NEXT PAGE -->
|
|
|---|
Updated Daily!
| * * * IN-HOUSE RESOURCES * * * |
|---|
DEFENDING ENVIRONMENTAL AGENDA
December 1, 2003
"In the Powder River Basin, it's hard to miss the fresh dirt roads that crawl along the draws and up over the saddles in the hills. But those roads are a sign that the surface no longer means much in this part of Wyoming. What the eye can't see is that the real owners of the land own what lies beneath. Those who own the surface are just squatters." -Verlyn Klinkenborg, in a 12/1/03 New York Times editorial, commenting on rapid expansion of coal-bed methane drilling in Northeast Wyoming, often over the objections of the people who own the surface rights of the lands at stake.
(1) TOXICS: Cell-ebrate Good Times, Come On
(2) CLEAN WATER: Hydrophobia
(3) TAKE ACTION: Two Thumbs Up
1. TOXICS: Cell-ebrate Good Times, Come On
CollectiveGood and Staples are making it easier to find a final resting place for old cell phones. Drop them off at a Staples store for recycling and a portion of the proceeds will go to the Sierra Club. The Boys and Girls Club of America's Torch Clubs will also help collect phones through January 2004. In the U.S., there are around 250-300 million used mobile devices that are disposed of in landfills. Recycling these prevents hazardous elements from contaminating the earth through incineration and landfill disposal.
Find out more about the program here: https://www.collectivegood.com/donate_phone_Staples.htm
TELL FRIENDS ABOUT CURRENTS! VISIT THIS LINK: https://www.sierraclub.org/pressroom/currents/
2. CLEAN WATER: Hydrophobia
Does the Bush Administration suffer from hydrophobia, fear of water, or just a fear of clean water? The Administration has already eliminated Clean Water Act protection from 20 million acres of wetlands and is threatening to open up even more wetlands and headwater streams to unchecked pollution. How refreshing then to have a federal court last week reject the latest attempts to weaken nationwide dredge-and-fill permits for development projects, mining and other environmentally-damaging activities. If your Senator voted against the bill, give them a call to say you appreciate their vote: https://www.senate.gov/contacting/index.cfm
Click here to see how Senators voted: https://www.gristmagazine.com/muck/muck112103.asp
"The only thing I can tell you is evidently the word 'tomorrow' no longer exists in the vocabulary of otherwise responsible members of Congress. They are acting as if there is no tomorrow." -Warren Rudman, former New Hampshire Republican senator, expresses concern in a recent Washington Post article over the federal budget deficit. He might just as well have been talking about the prevailing environmental policies in Congress.
(1) ORGANIC: Loosen the Belt
(2) SMART GROWTH: Having Your Cake and Eating It Too
(3) TAKE ACTION: Back Patting
1. ORGANIC: Loosen the Belt
Thanksgiving is coming and it's time for a healthy serving of sustainably-raised turkey. Grocery stores and farmer's markets near you are now selling meat products that are raised without the use of antibiotics, in ways that are better for the environment and public health. Visit https://www.eatwellguide.com where you can type in your zipcode and find your local suppliers of sustainably-raised turkey, meat, and dairy products.
DON'T YOU WANT YOUR FRIENDS TO KNOW ABOUT CURRENTS? VISIT THIS LINK: https://www.sierraclub.org/pressroom/currents/
2. SMART GROWTH: Having Your Cake and Eating It Too A new study by Good Jobs First finds that, contrary to common belief, smart growth policies are good for construction jobs. The report provides evidence that smart growth can create more employment opportunities than sprawl for workers who build residential and commercial structures and transportation infrastructure. In other words, building smart is Job #1
To read the study, visit: https://www.goodjobsfirst.org
3. TAKE ACTION: Back Patting
On November 21, the Senate voted to sustain a filibuster of the disastrous energy bill proposed by the Bush Administration. This marks a huge victory for public health and environmental protections. Click on the link below to see if your Senator voted against this bill. If so, we encourage you to call and thank them for standing strong to rebuff repeated attempts by the Administration to pass this terrible piece of legislation.
If your Senator voted against the bill, give them a call to say you appreciate their vote: https://www.senate.gov/contacting/index.cfm
List of how Senators voted: https://www.gristmagazine.com/muck/muck112103.asp
"Are you hot? Are you tired? Each mile is a mile for the oppressed, a country that is going to feel the consequences of the FTAA." - 57-year-old Jearline Borders shouts at the marchers after her five hours of walking the Miami streets. She is one of thousands of protesters there today opposing the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) trade agenda.
(1) ENERGY: Break Away
(2) TOXICS: Mercury, It's What's For Dinner!
