGovan
isaac
12 days ago
Climate and energy is not immune to today's discourse. "From what I've seen firsthand, utility policy advocates working on questions of finance, governance, and operations are primarily cisgender, straight (and mostly, white) men. Women, people of color, and queer people work separately..."
loading . . .
On Queer People in Climate and Energy
Any queer person who works on climate and energy issues—utility issues, especially—in a technical capacity of any kind is a marvel. A statistical miracle. On my first day working on utility policy, I ...
https://www.isaacsevier.com/notes/lgbtq-queer-in-stem-for-climate-energy-utility-justice-policy/
1
17
5
reposted by
Jack McGovan
Ian Dunt
12 days ago
Vital piece of investigative reporting from Sky. They've uncovered the X algorithm which feeds users extremist right wing material from the moment they join the site. It is a far-right radicalisation engine, by design.
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
loading . . .
Elon Musk is boosting the British right - and this shows how
Elon Musk is boosting the British right - and this shows how
https://news.sky.com/story/the-x-effect-how-elon-musk-is-boosting-the-british-right-13464487#
241
6298
4029
reposted by
Jack McGovan
John R. Platt
28 days ago
When environmental educator Mona Shomali submitted this essay about the misuse of "survival of the fittest" to us at
@therevelator.org
, I couldn't wait to share it with our readers... Capitalism Loves Competition. Nature Has Other Ideas.
therevelator.org/social-darwi...
loading . . .
Capitalism Loves Competition. Nature Has Other Ideas. • The Revelator
Social Darwinists use “survival of the fittest” as an excuse to privatize land or remove the social safety net. But that fails to recognize how nature really works.
https://therevelator.org/social-darwinism/
0
26
11
reposted by
Jack McGovan
Matthias Schmelzer
17 days ago
A Scottish charity wants to reintroduce state-subsidised diners for all—a potentially a big ask in the current political climate.
#universalbasicservices
www.sower.world/public-diner...
loading . . .
What if dinner was public infrastructure?
A Scottish charity wants to reintroduce state-subsidised diners for all—a potentially a big ask in the current political climate.
https://www.sower.world/public-diner-uk-climate/
0
20
7
A charity is gaining momentum pushing for state-subsidised diners to be reintroduced across the UK to improve access to affordable, healthy, and climate-friendly food. Not everyone is convinced, however, that there's a chance in the current political climate. My latest for Sower ⬇️
loading . . .
What if dinner was public infrastructure?
A Scottish charity wants to reintroduce state-subsidised diners for all—potentially a big ask in the current political climate.
https://www.sower.world/public-diner-uk-climate/
19 days ago
11
202
58
reposted by
Jack McGovan
Dr Charlie Gardner
21 days ago
This new reconstruction of global whale biomass shows that countries can successfully tackle environmental problems when they come together But it's a story with an under-recognised hero 🧵 1/
4
88
51
Resharing this since Musk has now said civil war is inevitable in the UK. It takes two minutes to email your MP asking them to demand the government leaves X!
add a skeleton here at some point
20 days ago
0
5
2
reposted by
Jack McGovan
Ketan Joshi
20 days ago
I'm Still On X For The Engagement I Signed Up For StormFront Because That's Where The Influencers Are I'm Staying On TruthSocial Because I Can't Let The Right Fill The Space
4
131
25
reposted by
Jack McGovan
Amy Westervelt
21 days ago
A stat we don't talk about enough: Newspapers have lost 77% of their jobs over the last 20 year, more than any of the 532 other industries tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
86
2898
1120
reposted by
Jack McGovan
Paris Marx
21 days ago
stellan skarsgård seems like a good dude
7
7541
1839
"In the two years since the state started charging a 4% surtax on incomes over $1 million, the effort has created a $5.7 billion windfall, with the surplus being used to fund bridge repairs, bolster literacy programs and address the transportation system’s budget deficit." Taxing the rich works!
loading . . .
Millionaire Tax That Inspired Mamdani Fuels $5.7 Billion Haul in Massachusetts
A millionaire levy in Massachusetts that New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani holds up as a model for taxing the rich has generated $3 billion more in revenue than expected without forcing...
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-10-21/millionaire-tax-that-inspired-mamdani-fuels-5-7-billion-haul-in-massachusetts?embedded-checkout=true
26 days ago
20
2079
781
reposted by
Jack McGovan
Thomas
26 days ago
Ada Lovelace, first AI denigrator
3
90
44
reposted by
Jack McGovan
Brent Toderian
about 1 month ago
“Now Scientific American has updated and re-released what it calls the “classic graphic” that shows that a human on a bicycle—able to coast, or freewheel, without pedaling—remains the world’s most energy effecient traveler.”
