CONGRATULATIONS TO BUFFALO BRUCE, NEBRASKA WILDLIFE FEDERATION 2011 CONSERVATIONIST OF THE YEAR.
INTERNATIONAL WEEK OF PROTEST TO STOP THE MILITARIZATION OF SPACE October 1 through 8, 2011. Stop the Drones – No Missile Defense – End the wars & occupations in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya – Bring Our War $$ Home – Convert the Military Industrial Complex.
WALK TO SCHOOL DAY . . . The 14th Annual International Walk to School Day is Wednesday, October 5, 2011. Parents, teachers, and community leaders are encouraged to organize events so groups can meet to walk and bike together. The Day is observed in more than 3,500 schools, in more than 40 countries. In Nebraska, more than 1,000 children are expected to participate. For details, and to get involved, phone Angela Barry at 402.476.7331.
STOP THE MACHINE – CREATE A NEW WORLD . . . “October 2011 is the 10th anniversary of the invasion of Afghanistan and the beginning of the 2012 federal austerity budget. It is time to light the spark that sets off a true democratic, nonviolent transition to a world in which people are freed to create just and sustainable solutions.” Stop the Machine – Create a New World, October 6th in Washington DC.
SCROLL DOWN FOR THIS WEEK’S TRANSCANADA KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE UPDATE. Randy Thompson will be testifying at the Department of State Hearing in Washington DC, Saturday, October 7, 2011.
Lincoln area: Congressional District 1
VIGIL AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY . . . Every Monday, from noon to 1:00pm, Nebraskans for abolition of the death penalty meet in front of the governor’s mansion when weather is good, 1425 H Street, Lincoln. In winter, the vigil is inside the capitol, near the Information Desk. The lunch-hour presence reminds the governor of a constituency that does not want state killings. Weekly vigils have taken place year-round since July, 1991. All abolitionists are welcome to participate for a few minutes, or the hour. For information about Nebraskans Against the Death Penalty, click here. A Lincoln Journal Star front page feature story about 84-year old Norma Fleisher’s summer tour of all Nebraska counties calling for an end to the death penalty is here.
CITY COUNCIL HEARING ON SOLAR INSTALLATION INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT . . . The Lincoln City Council will hold a public hearing on plans for a solar power installation on the roof of the police station at 27th and Holdrege, Monday, October 3, 2011, 3:00pm, in Council chambers at 555 South 10th Street. This project (agenda item #22) is a joint effort between the Mayor’s office and the Public Building Commission. Read item #22 here. For more information, e-mail Milo Mumgaard, mmumgaard [at] lincoln [dot] ne [dot] gov
NWF ANNUAL BANQUET . . . Make reservations for the 5th Annual Nebraska Wildlife Federation Fundraiser and Awards Banquet by Wednesday, October 5, 2011. Buffalo Bruce will be honored as 2011 Conservationist of the Year. The Banquet will be Thursday, October 13, 2011, in Mahoney State Park, beginning at 5:30pm. Read the LJS article here.
The federation is a statewide conservation organization that has worked for more than 40 years to protect and preserve the natural and unique eco-systems in Nebraska. Reservations may be made at 402.477.1008, or via e-mail, at Nebraskawildlife [at] windstream [dot] net.
LINCOLN PEACE VIGILS . . . Lincoln peace vigils continue at the Federal Building, 15th and O streets, every Wednesday from 5:00 to 6:00pm. Contact Mark at 402.499.6672 or e-mail mark [at] weddleton [dot] com for more information.
HEALTHY HONEYBEES . . . Honeybees will be the topic of a Science Cafe Thursday, October 6, 2011, 6:30pm, at red9, 322 South 9th Street, Lincoln. Master Beekeeper Marion Ellis, professor of entomology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, will talk about honeybee health and factors that can stress bee colonies. Science Cafe is a free educational event meant to increase the science literacy of Nebraskans.
TWILIGHT ON THE TALLGRASS . . . Sunday, October 9, 2011, 1:00 to 5:00pm, Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center will host the 5th Annual Harvest of Traditions. Spring Creek Prairie is an 808-acre tallgrass prairie nature preserve located 20 minutes southwest of Lincoln. For details about this year’s prairie festival, click here.
