Truthout is pleased to post short videos weekly for middle school aged kids – and everyone else – about climate change and its effects. “The Green Ninja,” a character created by a climate scientist and his team, provides an entertaining and educational way to help children grasp the intricacies of climate change and learn what they can personally do to become involved in fighting it. See additional details about the series or head straight to this week’s episode, “Karbon Kombat.”
This episode of the Green Ninja Show is about fossil fuels and it takes place in the world of the classic arcade fighter “Karbon Kombat”, a video game set in the future. In this world, everyone lives on an uber-polluted Earth that is controlled by Fossil Fiend, a nefarious villain with the ability to harness the power of fossil fuels to obliterate anything (or anyone) who gets in his way. Good thing the Green Ninja knows just how to Kombat such a foe, so he challenges Fossil Fiend to a fight!
Throughout the battle, various special moves are used by the Green Ninja and Fossil Fiend. They each have their own unique moves and they all represent something done to the planet to benefit or damage it. The three moves used by Fossil Fiend were all based on real-world problems:
-Raging Oil Spill: An oil themed move alluding to when crude or partially refined oil gets into the ocean either from an accident at an oil drilling operation or from improper handling/transportation of oil.
-Frack Attack: A highly volatile special move based on the harvesting of natural gas through Hydraulic Fracturing. Hydraulic Fracturing is where millions of gallons of a water-chemical mix are pumped into a “well” at high pressure in order to crack the shale rock formations deep underground.
-Charcoal Barrage: On rare occasions, the Fossil Fiend uses his ultimate attack: Charcoal Barrage, in which he rapidly hurls flaming, carbon-filled charcoals at his opponent. This move, just like charcoal production, threatens the climate.
Game Face On, Everyone!
Help us Prepare for Trump’s Day One
Trump is busy getting ready for Day One of his presidency – but so is Truthout.
Trump has made it no secret that he is planning a demolition-style attack on both specific communities and democracy as a whole, beginning on his first day in office. With over 25 executive orders and directives queued up for January 20, he’s promised to “launch the largest deportation program in American history,” roll back anti-discrimination protections for transgender students, and implement a “drill, drill, drill” approach to ramp up oil and gas extraction.
Organizations like Truthout are also being threatened by legislation like HR 9495, the “nonprofit killer bill” that would allow the Treasury Secretary to declare any nonprofit a “terrorist-supporting organization” and strip its tax-exempt status without due process. Progressive media like Truthout that has courageously focused on reporting on Israel’s genocide in Gaza are in the bill’s crosshairs.
As journalists, we have a responsibility to look at hard realities and communicate them to you. We hope that you, like us, can use this information to prepare for what’s to come.
And if you feel uncertain about what to do in the face of a second Trump administration, we invite you to be an indispensable part of Truthout’s preparations.
In addition to covering the widespread onslaught of draconian policy, we’re shoring up our resources for what might come next for progressive media: bad-faith lawsuits from far-right ghouls, legislation that seeks to strip us of our ability to receive tax-deductible donations, and further throttling of our reach on social media platforms owned by Trump’s sycophants.
We’re preparing right now for Trump’s Day One: building a brave coalition of movement media; reaching out to the activists, academics, and thinkers we trust to shine a light on the inner workings of authoritarianism; and planning to use journalism as a tool to equip movements to protect the people, lands, and principles most vulnerable to Trump’s destruction.
We’re asking all of our readers to start a monthly donation or make a one-time donation – as a commitment to stand with us on day one of Trump’s presidency, and every day after that, as we produce journalism that combats authoritarianism, censorship, injustice, and misinformation. You’re an essential part of our future – please join the movement by making a tax-deductible donation today.
If you have the means to make a substantial gift, please dig deep during this critical time!
With gratitude and resolve,
Maya, Negin, Saima, and Ziggy