(3) TAKE ACTION: Stop This Energy Bill Today
1. ENERGY: Break Away
The Bush Administration is taking the phrase "You deserve a break today" way too literally. Coal, oil, nuclear and gas lobbies would get roughly $15 billion in tax giveaways under the proposed Energy Bill in the Senate. Gasoline companies polluting groundwater with MTBE in 28 states would walk away with nearly $2 billion and would escape exposure to costly MTBE contamination lawsuits. On the flip side, less than 25% of the tax breaks are aimed at promoting alternative fuels which would reduce our oil dependency on foreign countries.
Read more about the energy bill's big breaks in the Statesman Journal: https://news.statesmanjournal.com/article.cfm?i=71095
DON'T YOU WANT YOUR FRIENDS TO KNOW ABOUT CURRENTS? VISIT THIS LINK: https://www.sierraclub.org/pressroom/currents/
2. TOXICS: Mercury, It's What's For Dinner!
Pregnant women should steer clear of the seafood aisle according to a new study by the California Pacific Medical Center. Nearly 8% of American women of childbearing age have enough mercury in their bodies to harm a developing fetus. What's worse is that under the Bush administration rewrite of the Clean Air Act, many communities would be exposed to three times more toxic mercury from coal-fired power plants than if the existing law were simply enforced.
Read more about it in the Contra Costa Times: https://www.bayarea.com/mld/cctimes/content_syndication/local_news/7298204.htm
3. TAKE ACTION: Stop This Energy Bill Today
The Senate is set to vote this week on the destructive Bush energy bill. The bill threatens our environment, puts our communities at risk, and funnels billions of dollars to the biggest polluting industries in the country.
Time is running out! Click below to tell your Senator to support a filibuster and reject this bill! https://www.sierraclub.org/action/?alid=285&st=curr
"A cactus. But one that holds oil, not water." -Actor and environmental activist Robert Redford responding to Grist Magazine's question, "If Dick Cheney were a plant, what kind of plant would he be?"
(1) POLITICS: Fuel to the Fire
(2) GLOBAL WARMING: Baby Steps
(3) TAKE ACTION: Act Now to Stop the Bush Energy Plan
1. POLITICS: Fuel to the Fire
What do mutual fund scandals and clean air have in common? Eliot Spitzer, New York State Attorney General, uses both issues in a recent New York Times op-ed to show that the "Bush administration has sent its clearest message yet that it values corporate interests over the interests of average Americans." Taking the Bush administration to task for shutting down pending investigations of over 100 power plants in violation of the Clean Air Act, Spitzer argues that policy makers may disagree on environmental laws but everyone should agree that corporations breaking current laws should be punished.
For the whole op-ed, go to the New York Times site (registration may be required): https://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/17/opinion/17SPIT.html
2. GLOBAL WARMING: Baby Steps
For the first time ever, China will take a step toward curbing its global warming contribution by imposing minimum fuel-economy standards on new cars. Beginning in 2005, the new minimum mpg will be 27.4, which China hopes will save energy and push automakers to introduce more efficient technology. As a result, the United States, despite being one of the top five global warming polluters, would actually have lower fuel economy standards than China.
For more on China's step toward curbing global warming, read the Herald Tribune article: https://www.iht.com/articles/118075.html
3. TAKE ACTION: Act Now to Stop the Bush Energy Plan!
The Senate is set to vote tomorrow on the destructive Bush energy bill. The bill threatens our environment, puts our communities at risk, and funnels billions of dollars to the biggest polluting industries in the country. Tell your Senators to support a filibuster and reject the disastrous Bush energy bill.
Click here to tell your Senator to stop the energy bill: https://www.sierraclub.org/action/?alid=285&st=curr
"I'm filled with a lot of sadness. You know, we had a big tent, Bill, for 20 years. We had a big tent on the environment. And Republicans and Democrats -- we all worked together. Nixon was a good President on the environment. Gerald Ford was good. We didn't have these stupid quarrels now. We didn't attack each other. We all worked together. And that was the glory of that period, to me. I never called anybody names, an environmental extremist. We didn't make it a partisan issue. We all worked together." -Former Secretary of the Interior, Stewart Udall, excerpted from an interview on NOW with Bill Moyers (see #2 below)
(1) POLITICS: Sound and Fury
(2) HEADS UP: Tune In Tomorrow
(3) TAKE ACTION: Americans Deserve Safe Water & Healthy Communities, Not Bush's FTAA
1. POLITICS: Sound and Fury
Republican Senators are staging a marathon whine session because they claim that Democrats are holding up the President's judicial nominees. But did you know that President Bush has had more of his nominees confirmed in his first three years in office than President Reagan did in his first four? And while a Republican controlled Senate blocked 60 of President Clinton's judicial nominees, Senate Democrats have only rejected four of President Bush's picks.
2. HEADS UP: Tune In Tomorrow
Former Secretary of the Interior, Stewart Udall, joins Bill Moyers on NOW November 14 to discuss the influence of money on politics and the impact of the Bush Administration on current environmental policies. Udall was instrumental in promoting just labor laws, cooperation with Native American communities and environmental conservation. Visit https://www.pbs.org/now/sched.html to get listings in your area.