WEEKLY WALKABOUTS AT WILDERNESS PARK . . . Friends of Wilderness Park is hosting weekly hikes through the Park, led by Adam Hintz, starting at 1:00pm every Saturday, now through October. Each week will focus on a different area, highlighting the diversity of life in the Park. Hikes will start in parking lots according to the following schedule: the first and second Saturday of the month, meet at the Pioneers Boulevard entrance; the third Saturday, meet at Old Cheney Road; the fourth Saturday, meet at 14th Street north of Rokeby Road; and every fifth Saturday, the hike will start at Saltillo Road east of the Jamaica Trail. For more information, contact Adam at 402.421.8464.
LINCOLN FARMERS MARKETS . . . The Haymarket Farmers Market is open every Saturday, 8:00am to noon, in the Haymarket District at 7th & P Streets. Expect to find more than 120 vendors with fresh produce, flowers, baked goods and handmade items plus a performance showcase featuring local folk, jazz, blues and classical music. The Market continues through October 15th. Every Sunday, from 10:00am to 2:00pm, the Old Cheney Road Farmers Market at 5500 Old Cheney Road features in-season heirloom and traditional produce, artisan breads and cheeses, homemade baked goods, wild-crafted and traditional jams, jelly, honey, meats, fish, eggs, and bedding plants. Saturday Farmers Markets at the FARM, 11855 Yankee Hill Road, 9:00am to noon, run until October 29th. Community CROPS, 1551 South 2nd Street, has garden pick-up 4:00 to 6:00pm Monday and Thursday, through October 20. Thursday’s market from 4:00 to 8:00pm at Fallbrook Town Square Park on the corner of Fallbrook Blvd. between NW Sixth and Seventh Streets will be open through October 13th. Check an interactive map of Lincoln’s Farmers Markets, Farms and Community Supported Agriculture programs, and learn more about markets, CSAs, and local farms at the Buy Fresh, Buy Local Facebook page.
Omaha area: Congressional District 2
IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE . . . There will be two opportunities to meet with Johns Hopkins professor Cindy Parker and Baltimore Psychologist Steven Shapiro at discussions in Omaha this week. “The Physical and Mental Health Impacts of Climate Change & How to Cope With Them,” will be Tuesday, October 4, 2011, 7:00 to 9:00pm, at First United Methodist Church, Room 112, 7020 Cass Street; and Wednesday, October 5th, noon to 1:00pm, “Slowing Global Warming: Benefits for Patients and the Planet,” will be at the College of Public Health Grand Rounds, MCPH 3013, College of Public Health, UN Medical Center. Both events are free and open to the public. If you have questions, please contact Andrew Jameton, UNMC College of Public Health, 402.559.4680 or ajameton [at] unmc [dot] edu. Drs. Parker and Shapiro are co-Authors of Climate Chaos: Your Health at Risk: What You Can Do to Protect Yourself and Your Family.
OMAHA PEACE VIGILS . . . Omaha peacemakers vigil every Wednesday, 4:30-5:30pm, at StratCom/UN-O, 6801 Pine Street, east of the Scott Technology Center on the UN-O campus. Free parking is available at the NE Corner of 67th Street and Pine in a student lot. For more information, phone Jerry Ebner, 402.502.5887. Every Saturday, 1:00-2:00pm, there is a Peace Vigil at 72nd and Dodge Streets. Park next to 72nd Street, in the pet store parking lot. Contact Steve Horn at 402.426.9068 for more information about Saturday vigils.
OMAHA PEOPLE’S FILM FESTIVAL . . . There is a People’s Film Festival every Wednesday evening, 7:00pm, at McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe, 38th and Harney in Omaha. Wednesday, October 5, 2011, the film will be “Lone Star,” John Sayles’ murder-mystery exploring interpersonal and interracial tensions in Rio County, Texas. Watch the trailer here. The weekly event is always free and open to the public. A discussion will follow the film. For more information, click here. The People’s Film Festival – Expanding Political Consciousness Since 2004.
