You’ve probably heard of movements to give rights to animals and bodies of water as ways of protecting them. When I first heard the idea, I found it far fetched. Then I remembered we extend rights to corporations, so why not other non-human and non-living things?

I generally hear about giving rights to things we consider beautiful or sustaining, like animals and rivers. What about giving them to oil, coal, and other things that pollute when extracted and introduced into the environment?

Presumably, if fossil fuels had rights, they would want to stay where they are, let alone not to be burned up. I wonder if anyone has worked on giving them rights. What if we could stop their extraction in one fell swoop, at least within whatever nations gave them rights?

• ← 811: Tina Tombstone: A friend I volunteer delivering food to the needy with
• First they say it’s impossible, then easy, then easy for me but hard for them. Anything but acting or responsibility. →