Mary Catherine O'Connor
An independent journalist based in San Francisco, Mary Catherine O’Connor writes about issues related to energy, technology and outdoor adventure for a range of publications, including Outside and SmartPlanet.com.
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Thousands protest Olympics’ social and environmental harms as ICE presence sparks unrest in Milan
Demonstrators denounce public spending, ecological damage, police repression, Israel’s participation, and the deployment of US immigration agents during the Milano-Cortina Winter Games.
$380 million in funding cuts to one of the most successful public education programs
“Every day, there’s yet another abuse.” The wanton attack on public schools is one of America’s biggest tragedies.
The materialist mind is trying to resolve an existential crisis
“Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans.” — John Lennon
What do Minnesota and Venezuela have in common?
The governing logic of the Trump administration increasingly treats both Democratic-controlled U.S. states and neighboring countries as spaces requiring imperial pacification rather than democratic self-rule.
EPA reapproves drift-prone pesticide dicamba
This decision will allow farmers in 34 states to use the herbicide on dicamba-tolerant soybeans and cotton, following a 2024 court ruling that had previously vacated its use.