EARTH ACTION IN THE NEWS - April 19, 2024 - EARTH DAY!

[OSC]

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.
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BREAKTHROUGH!

Santa Rosa volunteer-run medical equipment recycling group secures new space
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/recycling-medical-nonprofit-santa-rosa/
"For decades Medical Equipment Recycling Program in Santa Rosa has offered low to no cost medical equipment. Then they lost their place to operate."

Electrifying: A Climate Solution? // with Ann Edminster (video)
https://youtu.be/D5DK6K1gSyA?si=nZszHizOfreMWL85
"Ditch the gas! Electrification is a key component to climate-friendly architecture, but also removes the fire and health hazards pumped into buildings by natural gas. And, there’s more! Watch how electrification works and the benefits it brings."

New Wind Installations Reached Record High in 2023

https://www.ecowatch.com/new-wind-installations-2023-global-record.html

Europe Removed Record Number of Dams and Other Barriers to River Flow in 2023
https://www.ecowatch.com/europe-dam-removal-2023.html
"In 2023, Europe removed a record 487 dams and other river barriers."

LOCAL REPORTS
EWG sponsors bill to ban use in California of toxic weedkiller linked to Parkinson’s disease

https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news-release/2024/04/ewg-sponsors-bill-ban-use-california-toxic-weedkiller-linked
SoCoCAN! reached unanimous consensus to endorse this initiative to ban paraquat in California!

Fight to save rooftop solar in California heads to state Supreme Court

https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2024/04/fight-save-rooftop-solar-california-heads-state-supreme-court

Rep. Jared Huffman says no plan to push out ranchers in Point Reyes National Seashore
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/rep-huffman-says-no-plan-to-push-out-ranchers-in-point-reyes-national-seas/
"Though not part of ongoing mediation between the Point Reyes National Seashore, ranchers and environmental groups, the North Bay congressman said rumors of eliminating ranching from the seashore are “misinformed.“

Opinion: Maybe Mother Earth has had enough.
https://www.sonomacountygazette.com/sonoma-county-news/opinion-maybe-mother-earth-has-had-enough/
by Amie Windsor

Sonoma County Board of Supervisors request report on ‘factory farm’ ballot measure
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/sonoma-county-factory-farm-ballot/
"The report will cover the measure’s potential fiscal impacts, as well as potential impacts on a broad array of topics including land use, agriculture and the county’s general plan."

Food Waste: By Noami Crawford with Annie Stuart and Marie Kneemeyer
https://www.coolpetaluma.org/stories/food-waste-by-noami-crawford-with-annie-stuart-and-marie-kneemeyer

Santa Rosa again looks to close part of Fourth Street downtown to vehicles
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/santa-rosa-again-looks-to-close-portion-of-fourth-street-to-cars/
"City officials hope the move, affecting two blocks of Fourth Street and likely in place during the summer, will help attract more visitors to the heart of the city."

California insurance chief, Farmers CEO ‘look outside’ for answers to insurance crisis
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/california-insurance-chief-farmers-ceo-look-outside-for-answers-to-insu/
"California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said insurers need to come up with ideas beyond increasing rates to help solve the insurance crisis."

Here are the ZIP codes where State Farm plans to drop home coverage for California customers
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/industrynews/here-are-the-zip-codes-where-state-farm-plans-to-drop-home-coverage-for-cal/
"Here’s where State Farm plans to drop tens of thousands home policies in the North Bay and across California, according to a filing with state’s Department of Insurance."

State Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, during Santa Rosa visit, discusses his plan to stabilize insurance industry
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/insurance-california-regulations-wildfires/
"California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara outlined efforts to stabilize the insurance industry, including modernizing the rate approval process and transitioning to more forward-looking catastrophe modeling."

Newly surfaced documents detail previously downplayed extent of contamination, hazards at Napa County landfill
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/napa/clover-flat-landfill-napa-contamination-pestoni-glass-fire/
"Recently surfaced public records describe incinerated infrastructure and severe damage to streambeds and waterways, along with uncertainty about corrective efforts."

Make a difference in Sonoma County: Attend local government meetings

https://www.sonomacountygazette.com/sonoma-county-news/sonoma-county-civic-meetings-april-2024/

GMOs, GLYPHOSATE & TOXINS
Biden administration sets first-ever limits on 'forever chemicals' in drinking water
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/biden-administration-sets-first-ever-limits-on-so-called-forever-chemicals/
"The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday announced its first-ever limits for several common types of PFAS, the so-called "forever chemicals," in drinking water."

EWG finds little-known toxic chemical in four out of five people tested
https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2024/02/ewg-finds-little-known-toxic-chemical-four-out-five-people-tested

What is food dye?
https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2024/03/what-food-dye

20% of Common Produce Contains ‘Risky Pesticide Levels’: Consumer Reports Study

https://www.ecowatch.com/produce-pesticide-levels-health-risks.html

EPA Announces First-Ever Rule Limiting PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Drinking Water
https://www.ecowatch.com/epa-pfas-forever-chemicals-drinking-water-rule.html

EPA Limits Toxic Pollution From Chemical Plants
https://www.ecowatch.com/epa-chemical-plants-pollution-clean-air-standards.html

High PFAS Levels Detected in Groundwater Around the World
https://www.ecowatch.com/pfas-levels-global-groundwater.html

FOSSIL FUELS
Coal Capacity Increased 2% Globally in 2023, the Most Since 2016
https://www.ecowatch.com/coal-capacity-global-energy-monitor-2023.html
"Retire Coal Plants Faster or 'Forget About' Paris Goals, Energy Expert Says."

