EARTH ACTION IN THE NEWS - December 28, 2017

[Emerald]

EARTH ACTION IN THE NEWS

Welcome to the people who have joined recently.  This is a simple weekly newsletter.  Your participation is encouraged.  Please share information and actions about climate change, climate justice, GMOs, toxic chemicals, and Earth-related topics.  Please refrain from posting petitions or donation requests without OSC approval.  Thank you for joining us.

Go to our Facebook and Twitter pages to share these articles already posted there.

If you are uncomfortable clicking on links in an email you can cut and paste the link into your browser.

​

​1) ​Organic agriculture gives communities an economic boost
http://www.uniondemocrat.com/lifestyle/5814439-151/organic-agriculture-gives-communities-an-economic-boost

2) Noam Chomsky in Conversation with Amy Goodman on Trump, Nukes, North Korea, Climate Change & Syria (video)
https://www.democracynow.org/2017/12/25/noam_chomsky_in_conversation_with_amy?utm_source=Democracy+Now!&utm_campaign=b348283cc2-Daily_Digest&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_fa2346a853-b348283cc2-191276697

3) 6 Reasons for Hope: The Benefits Are Clear
https://www.ecowatch.com/renewable-energy-benefits-2518662169.html?utm_source=EcoWatch+List&utm_campaign=a05806e557-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_49c7d43dc9-a05806e557-86095421
The Climate Reality Project: "Even as the reality of the climate crisis becomes more apparent and urgent by the day, we choose hope. We know we can solve this crisis and we're optimistic about the future. And you should be too."

4) 100% Renewable Energy Worldwide Isn't Just Possible—It's Also More Cost-Effective
https://www.ecowatch.com/100-renewable-energy-by-2050-2519335518.html?utm_source=EcoWatch+List&utm_campaign=a05806e557-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_49c7d43dc9-a05806e557-86095421
AlterNet: "Transitioning the world to 100 percent renewable electricity isn't just some environmentalist pipe dream—it's "feasible at every hour throughout the year" and is more cost-effective than the current system, which largely relies on fossil fuels and nuclear energy, a new study claims."

5) Humidity Is the Real Heatwave Threat
https://www.ecowatch.com/humidity-climate-change-2520059578.html?utm_source=EcoWatch+List&utm_campaign=a05806e557-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_49c7d43dc9-a05806e557-86095421

6) France Approves World's First Ban on Fracking and Oil Production
https://www.ecowatch.com/france-fracking-ban-2518885658.html?utm_source=EcoWatch+List&utm_campaign=49975e9dfe-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_49c7d43dc9-49975e9dfe-86095421

7) Why Apple Deliberately Slowing Down iPhones Is Harming the Environment
https://www.ecowatch.com/apple-iphones-slow-down-2519096622.html?utm_source=EcoWatch+List&utm_campaign=49975e9dfe-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_49c7d43dc9-49975e9dfe-86095421
"Apple has admitted that it deliberately slows down the processing speeds of phones with older batteries to stop them shutting down without warning. The tech giant is ultimately doing a good thing—even if it's in a sneaky, backhanded way. Smartphone batteries certainly have a limited lifespan... But how many of us buy a completely new phone instead of simply replacing the battery? That's not to mention that Apple makes their phones very difficult to open and fix yourself."

8) Five Things to Watch as Industry Tackles Methane in 2018
https://www.ecowatch.com/methane-action-2519141186.html?utm_source=EcoWatch+List&utm_campaign=b7fd1e5aa6-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_49c7d43dc9-b7fd1e5aa6-86095421

9) Climate Crisis to Uproot Millions in the Coming Decades: Nations Need to Be Ready
https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-migrants-2518914887.html?utm_source=EcoWatch+List&utm_campaign=b7fd1e5aa6-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_49c7d43dc9-b7fd1e5aa6-86095421
The Conversation: "By the middle of this century, experts estimate that climate change is likely to displace between 150 and 300 million people. If this group formed a country, it would be the fourth-largest in the world, with a population nearly as large as that of the U.S."