@carltonreid.com
on the re-release of the iconic graph in
@forbes.com
.
28
664
237
reposted by
Jack McGovan
Kristian Steensen Nielsen
about 1 month ago
🔥 The never-ending narrative… This week, I’ve once again heard prominent climate researchers dismiss individual action as either irrelevant or a distraction instigated by the fossil fuel industry. Here’s a 🧵 on why this argument frustrates me to no end and why I think it misses the bigger picture.
8
140
82
"Recent research shows that for every million dollars, public spending on the military-industrial complex buys five jobs, while education spending creates thirteen and health care investment creates nine."
add a skeleton here at some point
about 1 month ago
4
67
30
reposted by
Jack McGovan
Tay (Antonio J. Osuna Mascaró)
about 1 month ago
1/6 We are the most terrifying animal in existence, even for wolves They tested whether wolves (Tuchola Forest, Poland) fear the barking of dogs more than the human voice when speaking. The wolves fled sooner and faster when they heard our voices (paper)
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
1
35
18
reposted by
Jack McGovan
Ketan Joshi
about 1 month ago
Pretty freaking wild to hear "actually AI is useful for climate change" constantly and from people who should know better when the people deciding how the massive resources it consumes are used are saying stuff like this
add a skeleton here at some point
2
113
29
reposted by
Jack McGovan
Gerry Flynn
about 1 month ago
Depressing that the IUCN's confirmation that an endangered species is in fact endangered is the closest thing I can provide to "good news." Latest for
@mongabay.com
shows how a concerted effort by the biomedical research lobby to downgrade the IUCN listing of long-tailed macaques has failed.
loading . . .
IUCN upholds long-tailed macaques’ endangered status after complaint
BANGKOK — The long-tailed macaque will remain on the Red List of the IUCN, the global wildlife conservation authority, despite objections from the biomedical industry arguing the designation hampers r...
https://news.mongabay.com/2025/10/iucn-upholds-long-tailed-macaques-endangered-status-after-complaint/
0
20
9
Did you or somebody you know take part in the Basic Income for Artists scheme in Ireland? I’m looking to speak to some participants for a piece, anonymous is also fine! DM or email is in bio, please share 🙏
#journorequest
about 1 month ago
1
8
11
reposted by
Jack McGovan
Ruxandra Grrr
about 1 month ago
Fully support what Jack is saying here, we need more recognition of collective work and not singling out individuals, especially when they're involved in super collective work. Why not award orgs and coalitions?
add a skeleton here at some point
1
6
1
reposted by
Jack McGovan
Sandra is cheering you on!
about 1 month ago
LRT “In 2017, Kenyan conservationist Dr Mordecai Ogada published the book The Big Conservation Lie, which criticised ‘white saviours’ like Goodall...Have any African conservationists received a damehood or regular well-paid speaking opportunities across the world for their work?”
add a skeleton here at some point
0
29
13
reposted by
Jack McGovan
Peter Tennant
about 1 month ago
"The economic system we live under has nurtured these Great Man narratives because it’s precisely what keeps it propped up. Our system teaches us that those who work hard will rise to the top on the basis of their merit and contribution to the world."
add a skeleton here at some point
0
6
1
With Jane Goodall's death last week and the Nobel Prize announcements this week, I wrote about why it's a big problem that we lionise individuals for achievements that resulted from the work of collective groups of people.
loading . . .
We spend too much time lionising people like Jane Goodall
Idolising people only entrenches the idea that it is spectacular individuals, not collectives, who change the world.
https://www.sower.world/jane-goodall-critique-individualism/
about 1 month ago
7
60
22
"No fight against the slaughterhouses will ever be successful if we do not also confront capitalism. Likewise, no fight against capitalism will fully succeed unless we also fight against slaughterhouses." Can't encourage people enough to read this essay, it's incredibly important writing.
loading . . .
