LIVE STREAM TUESDAY . . . The Green Party of the United States will hold an online GP-TV broadcast during President Obama’s 2013 State of the Union address on Tuesday, February 12, beginning at 8:00pm Central Time. Viewers will be able to participate in a simultaneous chat about the address on the Livestream page, and call in with comments after the speech. Jill Stein, the Green Party’s 2012 nominee for President, will be a guest on the show via Skype. The Facebook page is here.  Is the President serious about curbing global warming, or will he approve the Keystone XL pipeline and continue to promote fossil fuel production? “Green Party urges national protest against the proposed Keystone XL and Trailbreaker pipelines” is a January 31st Green Party press release.

ONE BILLION RISING THURSDAY . . . “One Billion Rising: Take a stand on behalf of one-billion abused women,” by Erin Anderson for the Lincoln Journal Star reported on the local One Billion Women Dancing Event to end violence being coordinated by Lincoln activist Christy Hargesheimer. See Green Notes below for CD 1 and CD 2 events. This past week Reader Supported News reported on the national campaign in “One Billion Rising to Confront Violence Against Women” by Shepherd Bliss; and “One Billion Rising: ‘It’s Like a Feminist Tsunami‘” by Jane Martinson, for The Guardian and AlterNet, covered Eve Ensler, the campaign’s founder.

FORWARD ON CLIMATE RALLY SUNDAY . . . Nebraska activists, 350.org, The Sierra Club, the Hip Hop Caucus, and tens of thousands of Americans will meet at the Washington Monument on the National Mall in Washington DC, Sunday, February 17, 2013, 12:00 Noon, for a Forward on Climate Rally to encourage the president’s leadership on climate change. First step: deny the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. Help Move Us Forward. Register to be there here.

SCROLL DOWN to CD 3 Notes for this week’s Keystone XL pipeline Update.

“Boycott Bud, Support Pine Ridge.”  Students from Creighton University, University of Nebraska-Omaha and University of Nebraska-Lincoln asked Anheiser-Busch, brewer of Budweiser products, to end alcohol sales in Whiteclay, Nebraska by purchasing the beer stores in that town and retiring the liquor licenses, and to provide funding for expanded alcohol rehabilitation on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Read the Omaha World-Herald story here.  Read a transcript of prepared statements by students at the January news conference here.  Join the boycott here.
Sign a We the People petition: “we petition the Obama administration to Replace Pine Ridge Reservation’s buffer zone via executive order, making alcohol sales illegal in Whiteclay, Nebraska.”

Lincoln area: Congressional District 1

VIGIL AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY . . . Every Monday, 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. When weather is bad, 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.

THE FUTURE OF FOOD . . . “Tomorrow’s Table: Organic Farming, Genetics, and the Future of Food” will be the focus of a Heuermann Lecture, Tuesday, February 12, 2013, 3:30pm, at UN-L’s Hardin Hall, 33rd & Holdrege, in Lincoln. Authors Pam Ronald and Raoul Adamchak will discuss the challenge of feedingthe world’s growing population without further destroying the environment. A 3:00pm reception will precede the lecture.

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.

ONE BILLION RISING . . . One Billion Rising Lincoln RISES will be Thursday, February 14, 2013, Noon, at Union Plaza, 21st and P Street, and at 7:00pm at the YWCA, 2620 ‘O’ St, Lincoln. Music, drumming, dancing, and speakers will be featured at the event at Union Plaza from noon-1:00pm. The YWCA will open its doors at 7:00pm for more music and dancing. Other Lincoln events include a 7:30pm poetry reading with Juanita Rice, local actress and poet, at Gratitude Cafe and Bakery, 1551 North Cotner Blvd., on Thursday; and a 7:00pm Nia Jam, Friday, at StudioNia, 5900 South 58th St., Suite M, in the Trade Center. A gathering of Nia teachers will present a class in the Nia technique as a part of a fundraiser for One Billion Rising. The focus will be on empowerment and community.

OCCUPY EDUCATION LINCOLN . . . Occupy Education Lincoln and the Calvary United Methodist Church, 1610 South 11th Street, Lincoln, (corner of South 11th and Garfield Streets) will hold weekly Workshop/Skills Teaching Sessions, The Repair Cafe, every Thursday, starting at 5:30pm. (The time coincides with the start of FoodNet.) Toss It? No Way! Fix it, find another use, use some of its parts, recycle it, and say no to the throw away culture. Everything and everyone has value. We must discover the value. For more information, contact Barbara van den Berg, 402.488.6926, barbvandenberg [at] hotmail [dot] com.

EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN . . . Thursday, February 14, 2013, 7:00pm, the Wachiska Audubon monthly meeting with present “Our Children Will Determine the Fate of Wildlife: Practical Ideas in Education,” at the Dick Administration auditorium, Union College, 3800 South 48th Street, in Lincoln. UN-L professor Chuck Francis will chair a panel of educators discussing how we can energize the next generation to protect and preserve wildlife and their habitat. There will be refreshments following the presentation. All are welcome.

NATURE WRITING EXPERIENCE . . . Register by Friday, February 15th, 2013, for Saturday’s “Writing Shapes and Patterns in Nature,” 1:00 to 3:30pm, at Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center near Denton. Click here to learn more. Spring Creek Prairie comprises more than 800 acres of native tallgrass, about 20 minutes southwest of Lincoln.

NPPD OPEN HOUSES . . . Nebraska Public Power District Open Houses for public input continue on Monday, February 18, 4:00 to 7:00pm, at Divots Conference Center, 4200 W. Norfolk Ave., in Norfolk; and Tuesday, February 19, 2013, 4:00 to 7:00pm, at the Holiday Inn, Hwy 81 / 4619 S. Lincoln Ave., in York. NPPD is getting ready to decide the next 20 years of energy policy in our state. It is critical they hear we want more clean energy. More details are here.  Mark Your Calendar.

Omaha area: Congressional District 2

HELP SAVE DEMOCRACY NOW! IN OMAHA . . . Democracy Now! can be put back on the air if there is a public outcry to the governing board, CTAC. Current members of CTAC are:
District 1 – Molly Maguire – mollyandbill [at] cox [dot] net 402-553-7618
District 2 – Addie Donald-Hardrick III (Secretary) – addiedonaldhardrick [at] gmail [dot] com 402-455-4600
District 3 – Charles Bruno – cjbruno2 [at] cox [dot] net 402-991-9920
District 4 – William Gaughan – gh5048 [at] hotmail [dot] com
Distric 5 – Charles Cogar (Vice President) – ccogar [at] tconl [dot] com
District 6 – Dennis Lee – denny [at] leelawoffice [dot] com 402-334-8055
District 7 – John Fullerton (President) – fullertonJ [at] rtbs [dot] org 402-572-3003
At Large – Frances Mendenhall – francesmendenhall [at] yahoo [dot] com 402-208-3717
Please contact these CTAC board members expressing your disappointment about the removal of DN! and support for returning it to the air. Then, if possible, please attend the next CTAC meeting, Monday, February 11, 2013, 4:00pm, in the City Council Chambers, 18th & Farnam Streets.  CTAC does listen to the public, and raising your voice about keeping Democracy Now! will make a difference. You do not have to live in Omaha to be a stakeholder in this matter. AnyOne can comment. Just include your address with your comments. Phone Frances Mendenhall, 402.208.3717, for more information.

OMAHA PEOPLE’S FILM FESTIVAL . . . There is a People’s Film Festival every Wednesday, 7:00pm, at McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe, 38th and Harney in Omaha. Wednesday, February 13, 2013, the film will be “The Science of Sex Appeal,” documenting the evolution and function of every component of human attraction. The People’s Film Festival – Expanding Political Consciousness Since 2004.

ONE BILLION RISING . . The One Billion Rising Event Against Violence in Omaha will be Thursday, February 14, 2013, Noon to 1:30pm, at MSC 3002, continuing at Nebraska Methodist College, 90th and Dodge Streets, from 4:00 to 6:00pm.

GREENS ON THE GUN ISSUE . . . There will be a panel debate of gun control issues on Friday, February 15, 2013, 7:00pm, at Creighton University’s, Harper Hall auditorium, 602 North 20th Street. NGP’s Mark Zimmermann will participate and share the Green perspective. Admission is free. Find Harper Hall on the campus map here.

OMAHA PEACE VIGILS . . . Every Saturday, 1:00-2:00pm, there is a Peace Vigil at the northwest corner of 72nd and Dodge Streets in Omaha. Park next to 72nd Street, in the pet store lot. Contact Steve Horn, 402.426.9068, for more information about Saturday vigils.

SAVE THE DATES . . . Code Pink co-founder Medea Benjamin will be in Omaha April 30 and May 1, 2013. E-mail Frances Mendenhall at francesmendenhall [at] yahoo [dot] com, or phone 402.208.3717, for more details. Save the dates.

ATM LEAFLETTING IN OMAHA . . . An Alternatives To the Military supporter who lives in Omaha would like to put together and participate in a local leafletting group there. She wants to start small–maybe leafletting at just one or two schools. If you have an interest in joining a Omaha ATM group, please contact Kevin Haake, atmlincoln [at] gmail [dot] com. The FB link is http://www.facebook.com/atmlincolnb. Twitter is http://www.twitter.com/ATMLincolnNE.  Leafletting in Omaha.

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 at http://www.engageomaha.com/.