3. TAKE ACTION: Americans Deserve Safe Water & Healthy Communities, Not Bush's FTAA
New trade deals sought by the Bush Administration could undermine safeguards for our water, air, and land. When trade officials meet next week in Miami for talks on expanding NAFTA across the Western Hemisphere, the Sierra Club will be there to speak out for trade that is safe, clean, and fair. If you cannot come to Miami, express your opposition to the FTAA by returning this postcard "ballot" to the Responsible Trade Program. The Sierra Club and our allies will deliver tens of thousands of these postcards at the Miami Summit.
Click here to print a postcard to fax or send: https://www.sierraclub.org/trade/
"A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people." - Franklin Roosevelt
(1) FACTORY FARMS: On The Hook
(2) CONSUMER: It's Easy Being Green
(3) TAKE ACTION: Oppose Judicial Nominee Janice Rogers Brown
1. FACTORY FARMS: On The Hook
Can you hear that? Kentuckians are breathing a sigh of relief. A federal court ruled last week that food giant Tyson is responsible for pollution at factory farms in the state. Sierra Club and local residents sued the company for failing to report hazardous releases of ammonia from four animal factories in its supervision. The decision is a victory for residents and a wake-up call for other factory farms that they are not above the law.
Read the whole press release here: https://www.sierraclub.org/pressroom/releases/pr2003-11-07.asp
2. CONSUMER: It's Easy Being Green
The Green Guide offers the top twelve eco-product picks for 2004, covering everything from the food you eat and the skillet you use to the holiday cards you'll soon be sending. The organic food market has grown by an average of 20 percent per year but not all ecolabels are accurate. The Green Guide helps consumers sort through claims and suggest simple choices to "ease environmental impacts and adopt a healthier lifestyle".
To view the top twelve product picks, click here: https://www.enn.com/direct/display-release.asp?objid=D1D1366D000000F8C6113F6B9CE43124
3. TAKE ACTION: Oppose Judicial Nominee Janice Rogers Brown
Janice Rogers Brown's record as a California Supreme Court Justice displays an amazing hostility to government safeguards for the environment and public health. Justice Brown reads the Constitution in a way that would vastly expand the rights of corporations and developers at the expense of ordinary people and the environment. Based upon her extreme anti-environmental record, her nomination is opposed by a large number of national and state environmental groups and other organizations.
Urge your Senators to block the nomination of California Supreme Court Justice Janice Rogers Brown by calling your Senators' offices (Capitol 202/ 224-3121) today.
"Oh mate politics, give me a break - I'm far safer in with the crocodiles mate."
--Steve Irwin (aka The Crocodile Hunter)
(1) FACTORY FARMS: Now For Your Feature Presentation
(2) POLITICS: Have You Seen This Man?
(3) TAKE ACTION: Tell Ford Motor Company to Make Cleaner Cars
1. FACTORY FARMS: Now For Your Feature Presentation
You won't find Keanu starring in the new movie The Meatrix. The cast includes Leo, an innocent young pig, and Moopheus, a slick cow who answers the question, "What is the Meatrix?" Moopheus offers Leo the proverbial Red Pill that shows the pig the reality and horror of factory farming. The two minute film, which blends humor and reality to spoof the plot of The Matrix movies, is a product of the first-ever Free Range Flash Activism Grant.
View The Meatrix here: https://www.themeatrix.com/
2. POLITICS: Have You Seen This Man?
The Washington Post recently reported that decorations at the EPA Halloween party included wanted posters of Assistant Administrator Jeffrey Holmstead wearing a mustache. They read: "Wanted: suspected in the untimely death of C.A. Adams. [CAA is the common shorthand for the Clean Air Act] Reward: $27,500 per violation per day." It seems employees were making light of the back room deals the Bush Administration recently made in which factory farm owners would have to pay a mere $500 to get amnesty from federal clean air laws...way less than the $27,500 per day fine required under current law.
Click here to see the official document laying out the bad deal: https://www.sierraclub.org/pressroom/cafo_papers/2003oct_cafoimmunity.pdf
3. TAKE ACTION: Tell Ford Motor Company to Make Cleaner Cars
Each year, Ford's cars and trucks release more global warming pollution than the entire country of Mexico. Ford could cut its emissions in half by using existing technology to make all Ford's cars, trucks, and SUVs go farther on a gallon of gas. Yet, instead of taking responsible action, Ford continues to undermine attempts to raise the fuel economy of its fleet. Tell Ford Motor Company CEO, Bill Ford, Jr. that business as usual is no longer acceptable.
Visit https://whistler.sierraclub.org/action/?alid=169 to send a message to William Ford.
NEXT PAGE -->
|
|
|---|
| * * * IN-HOUSE RESOURCES * * * |
|---|