PROGRESSIVE OMAHA MEETING . . . Progressive Omaha will meet from 6:00 to 9:00pm, Saturday, October 8, 2011, at 1517 North Happy Hollow Blvd. This is a new meeting location. EveryOne is Welcome. There will be a potluck supper between 6:00 and 7:00, discussion with speaker Mark Welsch, Community Organizer for the Omaha Chapter of Nebraskans for Peace, 7:00 to 8:00, and organizational business from 8:00 to 9:00pm. Mark’s topic will be “Advocacy – How to Make Change Happen.” E-mail Karen Abrams, kabrams123 [at] cox [dot] net for more information.
PROTEST KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE . . . Omaha protests with Guardians of the Good Life continue. E-mail japlapoo [at] netzero [dot] net for details. STOP THE PIPELINE yard signs are available in Omaha by calling Nebraskans for Peace Coordinator xMark Welsch, 402.453.0776, or e-mail NFPOmaha [at] nebraskansforpeace [dot] org.
BENSON COMMUNITY GARDEN . . . Omaha’s newest community garden is at 60th & Lafayette, at the south side of the historic Benson neighborhood. For more information, phone 402.714.0290 or e-mail goetzinger2 [at] cox [dot] net. To get involved, or help support the garden, please register here.
ENGAGE OMAHA . . . One of the nation’s first city-wide, virtual town hall websites, EngageOmaha, is now online. Omaha residents may weigh in on issues for the city to consider. Pick a topic, and join the mix here.
Greater Nebraska: Congressional District 3
KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE UPDATE . . . Thanks to all testifiers at the Department of State Public Hearings in Lincoln and Atkinson, Nebraska. From Sierra’s Ken Winston, “We had diversity in age and background, from a 12 year old to grandparents, farmers and ranchers, professors and business people. My own 14 year old daughter spoke for many young people whose voices often aren’t heard. Eloquence abounded, and it was filled with emotion, but grounded on facts and real-life information. State senators Haar, Fulton, Avery and Wallman spoke in opposition or at least opposing the current route. As the day went on it was more than 90 per cent opposing the pipeline. And almost all the people supporting it were being paid to be there, many of whom were from out of state. And perhaps even more significant, of the 80 or so who had signed up and couldn’t testify and the hundreds more who didn’t even try to testify, almost all of them were opposed to the pipeline.” Following the Atkinson hearing, Ken wrote “I was never so proud to be a Nebraskan as I was while attending and participating in the hearings in Lincoln and Atkinson this week. More than 1,000 of our people attended each of the hearings, compared with about 250 pro pipeline people in Lincoln and about 150 in Atkinson. All of our people got there on their own power and the vast majority of the pro-pipeline people were bused in, and most of them were from other states.
“Our folks wrote their own testimony and spoke with eloquence and power and authenticity. Local nurse Cindy Myers presented her in-depth research on water and toxins in the tar sands, landowners like Teri Taylor, Susan Luebbe, and Randy Thompson told their stories of harassment by TransCanada, and a young mother who is also an Iraq war vet spoke movingly of her hopes and dreams for her young children. We had Senators Haar and Dubas talking about the need for the State of Nebraska to take action to protect its resources. John Stansbury, the UNL scientist who wrote the worst case report, did a great job attacking the credibility of the FEIS. Ben Gotschall debunked a bunch of TransCanada’s lies with his usual eloquence. One after another landowners and local residents showed that they know the land they live on and that they are the real experts on how to preserve and protect the Sandhills. The State Department should heed their message.”
Lincoln Journal Star coverage of the local hearing, “Pipeline opponents, union proponents butting heads early,” by Art Hovey, is here. A LJS Editorial published September 25, 2011, “It’s time to stand up for the Sand Hills,” encouraging Nebraskans to speak up at the hearings, is here.
A Local View by associate professor of environmental and water resources engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln John Stansbury, “Pipeline’s environmental impact statement isn’t science,” also published on the 25th in LJS, is here.