Greater Nebraska: Congressional District 3

KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE UPDATE . . . The ongoing legal challenge to the Keystone XL pipeline route through Nebraska was reported in “Pipeline critics: Heineman lacks authority,” by Art Hovey, February 8, 2013, in the Lincoln Journal Star. The trial will likely be this summer. If successful, Governor Heineman’s letter to the President giving approval of the route will be thrown out and TransCanada will have to submit their route for review to the Public Service Commission, according to Jane Kleeb, of BOLD Nebraska.
A February 5, 2013 National Nurses United press release citing serious adverse health concerns, expressed solidarity with environmentalists, unions and other organizations from across the country opposing the Keystone XL Pipeline.
From “You Can Move Washington on Climate Change,” by Robert Redford, for Reader Supported News, February 4th: “On February 17, tens of thousands are coming together in Washington, D.C. to ask the president to stand up for climate.” The event is expected to be “the largest climate rally in U.S. history.”
FORWARD ON CLIMATE RALLY: On the National Mall in Washington DC, Sunday, February 17, 2013, to encourage the president’s leadership on climate change. First step: deny the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. Register to be there here.
A new 4:16 minute video “Keystone XL the ‘Lynchpin’ for Tar Sands Growth,” by Kevin Grandia, features “four energy experts, outlines the issues surrounding the proposed Keystone XL pipeline, the Alberta tar sands and climate change. The video describes the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline as a “lynchpin enabling the climate intensive tar sands industry to grow unimpeded.” The desmogblog.com video is here.
From “The Question No One Is Asking About Keystone XL,” by Thom Hartmann and Sam Sacks, The Daily Take, Truthout, January 30th: “Instead of letting foreign companies build terrorist-target oil pipelines across our entire country, shouldn’t we be supporting homegrown companies that could make America the world leader in renewable energy? …All around the world, and right here at home, we see the potential for clean energy use on a massive scale. We have 21st Century energy solutions that work now, today; we don’t need another 19th Century oil pipeline.”
“How much will tar sands oil add to global warming?” by David Biello, Scientific American, January 23rd, asks the lucking question: “How much of the planet’s remaining fossil fuels can we burn?”
“Garth Lenz: The true cost of oil” is a revealing, heartbreaking 17:40 minute TEDxTalk filmed in November, 2011.
It is time for President Obama to draw a line in the tar sands, and reject the Keystone XL pipeline. Click here to sign a CredoAction petition to President Obama. The petition reads: “If you are committed to fighting climate change, you must reject the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. You simply cannot have it both ways.”
Sign a Natural Resources Defense Council Action Alert telling Congress to reject all attempts to force approval of the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline by attaching it to any unrelated legislation. The Keystone XL will deliver billions in profits to Big Oil while the people get stuck with poisoned water, contaminated land and an overheated planet.
“The Keystone pipeline will spew a massive amount of carbon pollution into our fragile atmosphere. It should be stopped. ” –Jill Stein, 2012 Green Party Presidential Nominee.

SAVE THE BEES . . . Bees have been dying off in the US at an alarming rate — nearly 30% of our bee population, per year, have been lost to so-called colony collapse since 2006. Scientists have long thought that the pesticide clothianidin was at least partially to blame. But the EPA has repeatedly ignored scientists’ warnings and Americans’ urgings to ban its use, citing lack of evidence. Now, a blockbuster study released this week by Europe’s leading food safety authority, EFSA, has for the first time labeled clothianidin as an “unacceptable” danger to bees. For a credoaction petition telling the EPA to immediately suspend the pesticide that’s killing bees, sign automatically by clicking here.

STOP FRACKING NOW . . . From “Five Effects of Fracking You May Not Know About” by Alyssa Figueroa, AlterNet: “What comes to mind when you think of fracking? Perhaps it’s images of tap water being lit on fire or stories of families suffering health problems after nearby wells are fracked. Indeed, the health and environmental impacts of fracking are being documented, but it’s important to know that fracking is a catalyst for widespread negative consequences.”
“Studies Link Earthquakes to Fracking,” by Jessica Leber, MIT Technology Review, Reader Supported News, February 3rd, reported “At the American Geophysical Union meeting in San Francisco last week, scientists presented the latest evidence tying the disposal of wastewater from shale gas hydrofracking to increased earthquakes.”
Petition Congress: “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.“

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 at http://www.goodsearch.com/default.aspx. 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 Substitute Hemp for oil.“

FORWARD ON CLIMATE RALLY . . . Nebraska activists, 350.org, The Sierra Club, the Hip Hop Caucus, and tens of thousands of Americans will meet at the Washington Monument on the National Mall in Washington DC, Sunday, February 17, 2013, 12:00 Noon, for a Forward on Climate Rally to encourage the president’s leadership on climate change. First step: deny the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. Help Move Us Forward. Register to be there here.

SCROLL DOWN to CD 3 Notes for this week’s Keystone XL pipeline Update.

“Boycott Bud, Support Pine Ridge.” Students from Creighton University, University of Nebraska-Omaha and University of Nebraska-Lincoln announced a boycott of Budweiser products at a news conference in January. They asked Anheiser-Busch, brewer of Budweiser products, to end alcohol sales in Whiteclay by purchasing the beer stores in that town and retiring the liquor licenses, and to provide funding for expanded alcohol rehabilitation on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Read the Omaha World-Herald story here.  Read a transcript of prepared statements by students at the news conference here.  Join the boycott here.
Sign a We the People petition: “we petition the Obama administration to Replace Pine Ridge Reservation’s buffer zone via executive order, making alcohol sales illegal in Whiteclay, Nebraska.”

Lincoln area: Congressional District 1

VIGIL AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY . . . Every Monday, 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. When weather is bad, 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.

EN THOMPSON FORUM . . . Monday, February 4, 2013, at the Lied Center, 12th & R Streets, Lincoln, the EN Thompson Forum will present “Protecting the Human Rights of Religious Minorities Worldwide: International Religious Freedom in U.S. Policy. The speaker will be author and human rights advocate Felice Gaer, Director of the American Jewish Committee’s Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights. The Forum is free, and open to the public.

FUTURE CANDIDATES WORKSHOP . . . There will be a Nebraska Public Leadership Foundation Future Candidates Workshop, 7:00pm, Monday, Feburary 4, 2013, in the Nebraska Association of School Boards Conference Room, 1311 Stockwell, Lincoln. Speakers will include Lincoln Board of Education President Ed Zimmer, and Lancaster County Election Commissioner Dave Shively. The Workshop is free, and open to prospective candidates for elected office.

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.

OCCUPY EDUCATION LINCOLN . . . Occupy Education Lincoln and the Calvary United Methodist Church, 1610 South 11th Street, Lincoln, (corner of South 11th and Garfield Streets) will hold weekly Workshop/Skills Teaching Sessions, The Repair Cafe, every Thursday, starting at 5:30pm. (The time coincides with the start of FoodNet.) Toss It? No Way! Fix it, find another use, use some of its parts, recycle it, and say no to the throw away culture. Everything and everyone has value. We must discover the value. For more information, contact Barbara van den Berg, 402.488.6926, barbvandenberg [at] hotmail [dot] com.

GEOLOGY DAY . . . Sunday, February 10, 2013, from 1:00 to 4:00pm, will be Geology Day at Pioneers Park Nature Center, Chet Ager Building, 3201 South Coddington, in Lincoln. Learn about fossils, minerals, rocks and gemstones from the Lincoln Gem and Mineral Club during this free drop-in program.

OCCUPY LINCOLN . . . There is a calendar of Occupy Lincoln events here. The Facebook page is here. The Twitter feed is @OccupyLincoln. For more information, e-mail occupylincoln [at] gmail [dot] com or phone 402.585.5865. Corporate Greed is Revolution’s Seed!

Omaha area: Congressional District 2

HELP SAVE DEMOCRACY NOW! IN OMAHA . . . Until last week, Democracy Now! has been showing on Omaha Public Access Channel 22. It has been taken off the air, but it can be put back on if there is a public outcry to the governing board, CTAC. Current members of CTAC are:
District 1 – Molly Maguire – mollyandbill [at] cox [dot] net 402-553-7618
District 2 – Addie Donald-Hardrick III (Secretary) – addiedonaldhardrick [at] gmail [dot] com 402-455-4600
District 3 – Charles Bruno – cjbruno2 [at] cox [dot]net 402-991-9920
District 4 – William Gaughan – gh5048 [at] hotmail [dot] com
District 5 – Charles Cogar (Vice President) – ccogar [at] tconl [dot] com
District 6 – Dennis Lee – denny [at] leelawoffice [dot] com 402-334-8055
District 7 – John Fullerton (President) – fullertonJ [at] rtbsv [dot] org 402-572-3003
At Large – Frances Mendenhall – francesmendenhall [at] yahoo [dot] com 402-208-3717
Please contact these CTAC board members expressing your disappointment about the removal of DN! and support for returning it to the air. Then, if possible, please attend the next CTAC meeting, Monday, February 11, 2013, 4:00pm, in the City Council Chambers, 18th & Farnam Streets.  CTAC does listen to the public, and raising your voice about keeping Democracy Now! will make a difference. You do not have to live in Omaha to be a stakeholder in this matter. AnyOne can comment. Just include your address with your comments. Phone Frances Mendenhall at 402.208.3717 for more information.

SAVE THE DATES . . . Code Pink co-founder Medea Benjamin will be in Omaha April 30 and May 1, 2013. She is interested in speaking on campuses, and elsewhere. E-mail Frances Mendenhall, francesmendenhall [at] yahoo [dot] com, or phone 402-208-3717 to be involved with making plans. Save the dates.

OMAHA PEOPLE’S FILM FESTIVAL . . . There is a People’s Film Festival every Wednesday, 7:00pm, at McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe, 38th and Harney in Omaha. Wednesday, February 6, 2013, the film will be “Soundtrack for a Revolution,” telling the civil rights movement story “through the freedom songs protesters sang on picket lines, in mass meetings, in paddy wagons, and in jail cells as they fought for justice and equality.” Watch the trailer here.
The People’s Film Festival – Expanding Political Consciousness Since 2004.

