EARTH ACTION IN THE NEWS - May 31, 2024

[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!
Oakland becomes first district nationwide with 100% electric school buses
https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/oakland-becomes-first-district-nationwide-with-100-electric-school-buses/

Los Angeles Captured More Than 96 Billion Gallons of Stormwater in Recent Months of Heavy Rain, Officials Announce
https://www.ecowatch.com/los-angeles-stormwater-captured-conservation.html

Mexico Includes GMO Labeling Requirements in Ambitious New Food Sovereignty Law
https://organicconsumers.org/mexico-includes-gmo-labeling-requirements-in-ambitious-new-food-sovereignty-law/

This Storybook cottage’s native plant wonderland shows how gorgeous no grass can be

https://www.latimes.com/lifestyle/story/2024-04-15/storybook-cottage-native-plant-wonderland-with-no-grass-in-los-angeles

LOCAL REPORTS
Controversial California power plant set to stay online after court decision
https://www.thenewlede.org/2024/04/controversial-california-power-plant-set-to-stay-online-after-court-decision/

Ten surprising facts about California sea otters

https://www.sonomacountygazette.com/sonoma-county-news/california-sea-otters/

Can beavers help Sonoma County lower wildfire risk?

https://www.sonomacountygazette.com/sonoma-county-news/sonoma-beavers-preventing-wildfires/

2 insurance firms agree to collaborate to write California home policies

https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/industrynews/california-insurance-fire-home-sonoma/

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/

Sonoma Valley Hospital implements solar and battery backup system to ensure reliable power
https://www.sonomacountygazette.com/sonoma-county-news/sonoma-valley-hospital-power-backup/

GMOs, GLYPHOSATE & TOXINS
Despite ban, EPA grants ’emergency’ approval for bee-killing insecticide for 10th straight year
https://www.thenewlede.org/2024/04/despite-ban-epa-grants-emergency-approval-for-bee-killing-insecticide-for-10th-straight-year/

GMO Bio-Imperialism by Vandana Shiva

https://navdanyainternational.org/gmo-bio-imperialism/
"Agribusiness and biotechnology giants are trying to circumvent existing biosafety regulations, such as the Cartagena and Nagoya Protocols of the Convention on Biological Diversity, by subtly making changes to GMO regulations, in order to promote GMOs under new acronyms, such as NBT (New Breeding Techniques), NGT (New Genomic Techniques) or TEA (Techniques of Assisted Evolution). These new GMOs have been silently inserted into the agricultural legislation in force in various countries, with the aim of maintaining patent monopolies in the hands of the chemical and biotechnology giants."

Mexico Includes GMO Labeling Requirements in Ambitious New Food Sovereignty Law
https://organicconsumers.org/mexico-includes-gmo-labeling-requirements-in-ambitious-new-food-sovereignty-law/

Pesticide Residues in Food Do Not Tell the Full Story on Hazards and the Importance of Organic

https://beyondpesticides.org/dailynewsblog/2024/05/pesticide-residues-in-food-do-not-tell-the-full-story-on-hazards-associated-with-chemical-intensive-agriculture-and-the-importance-of-organic/

“Certainly Intimidation”: Louisiana Sues EPA for Emails With Journalists and Cancer Alley Residents
https://theintercept.com/2024/02/02/louisiana-sues-epa-emails-foia/
"The state’s far-right government is escalating its fight against environmental protection with a rare use of public records law."

Full List of Grocers / Produce Farms Selling Apeel-Coated Produce

https://deeprootsathome.com/full-list-of-grocers-produce-farms-selling-apeel-coated-produce/

68 PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Found by Scientists in Food Packaging Worldwide

https://www.ecowatch.com/food-packaging-pfas-forever-chemicals.html

FOSSIL FUELS
Monumental Decision’: Biden Admin Proposes Ending Coal Leasing in Nation’s Most Productive Mining Area
https://www.ecowatch.com/coal-leasing-biden-administration-renewable-energy.html

Big Banks Have Given Nearly $7 Trillion to Fossil Fuel Companies Since Paris Agreement, Report Says
https://www.ecowatch.com/big-banks-fossil-fuel-companies-paris-agreement.html

PLASTIC & POLLUTION
Researchers Develop a Plastic That Digests Itself
https://www.ecowatch.com/biodegradable-plastic-self-digesting.html