How Industrial Slaughter Became the Blueprint for Modern Capitalism
Henry Ford learned mass production from slaughterhouses. A century later, our modern economy still resembles a meatpacking plant.
https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/how-industrial-slaughter-became-the-blueprint-for-modern-capitalism?fbclid=IwY2xjawNTQj5leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFxanRDbTFzRTFSOW1mSTZtAR7mQau-0h-kI8odFj39dLxlvxLHoa1QPxQlSC7TpstK7OSIyirMv9ZjyxnY2Q_aem_qH1ITUWbwkNFpy7IEEA2BQ
about 1 month ago
0
2
2
reposted by
Jack McGovan
Mike Sowden
about 1 month ago
Damn. This is amazing. £325 per week, paid monthly, for 3 years - and the result was a profit for the Irish economy:
www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employmen...
130
15610
6108
See also: Jane Goodall. We spend way too much time deifying individuals instead of recognising collective contributions to knowledge or other forms of human creation.
add a skeleton here at some point
about 1 month ago
0
10
3
reposted by
Jack McGovan
Dr. Genevieve Guenther (she/they)
about 1 month ago
Until people in the climate movement very publicly stop eating meat and flying, we're not going to seem trustworthy. I will die on this hill.
add a skeleton here at some point
39
263
76
Every month for my newsletter, I round up stories I find of people taking action to make the world a better place in the hopes my readers find inspiration. I also add in music other media recommendations (books, TV, recipes etc) for people looking for something new to enjoy ⬇️
loading . . .
What you missed in September and other recommendations
A round up of relevant writing, as well as other media and music recommendations.
https://www.sower.world/take-action-roundup-september/
about 2 months ago
1
1
0
reposted by
Jack McGovan
Brandon Keim
about 2 months ago
"I stopped eating meat some 50 years ago," wrote Jane Goodall, "when I looked at the pork chop on my plate and thought: this represents fear, pain, death." Best as I can tell, not one obituary or article on her passing mentions this fact. It's worth knowing.
news.janegoodall.org/2017/04/28/w...
1
145
44
“Governments are reluctant to push hard on dietary change, livestock emissions, or fertilizer dependence because they trigger cultural sensitivities and risk political backlash," said
@jessfanzo.bsky.social
.
loading . . .
Meat is a leading emissions source – but few outlets report on it, analysis finds
Sentient Media reveals less than 4% of climate news stories mention animal agriculture as source of carbon emissions
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/sep/27/meat-gas-emissions-reporting
about 2 months ago
5
45
13
reposted by
Jack McGovan
Katharine Hayhoe
about 2 months ago
I may have found my defining quote. Pair this with my pinned post and you will see what I mean!
25
1780
495
reposted by
Jack McGovan
Emily Atkin
about 2 months ago
“Year after year, land and environmental defenders—those protecting our forests, rivers, and lands across the world—continue to be met with unspeakable violence.” 146 environmental and land defenders were murdered or disappeared in 2024
loading . . .
The political killings you don’t hear about
Across the globe, standing up for the planet can be a death sentence—and the perpetrators are almost never held accountable.
https://heated.world/p/the-political-killings-you-dont-hear
1
119
87
reposted by
Jack McGovan
Jolyon Maugham KC
about 2 months ago
One of the unexpected things I've learned from my advocacy for trans people is how malignant parts of the State can be, how it can misuse data for positively evil purposes. It's taught me people can't be safe with a digital ID card and so I've signed this.
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/73...
loading . . .
Petition: Do not introduce Digital ID cards
We demand that the UK Government immediately commits to not introducing a digital ID cards. There are reports that this is being looked at.
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/730194
57
1126
733
After receiving a breakdown of my rent recently and seeing how my money helps maintain the communal areas, I was happy – despite realising that I've barely used them myself. I wrote about community spirit, setting up roots as a renter, and what I wish living in my apartment complex looked like ⬇️
loading . . .
I wish my apartment complex had more community spirit
My apartment has everything one might need besides functional community spaces.
https://www.sower.world/apartment-community-spirit-garden/
about 2 months ago
0
5
0
People have been shown to display more unethical behaviour when they use AI tools as an intermediary i.e it's not just that tools themselves produce inaccurate information, they actually encourage people to act in a dishonest way.
loading . . .
Using AI Increases Unethical Behavior, Study Finds
A new study in Nature reveals that people who use AI tend to be more dishonest compared to when they don't use AI for tasks.
https://futurism.com/ai-study-unethical-behavior
about 2 months ago
1
17
15
Reform and other far-right political parties are against immigrants because of xenophobia, for sure, but also because they're more likely to support or vote for progressive policies. We should be giving immigrants more rights, not less, as I argued last week ⬇️
loading . . .
