In a world where $200 can buy you a personalized 60-second video from none other than former U.S. House member and full-time fantasist George Santos, one must ponder the myriad ways to amass a fortune in these modern times, especially when you’re recently unemployed. OnlyFans seems intriguing if you have nice feet. I do not. I like the idea of being a professional cuddler or the person who tastes cookies at the factory. Or, dare to dream by joining the 9-5 brigade, toiling away like the rest of us to line someone else’s velvet pockets.

But why settle for mere terrestrial riches when one could aspire to the stratospheric wealth of Middle Eastern royalty? We’re talking ‘extra guacamole at Chipotle’ levels of affluence here, folks.

That takes us back to the United Arab Emirates, a wealthy oil country run by a wealthy monarchy currently playing host to COP28, the UN’s extremely important climate change conference. This week, Dubai is swarming with 2,456 oil and gas lobbyists hired to wield influence and ensure the industry can keep earning money.

Something else happened at COP28 over the weekend. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Administrator, Michael Regan, announced a final rule that aims to slash methane levels back in the United States.

But rules only work if they can be enforced, and the EPA has had a tough time enforcing rules in recent years. I was curious why, so I chatted with a former deputy EPA administrator under President Obama. We discussed some of the very interesting obstacles facing the agency and why Trump made it much harder to enforce rules.

But as our beloved planet hurtles through the cosmic void, teetering on the brink of ecological disaster, why drown in a sea of existential dread? Let’s pivot to the sunnier side of the oil well.

This week in The Meltdown, we’ll delve into the triumphs of the Endangered Species Act and discuss the benefits of writing letters to your beloved friends and family. Then, we’ll end with why it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Before you read on, please feel free to follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. And share this newsletter with your friends if you think they’ll enjoy it.

Drizzle

Earlier this year, the Endangered Species Act turned 50 years old, but it didn’t just materialize out of thin air in 1973. The United States, thanks to President Teddy Roosevelt, started trying to save the American buffalo at the turn of the 20th century after they were hunted to near extinction, their numbers falling from 40 million in 1830 to just 300 in 1900. Today, there are around 500,000. It proved that with the right people, animals and the environments they live in could be saved. Albeit, it took another 70 years before the Endangered Species Act was passed.

“It has been very successful in recovering and restoring species,” said Timothy Preso, the managing attorney for the biodiversity defense program with Earthjustice, a San Francisco-based public interest organization dedicated to litigating environmental issues. The act brought back the bald eagle, the American alligator, and the grizzly bear, among other iconic animals, from near extinction. Add a whole bunch of creatures you may have never heard of to the list, like the Dixie Valley Toads that only live in the hot-spring-fed wetlands in one northwest Nevada valley or the incredibly rare Alabama sturgeon, which hasn’t been seen in over a decade.

Touch Grass

About 12 years ago, following a breakup with a woman in Sweden, which is something I made a habit of, I decided I was sad enough to start writing letters — one a day during Lent. I’d given up quite enough that year and needed to create something positive instead. Dramatic, I know. I wasn’t even baptized. One of the letters was 10 pages, which found its way to Sweden, while others were short notes of appreciation filled with love and little anecdotes of the past. I sent them to friends and family at first, then about 25 days in, I started to run out of people. I then sent them to old teachers, my friend’s parents, and even a receptionist I met at a hotel while traveling through Senegal in West Africa.

It mended friendships, brought closure to old love, and put me in touch with family members and good people I hadn’t heard from in years. The benefits were profound and healing. It was one of the most beautiful and positive things I’ve ever done. All this to say, in this season of giving, why not write a letter to someone you’re grateful for?

Compost Dump

Have you ever heard of the Precautionary Principle? It’s kind of like the rule “better safe than sorry,” but for big decisions that could affect people and the environment. It’s especially useful when we don’t have all the science figured out yet.

Here’s what it means:

Being Proactive: It’s about stopping lousy stuff from happening before we’re 100% sure it will. This might mean saying no or limiting things that could be dangerous.

Who Proves What: Normally, if people think something’s risky, they must prove it. But with this rule, it’s the other way around. The people who want to do something that might be risky have to prove it’s safe.

Being Careful When Unsure: If there’s some science showing something might be harmful, but it’s not conclusive, this principle says it’s better to be cautious.

Everyone Decides Together: It’s about making decisions by looking at all the possible effects and getting input from a bunch of different people.

Matching Reaction to Risk: The idea is to ensure the response fits the risk. Don’t freak out over small risks, but don’t ignore big ones, either.

I never want to see anyone unemployed, and I will do anything possible to ensure people who need a job can get one in a place where they are valued. If you’re reading this newsletter, George Santos, the oil and gas industry also has a penchant for saying things that aren’t true. Ask for a job!

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See you next week.