PLASTIC & POLLUTION
Amazon Has Increased Plastic Packaging in U.S. Despite Global Phaseout: Oceana Report
https://www.ecowatch.com/amazon-plastic-packaging-waste-us-global-phaseout.html
“Amazon’s failure to reduce plastic in the U.S. is troubling. The company has dramatically reduced plastic packaging in other major markets including India and Europe. Why are U.S. customers being left behind? According to research by YouGov, 85% of Amazon customers in the U.S. reported being concerned about plastic pollution. It’s time for Amazon to step up and commit to a global plastic packaging reduction everywhere it operates — including in the U.S..”

Ingested Microplastics Can Move From the Gut to the Brain and Other Organs, Study Finds
https://www.ecowatch.com/microplastics-ingestion-health-effects.html

WAKE UP CALL
UN Climate Chief: We Have ‘Two Years to Save the World’ From Climate Crisis

https://www.ecowatch.com/un-climate-crisis-deadline-simon-stiell.html

From the Solar Eclipse to Global Heating, Dr. Peter Kalmus on the Importance of Science

https://www.democracynow.org/2024/4/8/climate_update

The only protection from nuclear catastrophe is prohibition
https://wagingnonviolence.org/2024/02/the-only-protection-from-nuclear-catastrophre-is-prohibition/
"The anti-nuclear protest signs in my basement are a better defense against war and fallout than what any basement bunker can provide."

Climate Change Is Likely Impacting Marine Life More Than Previously Thought, Study Finds
https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-change-marine-life-impacts.html

The Voice of Eel-Grass

https://rewilding.org/the-voice-of-eel-grass/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-voice-of-eel-grass

"The state of Maine has plans to turn Sears Island into an industrial sacrifice area, as a land base for offshore industrial wind power projects. Even with the adjacent Mack Point deep water industrial site, the state wants to go ahead and create a new industrial site on Sears Island. The project seems to have the support of the “major” environmental organizations, showing their support for wind as a cleaner source of power, but who speaks for the marine ecosystem in these plans? Who speaks for the aquatic plant and animal life and for the health of the surrounding ecosystem?"

THINK TANK & STRATEGY
Forest Biomass Emissions act introduced
https://www.insidernj.com/press-release/booker-markey-warren-van-hollen-introduce-legislation-to-assess-emissions-from-forest-biomass/

Vermont advances bill targeting oil and gas companies for climate cleanup

https://www.thenewlede.org/2024/04/vermont-advances-bill-targeting-oil-and-gas-companies-for-climate-cleanup/

India’s Supreme Court Expands ‘Right to Life’ to Include Protection Against Climate Change

https://www.ecowatch.com/india-supreme-court-right-to-life-climate-change-protection.html

DIRECT ACTIONS
Climate movement elders revive monkey wrench tactics to save an old forest
https://wagingnonviolence.org/2024/04/troublemakers-monkey-wrench-carrot-timber-sale-save-legacy-forest-climate/
"Drawing on a long legacy of forest defense in the Northwest, members of the direct action group Troublemakers halted a controversial timber sale in Washington."

Climate activists in Australia are learning how to protect their protest rights
https://wagingnonviolence.org/rs/2024/02/australian-climate-activists-protect-protest-rights/
"Australian climate activists have successfully navigated years of increasing protest criminalization, revealing strategies for all to follow."

India’s Farmers Are Mobilizing Against the Modi Government
https://jacobin.com/2024/04/india-farmer-protest-modi-2024-elections/
"The Indian farmers’ movement has posed the biggest challenge to Narendra Modi’s government since it came to power. With elections approaching, farmers are mobilizing once again to challenge rural impoverishment under a destructive neoliberal model."

SUSTAINABLE LIVING
Airline Places Order for Sustainable Aviation Fuel Made From Human Waste

https://www.ecowatch.com/aviation-fuel-human-waste-wizz-air.html

Plant-heavy ‘flexitarian’ diets could help limit global heating, study finds
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/mar/27/flexitarian-diets-global-warming-climate-change
"Global adoption of diet low in meat would aid health, land and food systems as well as reducing emissions, researchers say."

ENDING ON A POSITIVE
Cycle Track Construction on Santa Rosa Avenue
https://www.srcity.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=2558
"Cycle tracks allow bicycle movement in both directions on one side of the road, reducing potential conflict points between cars and bikes. Cycle tracks also have a wider appeal than traditional bike lanes as their physical protection enhances cyclists comfort level, thereby attracting more riders."

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%!

What Earth Actions are you taking?

https://OccupySonomaCounty.org
https://OccupySonomaCounty.org/es (en español)
http://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 countywide social justice campaigns that are globally relevant.