Not letting immigrants vote is holding back climate action
Extending the vote to immigrants could garner wider support for climate policies, as foreign nationals are more likely to vote left.
https://www.sower.world/immigrant-vote-climate-action/
about 2 months ago
1
7
1
reposted by
Jack McGovan
Joey Grostern
about 2 months ago
0
34
12
reposted by
Jack McGovan
Dr Vanessa
about 2 months ago
Would gently remind all the people pointing at our potential next government and saying "but that's Illegal/impossible!" that things being illegal and incredibly stupid do not matter to fascists, see also: USA.
3
172
40
reposted by
Jack McGovan
Christopher Owen
about 2 months ago
Yeah man we should really fight back by staying on X
261
17210
4491
reposted by
Jack McGovan
Riley Black - When the Earth Was Green out now 🌱
2 months ago
I’m pissed this is even a question. Science writers like myself have been scrabbling for work in a collapsing industry for years. The pond keeps shrinking. And now, rather than supporting *people*, Science is checking out if AI can replace us yet. I will never, ever use genAI in my work.
add a skeleton here at some point
5
144
30
reposted by
Jack McGovan
Sam Bright
about 2 months ago
🔴 NEW - The meat industry has been monitoring thousands of animal welfare activists, gathering information on their biological ties and even their romantic relationships. Vital, shocking exposé from
@clarecarlile.bsky.social
for
@desmog.com
loading . . .
Revealed: ‘Chilling’ Surveillance of Activists by Meat and Dairy Industry
The U.S. meat industry has engaged in intrusive surveillance of animal rights groups, including monitoring relationships between activists and tracking employees of leading charities. The industry-fun...
https://www.desmog.com/2025/09/19/chilling-surveillance-activists-meat-and-dairy-industry-animal-agriculture-alliance/
2
73
50
Immigrants in Berlin, ~25% of the population, had no say in the recent opening of a motorway as we can't vote in local elections. If we could vote, it likely wouldn't have been built. An example of why I argue that voting rights for immigrants in Western nations could mean better climate outcomes ⬇️
loading . . .
Not letting immigrants vote is holding back climate action
Extending the vote to immigrants could garner wider support for climate policies, as foreign nationals are more likely to vote left.
https://www.sower.world/immigrant-vote-climate-action/
2 months ago
3
11
2
reposted by
Jack McGovan
Ed Zitron
2 months ago
No.
add a skeleton here at some point
111
2161
173
reposted by
Jack McGovan
Classical Studies Memes for Hellenistic Teens
2 months ago
Sometimes it's nice to remember that even Marcus Aurelius was like "you don't have to comment on everything bro"
34
5500
1761
Just emailed my MP asking him to join his colleagues in demanding that the government leaves X following Elon Musk's recent comments. It literally takes two minutes to do, and I encourage everyone to do the same:
www.writetothem.com
.
add a skeleton here at some point
2 months ago
2
32
17
"As our language around forests became less reverent, Poole noted that people began using more scientific and economic terms to describe trees. In other words, people began viewing forests as something from which to extract value, not inspiration." 🌍🧪
loading . . .
The words we use to talk about nature are disappearing. Here’s why that matters.
We’ll need to do more than ‘touch grass’ to revive them.
https://grist.org/language/nature-word-language-disappear-culture/
2 months ago
5
91
29
reposted by
Jack McGovan
Dr Abeba Birhane
2 months ago
AI is the wrong tool to tackle complex societal & systemic problems. AI4SG is more about PR victories, boosting AI adoption (regardless of merit/usefulness) & laundering accountability for harmful tech, extractive practices, abetting atrocities. yours truly
www.project-syndicate.org/magazine/ai-...
loading . . .
The False Promise of “AI for Social Good”
Abeba Birhane refutes industry claims about the technology's potential to solve complex social problems.
https://www.project-syndicate.org/magazine/ai-for-social-good-false-promise-of-technosolutionism-by-abeba-birhane-2025-09?utm_source=x&utm_medium=oganic-social&utm_campaign=page-posts-september2025&utm_term=subscriber-exclusive&utm_content=image
10
309
156
reposted by
Jack McGovan
Kevin M. Kruse
2 months ago
You are not Making a Difference there. You are not Fighting the Good Fight. You are not even Maintaining a Community you couldn't easily replicate elsewhere. You are propping up a right-wing site and, worse, you are being warped by your constant exposure to it and you don't even realize it. Leave.
add a skeleton here at some point
100
5170
2244
Load more
feeds!
log in