Peace activists from Syracuse and Ithaca marked the occasion of Earth Day by connecting militarism and climate change. They say it’s often overlooked, even though militaries devour resources, emit tens of millions of metric tons of carbon emissions every year, and are exempt from many environmental regulations and international climate accords. Todd Sadler with Upstate Drone Action says a military approach is a major driver of the climate crisis.
"Those wars don't solve any problems. Every war is a war against Mother Earth. Every dollar spent on weapons is not being spent on the sustainable infrastructure we have to build in order to survive as a species. The US military is the single biggest institutional consumer of oil, and it emits more Co2 than most nations on Earth."
Meanwhile, Sadler says the pattern continues with the current war, as gas and oil continue to flow out of Russia, and the US sends weapons and other munitions to help Ukraine. The activists would prefer the US sit down with Ukraine to negotiate peace with Russia. They also protested outside Hancock air base on East Molloy Road. It's home to the 174th Attack Wing, which is a drone operation hub.