10) Hurricane Tree Recovery Campaign Aims to Plant 5 Million Trees in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico
https://www.ecowatch.com/hurricane-tree-recovery-campaign-2519366108.html?utm_source=EcoWatch+List&utm_campaign=b7fd1e5aa6-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_49c7d43dc9-b7fd1e5aa6-86095421
"The Arbor Day Foundation launched its Hurricane Tree Recovery Campaign in an effort to help tree restoration efforts in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico following this year's string of devastating hurricanes. The program, which debuted in October, aims to plant a total of five million trees over the next five years as a way to contribute to the rebuilding efforts in the affected communities."

11) 14 Notable Climate Influencers of 2017
https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-influencers-2017-2519436816.html?utm_source=EcoWatch+List&utm_campaign=b7fd1e5aa6-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_49c7d43dc9-b7fd1e5aa6-86095421
If Jerry Brown is on this list then how credible is the rest of it?

12) U.S. Bank Quietly Joins $4B Deal With Dakota Access Owner After Declaring End to Oil and Gas Pipeline Loans
https://www.ecowatch.com/us-bank-dapl-2519145269.html?utm_source=EcoWatch+List&utm_campaign=e110b4fdc7-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_49c7d43dc9-e110b4fdc7-86095421

13) 'Anti-Smog Gun' Met With Criticism in India
https://www.ecowatch.com/india-smog-delhi-2519327874.html?utm_source=EcoWatch+List&utm_campaign=e110b4fdc7-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_49c7d43dc9-e110b4fdc7-86095421
"Indian officials have just rolled out their newest weapon to fight air pollution—an "anti-smog gun. The $40,000 vehicle-mounted cannon sprays fine water droplets at extremely high speeds. But environmentalists are skeptical. "It will not improve the environment. Instead of looking at temporary measures, the government should focus on a comprehensive action plan for more systematic changes in the city to contain air pollution."

14) 5 Things to Know as China Launches the World’s Largest Carbon Market
https://www.ecowatch.com/carbon-market-china-2518949213.html?utm_source=EcoWatch+List&utm_campaign=afcc4c0ffb-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_49c7d43dc9-afcc4c0ffb-86095421
Environmental Defense Fund: "China has announced the launch of a national emissions trading system that will become the world's largest and most consequential environmental program, fulfilling a commitment of President Xi Jinping and setting up China to meet or even exceed its commitment to the Paris climate agreement. The nation is moving deliberately, gradually phasing in and ramping up this carbon market, a proven way to limit and reduce climate pollution. It's expected to eventually be 10 times larger than the successful emissions trading system in California, which took more than six years to develop and launch."

15) Plastic Pollution Is ‘Low Priority’ for Shoppers, Soft Drink Execs Tell Policy Officials
https://www.ecowatch.com/plastic-pollution-problem-2518936575.html?utm_source=EcoWatch+List&utm_campaign=afcc4c0ffb-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_49c7d43dc9-afcc4c0ffb-86095421

16) U.S. Government Lifts Ban on Making Viruses More Deadly and Transmissible
https://www.ecowatch.com/deadly-viruses-in-america-2519110552.html?utm_source=EcoWatch+List&utm_campaign=afcc4c0ffb-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_49c7d43dc9-afcc4c0ffb-86095421
Wait, what?!

17) Betraying Ratepayers and Clean Energy Future, Georgia Panel Approves Vogtle Nuclear Reactors
https://www.ecowatch.com/vogtle-nuclear-plant-2519385301.html?utm_source=EcoWatch+List&utm_campaign=afcc4c0ffb-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_49c7d43dc9-afcc4c0ffb-86095421
Common Dreams: "Georgia's public utility commission voted 5-0 on Thursday to continue construction on two half-finished nuclear reactors that will cost an estimated $25 billion, even though the project is now "more than $10 billion over budget and five years late."

