tell Obama to attend Copenhagen in person

Tell Obama it's game time, and he needs to attend Copenhagen in person. Sign the petition here.

VA Power Shift details

Great news! The VA Power Shift planning process is moving right along, and it's going to be an awesome weekend. Although the official site has not been updated with confirmed speakers and workshops, here's some panels/workshops that you can expect:

• campaign planning
• working as a coalition
• structures for smooth leadership transitions
• event planning/fund raising
• history of environmental justice
• mountain-top removal
• population growth and reproductive justice in the developing world
• lobbying
• VA state level politics
• and way way more
• Did I mention we're having a nonviolent direct action on Sunday?
• Keynote speakers have not all been confirmed, so stay tuned.

Within short time, the exact schedule will be posted online, so you can pick and chose when you would like to come if you're on a tight schedule.

REGISTER HERE. Also, group discount rates are available for groups with at least 15 people (email me and I'll get your group hooked up). Individual registration is $20, but PLEASE EMAIL ME if you are having financial difficulty and we can work something out.

call in for a clean climate

Call your Senators today and tell them to pass a strong clean energy bill. Take action here.

COAL IN THE WATER, part II

Here's a picture of life near a coal companies in West Virginia:

In fact, her entire family tries to avoid any contact with the water. Her youngest son has scabs on his arms, legs and chest where the bathwater — polluted with lead, nickel and other heavy metals — caused painful rashes. Many of his brother’s teeth were capped to replace enamel that was eaten away.

Neighbors apply special lotions after showering because their skin burns. Tests show that their tap water contains arsenic, barium, lead, manganese and other chemicals at concentrations federal regulators say could contribute to cancer and damage the kidneys and nervous system.

Despite lawsuits, state regulators have not punished these companies for breaking pollution laws. read the full article

In case you missed my post urging action against Verizon for sponsoring a large pro-coal rally, check it out. Again, if you use Verizon, this is a great time to drop it like it's hot.

COAL IN THE WATER

Please check out this truly chilling clip posted on the New York Times about coal mines,water contamination, children with cancer, and multiple deaths of young people in a single small neighborhood.

Unfortunately, I can't embed the clip, so follow the link.

If you didn't catch my post about Verizon and its sponsorship of a large pro-coal rally, please take a look now. If you use Verizon, now would be a great time to switch cell phone service.

what does Verizon have to do with dirty coal?

That's right. Verizon Wireless is funding an anti-environmental rally.

Verizon and Massey Energy (known for having to pay the EPA $20 million for over 4,500 violations of the Clean Water Act) are sponsoring the "Friends of America" event this weekend at a coal mine is West Virginia. The point? To rally against the American Clean Energy and Security Act, which includes provisions for cap-and-trade. The event will be filled at maximum capacity.

Enjoy the following invitation from the CEO of Massey:

"Hello I'm Don Blankenship and I'd like to invite you to a Labor Day rally in West Virginia. We're going to have Hank Williams and have a good time but we're also going to learn how environmental extremists and corporate America are both trying to destroy your jobs."

It gets better. Before this campaign was launched, CREDO Action reached out to Verizon:

Becky Bond, our Political Director, then sent a cordial follow-up to give Verizon Wireless a heads-up that our campaign had launched. Verizon replied as follows:

"This is how our response is going over with the activists. Becky once lived in a tree for a while. At least now I know where the emails are coming from."
— James Gerace, VP of Corporate Communications at Verizon Wireless

What can you do?
1) If you use Verizon, drop it like it's hot. Then tell your friends and fam.
2) Sign the petition here

the dirty truth about dirt

"Deadly conflicts are breaking out over our dwindling supply of fertile soil."

While the top five centimeters of the earth may seem trivial, soil is necessary for the growth of food, to hold and clean water, to help regulate the climate, and is used to build dwellings. One handful of dirt contains tens of billions of live organisms.

But we've lost 1/3 of our top soil in the last 100 years. The Brazilian rain forest is being cut down to increase the supply of soil (and we ain't got enough rain forest left to just demolish).

I've pre-ordered Dirt! The Movie, which will be made available for purchase in September. This is just one of those films where the trailer does not contain nearly enough information. I will be glad to share what I learn and pass around my copy of the DVD when it arrives.

You can also get involved here.

sending fake lettes to Congress--how low will coal go?

We all know coal is a source of dirty energy, that "clean coal" is still dirty energy...but perhaps the dirtiest of all is the politics of the coal industry.

American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE), an alliance of coal and utility companies, hired Alexandria, Va.-based Hawthorn Group for the new effort. Hawthorn worked for the coal group earlier this year, coordinating outreach on the House climate bill. During that project, Hawthorn subcontractor Bonner & Associates sent at least three members of Congress a total of 12 fraudulent letters purporting to be from groups opposed to the legislation.

It gets worse. Enter "America's Power Army," a group of 225,000 alleged volunteers who will be storming town halls and other community forums with a pro-coal agenda.

But much about the identity of the volunteers and how they operate is hidden from public view, said Tyson Slocum, director of the energy program at Public Citizen, a watchdog group.

"These public policy debates are too important to have the outcomes hinge on these fake AstroTurf campaigns" that employ "guerilla tactics," Slocum said. "We're all just left guessing what entities are doing and how lawmakers are influenced by what may be a very corporate-run campaign."

Lawmakers, as well, Slocum said, need to know whether concerns they are hearing in their districts and states are organic "or whether it's being orchestrated by hired guns working for the coal industry." full article

And since Obama tries to hide his secret meetings with the coal industry, I have to get a little Thomas Friedman:

"Attention all young Americans: Your climate future is being decided right now in the cloakrooms of the Capitol, where the coal lobby holds huge sway....Play hardball or don't play at all."