OMAHA PEACE VIGILS . . . Every Saturday, 1:00-2:00pm, there is a Peace Vigil at the northwest corner of 72nd and Dodge Streets in Omaha. Park next to 72nd Street, in the pet store lot. Contact Steve Horn, 402.426.9068, for more information about Saturday vigils.

ATM LEAFLETTING IN OMAHA . . . An Alternatives To the Military supporter who lives in Omaha would like to put together and participate in a local leafletting group there. She wants to start small–maybe leafletting at just one or two schools. If you have an interest in joining a Omaha ATM group, please contact Kevin Haake, atmlincoln [at] gmail [dot] com. The FB link is http://www.facebook.com/atmlincoln. Twitter is http://www.twitter.com/ATMLincolnNE.
Leafletting in Omaha.

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 at http://www.engageomaha.com/.

Greater Nebraska: Congressional District 3

KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE UPDATE . . . Please start this week’s KXL Update by watching a new 4:16 minute video “Keystone XL the ‘Lynchpin’ for Tar Sands Growth,” by Kevin Grandia. It features “four energy experts, outlines the issues surrounding the proposed Keystone XL pipeline, the Alberta tar sands and climate change. The video describes the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline as a “lynchpin enabling the climate intensive tar sands industry to grow unimpeded.” The desmogblog.com video is here.
From “Bold Nebraska, Natives protest pipeline, impact on land,” by Kevin Abourezk, Lincoln Journal Star, January 29, 2013: “…Idle No More, a grassroots Native social justice movement, hosted the rally with support from pipeline foe Bold Nebraska. The event included Native ceremonial songs, drumming, Lakota and Christian prayers, and a round dance. Children and others held signs that read “You Don’t Own the Earth!” and “Down With White Clay!” Idle No More began as a response to proposed legislation in Canada that would reduce drastically the number of legally protected waterways and lower the threshold of consent needed to allow Native communities to surrender their lands. It has grown to include rallies and flash mobs by Native people across the country and in Canada.” The article is continued here.  Photos from Monday’s Rally are here.
The entire January 28th LJS letter to the editor, “Stand on Keystone XL,” by Britton Bailey reads “Democracy is challenging. Remember when the U.S. State Department was called out when it hired Cardno Entrix, a TransCanada contractor, to draft the environmental impact study? An impartial review it was not.
Legislation is challenging, too. Remember when Sen. Jim Smith, Nebraska chairman of the American Legislative Exchange Council and sympathetic with TransCanada, proposed LB1161 to exempt TransCanada from the laws passed during a special session of the Nebraska Legislature?
That is how LB1161 created special provisions for TransCanada. That is how the Department of Environmental Quality deck was stacked against concerned Nebraskans. That is exactly how HDR Inc., with close ties to TransCanada, got the nod to conduct the environmental impact study. The governor and the DEQ learned that trick from TransCanada’s insider tampering with the U.S. State Department. Impartial? No! Immoral? Yes!
The governor’s rubber stamp approval on such a biased report defies reason. Because the constitutionality of LB1161 is being challenged in the courts, his decision now seems politically wrong and a bit premature. Hopefully the courts will reason in favor of Nebraska landowners and the Ogallala Aquifer. Opponents are asking Gov. Dave Heineman to live by his earlier promise to stop the Keystone XL pipeline if it passes over the Ogallala Aquifer in areas where groundwater tables are high. The current route is not a sustainable solution and puts Nebraska’s economy and environment at risk.
I urge people to let Gov. Heineman know they stand with the Nebraska citizens challenging the LB1161 antics that are undermining a democratic Nebraska government. We want a democratic Nebraska and clean water for our children and all future generations.”
Take care of water, by Bob Servedio, a February 1st letter, observes “If the recent drought should teach us anything, it’s that we need to take care of the water. This simple fact seems to have eluded Gov. Dave Heineman, given his approval of the Keystone XL pipeline route.”
From “Ignorance costly,” by Gene Sengstake, January 31st, “It’s unfortunate that Nebraska’s governor, politicians and so many citizens in general are ignorant to the realities of not only the Keystone XL pipeline itself, but also the massive environmental damage being done that will be further enhanced by its construction. The XL pipeline is all about short-term greed and lack of foresight. The TransCanada commercials flooding the airwaves about how safe and economically desirable the pipeline is should be red flags in and of themselves, but when you tell people what they want to hear all caution goes to the wind. Spills are inevitable no matter how safe the pipeline, and even small spills will have devastating and lasting effects on the environment. Canadian tar sands mining operations are literally destroying the ecosystem, which has already proved detrimental to wildlife and people. It can never be restored.”
Yet another letter to the LJS editor, “Environmental devastation,” by Jenni Harrington, February 2nd, expresses more concern: “I’ve written a letter to President Barack Obama about the tar sands XL pipeline. I realized the issues of tar sands extraction when Ken Ilgunas was walking by our family farm. He is on a trek to walk the entire route of the proposed XL pipeline. Ken showed my family a video he took while flying over the tar sands in Alberta, Canada. I suddenly realized this wasn’t only my family’s issue but a global issue.
Tar sands extraction is an environmentally devastating process. If the whole tar sands area is developed, it will destroy an area larger than the state of Florida. This part of the boreal forest will never be reclaimed.
The bigger issue of tar sand extraction is that it is the dirtiest oil in the world with the highest carbon emissions. It will be sold on the world market and bought by developing countries like China.
Oil companies are blocked going west in Canada because of First Nations’ actions. I believe this is an export pipeline; the oil is not for the United States.”
January 31st, “Tribal members sign treaty calling for an end to Alberta oil sands development and Keystone XL,” by Carol Berry, Indian Country Today Media Network, begins “Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman’s approval of that state’s section of the disputed Keystone XL pipeline has united not only indigenous from the U.S. and Canada but also non-Native ranchers, farmers and concerned citizens who oppose the pipeline.” Post a comment here.
January 31st, “Obama faces angry liberals over pipeline,” by Joe Garofoli, was published in the San Francisco Chronicle, reports “As he begins his second term, President Obama is barreling toward what one Bay Area activist predicts could be “all out warfare” with environmentalists who want him to stop the Keystone XL Pipeline, the transcontinental conduit for tar sands fuel from Canada that many scientists say could expedite climate change.”
Also on January 31st, “Keystone pipeline decision to languish until mid-June-US source,” by Timothy Gardner, Reuters, reported “The Obama administration’s decision on the Keystone XL oil pipeline will not be made until at least June, a U.S. official said, which would delay the project for months and frustrate backers of Canada’s oil sands.”
“5 Power Brokers Who’ll Determine the Fate of the Keystone XL Pipeline,” by Tara Lohan, Alternet, was sourced to Reader Supported News February 2nd: “The Keystone XL Pipeline will be a definitive line, if allowed to be built. Here’s a look at the people who can influence the decision and may be holding our future in their hands.” [Governor Heineman is Number 1 in the list, followed by a BOLD Nebraska statement in response to the new route approval.]
From “The Question No One Is Asking About Keystone XL,” by Thom Hartmann and Sam Sacks, The Daily Take, Truthout, January 30th: “Instead of letting foreign companies build terrorist-target oil pipelines across our entire country, shouldn’t we be supporting homegrown companies that could make America the world leader in renewable energy? …All around the world, and right here at home, we see the potential for clean energy use on a massive scale. We have 21st Century energy solutions that work now, today; we don’t need another 19th Century oil pipeline.”
“How much will tar sands oil add to global warming?” by David Biello, Scientific American, January 23rd, asks the lucking question: “How much of the planet’s remaining fossil fuels can we burn?”
“Garth Lenz: The true cost of oil” is a revealing, heartbreaking 17:40 minute TEDxTalk filmed in November, 2011.
It is time for President Obama to draw a line in the tar sands, and reject the Keystone XL pipeline. Click here to sign a CredoAction petition to President Obama. The petition reads: “If you are committed to fighting climate change, you must reject the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. You simply cannot have it both ways.”
Sign a Natural Resources Defense Council Action Alert telling Congress to reject all attempts to force approval of the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline by attaching it to any unrelated legislation. The Keystone XL will deliver billions in profits to Big Oil while the people get stuck with poisoned water, contaminated land and an overheated planet.
“The Keystone pipeline will spew a massive amount of carbon pollution into our fragile atmosphere. It should be stopped. ” –Jill Stein, 2012 Green Party Presidential Nominee.

SAVE THE BEES . . . Bees have been dying off in the US at an alarming rate — nearly 30% of our bee population, per year, have been lost to so-called colony collapse since 2006. Scientists have long thought that the pesticide clothianidin was at least partially to blame. But the EPA has repeatedly ignored scientists’ warnings and Americans’ urgings to ban its use, citing lack of evidence. Now, a blockbuster study released this week by Europe’s leading food safety authority, EFSA, has for the first time labeled clothianidin as an “unacceptable” danger to bees. For a credoaction petition telling the EPA to immediately suspend the pesticide that’s killing bees, sign automatically by clicking here.

STOP FRACKING NOW . . . 4 Scary New Finds About Fracking, by Tara Lohan for Alternet, adds to the continually growing list of warnings about fracking.
From “Five Effects of Fracking You May Not Know About” by Alyssa Figueroa, AlterNet: “What comes to mind when you think of fracking? Perhaps it’s images of tap water being lit on fire or stories of families suffering health problems after nearby wells are fracked. Indeed, the health and environmental impacts of fracking are being documented, but it’s important to know that fracking is a catalyst for widespread negative consequences.” Petition Congress: “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.”

