GREEN NOTES — Week of February 10, 2008

GREEN NOTES week of February 10, 2008

GREENS SPEARHEAD Coalition for the Environment and Earth Day 2008 . . . The next planning meeting will be Monday, February 11, 2008, 7:00pm, at ME Group offices, 2820 North 48th Street, Lincoln (the old Uni Place Library building).

GREENS SUPPORT INITIATIVE 300, Nebraska’s landmark anti-corporate farming constitutional amendment, struck down by a federal court in late 2006. I-300 stood as an expression of the people’s will for twenty-five years, strongly embracing family farming, ranching and public policy designed to support rural communities. The Nebraska legislature will soon consider LB1174, to address the federal court’s concerns. LB 1174 will put I-300’s family farm and ranch protections that stood for 25 years – and were approved by a majority of Nebraska voters, back into law. The legislative hearing on LB 1174 is Tuesday, February 12, 1:30pm, State Capitol, Room 1510. Ask your senator to support LB 1174. For contact information go to www.unicam.state.ne.us. More information: Dan Owens, Center for Rural Affairs, dano[at]cfra dot org; www.cfra.org/I300. A big turnout for this hearing will show supporting the goals and preserving the benefits of Initiative 300 remains the will of the people.

GREENS VIGIL WITH NEBRASKA COALITION FOR PEACE every Wednesday, 5-6:00pm at the Federal Building, 15th & O Street in Lincoln. The Coalition meets every Saturday, 2:30pm at Crescent Moon Coffee, 816 P Street.

AMORY LOVINS AT THE LIED . . .Tuesday, February 12, 2008, 7:00pm, physicist Amory Lovins, co-founder, chairman and chief scientist of the Rocky Mountain Institute, will deliver the Lewis E. Harris Lecture on Public Policy, “Winning the Oil Endgame” at The Lied Center for Performing Arts, 12th & R Streets. The Rocky Mountain Institute www.rmi.org is an independent “think-and-do-tank” that helps individuals and organizations use energy and resources efficiently while being better stewards of the environment. Published in 29 books and hundreds of papers, Lovins’ work has been recognized by a MacArthur Fellowship and a Time magazine Hero for the Planet award. W. Cecil Steward, dean emeritus of the UNL College of Architecture and president and CEO of the Joslyn Castle Institute for Sustainable Communities, will deliver a lecture pre-talk at 6:30 in the Steinhart Room. Forum lectures are free and open to the public, but tickets are required. Limited tickets are still available at The Lied office. Call 402.472.4747 or 800.432.3231. More information and links to articles are at http://enthompson.unl.edu.

THE GREEN LIGHTS SOCIETY . . . will meet Wednesday, February 13, 2008 at Southminster United Methodist Church, 2915 South 16th Street, Lincoln, NE, (16th and Otoe). Phone number of the church for further information: 402.423.8586.

VAGINA MONOLOGUES BENEFIT FOR FRIENDSHIP HOME . . . Saturday, February 16, 2008, 8:00pm, The Vagina Monologues http://www.randomhouse.com/features/ensler/vm/ will be performed as a benefit for the Friendship Home at The Rococo Theatre, 13th and P Streets in downtown Lincoln. Doors open at 7:30pm. The box office is open Monday and Friday 12:00pm – 5:00pm to purchase tickets in advance. Price: $20 Public; $15 Student.

6000 CHILDREN a DAY Become ORPHANS from HIV AIDS . . . This is a staggering statistic folks in the Grand Island area will discuss Saturday and Sunday, February 16 and 17, 2008 at Trinity United Methodist Church, 5th and Elm, downtown Grand Island. JOURNEY OF THE HEART: HIV AIDS Awareness Weekend features special guests Retired Bishop Fritz Mutti and Etta Mae Mutti, Chairs of the new Global AIDS Fund for the UMC. They have lost two sons to HIV AIDS and will share their personal experiences about HIV AIDS as a worldwide pandemic that requires a faith response. For more information, call the church phone, 308.382.1952, or contact Maureen Vetter Mvetter[at]charter dot net.

THE GREEN SANCTUARY COMMITTEE of First Unitarian Church of Omaha is sponsoring a series of interfaith forums on earth stewardship and community. The first forum: “Reconnecting With and Changing Our Rural Landscapes Through Our Food Purchases,” will be presented on Sunday, February 17th at, 1 pm at First Unitarian Church, 3114 Harney Street, Omaha. Organic farming is the fastest-growing sector of agriculture in America today. Nebraska has the 10th largest acreage of organic crops in the U.S. The Forum will provide an opportunity for city dwellers to learn more about sustainable farms in Nebraska, and to find out how to buy fresh foods directly from local farms.

STEVE LARRICK FOR SENATE campaign priorities . . . (1) END THE IRAQ OCCUPATION NOW! – build peace through diplomacy; (2) RESTORE SOCIAL JUSTICE – single-payer health care and living wages for all; (3) FIGHT GLOBAL WARMING – weatherize homes to conserve energy and develop renewable wind, solar, and switchgrass energy; (4) RESTORE TRUE DEMOCRACY – through public campaign financing and instant run-off voting. http://www.instantrunoff.com/