EARTH ACTION IN THE NEWS - March 21, 2024 - HAPPY SPRING!

[OSC]

EARTH ACTION IN THE NEWS  

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BREAKTHROUGH!
It’s official: Chanslor Ranch is Sonoma County's newest regional park and open space preserve
https://www.sonomacountygazette.com/sonoma-county-news/its-official-chanslor-ranch-is-sonoma-countys-newest-regional-park-and-o/

Oregon Outback Is Now the Largest Dark Sky Sanctuary in the World
https://www.ecowatch.com/oregon-outback-dark-sky-sanctuary.html

LOCAL REPORTS
Understanding the Science: Reproduction of a Serotinous Conifer, the Giant Sequoia, in a Large High-Severity Fire Area

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SFFo7W4fT0qv6JDwLhkPrw#/registration
Zoom webinar by John Muir Project, March 27, 5:30, free, registration required.
"Join us for a discussion on the challenges facing giant sequoia groves, located on the western slope of the central and southern Sierra Nevada mountains in California, have been experiencing regeneration failure for more than a century due to the exclusion of wildfires."

Team of researchers find wildfire is future to saving California's giant sequoias
https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/team-of-researchers-find-wildfire-is-future-to-saving-californias-giant-sequoias/

Wood Pellet Giant Drax Targets California Forests
https://www.desmog.com/2024/03/04/wood-pellet-giant-drax-targets-california-forests/
"Plans for two industrial pellet plants would increase carbon emissions and hurt the health of rural communities."

Goleta Load Pocket Community Microgrid
https://clean-coalition.org/community-microgrids/goleta-load-pocket/
"The Goleta Load Pocket Community Microgrid (GLPCM) will showcase the power system of the future. The Goleta Load Pocket, a disaster-prone, transmission-vulnerable 70-mile stretch of Southern California coastline, provides the perfect opportunity for a comprehensive Community Microgrid that will bring the area an unparalleled trifecta of economic, environmental, and resilience benefits. A Community Microgrid can island from the larger grid during a power outage — whether it’s caused by a natural disaster, a PSPS, or any other event — providing indefinite renewables-driven backup power for critical community facilities such as fire stations and emergency shelters. During regular grid operations, the GLPCM will continue providing the benefits of clean local energy to the community."

Santa Barbara Unified School District (SBUSD) Solar Microgrids
https://clean-coalition.org/community-microgrids/goleta-load-pocket/santa-barbara-unified-school-district/
"An ambitious initiative that will serve as a model for school districts throughout the US."

Is the SMART Train a smart way to travel? Here is what we found out
https://www.sonomacountygazette.com/sonoma-county-news/is-the-smart-train-a-smart-way-to-travel/

California Must Triple Its Rate of Carbon Emissions Reductions to Reach 2030 Target, Report Says

https://www.ecowatch.com/california-carbon-emissions-reduction-rate-2030.html

Report Exposes $11 Million Dark Money Ad Campaign by Big Oil in California by Dan Bacher
https://www.elkgrovenews.net/2024/03/report-exposes-11-million-dark-money-ad.html

State appeals court halts Kern County plan to fast-track oil drilling near homes, schools
https://www.courthousenews.com/state-appeals-court-halts-kern-county-plan-to-fast-track-oil-drilling-near-homes-schools/
"For the second time, a Kern County ordinance intended to speed up approval of oil and gas drilling projects was found in violation of California environmental law."

Charting the future of ocean salmon fishing: a community effort
https://www.sonomacountygazette.com/sonoma-county-news/charting-the-future-of-ocean-salmon-fishing-a-community-effort/

Turning Water Quality Issues into Climate Change Solutions
https://russianriverkeeper.org/turning-water-quality-issues-into-climate-change-solutions/

ABC10 wins court battle for transparency: Gov. Newsom ordered to disclose PG&E meeting records
https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/gov-newsom-ordered-to-disclose-pge-meeting-records/103-cd1fd965-bce9-46e6-95a6-018869f4b002
"The lawsuit came after Newsom’s office refused a public records request to review one month of calendar entries for meetings between PG&E and a top Newsom aide."

Oil sheen confirmed off Huntington Beach; Coast Guard investigating
https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2024-03-08/the-u-s-coast-guard-investigates-reports-of-an-oil-spill-off-of-huntington-beach
"Sen. Min called the offshore oil rigs “a ticking time bomb” in a news release Friday: “They were built in the 1960s and 1970s, and are long past their expected lifetimes.” He expressed concerns that companies are not investing in outdated safety infrastructure, which could lead to further oil spills. Min, who represents the cities of Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, and Laguna Beach, which were affected by the 2021 oil spill, had proposed legislation that would have given state officials the authority to negotiate and terminate leases for offshore oil drilling. But the bill was killed in the Legislature earlier this year. Min is retiring from his post and is looking to others to take up the cause. “I am hopeful that SB 559 will provide a model for future legislators to take up, in California and at the federal level,” he said."

Construction set to begin next month on long-awaited Hearn Avenue overpass improvements
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/construction-set-to-begin-next-month-on-long-awaited-hearn-avenue-overpass/
"Construction of a wider, safer Hearn Avenue overcrossing in south Santa Rosa is set to begin April 15 and last a little over 2 years."