Another LJS Editorial, “It’s not too late for the governor and Legislature to act,” was published September 30th. “Why is there any doubt in the minds of Nebraska legislators and the governor that states can and do regulate the routing, installation and other issues of an international oil pipeline? South Dakota law shows that state certainly thinks it does and TransCanada went along by acquiescing to the South Dakota state regulatory process for the Keystone XL. Just check the record of the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission. While you’re at it, check the record of the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, which managed more than 40 changes in the pipeline’s route. …Gov. Dave Heineman’s recent and belated interest in rerouting the Keystone XL around the Sandhills apparently doesn’t extend so far as an effort to do something about it, beyond evasions and finger-pointing. He offers excuses of interstate commerce primacy for not bothering to try and clearly wants to make the pipeline’s construction through the Sandhills, if it happens, a sin of the Obama administration. That ignores his power, the Nebraska Legislature’s power and his lack of leadership on this issue. …Maybe it’s too late to stop the powerful forces trying to move this pipeline through an ill-advised route in Nebraska. Maybe not. But not doing anything, for which the governor and Legislature have shown a great talent ever since this pipeline proposal entered the public sphere, is the poorest option. To shift blame to the State Department, which has the overarching responsibility to decide whether the pipeline is built, and to oversee the supervision of its safety by other agencies if it is built, is a meek and convenient way out.” Read the complete Editorial here.
“Politicians need to act,” by Pascha Stevenson, October 2nd, begins “I was proud of my fellow Nebraskans who told the State Department exactly what they think of the Keystone XL pipeline. I heard righteous anger and desperation. I heard the facts clearly articulated. We, the citizens of this great state, are watching our political leaders. Are they listening to us? Do they only have ears for TransCanada and the intoxicating jingle of lucre? Many grow doubtful that our elected officials care about us. We’re beginning to believe that it is really big business that runs our nation, that big business gets the breaks, and that we get bulldozed when we dare to oppose corporate will. ” … Nebraskans have spoken. The majority oppose this pipeline. Now it’s up to those we put in power to heed our pleas, to prove that the citizens still have a voice, that our political leaders answer to us rather than that insatiable monster, corporate greed.” The complete letter is here. Also published October 2nd was Adam J. Liska’s Local View, “Climate change policy could make Keystone XL obsolete,” beginning “Clearly the Keystone XL pipeline threatens both surface and ground water that sustains the agricultural economy of Nebraska, but the projected profitability of tar sands oil and the pipeline operation are dependent on the future economics of climate change. The vast majority of the developed world already has begun climate change mitigation procedures (e.g. Kyoto Protocol), and it is only a matter of time before the United States begins to share the burden by reducing greenhouse gas emissions via necessary policy.” The column continues here. If you haven’t written to the Journal Star yet, please do so here.
Several Nebraska groups have formed a Save Our Sand Hills Coalition calling for a special session of the legislature. Call Your senator and ask him or her to press for a special session. We have no legal petition route. Citizen input is the only way the senators will become interested enough to act. They need to hear from constituents.
“Observations from hearing,” were offered by Martha Miller in a LJS letter published September 30th. “As a working-class Nebraskan who could not attend the Lincoln Keystone XL public hearing until 5:00pm, I found it interesting to witness the final three hours of testimony. Not only did it appear that many of the pro-pipeline individuals present did not come from Nebraska (as evidenced by the number congregated throughout the day and staying at the high-end Cornhusker Hotel), it also appeared that those present may have been on the clock. When hour’s end came around, they left Pershing Center in small groups like their shift had ended. The individuals who testified against the pipeline, or against its proposed route, appeared to be genuine residents of Nebraska with a real concern for the welfare of our state. I found the lack of political representatives testifying either for or against the pipeline disheartening. …Gov. Dave Heineman certainly should call for a special session and push our representatives into making a decision.” Read here.