WAKE UP CALL

‘Magical thinking’: hopes for sustainable jet fuel not realistic, report finds
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/may/14/sustainable-jet-fuel-report

Nearly 75% of Climate Experts Blame ‘Lack of Political Will’ for High Chance of Future Warming
https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-scientists-global-warming-predictions.html

Atmospheric CO2 Increasing 10x Faster Than in Last 50,000 Years, Study Finds
https://www.ecowatch.com/atmospheric-co2-levels-increasing.html

60.5% of World’s Coral Reefs Have Bleached in Past Year, NOAA Says
https://www.ecowatch.com/coral-reefs-bleaching-climate-change-2024.html

Coral Reefs 101: Everything You Need to Know
https://www.ecowatch.com/coral-reefs-facts-ecowatch.html

What to know about USDA’s new organic regulations
https://www.newhope.com/brands/what-to-know-about-usda-s-new-organic-regulations
The Organic Trade Association is comprised of the biggest of the organic companies.  They are a powerful lobby that successfully opposed GMO labeling nationwide several years ago.  Recent investigation discovered that Oregon Tilith as well as CCOF and other organic certifiers accept donations that exceed their certification fees and are frequently paid to certify fraudulently.  Humane, fair trade, dolphin-safe, and organic certifications are frequently fraudulent.  USDA organic is 95% organic and only applies to how the food is grown.  Glyphosate is routinely sprayed on organic legumes as a dessicant after harvest, and many products are used to preserve freshness during shipping.  This whole system is so corrupt!     

THINK TANK & STRATEGY
Why One Man Runs a Tree Service That Won’t Cut Down Dead Trees
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/08/realestate/eco-friendly-landscaping-dead-trees.html?unlocked_article_code=1.rU0.jGfW.d4eTmXMFvKPt&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
"Basil Camu is on a mission to save trees, even the dying ones. His unconventional approach: Let it be."

Vermont Could Become First State to Make Biggest Emitters Pay for Climate-Related Damages
https://www.ecowatch.com/vermont-climate-damages-bill-greenhouse-gas-emitters.html

The Wilderness Act Is Still Protecting Nature, If We Allow It
https://rewilding.org/the-wilderness-act-is-still-protecting-nature-if-we-allow-it/
"The Wilderness System has grown to protect over 800 areas totaling over 111 million acres in 44 states and Puerto Rico, making it America’s most essential law to preserve biodiversity and protect the genetic diversity of thousands of plant and animal species, including those that are threatened and endangered. In fact, America’s National Wilderness Preservation System protects over 150 distinct ecosystem types across the country."

DIRECT ACTIONS
Resisting GMO Imperialism – Events in Mexico – March 2024

https://navdanyainternational.org/resisting-gmo-imperialism-events-in-mexico-march-2024/

SUSTAINABLE LIVING
FERC Overhauls Electric Grid to Pave Way for Renewables
https://www.ecowatch.com/ferc-electric-grid-overhaul-renewable-energy.html

UK Installs Nearly 6,000 Public EV Chargers in First 3 Months of 2024
https://www.ecowatch.com/ev-charging-stations-installations-uk.html

USDA delivers grants to historically Black land-grant universities for 'emerging challenges'

https://justthenews.com/nation/states/center-square/usda-delivers-grants-historically-black-land-grant-universities

Cash in on election year.

Blossoms Over Blades: Embrace "Slow Mow Summer" for a Buzz-Worthy Lawn
https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/blossoms-over-blades-embrace-slow-mow-summer-buzz-worthy-lawn
"If you’re a fan of No Mow May, you’re going to love Slow Mow Summer."

We shouldn’t have any beef with conscientious farmers
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/apr/24/we-shouldnt-have-any-beef-with-conscientious-farmers

The USDA’s gardening zones shifted.

https://apps.npr.org/plant-hardiness-garden-map/
"This map shows you what’s changed in vivid detail."

Raising Baby Chicks – Beginners Guide for the First 6 Weeks
https://melissaknorris.com/podcast/raising-baby-chicks-beginners-guide-for-the-first-6-weeks/

ENDING ON A POSITIVE
Lasagna Gardening Builds AMAZING Soil!

https://thegrownetwork.com/lasagna-gardening-amazing-soil/

The joy of birdwatching: research shows it can improve mental health and foster a sense of wellbeing
https://theconversation.com/the-joy-of-birdwatching-research-shows-it-can-improve-mental-health-and-foster-a-sense-of-wellbeing-229139

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.