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 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 at http://www.goodsearch.com/default.aspx. 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 Substitute Hemp for oil.“

Abbreviated Green Notes for the week of January 27, 2013

In light of the governor’s “stamp of approval” on the Keystone XL pipeline route, the following collective response will happen in Lincoln on Monday.

Monday, January 28, 2013, “Groups to protest pipeline route approval.”  There will be a Bold Nebraska / Idle No More rally to protest Governor Dave Heineman’s decision to approve a route for the Keystone XL pipeline through Nebraska on the north steps of the State Capitol, Monday, January 28, 2013, at 4:00pm.  The rally will include a round dance, Native drums and wish lanterns to raise awareness about attacks on indigenous sovereignty and lands in the United States and in Canada.

“Boycott Bud, Support Pine Ridge.” Students from Creighton University, University of Nebraska-Omaha and University of Nebraska-Lincoln announced a boycott of Budweiser products at a news conference January 22, 2013. The students have asked Anheiser-Busch, brewer of Budweiser products, to end alcohol sales in Whiteclay by purchasing the beer stores in that town and retiring the liquor licenses, and to provide funding for expanded alcohol rehabilitation on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Read the January 23rd Omaha World-Herald story here.  Read a transcript of prepared statements by students at the news conference here. Join the boycott here.

NOT GUILTY: Jill Stein and Cheri Honkala were found not guilty by a Philadelphia judge earlier today on charges stemming from their participation in a housing rights protest at Fannie Mae’s regional offices.  On August 1st of last year, Stein and Honkala, along with 50 other protesters, attempted to escort foreclosed families into Fannie Mae to demand policies that, according to Honkala, would, “keep families in their homes.” The two women were arrested during the protest, along with three others, and spent nearly 24 hours in jail.

Green Notes for all three Congressional Districts will return Sunday, February 3, 2013.

UN-L 2013 Martin Luther King Jr. Week Event Calendar.

SCROLL DOWN for this week’s Keystone XL pipeline Update and Action Alert.

Lincoln area: Congressional District 1

VIGIL AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY . . . Every Monday, 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. When weather is bad, 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.

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.

OCCUPY EDUCATION LINCOLN . . . Occupy Education Lincoln and the Calvary United Methodist Church, 1610 South 11th Street, Lincoln, (corner of South 11th and Garfield Streets) will hold weekly Workshop/Skills Teaching Sessions, The Repair Cafe, every Thursday, starting at 5:30pm. (The time coincides with the start of FoodNet.)  Toss It? No Way! Fix it, find another use, use some of its parts, recycle it, and say no to the throw away culture. Everything and everyone has value. We must discover the value. For more information, contact Barbara van den Berg, 402.488.6926, barbvandenberg [at] hotmail [dot] com.

REGISTER BY FRIDAY . . . This year’s Lincoln Ecumenical Legislative Briefing Day will be February 9, 2013, at Christ United Methodist Church, 4530 A Street. Registration begins at 8:30am. Workshops begin at 9:30 and continue until lunch at 12:30pm. For more details, phone 402.476.3391, or e-mail im50427 [at] windstream [dot] net.

SEED SWAP AT MEADOWLARK . . . The third annual Star City Seed Swap will be Saturday, January 26, 2013, 1:00 to 3:00pm, at Meadowlark Coffee & Espresso, 1624 South Street, in Lincoln. Are you a seed saver, or interested in learning how to save seeds from one season to the next? A seed swap is an informal get-together, where neighbors bring extra seeds saved from previous seasons and trade these valuable goods among themselves. It’s a useful way to learn what works best, and what doesn’t work, in our shared microclimate. Join gardeners around the world who are preserving plant diversity for future generations. Kick start your 2013 garden at Meadowlark.

RAIN BARREL PROJECT . . . All proceeds from the 2013 Artistic Rain Barrel project, promoted by Lincoln’s Watershed Management Department, will benefit the Lincoln Children’s Zoo to support summer classes, educational information for exhibits and other environmental Zoo education programs. Completed rain barrels will be displayed at South Point shopping mall before being auctioned. Designs must be submitted by Wednesday, January 23, 2013, to be eligible for consideration. Twenty-five designs will be chosen. Click here for Program Guidelines.

OCCUPY LINCOLN . . . There is a calendar of Occupy Lincoln events here.  The Facebook page is here.  The Twitter feed is @OccupyLincoln. For more information, e-mail occupylincoln [at] gmail [dot] com or phone 402.585.5865. Corporate Greed is Revolution’s Seed!

Omaha area: Congressional District 2

WHITECLAY ACTION . . . Students from Creighton, UN-O, and UN-L are holding a student-led press conference to raise awareness of the issues regarding Whiteclay, Nebraska, and to call for action which includes a boycott of Anheuser Busch, on Tuesday, January 22, 2013, 10:00am, at the Office of Multicultural Affairs, Room 3006, Harper Center, 602 North 20th, on the Creighton campus in Omaha. Visitor parking is available just south of the Harper Center. For additional information on the Whiteclay situation, including past efforts and current initiatives, please visit http://whiteclayboycott.blogspot.com. Contact: David Fuxa, president, WhiteClay Awareness Student Organization, Creighton University, at 402.657.8686, or e-mail davidfuxa [at] creighton [dot] edu.

OMAHA GREEN DRINKS . . . The January Omaha Green Drinks will be from 5:30 to 8:30pm, Wednesday January 23, 2013, at Whole Foods Market, 10020 Regency Circle, in the education room by restaurant seating, across from coffee bar. Green Drinks is an informal, self-organizing network now in 554 cities worldwide. The Facebook group listing is http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=79676035260.

OMAHA PEOPLE’S FILM FESTIVAL . . . There is a People’s Film Festival every Wednesday, 7:00pm, at McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe, 38th and Harney in Omaha. Wednesday, January 23, 2013, the film will be “Lifting the Fog: Part 3,” from the film record of a symposium on the 9/11 attacks. Panelists describe how they used the Scientific Method to reach conclusions that the official government explanations about 9/11 were outrageously flawed. The People’s Film Festival – Expanding Political Consciousness Since 2004.

FORUM ON CONSERVATION BILLS . . . Thursday, January 24, 2013, there will be a Forum on 2013 Nebraska Legislature Conservation Bills at First United Methodist Church, Cass & North 69th Street, in Omaha.

OMAHA PEACE VIGILS . . . Every Saturday, 1:00-2:00pm, there is a Peace Vigil at the northwest corner of 72nd and Dodge Streets in Omaha. Park next to 72nd Street, in the pet store lot. Contact Steve Horn, 402.426.9068, for more information about Saturday vigils.

ATM LEAFLETTING IN OMAHA . . . An Alternatives To the Military supporter who lives in Omaha would like to put together and participate in a local leafletting group there. She wants to start small–maybe leafletting at just one or two schools. If you have an interest in joining a Omaha ATM group, please contact Kevin Haake, atmlincoln@gmail.com. The FB link is http://www.facebook.com/atmlincoln. Twitter is http://www.twitter.com/ATMLincolnNE.
Leafletting in Omaha.

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 at http://www.engageomaha.com/.

Greater Nebraska: Congressional District 3

CENTRAL NEBRASKA PEACE WORKERS MEETING . . . Central Nebraska Peace Workers, a chapter of Nebraskans For Peace, will meet on Sunday, January 27, 2013, 3:00 to 5:00pm, at Trinity United Methodist Church, 5th and Elm Streets, in Grand Island. Meeting Facilitator will be Dave Sprague.

KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE UPDATE . . . “We’re Energy Workers and We Oppose the Keystone XL Pipeline,” by David Coles, was published Thursday, January 17, 2013 by Common Dreams. This speech was delivered to a City University of New York forum, “Confronting the Climate Crisis: Can Labor Help Shape an Effective Strategy?” calling for a renewable push, providing good jobs and a safer world.
           Save the Date: Governor Heineman Reject the Route Vigil Tuesday, January 29, 2013, 6:00pm, at the governor’s mansion, 1425 H Street, Lincoln.  For details about plans from 6:00am throughout the day, click here.  The Facebook link is https://www.facebook.com/events/411512762257892/.
From Bold Nebraska Executive Director Jane Kleeb: “It’s conventional wisdom in Canada that the tar sands companies need to get to coasts so they can sell their product to Asia in order to get a better price. What is surprising to many in Canada, is that the reverse is true in America. Instead of the truth, it’s conventional wisdom in America that the refined product we be sold to America…thats what we get told in TransCanada’s ads. It’s going to help us with “energy independence.”
Articles appear daily in Canada on the true purpose of these tar sands pipelines…to make tons of money selling the product to Asia for the highest price. Meanwhile, America is producing more oil than ever taking away TransCanada’s biggest claim that we need their oil. We have enough oil and we have enough pipelines.
If we let TransCanada get away with this scam of a pipeline, we are not only risking our water and property rights, we are risking increased fuel prices in the Midwest and competition with our own American oil on the coasts and in exciting pipelines. Meaning, tarsands companies will simply overtake the pipeline capacity leaving little room to move US oil. All for one purpose, to get tarsands to the Asian markets.”
Jane forwarded the following two articles.
US pumps up oil output to highest level in 20 years:  “It said US oil production, already at a 15-year high, is now expected to rise to 7.3 million barrels per day in 2013. The EIA also expects 2014 production to increase to 7.9 million barrels, the highest total since 1988. That figure is up from a low of 5 million barrels in 2008. The use of unconventional drilling techniques in places like North Dakota and Texas has created an explosion in US production to the point where the US is expected to surpass Saudi Arabia in crude production by 2020, according to International Energy Agency statistics. The flood of new oil coming to the Gulf Coast could compete with Louisiana Light Crude, used in refining, and priced closer to Brent, said Kilduff.”
Kindermorgan Hopes to Triple Pipeline: “The company has set its sights on Asia, which pays the world price for oil instead of the North American benchmark which today is about $18 a barrel less. That’s more than $5 million a day at the current capacity, but at the proposed level would mean an extra $16 million for Canada every day. The company doesn’t seem too worried about environmental opposition as it tries to take advantage of Asian demand for Canadian oil.”
From the Western Canada Bureau of thestar.com, “Northern Gateway oil pipeline: Vancouver hearings overwhelmingly opposed to project” was published January 18th. Quoting the Petti Fong article, “During its hearings in Vancouver, the consensus has been unanimous: Of the dozens of speakers appearing before the National Energy Board panel reviewing the proposed Enbridge oil project, not a single person has spoken in support of it.”
Also from Jane Kleeb: “Below is a new article regarding the Aquifer, groundwater and the DEQ report. This is critical since the State Department will use the DEQ report in their process. Bottom line, we still have NO study on the impacts of a TarSands spill in the Aquifer. The DEQ report only addressed a spill of 42,000 gallons and we all know because of Transcanadas own admission their pipeline could leak over 600,000 gallons a day undetected. So looking at only a 42,000 gallon spill is a joke and the only thing it did was give political cover to Transcanada. Even with studying this smaller spill scenario, water is right at the contamination line for at least 3 yrs. This is what the DEQ says is “localized” and “minimal impact.”
The impacts on our groundwater also did not get proper scientific attention. Lastly, to use the aquifer in Minnesota as the benchmark which is NOT used for drinking water and the spill was light crude oil is also a joke. Lets hope Gov. Heineman can see thru this shame of a study and deny this route or Obama can see thru this and deny the permit.
IN THE NEWS: Report Fails to Settle Concerns Over Oil Spill Risk to Ogallala Aquifer, by Lisa Song, InsideClimate News, January 14th: “…Scientists interviewed by InsideClimate News agreed with the report’s conclusions that an underground spill probably wouldn’t travel far and that a single accident wouldn’t damage the entire aquifer. But they also said the report didn’t take into account other important factors: Some of the chemicals found in the primary type of oil the pipeline would carry are trade secrets, so it’s impossible to know how they would behave in the aquifer.”
Acronym TV Blog has posted a two part series, “Buried Truth–Uncovering The Keystone XL Pipeline,” by Brett Redmayne-Titley. From Part One: “A visit to the Keystone XL pipeline exposes TransCanada Corp’s orchestrated four year campaign of factual distortions, coercion, and fraud in the name of profit. This example parallels many other modern sagas of almost complete corporate control over American sovereign government, its courts, police, and will of the people. TransCanada’s corporate influence in building the KXL pipeline will produce from Tar Sands a, “Heavy,” unrefined oil. KXL will also produce certain short term, and long-term, environmental disasters. The first will destroy land, forests, lakes, rivers, wetlands, or wildlife habitat. Due to the massive amount of Tar Sands available, the greater disaster will be the resultant carbon emissions sufficient to terminate the advent of man on earth.”
“Buried Truth: Uncovering the Keystone XL Pipeline,” (Part Two.)  The Plot Thickens. “The Keystone XL pipeline (KXL) will not serve as a vehicle for TransCanada’s quest for fifty years of tar sands oil profits unless it obtains two crucial objectives, a federal US permit allowing the tar sands oil to cross the US border from Canada, and a legitimate, legal claim to eminent domain from federal and state authorities. Although TransCanada’s advance planning and governmental influence managed to re-label a four hundred and eighty-five mile southwestern portion of KXL the, “Gulf Coast Project,” along the other 1400 plus miles a fight is brewing. TransCanada’s fraudulent statements and heavy handed tactics have preceded them into ever hostile waters. Affected landowners, who are rapidly waking up to the truth, now prepare to take on TransCanada armed with the information on KXL provided from East Texas and Southern Oklahoma victims.”
“Millennials Occupy TransCanada Offices Across the US,” by Candice Bernd, Campus Progress, from Truthout, January 12th: “On Monday, Tar Sands Blockade activists stormed a Texas TransCanada company office. Solidarity actions took place in other states, including actions at banks known to have investments in the Alberta tar sands.”
January 19th, Lincoln Journal-Star published a January 18th piece by Mark Drajem, “Keystone’s Tar Sands Waste Said to Warm Climate More Than Coal.”  It reports that “Refining Canada’s oil sands into gasoline may speed global warming more than previously estimated after accounting for use of a waste product, which can be burned like coal.”
Amy Schaffer wrote “Stand by words, Heineman,” a January 14th LJS letter to the editor. “I urge people to take immediate action to contact Gov. Dave Heineman and ask him to stand by his letter to President Barack Obama telling him to deny the Keystone XL route because it crosses the Ogallala Aquifer.
In this letter (Aug. 31, 2011), Heineman states that maintaining and protecting Nebraska’s water supply is very important to him. He also states that he disagrees with the analysis of a shallow groundwater spill affecting a limited area. He then goes on to say that the Ogallala Aquifer is the “lifeblood of Nebraska’s agriculture industry.”
Toward the end of the letter, he states, “I am opposed to the proposed Keystone XL pipeline route because it is directly over the Ogallala Aquifer.” I urge people to ask Heineman to uphold his words in this letter. The pipeline still will cross the Ogallala Aquifer. The Keystone XL can legally leak 1-1.5 percent of the tar sands oil it carries into our water, equaling 440,000 gallons per day; this includes undisclosed chemicals and carcinogens.”
If you didn’t read Greg Awtry’s York News Times Editorial “Before one inch of the Keystone XL is laid in Nebraska soil” last week, please make time to do so now. Then contact your elected officials, including the governor.
From Nebraska Sierra Club’s Ken Winston on January 19th, “One year ago today, President Obama denied TransCanada’s application to build the Keystone XL pipeline. He was right then, just as Governor Heineman was right when he told the President to deny the permit because it threatened the Ogallala Aquifer, just as Senator Johanns was right when he told Obama to deny the permit because it went through the Sandhills. Contact President Obama and tell him to stick to his guns, because the studies still haven’t been done about the risks to the aquifer, because Native American rights are being trampled, because fundamental American rights are being trampled, by a foreign corporation with a foreign set of values, and because we have something far more important than oil to protect, our water.
Contact Governor Heineman, 402.471.2244, and tell him he was right before and he should deny their route because it still threatens the Ogallala Aquifer. Contact Senator Johanns, DC: 202. 224-4224, Lincoln: 402. 476-1400, Omaha: 402.758.8981, and remind him of his mantra about trusting the common sense of Nebraskans, who will tell him the route still goes through the Sandhills regardless of what some map produced by government bureaucrats says. So help give our elected officials the backbone they need to stand up for us, for our rights, for our land, our water and our children’s future.”
           Action: Call Governor Heineman, 402.471.2244, and ask him to deny the proposed Keystone XL pipeline route because of the risks to our water and property rights. Ask that he waits until the lawsuit against the unconstitutional LB 1161 is decided in the courts. The best path forward is for him to deny the route and have the Public Service Commission, which has the true constitutional authority to analyze pipeline routes in our state, be the siting authority. Ask Heineman to turn the KXL route review over to the PSC. For more information, go to http://boldnebraska.org/st 
           It is time for President Obama to draw a line in the tar sands, and reject the Keystone XL pipeline.  Click here to sign a CredoAction petition to President Obama. The petition reads: “If you are committed to fighting climate change, you must reject the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. You simply cannot have it both ways.” If you are on Facebook, click here to post the petition to your Wall. If you have a Twitter account, click here to automatically tweet:
Tell @BarackObama: You can’t have it both ways on climate change. Reject the Keystone XL pipeline.
Sign a Natural Resources Defense Council Action Alert telling Congress to reject all attempts to force approval of the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline by attaching it to any unrelated legislation. The Keystone XL will deliver billions in profits to Big Oil while the people get stuck with poisoned water, contaminated land and an overheated planet.
           “The Keystone pipeline will spew a massive amount of carbon pollution into our fragile atmosphere. It should be stopped. ” –Jill Stein, 2012 Green Party Presidential Nominee.

SAVE THE BEES . . . Bees have been dying off in the US at an alarming rate — nearly 30% of our bee population, per year, have been lost to so-called colony collapse since 2006. Scientists have long thought that the pesticide clothianidin was at least partially to blame. But the EPA has repeatedly ignored scientists’ warnings and Americans’ urgings to ban its use, citing lack of evidence. Now, a blockbuster study released this week by Europe’s leading food safety authority, EFSA, has for the first time labeled clothianidin as an “unacceptable” danger to bees. For a credoaction petition telling the EPA to immediately suspend the pesticide that’s killing bees, sign automatically by clicking here.

STOP FRACKING NOW . . . 4 Scary New Finds About Fracking, by Tara Lohan for Alternet, adds to the continually growing list of warnings about fracking.
From “Five Effects of Fracking You May Not Know About” by Alyssa Figueroa, AlterNet: “What comes to mind when you think of fracking? Perhaps it’s images of tap water being lit on fire or stories of families suffering health problems after nearby wells are fracked. Indeed, the health and environmental impacts of fracking are being documented, but it’s important to know that fracking is a catalyst for widespread negative consequences.”  Petition Congress: “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.”

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 at http://www.goodsearch.com/default.aspx.  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 Substitute Hemp for oil.“

AN IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE . . . The Lincoln Journal Star Editorial Board is asking for opinions about what their priorities should be in 2013. Suggestions can be emailed to oped [at] journalstar [dot] com. The deadline is Friday, January 18, 2013. Let them know your important issues, and be sure to include climate change in your message.

