Kakistocracy — from the Greek kakistos (worst) + kratos (rule) — means government by the least qualified, least principled, and least fit to govern. The term first appeared in the 17th century, amid political turmoil.
We have now reached its zenith: Peak Kakistocracy.
The clearest evidence? The willful dismantling of climate protections by the very agency tasked with enforcing them.
Let’s call this agency what it is: the Environmental Destruction Agency (EDA).
Last month, EDA announced that the EPA’s 2009 Endangerment Finding — which determined that greenhouse gas emissions threaten public health — “unreasonably analyzed” the scientific record and is no longer reliable.
You read that right. According to El Kakistos, carbon emissions are not the problem. The scientifically-based standards are.
Black is white. Up is down. Truth is treason.
Orwell saw this coming. In a world governed by propaganda, “the Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.”
That command now echoes through the halls of the Environmental Destruction Agency.
"For decades we have known that our burning of fossil fuels is the chief driver of the current global warming. Gutting today’s climate research won’t change that. Even if you believed—against the evidence—that the cost of curtailing emissions outweighs the benefits, it does not justify a head-in-the sand approach." - Prof Ralph Keeling, The Economist
The laws of physics may be optional in MAGA World, but everywhere else in the known universe, they still apply. Which means? The Keeling Curve is set to steepen.
What can we do in the face of a benighted government hell-bent on making the planet uninhabitable?
Here’s one answer: Wear the Keeling tartan.
Fifteen years ago, we reached out to Ralph Keeling for permission to name a tartan after his father, the late Charles David Keeling — the scientist whose relentless efforts to track atmospheric CO₂ gave us the most iconic climate dataset on Earth.
Ralph graciously supported the idea and obtained his mother’s blessing. On August 19, 2009, the Keeling Tartan was officially entered into the Scottish Register of Tartans.
“The Keeling tartan symbolises a wholesale shift in the energy basis of civilisation, from fossil fuels (grey and black track) to 100 per cent clean energy (green and yellow track). It is named in honour of the late Charles David Keeling of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, whose measurements from 1958 onwards supplied the first concrete evidence of rapidly increasing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, commonly known as the ‘Keeling Curve.’ Today, ninety-seven percent of actively publishing climate scientists agree that man-made climate change is for real. Permission to adopt the Keeling name was graciously granted by his son, Ralph Keeling, director of the Scripps CO₂ Program that continues the vital measurement series to this day.”
At COP26 in Glasgow, the entire World Wildlife Fund delegation wore the Keeling tartan — in the form of lambswool scarves, tote bags, and hoodies. Next year, a full launch of Keeling tartan scarves is planned.
Woven in Scotland
Beautifully packaged
We’re also working on a reusable packaging solution, a collaboration with Matters to You Studio, led by Teresa Vargas Matos. She was recently named a "Future Leader" at Paris Packaging Week for her contributions to the sustainable packaging industry.
Teresa holds certifications in Sustainable Leadership from Imperial College London and Luxury Brand Management from INSEEC Bordeaux, and her work merges ecological stewardship with beautiful, tactile design.
It's all part and parcel of our mission: to stand against global injustice with ethically-made products that spark conversation and connection.