From “Keystone XL pipeline debate moves to Sand Hills,” by Art Hovey, LJS, September 30th: “Public debate over the construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline moved Thursday to the Sand Hills — ground zero for opposition to the TransCanada project in Nebraska. The audience got bigger and the voices got louder in the second and last listening session presided over by the U.S. State Department in the state. And on the home turf of the ranch families who would be most affected by an oil spill, the loudest cheering from about 1,000 people gathered in the West Holt Public Schools gymnasium was for speakers who want the route moved away from the Sand Hills and the Ogallala Aquifer.
“I truly believe this is the most pivotal decision made in the history of Nebraska,” said Cindy Myers, a registered nurse from Atkinson. “This decision to be made by State Department officials, miles away in (Washington) D.C., could well transform Nebraska into a devastating industrial wasteland,” Myers said. Read the article here.
“A resident alien calls Nebraskans to action,” by Saravanan Raju, a LJS Local View on September 30th begins “My legal status is that of a resident alien, in English it means I am a non-resident in the land of liberty and a guest of the great state of Nebraska. I hold no association with any institution, political or apolitical, nor am I affiliated with any organization governmental or otherwise. I stand here as one of the commons. …Therefore, let me reiterate that I oppose this proposition as-is. I implore the citizenry of this land and those elected to represent them to reconsider this proposition. Read the entire opinion piece here.
Lisa Song reported on the Atkinson hearing for InsideClimate News. “Keystone Hearing in Nebraska Sand Hills Draws Mostly Critics, and Passions Flare,” begins “Farmers and ranchers who oppose Keystone XL outnumbered supporters at the hearing in Atkinson, Neb., located 10 miles from the fragile Sand Hills. …About 1,000 people showed up for the hearing, which was scheduled to run from 4:30 to 10 p.m. About 160 registered to speak, and the meeting was extended until 11 p.m. so most of them could be accommodated. ” Read page 1 of 2 here. Other alarming InsideClimate News articles, by Elizabeth McGowan, are here and here.
From “State Department Keystone XL Hearings Run By TransCanada Contractor,” at ThinkProgress, Brad Johnson revealed the Entrix scandal. “In a stunning conflict of interest, public hearings on federal approval for a proposed tar sands pipeline are being run by a contractor for the pipeline company itself. The U.S. Department of State’s public hearings along the proposed route of the TransCanada Keystone XL tar sands pipeline this week are under the purview of Cardno Entrix, a “professional environmental consulting company” that specializes in “permitting and compliance.” Cardno is not only running the State Department hearings, but also manages the department’s Keystone XL website and drafted the department’s environmental impact statement. Comments from the public about the pipeline go not to the government, but to a cardno.com email.” The article is continued here.
Further revelations about TransCanada’s lobbying expenditures were reported in “Surge of Lobbying Fuels Keystone XL Pipeline Project,” by Seth Cline, OpenSecrets, on the 28th. “…One look at the company’s lobbying expenditures shows that it has seen its desire to influence lawmakers increase sharply beginning in 2008. In 2008, TransCanada spent $190,000 on lobbying, according to research by the Center for Responsive Politics, and every year since, it increased this number: first to $490,000 in 2009, then to $720,000 last year and to $790,000 so far in 2011. That’s an increase of nearly 300 percent between 2008 and 2010 alone. To further aid the pipeline’s progress, last year TransCanada hired Paul Elliott to lobby federal agencies such as the Department of State, where Hillary Clinton serves as the secretary. It was Clinton’s State Department that conducted the final environmental review, which approved the project. And Elliott himself formerly worked as the national deputy director of Clinton’s 2008 presidential run. This relationship has led environmental groups to call on the Department of Justice to investigate Elliott and TransCanada’s lobbying.” The article is continued here. As reported in last week’s Green Notes, a Washington Post article was early with this story.
“Next Steps and Pics from State Dept. Meetings,” by BOLD Nebraska Executive Director Jane Kleeb begins “We showed up strong to the State Department meetings in Lincoln and Atkinson. We made factual, scientific, economic, national security and deep emotional pleas to stop the pipeline. We stood as one Nebraska, we stood as a united Nebraska, we stood as a bold Nebraska. Many of you are asking, “What’s next?” Before we dive into next steps, check out the pictures from Lincoln and celebrate the change we are making in our state.” Read and view photos here.