SCROLL DOWN for this week’s Keystone XL pipeline Update and Action Alert.

Lincoln area: Congressional District 1

VIGIL AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY . . . Every Monday, 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. When weather is bad, 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.

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.

OCCUPY EDUCATION LINCOLN . . . Occupy Education Lincoln and the Calvary United Methodist Church, 1610 South 11th Street, Lincoln, (corner of South 11th and Garfield Streets) will hold weekly Workshop/Skills Teaching Sessions, The Repair Cafe, every Thursday, starting at 5:30pm. (The time coincides with the start of FoodNet.)  Toss It? No Way! Fix it, find another use, use some of its parts, recycle it, and say no to the throw away culture. Everything and everyone has value. We must discover the value. For more information, contact Barbara van den Berg, 402.488.6926, barbvandenberg [at] hotmail [dot] com.

HISTORY OF LINCOLN WELCOMING IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES . . . The History of Immigration and Refugee Resettlement in Lincoln will be discussed on Thursday, January 17, 2013, 7:00 to 8:30pm, in the Chapel at First-Plymouth Church, 2000 D Street. Sponsored by the Peace and Justice Team, Ed Zimmer, Historic Preservation Planner for the City, will speak on Lincoln’s remarkable history of welcoming immigrants as part of a three-part series, “Get to Know Your Neighbor: Immigrants and Refugees in Lincoln Today.” For more information, e-mail kim [at] firstplymouth [dot] org.

CHASING ICE AT ROSS . . . Chasing Ice, the story of one man’s mission to change the tide of history by gathering undeniable evidence of climate change, will show at the Mary Riepma Ross Film Theater, 313 North 13th Street, Lincoln, through Thursday, January 17, 2013. National Geographic photographer James Balog uses time-lapse cameras to compress years into seconds and capture ancient mountains of ice in motion as they disappear at a breathtaking rate.

OCCUPY LINCOLN . . . There is a calendar of Occupy Lincoln events here.  The Facebook page is here.  The Twitter feed is @OccupyLincoln. For more information, e-mail occupylincoln [at] gmail [dot] com or phone 402.585.5865. Corporate Greed is Revolution’s Seed!

Omaha area: Congressional District 2

OMAHA PEOPLE’S FILM FESTIVAL . . . There is a People’s Film Festival every Wednesday, 7:00pm, at McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe, 38th and Harney in Omaha. Wednesday, January 16, 2013, the film will be “Israel and Iran: Fact vs. Fear,” a lecture by political activist Ray McGovern. A 49 second trailer is here.  The People’s Film Festival – Expanding Political Consciousness Since 2004.

OMAHA PEACE VIGILS . . . Every Saturday, 1:00-2:00pm, there is a Peace Vigil at the northwest corner of 72nd and Dodge Streets in Omaha. Park next to 72nd Street, in the pet store lot. Contact Steve Horn, 402.426.9068, for more information about Saturday vigils.

ATM LEAFLETTING IN OMAHA . . . An Alternatives To the Military supporter who lives in Omaha would like to put together and participate in a local leafletting group there. She wants to start small–maybe leafletting at just one or two schools. If you have an interest in joining a Omaha ATM group, please contact Kevin Haake, atmlincoln@gmail.com. The FB link is http://www.facebook.com/atmlincoln. Twitter is http://www.twitter.com/ATMLincolnNE.
Leafletting in Omaha.

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 at http://www.engageomaha.com/.

Greater Nebraska: Congressional District 3

KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE UPDATE . . . Action: Please call Governor Heineman, 402.471.2244, and ask him to deny the proposed Keystone XL pipeline route because of the risks to our water and property rights. Ask that he waits until the lawsuit against the unconstitutional LB 1161 is decided in the courts. The best path forward is for him to deny the route and have the Public Service Commission, which has the true constitutional authority to analyze pipeline routes in our state, be the siting authority. Ask Heineman to turn the KXL route review over to the PSC. For more information, go to http://boldnebraska.org/stopkxl.
Following Tuesday morning’s 10:00am State of the State address at the State Capitol, the governor will hold a Tour of Nebraska Communities. This presents a good opportunity to meet him, express your concerns about the pipeline, and/or bring signs showing opposition to KXL. Citizens are welcome at all of the following locations, Tuesday, January 15, 2013.
1:00 p.m. – Johnson Conference Room, North Platte Regional Airport Terminal, 5400 E. Lee Bird Dr., North Platte.
2:15 p.m. – Otis Air Services at the Kearney Regional Airport, 4985 Airport Rd., in Kearney.
3:30 p.m. – Grand Island Central Nebraska Airport Terminal, 3743 SkyPark Road, Grand Island.
4:45 p.m. – Norfolk Airport Services Bldg., Karl Stefan Airport, 4100 S. 13th Street, in Norfolk.
Quoting “Cleanup not always possible,” by Cindy Myers, a Lincoln Journal Star letter to the editor published January 10th, “…From numerous testimonies at public hearings, it is clear water and the aquifer are key concerns. NDEQ continues to claim spills will remain “localized,” even though it is clear NDEQ does not have enough research on the Ogallala Aquifer to support that claim.
…This is the shortest route for TransCanada; it is not the best route for Nebraska. If the XL pipeline is forced upon our state, the only sensible option would be to stipulate that it parallel Keystone I in Eastern Nebraska. BOLD I urge people to please take the time to contact the decision-makers to make their opinions and concerns known.” UNBOLD
Please read the following Greg Awtry York News Times Editorial “Before one inch of the Keystone XL is laid in Nebraska soil,” and then contact your elected officials, including the governor. Awtry, Publisher of the York, Nebraska newspaper, published the piece on January 10th. “Governor Heineman said, “… I am not opposed to pipelines. We already have hundreds of them in our state. I am opposed to the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline route because it is directly over the Ogallala Aquifer. ” How much clearer can the governor be? Since he wrote that letter to the president on Aug. 31, 2011, we all know the route has changed. Now it crosses even more miles of the aquifer than it did before! And, the governor is being asked to make a decision on the new route in the next 30 days.
Heineman’s letter goes on to say, “Maintaining and protecting Nebraska’s water supply is very important to me and the residents of Nebraska. This resource (the Ogallala Aquifer) is the lifeblood of Nebraska’s agricultural industry. Cash receipts from farm marketing contributes more than $17 billion to Nebraska’s economy annually. I am concerned that the proposed pipeline will potentially have detrimental effects on this valuable resource and Nebraska’s economy.”
Well governor, the federal government also has those same concerns. The new Pipeline Safety bill, passed by unanimous consent in both the U.S. House and the Senate, calls for a one-year study on the corrosiveness of DilBit, the type of oil that will flow through the Keystone XL. The new law also requires a two-year study on leak dejection.
How could Heineman possibly approve the route before these two studies are completed in 2013 and 2014, followed by a review process and the new regulations are in place to better protect Nebraska citizens, which Heineman says is very important to him?
The same is true of President Obama who signed the new Pipeline Safety bill. Both Heineman and Obama must wait until the studies are complete before this project goes any further.
To approve it now would send a clear message to families, villages and towns along this route. It would tell them money from a foreign corporation is more important than the safety of our citizens and the preservation of one of the world’s greatest wonders, the Ogallala Aquifer.
Right now, Gov. Heineman should neither approve nor disapprove this new route. He should come out and say he is unwilling under any circumstance to put fellow Nebraskans in danger or jeopardize the state’s economy, which is highly reliant on the aquifer. He should wait until everything that can be done is done, as a result of these two pending and extremely critical federal studies.
…What governor would put his or her citizens and the state’s economy at risk by approving this pipeline before all the facts from the federal and state studies are in? Is our governor willing to sell out our safety for a few pieces of silver?
If this is allowed to go through, sure there will be some temporary employment, but according to the DEQ summary report, once the pipe is in the ground and the construction process has moved out, there will be 15 jobs needed for operation and monitoring activities. That’s it folks, 15 jobs and a little property tax revenue after the dust settles.
That’s what Nebraska gets out of this. And at what price? How much is a pure Platte River worth? How much is the Ogallala Aquifer worth? What happens when it spills, and it will spill. Even TransCanada admits that. When it does, TransCanada stockholders will have their money at risk, not their lives and livelihoods.
Governor, do what you know in your heart is the right thing for Nebraskans. If you love this state like you say, then delay your decision. When all the studies are in, and the new regulations for safety are in place in 2015, and TransCanada checks off on all the new requirements, then and only then should you make a decision.
But for now governor, make sure you, as the highest elected official in our state, do everything in your power to first and foremost protect our citizens and resources. Let this process unfold as it should before one inch of that pipe is laid in Nebraska soil.”
“Tar Sands Crunch Time,” by William Boardman, Reader Supported News, January 8th, reports “The Alberta tar sands in Canada, like tar sands everywhere, do not contain oil. The near-solid bitumen in tar sands can be turned into a high-sulfur content oil by treatment with toxic chemicals, heat, and pressure. The Keystone XL pipeline is designed to transport over 700,000 barrels of hot tar sands oil under pressure every day, from Canada across the heartland of the United States to Gulf Coast refineries, from whence it will mostly go to overseas markets, especially China.”
An Alternet article, “The Wicked Brew That Would Be Transported in the Keystone XL Pipeline,” by Rand Clifford, January 7th, maintains “The pipeline isn’t for oil, it’s for a toxic fossil fuel cocktail called “DilBit.” Read page 1 of 4 at http://www.alternet.org/environment/wicked-brew-would-be-transported-keystone-xl-pipeline.
Both the New York Times and The Tyee, a newspaper out of British Columbia, reported on new findings linking tar sands to pollution and cancer on January 7th. For years, independent researchers have maintained that mining tar sands releases toxic and carcinogenic chemicals. Now, a study funded by the Canadian government confirms that pollution from tar sands contaminated lakes as far as 55 miles away from the mining project.
From the New York Times article, “Oil Sands Industry in Canada Tied to Higher Carcinogen Level,” by Ian Austen: “The development of Alberta’s oil sands has increased levels of cancer-causing compounds in surrounding lakes well beyond natural levels, Canadian researchers reported in a study released on Monday. And they said the contamination covered a wider area than had previously been believed.” The article includes a must-see photograph of an oil sands mine in Fort McMurray, Alberta.
From The Tyee, “It’s Official: Bitumen Mining Pollutes Northern Waterways,” by Andrew Nikiforuk: “A new federally funded study on the tar sands has confirmed what a discredited industry-funded monitoring program could not: that pollution has now contaminated lakes as far as 90 km away from the massive mining project.”
           Save the Date: Governor Heineman Reject the Route Vigil Tuesday, January 29, 2013, 6:00pm, at the governor’s mansion, 1425 H Street, Lincoln.  For details about plans from 6:00am throughout the day, click here.  The Facebook link is https://www.facebook.com/events/411512762257892/.
           It is time for President Obama to draw a line in the tar sands, and reject the Keystone XL pipeline.  Click here to sign a CredoAction petition to President Obama. The petition reads: “If you are committed to fighting climate change, you must reject the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. You simply cannot have it both ways.” If you are on Facebook, click here to post the petition to your Wall. If you have a Twitter account, click here to automatically tweet.  Tell @BarackObama: You can’t have it both ways on climate change. Reject the Keystone XL pipeline.
Sign a Natural Resources Defense Council Action Alert telling Congress to reject all attempts to force approval of the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline by attaching it to any unrelated legislation. The Keystone XL will deliver billions in profits to Big Oil while the people get stuck with poisoned water, contaminated land and an overheated planet.
Dear President Obama: 171 reasons to deny the pipeline.
           “The Keystone pipeline will spew a massive amount of carbon pollution into our fragile atmosphere. It should be stopped. ” –Jill Stein, 2012 Green Party Presidential Nominee.