18) Exxon Mobil’s About-Face on Climate Disclosure: Is It Enough?
https://www.ecowatch.com/exxon-mobil-climate-change-2518640543.html?utm_source=EcoWatch+List&utm_campaign=3a6525e6bc-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_49c7d43dc9-3a6525e6bc-86095421
The Conversation: "Exxon Mobil's latest move may prevent another episode like what happened in May, when some 62 percent of the company's shareholders—including the massive Vanguard mutual fund company—voted in favor of a resolution demanding that it publicly state how climate change is affecting its operations and bottom line. Exxon Mobil itself indicated that shareholder pressure prompted its reversal, specifically from the New York State Common Retirement Fund, which manages roughly $200 billion in assets on behalf of 1 million state and local government employees and retirees and their beneficiaries."

19) World's Largest Mining Company Breaks With Global Trade Groups That Deny Climate Change
https://www.ecowatch.com/bhp-climate-change-2518910663.html?utm_source=EcoWatch+List&utm_campaign=3a6525e6bc-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_49c7d43dc9-3a6525e6bc-86095421
Climate Nexus: "One of the world's largest coal companies is making plans to quit the World Coal Association over a disagreement on climate policies. British-Australian mining giant BHP's review comes on the heels of mounting shareholder pressure to reconsider its memberships with groups that espouse views contrary to the company's stated values. The report affirmed that BHP believes "the warming of the climate is unequivocal, the human influence is clear and physical impacts are unavoidable" and reasserted the company's support for the Paris agreement."

20) A Weed Killer Is Increasingly Showing Up in People's Bodies
http://time.com/4993877/weed-killer-roundup-levels-humans/
Time: "The latest study to look at the long-term effects of Roundup, a popular weed killer developed by Monsanto in the 1970s, raises questions about the herbicide’s possible contributions to poor health in certain communities. The study, published Tuesday in JAMA, ...found that the percentage of people who tested positive for glyphosate, which is the active ingredient in the herbicide Roundup, shot up by 500% in that time period. The levels of glyphosate also spiked by 1208% during that time."

21) FERC, Which Rejected 2 Gas Pipelines Out of 400 Since 1999, to Review Approval Policy
https://www.ecowatch.com/ferc-approval-process-2520084281.html?utm_source=EcoWatch+List&utm_campaign=fbe4bf398a-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_49c7d43dc9-fbe4bf398a-86095421
DeSmogBlog : "The most vocal FERC critic, the group Beyond Extreme Energy, has said that it does not trust the agency and remains skeptical of what it will do in the months ahead on the 1999 policy. "If FERC were an agency which truly put the public interest first, the announced plan to review their process for approving pipelines would be a welcome development. But facts don't lie: over the past 30 years FERC has granted permits for all but two proposed interstate gas pipelines. It is a rubber stamp agency, and it has been this through both Democratic and Republican administrations."

22) Oil Giants Invest $180B in Plastics, Propelling Oceans Toward 'Near-Permanent' Pollution
https://www.ecowatch.com/plastics-in-the-ocean-2520118637.html?utm_source=EcoWatch+List&utm_campaign=fbe4bf398a-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_49c7d43dc9-fbe4bf398a-86095421
Common Dreams: ""Around 99 percent of the feedstock for plastics is fossil fuels, so we are looking at the same companies ... that have helped create the climate crisis. There is a deep and pervasive relationship between oil and gas companies and plastics."

23) New York Takes Giant Step to Divest From Fossil Fuels
https://www.ecowatch.com/new-york-fossil-fuel-divestment-2518904580.html?utm_source=EcoWatch+List&utm_campaign=3a6525e6bc-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_49c7d43dc9-3a6525e6bc-86095421
"New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer released separate plans on Tuesday to divest state and city pension funds from coal, oil and gas companies. Environmentalists are celebrating this major win in the global movement for fossil fuel divestment, as the state and city's public pension funds are among the largest in the world, representing a combined $390 billion."