From TarSandsAction, “Cornell Global Labor Institute Study Finds Keystone XL Pipeline Will Create Few Jobs.” Some key findings: KXL will create no more than 2,500-4,650 temporary direct construction jobs for 2 years (according to TC’s submitted materials to the State Department; Company’s claim of 20,000 jobs is unsubstantiated; Strong evidence that most of the steel used in construction won’t be created in the US; Construction of KXL will not affect US unemployment rate in any substantial manner – it will remain at 9.1%; KXL will divert petroleum away from Midwestern markets and will likely increase the price at the pump for the Midwest by 10-20 cents per gallon (supports previous findings); and KXL investment will not be $7 billion, but closer to $3-4 billion. See the full report here.
A Huffington Post article, “Former Keystone Pipeline Inspector Says Construction Shortcuts Are Tied To Leaks,” interviews Michael Klink, a 59-year-old civil engineer from Auburn, Illinois, who “reported a litany of problems when he was working as a construction inspector at several pumping stations along the Keystone oil pipeline as it was being built in 2009 — from sloppy concrete jobs and poorly spaced rebar to bad welds and poor pressure testing. For his diligence, Klink says, he was harassed, berated and ultimately fired. The experience has left him convinced that a controversial proposal to expand the Keystone pipeline matrix, which would ultimately deliver as much as 1.3 million barrels of crude oil a day from an oil patch in Alberta, Canada, to refineries in the Midwest and the Texas Gulf Coast, should never gain federal or public support. Page 1 of 2 is continued here. (A photo of BOLD Nebraska’s “pipeline” taken at the Lincoln DOS hearing is included with this article.)
“Keystone Pipeline Debate Ruptures,” by Chris Clayton, was published in The Progressive Farmer on September 28th. “Standing outside waiting for a U.S. State Department hearing on the Keystone XL pipeline, rancher Todd Cone described the water around his area in north-central Nebraska. “It’s the most pristine stuff there is,” Cone said. “No nitrates, no arsenic, no nothing in it.” Cone and neighboring ranchers drove to Lincoln Tuesday for the public hearing on the Keystone XL pipeline, which has become one of the most politically-charged energy infrastructure projects in the country.” Continued here.
In the September 14th Rolling Stone, Jeff Goodell writes that the Number One thing Obama must do is Stop the Pipeline. “…There are two big problems with Keystone XL. First, mining and refining the tar sands of Alberta – the second-largest repository of carbon on the planet – requires huge amounts of energy. That’s why carbon pollution from tar-sand oil is up to 20 percent higher than from conventional crude. If we burn through the tar sands, warns NASA expert James Hansen, it’s “game over” for the climate. Second, an oil spill from the pipeline could devastate the Midwest: A recent study by the University of Nebraska estimates that a worst-case spill in the Platte River would create an oil slick that would stretch for hundreds of miles and contaminate drinking water for millions of Americans.” Read page 1 of 3 here.
James E. Hansen’s must read article “Climate Story Tellers” was published in TruthOut following his arrest at the White House sit-in. “If the Keystone XL pipeline is approved, can we make a citizen’s arrest on Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama for violating the Energy Independence and Security Act? If they were put in the back of a hot paddy wagon in DC and held for at least several hours with their hands tied behind their backs, maybe they would have a chance to think over this matter more clearly. …Have no doubt — if the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline is approved, we will be back, and our numbers will grow. For the sake of our children and grandchildren, we must find a leader who is worthy of our dreams.” Hansen’s remarks to the protesters before his arrest are here.
A National Interest Determination document released September 8, 2011, by the Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, Oil Change International, and the Dakota Resource Council concludes The Keystone XL Tar Sands Pipeline Is Not in the National Interest. Other links relating to the National Interest Determination are here. Peter Lehner summarizes the NID document here. In terms of “national interest,” Reader Supported News revealed that XL “will carry oil that is too dirty for the US government to buy–under legislation signed by George W. Bush!” Read the Brendan Smith and Jeremy Brecher article sourced from CommonDreams here.