STOP FRACKING NOW . . . 4 Scary New Finds About Fracking, by Tara Lohan for Alternet, adds to the continually growing list of warnings about fracking.
From “Five Effects of Fracking You May Not Know About” by Alyssa Figueroa, AlterNet: “What comes to mind when you think of fracking? Perhaps it’s images of tap water being lit on fire or stories of families suffering health problems after nearby wells are fracked. Indeed, the health and environmental impacts of fracking are being documented, but it’s important to know that fracking is a catalyst for widespread negative consequences.”  Petition Congress: “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.”
A new article, “Fracking Our Food Supply,” was published by Reader Supported News, and Truthout published “Fracking’s Health Calamaties Left to Fester,” both on December 1, 2012.

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 at http://www.goodsearch.com/default.aspx.  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 Substitute Hemp for oil.“

SCROLL DOWN for this week’s Keystone XL pipeline Update.

Lincoln area: Congressional District 1

VIGIL AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY . . . Every Monday, 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. When weather is bad, 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.

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.

AMERICA’S GREAT MIGRATION . . . Thursday, January 10, 2013, 7:00pm, Bill Taddicken, Director of the Nicolson Audubon Center at Rowe Sanctuary will discuss America’s Great Migration: Cranes and the Platte River at the monthly Wachiska Audubon meeting, Room 3, the Dick Administration Building at Union College, 3800 South 48th, Lincoln. Half a million sandhill cranes visit the Rowe Sanctuary each year during spring migration. The presentation is free and open to the public. Phone the Wachiska office, 402.486.4846 for more information.

OCCUPY EDUCATION LINCOLN . . . Occupy Education Lincoln and the Calvary United Methodist Church, 1610 South 11th Street, Lincoln, (corner of South 11th and Garfield Streets) will hold weekly Workshop/Skills Teaching Sessions, The Repair Cafe, every Thursday, starting at 5:30pm. (The time coincides with the start of FoodNet.)  Toss It? No Way! Fix it, find another use, use some of its parts, recycle it, and say no to the throw away culture. Everything and everyone has value. We must discover the value. For more information, contact Barbara van den Berg, 402.488.6926, barbvandenberg [at] hotmail [dot] com.

CHASING ICE AT ROSS . . . Chasing Ice, the story of one man’s mission to change the tide of history by gathering undeniable evidence of climate change, will show at the Mary Riepma Ross Film Theater, 313 North 13th Street, Lincoln, Friday, January 11 through Thursday, January 17, 2013. National Geographic photographer James Balog uses time-lapse cameras to compress years into seconds and capture ancient mountains of ice in motion as they disappear at a breathtaking rate. Sunday, January 13th, Movie Talk will feature four experts on climate change at 2:30, following the 1:00pm showing. Check the website for showing schedule.

OCCUPY LINCOLN . . . There is a calendar of Occupy Lincoln events here. The Facebook page is here.  The Twitter feed is @OccupyLincoln. For more information, e-mail occupylincoln [at] gmail [dot] com or phone 402.585.5865. Corporate Greed is Revolution’s Seed!

Omaha area: Congressional District 2

OMAHA PEOPLE’S FILM FESTIVAL . . . There is a People’s Film Festival every Wednesday, 7:00pm, at McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe, 38th and Harney in Omaha. Wednesday, January 9, 2013, the film will be “Carbon Nation,” an 86 minute climate change solutions movie. Discover what people are doing, what we as a nation could be doing, and what the world needs to do to about the impending climate crisis. The People’s Film Festival – Expanding Political Consciousness Since 2004.

OMAHA PEACE VIGILS . . . Every Saturday, 1:00-2:00pm, there is a Peace Vigil at the northwest corner of 72nd and Dodge Streets in Omaha. Park next to 72nd Street, in the pet store lot. Contact Steve Horn, 402.426.9068, for more information about Saturday vigils.

ATM LEAFLETTING IN OMAHA . . . An Alternatives To the Military supporter who lives in Omaha would like to put together and participate in a local leafletting group there. She wants to start small–maybe leafletting at just one or two schools. If you have an interest in joining a Omaha ATM group, please contact Kevin Haake, atmlincoln@gmail.com. The FB link is http://www.facebook.com/atmlincoln. Twitter is http://www.twitter.com/ATMLincolnNE.
Leafletting in Omaha.

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 at http://www.engageomaha.com/.