Call To Action!
We urge all groups including schools, neighborhood associations, organizations, clubs and groups of any kind to adopt a Climate Declaration.  Adopt ours or write your own.  Share your Climate Declaration with local governments, the media, write articles, and share information.
Occupy Sonoma County Climate Declaration

Occupy Sonoma County, along with concerned, forward thinking people all over the world, declares that climate change has reached catastrophic proportions as evidenced by the current level of CO2 in the atmosphere, the melting of polar ice caps, and the continual rising of global temperatures.  This is a global emergency, and we must act immediately.​  We invite all forces of life to join together for our survival.  We stand up for life.

We recognize that the root of climate change is a capitalist system run by money greedy corporations and the governments that they control.  We actively oppose greenhouse gas producers, nuclear power investors, and fossil fuel companies by boycotting their products, developing alternatives, divesting from corporations that endorse them and insisting that governments at all levels take action.  We call on all governments and corporations to adopt life-sustaining practices immediately.

The people must act now to stop this destruction from continuing and reverse the damage this has caused​.  The future is in our hands.  We are the 99%!

 

Take Action - Get Involved!

Mark Z. Jacobson speaking on Transitioning Countries, States, and Cities to 100% Renewable Energy For All Purposes As Soon As Possible!
Thursday, January 4, 7 PM
Praxis Peace Project, $20 ($50 with reception) at Vintage House, Sonoma
Tickets online at www.praxispeace.org/events or contact ​in...@praxispeace.org, 707-939-2973

Sonoma Solidarity with Standing Rock Meeting
Saturday, January 13, 2-5 PM​
2nd Saturday of each month:
2-3:30 pm Divestment & Public Banking
3:30-5 pm Main Meeting
Peace & Justice Center - 467 Sebastopol Ave., Santa Rosa
For more info: www.facebook.com/SonomaNoDAPL/, Email sonoma.solidarity@gmail.com​
 
Attend our next Earth Action Campaign meeting

Monday, January 15, 7-9 PM
Peace & Justice Center, 467 Sebastopol Ave., Santa Rosa
This campaign meets monthly on the 3rd Mondays. Meet in person or call in from home.

For more information go to http://OccupySonomaCounty.org or call 707-877-6650.

Sonoma County Climate Change Activists Meeting
Monday,  January 28​, 7-9 PM, Peace & Justice Center
Climate change groups and individuals working together to coordinate efforts and make action plans.
At the last meeting we all agreed to support the 350 Sonoma Green Rebuild Campaign.  We encourage you to get involved.  Contact http://350SonomaCounty.org or 350Sono...@gmail.com to endorse their proposal and support their work.

 

Look for Public Bank Santa Rosa on Facebook or email them at in...@publicbanksantarosa.com.  Be sure to read and endorse their new resolution.

 

Volunteer Opportunities

• Shopper's Guide Research

We are updating our shopper's guide this month. If you use a product that is not in our shopper's guide you can help research it or send us the name for us to scrutinize.
"Health food" brands of pet foods are being researched and the news is nearly all bad. What pet food brands do you use? Let us know so that we can include your pets in our research.
• Adopt-A-Bulletin Board

What locations do you already go to that have bulletin boards?  Where can you easily go to in your own neighborhood to help us publicize teach-ins and events?  Download our latest flyer from our website and let us know where you are posting.

• Graphic Artist Needed For Converting Our New Logo To Vector Art

We have a logo design that is 8-10".  We would like to be able to scale it up to 3-4'.

• Video editing help is always needed - even one hour would help

We are behind in our video projects and could use some help in getting caught up.

Can you help us upload some video clips to our Youtube page?

What Earth Actions are you taking?

707-877-6650
http://OccupySonomaCounty.org
http://OccupySonomaCounty.org/es ​(en español)
http://www.facebook.com/OccupySonomaCounty
https://twitter.com/OcSoCo
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmJoCP-ePUTPWNgHZwtBelg

Occupy Sonoma County embraces the egalitarian, deep democracy principles of the Occupy Movement with a regional strategy for effectively organizing county-wide social justice campaigns that are globally relevant.