Fire Victim Trust to issue new round of payments to PG&E wildfire claimants
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/fire-victim-trust-to-issue-new-round-of-payments-to-pge-wildfire-claimants/
"The news of additional compensation to fire victims marks a welcome and significant milestone in the trust’s goal to wind down operations this year, which it said it is still on track to do."

GMOs, GLYPHOSATE & TOXINS
Toxic Fashion: New Report Shows Shockingly High Levels of Lead in Fashion Accessories Sold at Off-Price Retailers

https://ceh.org/latest/press-releases/toxic-fashion-new-report-shows-shockingly-high-levels-of-lead-in-fashion-accessories-sold-at-off-price-retailers/
"The Center for Environmental Health (CEH) published a groundbreaking report spanning 13 years detailing a systemic toxics problem at Ross and Burlington. Starting in 2009, CEH repeatedly found high levels of toxic lead in leather and faux leather fashion accessories including handbags, wallets, shoes, and belts sold at these off-price retailers. In 2022 alone, more than 25 percent of the fashion accessories purchased from Ross and Burlington and tested by CEH contained elevated lead levels."

Study Provides First Combined Assessment of Multiple Classes of Pesticides in Human Blood
https://beyondpesticides.org/dailynewsblog/2024/03/study-provides-first-combined-assessment-of-multiple-classes-of-pesticides-in-human-blood/

Petrochemical Pesticides, Fertilizers, and Plastics Linked to Dire Health Effects while Alternatives Are Available

https://beyondpesticides.org/dailynewsblog/2024/03/petrochemical-pesticides-fertilizers-and-plastics-linked-dire-health-effects-while-alternatives-are-available/

Food Standards Agency on PBOs: ‘We’re Not Listening’
https://beyond-gm.org/food-standards-agency-on-pbos-were-not-listening/

FOSSIL FUELS
Revealed: How the global oil industry is fueling Israel’s war on Gaza
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/14/global-oil-industry-impact-israel-gaza-war
"Analysis shows how jets and tanks are being kept fueled despite interim ICJ ruling warning Israel to prevent genocidal acts."

California’s Oil Crisis
https://lastchancealliance.org/cas-oil-crisis/

U.S. Has Produced More Oil Than Any Country in History for Six Consecutive Years
https://www.ecowatch.com/us-oil-production-record-2024.html

PLASTIC & POLLUTION
Postcard from California: After plastic bag ban backfires, lawmakers seek a fix
https://www.thenewlede.org/2024/02/postcard-from-california-after-plastic-bag-ban-backfires-lawmakers-seek-a-fix/

WAKE UP CALL
Conditions inside Fukushima’s melted nuclear reactors still unclear 13 years after disaster struck

https://nuclear-news.net/2024/03/14/3-a-conditions-inside-fukushimas-melted-nuclear-reactors-still-unclear-13-years-after-disaster-struck/

Reflecting on Fukushima
https://beyondnuclearinternational.org/2024/03/10/reflecting-on-fukushima/

"The lesson learned should be an end to nuclear power. Japan is going in the opposite direction."

Carbon capture isn't the future; it's more of the same
https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/opinion/guest-column-carbon-capture-isnt-the-future-its-more-of-the-same/article_b68ce30b-9e3c-58b4-be72-80f074a8a59c.html

Rainforest Seedlings Grow Better in Natural Forests Than Restored Ones, Even After 30 Years, Study Finds
https://www.ecowatch.com/rainforest-seedlings-natural-forests-logging-restoration.html

THINK TANK & STRATEGY
Resilience Matters: Flourishing in an Era of Extremes
https://rewilding.org/resilience-matters-flourishing-in-an-era-of-extremes-free-ebook-available/

Colombia President Petro Condemns Capitalism as ‘Building Walls and Dropping Bombs’ at WEF
https://resumen-english.org/2024/01/colombia-president-petro-condemns-capitalism-as-building-walls-and-dropping-bombs-at-wef/
"The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, made a statement while at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, that he would like to see “the power of international law” restored, and the global financial system changed."

5 things we learned from the EU’s big (and first) climate risk report

https://www.politico.eu/article/5-things-we-learned-eu-first-climate-change-risk-report-eea/

Dam Removal is Sometimes Messy (But Worth It)

https://lostcoastoutpost.com/2024/mar/9/econews-report-dam-removal-sometimes-messy-worth-i/

DIRECT ACTIONS
Texas farmers, watchdog group demand EPA act on PFAS in farm fertilizer
https://www.thenewlede.org/2024/02/texas-farmers-watchdog-group-demand-epa-act-on-pfas-in-farm-fertilizer/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

SUSTAINABLE LIVING
Drought 101: Everything You Need to Know
https://www.ecowatch.com/drought-facts-ecowatch.html

Monarch butterflies are at risk, but you can help
https://www.sonomacountygazette.com/sonoma-county-news/monarch-butterflies-are-at-risk-but-you-can-help/

Fruit Maintenance & When to Prune Berry Bushes

https://melissaknorris.com/when-to-prune-berry-bushes/

ENDING ON A POSITIVE
Linda King - Upgrade Your Yard (video)
https://youtu.be/cdwqNV2Z1HA?si=5MG68ew_MIhBAaHX
"Linda King gives a tour of her water-wise garden in Petaluma, California."

7 of the Oldest Living Plants on Earth

https://www.ecowatch.com/oldest-living-plants-facts-ecowatch.html

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.