Add your voice to the “Protect Our Water, Stop the Keystone XL Pipeline!” petition urging the president to deny the construction permit here.
From CREDO Action, “Tell Oprah: Stop promoting dirty tar sands lies on your network.” Oprah Winfrey is a respected voice for advancing the rights and lives of women all over the world. But now she is allowing that work to be co-opted, by validating a dangerous campaign of flat out lies that promote the development of the Canadian tar sands on her network. Read the petition, and join almost 100,000 signers with an e-mail here.
The White House Switchboard number is 202.456.1111. Tell the President to deny the permit to build this pipeline.
Comprehensive Green Notes covering international, national and local opposition to the XL pipeline since May 30, 2010 are in archives here. (Scroll from the bottom up for links to each week’s Notes.) The governor could stop this pipeline madness right now by making the Sand Hills and Ogallala Aquifer off limits to pipelines. He needs to hear from EveryOne who opposes the XL project. Please contact him with thanks for his letter to the President and Secretary of State, ask him to call a special session of the legislature, and also contact your own senator requesting he or she joins Ken Haar in seeking a special session. Continue writing letters to the editor of your local newspaper, and keep the issue alive in conversations at the kitchen table, in cafes, churches, and clubs around Nebraska. (If you haven’t written the LJS yet, please do so here.) E-mail actions [at] boldnebraska [dot] org for yard signs, bumper stickers, and t-shirts. New armbands say “Sand Hills and Ogallala Aquifer Lover” and “Pipeline Fighter.”
Be a community educator and organizer. Help make Nebraska the first state to successfully oppose a pipeline project.
STOP FRACKING NOW . . . “We, the undersigned, call on Congress to pass the Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act this year. It’s time to hold the oil and gas production industry to the same standards as any other industry to ensure the safe protection of America’s drinking water.” Sign the Petition and view 6:20 minute Colbert Report interview with Tom Ridge.
PETITION THE EPA . . . Tell the Environmental Protection Agency to immediately prohibit the use of clothianidin and conduct a full scientific review to determine its impact on honey bee populations. Learn more about clothianidin and sign the petition here.
TELL PRESIDENT OBAMA NOT TO CAVE TO MONSANTO AND THE BIOTECH INDUSTRY . . . The Obama administration has unbelievably chosen to approve three biotech crops, Roundup Ready genetically modified alfalfa, Roundup Ready genetically modified sugar beets and a new industrial biotech corn for ethanol production. These decisions are a devastating blow to our democracy and the basic rights of farmers to choose how they want to grow food on their land and the rights of consumers who increasingly choose organic and sustainably grown food for its positive health and environmental impacts. Please tell the President it’s time to stand up to Monsanto and reject GMO crops.
BUY FRESH. BUY LOCAL . . . . Farmers, gardeners, and craftspeople meet through The Nebraska Food Cooperative, an on-line, year-round farmers’ market and local food distribution service offering the best in local freshness. For ordering and pickup schedules, refer to the calendar here. Click here for products and prices from North Star Neighbors, a Cooperative member that doesn’t therapeutically medicate or unduly confine animals. Click here for Tomato Tomäto, Omaha’s year-round indoor Farmer’s Market at 156th & West Center. Shop for fresh foods grown in or very near your own community at Open Harvest, Lincoln’s member-owned natural foods retail cooperative at 1618 South Street. Buying local grows family farming, grows the local economy, and is thousands of miles fresher.
HELP NEBRASKA GREENS WITH GOODSEARCH . . . Each time you search the Internet (or shop online at a participating store), a donation can be made to Nebraska Green Party at no cost to you! To help NGP in this way, enter Nebraska Green Party where it asks you to name your cause here Bookmark the GoodSearch Homepage, or make it your own Home Page. Enter the url you want in the GoodSearch search box. Each time you do, one penny will be donated to Nebraska Greens. THANK YOU for your support!
Remember, every man-made by-product of the petroleum industry could be replaced by hemp. “Help Save the Earth, Time to Subsitute Hemp for oil.“
STOP THE PIPELINE