Want to do more? Get involved here.

WORKERS AHEAD: the verdict is in

I recently launched a campaign against sexist roadside construction signs in Los Angeles, including ways to take action (there were a lot of mixed reviews on this topic).

I have to say, the bureaucratic process worked wonders this time around; I was contacted by the Women's Advocate of the City of Los Angeles Human Services Department, who looked into my concern.

The findings? The federal government went gender-neutral with signs in 1988 and the State of California in 1996. In short, "Men Working Ahead" signs are illegal and can be reported.

If you live in Los Angeles and see these signs on city construction sites, please report them to Seffy Wiles of the LA Bureau of Public Works at (213) 487-2408.

the politics of cafeteria lunches

Take the 6 1/2 minutes to watch this.


There's more. The USDA's nutrition standards were developed before food science realized the dangers involved in saturated and trans fat, salt, and calories. Created in the 1970s, these standards are so behind that candy bars, french fries, sugary drinks, and snack cakes are not considered junk food.

Congress is currently considering legislation that can improve foods in school. Let your representatives know that the USDA should update its nutrition standard and bring schools up to speed. Take action here

elephant neglect: a fiscal issue

As if putting a magnificent animal in solitary confinement at the Los Angeles Zoo isn't heartbreaking enough, the tab LA residents pick up for torture is additionally nauseating.

The LA Zoo is dumping $42 million tax dollars a year on an elephant exhibit that is far below standard (meanwhile, millions of dollars are taken away from state parks, with an estimated 50 parks threatened to the point of closure). It also costs an additional $1.1 million yearly to care for 10 elephants.

Free Billy! reports that "At least 13 elephants have died at LA Zoo since 1975. More than half did not live to age 20. Elephants have a natural lifespan of 60-70 years."

Billy is a 23-year-old Asian elephant that is suffering so severely from his confinement that he exhibits the neurotic behaviors of head bobbing and swaying--actions that are not seen in elephants in their natural habitat. You can watch a clip of this below.

Mayor Villaraigosa has expressed his belief that zoos are too small for elephants: "I've said for a long time that I think we need to take the elephants out of our zoos. I believe that."

Tell Mayor Villaraigosa to stand by his word. Remind him that elephants do not belong in zoos and to send Billy to a sanctuary now.

Call (213) 978-0600

the 350 Teach-In and INTERNATIONAL Day of Action

I've been involved in the environmental movement for 2 years, and I have to say that our actions just keep getting better and better and cooler and cooler.

The latest from 350 is a national teach-in held throughout thousands of campuses across the country. And you, yes you, can sign up to present in your campus community! After the speakers give it a go, there will be an hour for discussion.

Click here to sign up at your local teach-in

But it gets better. The teach-ins will be taking place on the 350 International Day of Action. It all goes down October 24th, before world leaders get together in Copenhagen to discuss the climate.

To get ideas and register an action, click here. I'm sure a list of registered actions will pop up in weeks to come.

So exciting!

rescue elephants from circus abuse

Undercover PETA footage reveals Ringling's abuse of circus elephants--and also reminds us that living creatures are not petty items in existence for our pleasure.

The most painful part of watching the video is that these elephants were not "acting out" or being rowdy. They were calmly standing, yet trainers still felt the need to hit them, even on their sensitive ears. One elephants even sways back and forth out of madness.

You can view the video and sign the PETA petition here. (Note: I have a lot of issues with PETA, but will get on board for an honorable goal of sending these elephants to a sanctuary)

You can also sign an online Facebook petition and invite your friends!

tell your senators to pass a strong climate bill

Click here and send a fax. So simple.

WORKERS AHEAD update

After you call your councilmember and report your concern, try the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, as well as the only 2 female members of the Los Angeles City Council.

Los Angeles Department of Transportation (213-580-1177). You can press "0" to speak with an operator and have the opportunity to leave a voice mail.

Councilmember Jan Perry's office (213-473-7009) was extremely friendly and helpful. I strongly recommend that you additionally call this office.

Councilmember Janice Hahn's office (213-473-7015). After being put on hold, I was told that these signs are no longer used. After replying that these signs are up right now, I was told to talk to my own member. Obviously, I have done that, but I felt female councilmembers might care more about this issue.


Read about the Workers Ahead Campaign

take action for WORKERS AHEAD

Following up from my last post regarding sexist roadside construction signage, I am trying to figure out where is the best place for our complaints. So far, here are two ways you can help:

1) Call your Council Member and report the problem. Much of the San Fernando Valley and West Los Angeles is represented by my Council Member, Paul Koretz. You can call his office at (310) 289-0353.

2) Send an email to the Bureau of Street Services within the Los Angeles Department of Public Works. The email address is bss.boss@lacity.org

Here is a copy of my email:

To Whom It May Concern, I am a resident of Encino, and am highly offended by roadside construction signs that say "Men Working Ahead."

I find these signs extremely sexist. Women work, and they work in construction at that. Such discriminatory signs have no place in my neighborhood or anywhere else. These signs must be modified or replaced to say "Workers Ahead."

Please let me know if there is a better source to contact regarding my concern. Thank you, and I look forward to your reply.

Sincerely,


Keep checking in for more updates and ways to take action!

Click here for updated ways to take action

Declare your independence from dirty energy

This Independence Day, take action against dirty energy from June 27th-July4th. We need to call on President Obama and Congress to create strong and effective energy policy and to hold polluters accountable.

Get ideas and organize an event here.

Or locate events in your area.

For all of you Colonic readers, I will be organizing something in the LA area, but need to work out a few particulars before I register my event. If you're interested, please email me.