Greater Nebraska: Congressional District 3

KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE UPDATE . . . Robert Redford has voiced opposition, again, to the Keystone XL pipeline in a Reader Supported News commentary, “Another Looming Cliff of Grave Consequence,” published January 4, 2013. Quoting, “…The Keystone XL tar sands pipeline is a disaster in the making. It will cause expansion of the expensive and dirty tar sands oil excavation up in Canada’s Boreal forest. It threatens our own farms, and waters throughout our heartland. And it is going to make climate change worse as more tarry gunk is dug up, turned into gasoline and diesel and burned in cars and trucks.
All of this is for a pipeline that is meant to export tar sand oil overseas from America’s Gulf Coast. Our heartland, aquifers and climate are meant to sustain us. Instead the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline means that we take all the risks – from pipeline leaks and blows to the aftermath of toxic pools of wastewater – and Big Oil reaps all the benefits. Canadians know better – they haven’t let new tar sands pipeline be built yet to either of their own coasts. In fact, the proposed Northern Gateway tar sands pipeline to the west coast is considered dead by many.
…This is a time for climate leadership. … it will make sense to reject this dirty energy project. With extreme weather taking its toll on communities all over America, we can’t afford another major dirty energy project such as the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline.”
From “Resignation of EPA’s Jackson is “serious warning” that climate in danger from Obama White House,” by Jill Stein, also January 4th: “…A story this week in the NY Post said that the final straw in Jackson’s departure was a decision by Obama to allegedly move ahead with the Keystone XL Pipeline, a decision which NASA scientist James Hansen said would be game over for climate change.
America needs a strong environmental leader at EPA who will push for life-saving, economy-saving action on climate change rather than roll over for the short-term political considerations of the White House. The Obama White House far too often puts the need of campaign contributors and polluters ahead of the well-being of the American people,” added Stein. “We need an EPA committed to protecting the environment, and to a transparent, democratic process within the agency. This is essential if the EPA is to apply science in the public interest, free from the corrupting influence of industry that has historically had too much influence over EPA scientific decisions.
…Stein concluded, “With the resignation of the EPA administrator, President Obama has the opportunity to rethink this disturbing environmental record. This is a time for urgent action to transform the economy for the carbon-free, nuclear-free future. The Earth is at the tipping point where climate change must be faced as a life and death issue. Our economy, civilization, and the very survival of our children are all at stake. There’s no time to lose.”
Lincoln Journal Star reported that “Judge refuses to dismiss lawsuit over pipeline siting law,” January 1st: “A Lancaster County judge on Monday refused to dismiss a lawsuit filed by landowners along the proposed route of the Keystone XL pipeline. The suit challenges the constitutionality of the state’s new pipeline siting law.” Omaha World-Herald coverage, “Judge rules that Keystone XL pipeline lawsuit can proceed,” by Paul Hammel, begins “A district judge ruled Monday that the heart of a lawsuit seeking to nullify the state’s review of the controversial Keystone XL pipeline can proceed. Lancaster County District Judge Stephanie Stacy left intact all but one allegation raised by three landowners who are affected by the high-pressure, crude-oil pipeline project. The judge rejected a request by the State of Nebraska to dismiss the entire case.”  Please comment on both of these articles to show continued support for this lawsuit challenging LB 1161.
A January 3rd Daily Record article, “Legal Defense Fund Focused on Pipeline Project, Protecting Landowner Rights,”  focused on Nebraska Easement Action Team (NEAT) attorneys Brian Jorde and David Domina. The article suggests 2013 “could be a year of significant development in the life of the highly-anticipated (by some) and staunchly-opposed (by others) Keystone XL Pipeline.” “Knowledge is power,” said Jorde. “Eminent domain and condemnation and the notion that a for-profit, private, foreign company can come into our state and dictate what our citizens can and can’t do with and on their land is so unbelievable that it is helpful to get educated about what this all means and what can be done.” Jorde talks to landowners about Eminent Domain, Landowner Easements, and the Keystone XL Pipeline at the 99th Annual Nebraska Farmers Union Convention in a 21:53 minute video here.
Keystone XL Infographic: Risks and Citizen Concerns Ignored, was posted on the Bold Nebraska website January 3rd. “Bold teamed up with Oil Change International to create an infographic with basic facts on the pipeline in a visual way that we can all share on Facebook, Twitter and email. The graphic was designed by fellow Nebraskan Justin Kemerling. Citizens and landowners asked us to create a visual that had the basic facts on why we are fighting this export tarsands pipeline.”
From “2013: A tipping year for climate change?” All Things Considered, December 30th, “While the public is in shock by extreme weather events that have taken place, environmentalist Bill McKibben and other members of the science community say it is a result of climate change. Next month, President Obama will be sworn in for a second term, and McKibben is curious about his approach to the problem. ” The audio is 4:07 minutes.
“Pipeline Safety Enters National Spotlight in 2012,” by Lisa Song, InsideClimate News, was published December 26, 2012. It begins “After news broke that human error caused the Enbridge oil spill and fears spread over Keystone XL, pipeline safety moved into the mainstream.” Page 2 of the article includes a map of the Sand Hills, and proposed routes.
The TransCanada Keystone XL pipeline is Number One of the “Top Three Dirty Energy Battles to Watch in 2013,” followed by Fracking, and Oil and Gas Subsidies. Beth Buczynski, Care2, reports “three issues that were put on hold during the campaign season, despite the fact that they directly threaten the lives and livelihoods of millions of Americans” in the Reader Supported News article published December 26, 2012.
           It is time for President Obama to draw a line in the tar sands, and reject the Keystone XL pipeline.  Click here to sign a CredoAction petition to President Obama. The petition reads: “If you are committed to fighting climate change, you must reject the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. You simply cannot have it both ways.” If you are on Facebook, click here to post the petition to your Wall. If you have a Twitter account, click here to automatically tweet: Tell @BarackObama: You can’t have it both ways on climate change. Reject the Keystone XL pipeline.
Sign a Natural Resources Defense Council Action Alert telling Congress to reject all attempts to force approval of the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline by attaching it to any unrelated legislation. The Keystone XL will deliver billions in profits to Big Oil while the people get stuck with poisoned water, contaminated land and an overheated planet.
Dear President Obama: 171 reasons to deny the pipeline.
“The Keystone pipeline will spew a massive amount of carbon pollution into our fragile atmosphere. It should be stopped. ” –Jill Stein, 2012 Green Party Presidential Nominee.

STOP FRACKING NOW . . . 4 Scary New Finds About Fracking, by Tara Lohan for Alternet, adds to the continually growing list of warnings about fracking.
From “Five Effects of Fracking You May Not Know About” by Alyssa Figueroa, AlterNet: “What comes to mind when you think of fracking? Perhaps it’s images of tap water being lit on fire or stories of families suffering health problems after nearby wells are fracked. Indeed, the health and environmental impacts of fracking are being documented, but it’s important to know that fracking is a catalyst for widespread negative consequences.”  Petition Congress: “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.”
A new article, “Fracking Our Food Supply,” was published by Reader Supported News, and Truthout published “Fracking’s Health Calamaties Left to Fester,” both on December 1, 2012.

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 at http://www.goodsearch.com/default.aspx.  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 Substitute Hemp for oil.“

Please endorse four principles on radioactive waste, including no more generation, at a Nuclear Information and Resource Service petition to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The comment period on NRC’s new nuclear waste rules ends January 2, 2013.

Lincoln area: Congressional District 1

VIGIL AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY . . . Every Monday, 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. When weather is bad, 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.

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.

OCCUPY EDUCATION LINCOLN . . . Occupy Education Lincoln and the Calvary United Methodist Church, 1610 South 11th Street, Lincoln, (corner of South 11th and Garfield Streets) will hold weekly Workshop/Skills Teaching Sessions, The Repair Cafe, every Thursday, starting at 5:30pm. (The time coincides with the start of FoodNet.)  Toss It? No Way! Fix it, find another use, use some of its parts, recycle it, and say no to the throw away culture. Everything and everyone has value. We must discover the value. For more information, contact Barbara van den Berg, 402.488.6926, barbvandenberg [at] hotmail [dot] com.

AUDUBON NATURE WALK . . . Saturday, January 5, 2013, the Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center will offer a morning and afternoon “New Year Winter Walkabout,” exploring some of the more remote parts of the priarie near Denton. The morning session is from 10:00am to noon, and the afternoon session is from 1:00 to 3:00pm. For more information, and to register, phone 402.797.2301, or e-mail scp [at] audubon [dot] org. Find directions to Spring Creek Prairie here. [pdf]

TALK ON CLIMATE CHANGE . . . Sunday, January 6, 2013, 1:00pm, Dr. Lucas Sabalka will speak on climate change at the Lincoln Unitarian Church, 6300 A Street. Sabalka is a professor in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at St. Louis University. EveryOne is invited to learn more about climate change at this free presentation, and review the progress we have made in Nebraska.

OCCUPY LINCOLN . . . There is a calendar of Occupy Lincoln events here. The Facebook page is here.  The Twitter feed is @OccupyLincoln. For more information, e-mail occupylincoln [at] gmail [dot] com or phone 402.585.5865. Corporate Greed is Revolution’s Seed!

Omaha area: Congressional District 2

OMAHA PEOPLE’S FILM FESTIVAL . . . There is a People’s Film Festival every Wednesday, 7:00pm, at McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe, 38th and Harney in Omaha. Wednesday, January 2, 2013, the film will be “Even The Rain (Tambien La Lluvia),” a fictional quest to make a film against all odds, set against the back drop of the real life “Water Wars,” fought against the privatization of Bolivia’s water supply in the year 2000. The film is anchored in the philosophies of historian Howard Zinn. The People’s Film Festival – Expanding Political Consciousness Since 2004.

OMAHA PEACE VIGILS . . . Every Saturday, 1:00-2:00pm, there is a Peace Vigil at the northwest corner of 72nd and Dodge Streets in Omaha. Park next to 72nd Street, in the pet store lot. Contact Steve Horn, 402.426.9068, for more information about Saturday vigils.

ATM LEAFLETTING IN OMAHA . . . An Alternatives To the Military supporter who lives in Omaha would like to put together and participate in a local leafletting group there. She wants to start small–maybe leafletting at just one or two schools. If you have an interest in joining a Omaha ATM group, please contact Kevin Haake, atmlincoln@gmail.com. The FB link is http://www.facebook.com/atmlincoln.  Twitter is http://www.twitter.com/ATMLincolnNE.
Leafletting in Omaha.

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 at http://www.engageomaha.com/

Greater Nebraska: Congressional District 3

KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE UPDATE . . . “Pipeline Safety Enters National Spotlight in 2012,” by Lisa Song, InsideClimate News, was published December 26, 2012. It begins “After news broke that human error caused the Enbridge oil spill and fears spread over Keystone XL, pipeline safety moved into the mainstream.” Page 2 of the article includes a map of the Sand Hills, and proposed routes.
The TransCanada Keystone XL pipeline is Number One of the “Top Three Dirty Energy Battles to Watch in 2013,” followed by Fracking, and Oil and Gas Subsidies. Beth Buczynski, Care2, reports “three issues that were put on hold during the campaign season, despite the fact that they directly threaten the lives and livelihoods of millions of Americans” in the Reader Supported News article published December 26, 2012.
From “Idle No More Sweeps Canada and Beyond as Aboriginals Say Enough is Enough,” by David P. Ball, Indian Country Today, December 26th, “Indigenous activists used social media websites to organize round dances, highway blockades, protests and ceremonies from east to west of the country.”
Quoting “Pipeline proposal heading toward showdown over First Nations rights,” by Dene Moore, Vancouver Sun, December 13th, “As the review hearings into the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline progress, it seems increasingly likely that the debate about the oil pipeline — an oil pipeline, any oil pipeline — will end in a showdown between the federal government and First Nations over aboriginal rights.”
Brief local Channel 10/11 tv coverage of a Christmas Eve Keystone XL pipeline protest at the governor’s mansion, “Pipeline Foes Send ‘Grinch’ to Governor’s House,” features Bold Nebraska’s Ben Gotschall.
“Study Finds Flaws in Pipeline Leak Detection Systems,” by Dan Frosch, December 21st in the New York Times, links to a new federal report, and previous reports, showing that “members of the general public are more likely to identify oil and gas spills than the pipeline companies’ own leak detection systems.”
On December 20th, Fuel Fix posted “Keystone XL foes say fed study should consider climate effects,” by Jennifer Dlouhy. “The Obama administration is set to unveil a fresh environmental analysis of the Keystone XL pipeline as early as this week, but critics say that study won’t be complete unless it considers climate change costs tied to the $7 billion project.” The article concludes “Both the environmental review and the national interest determination will need to consider new factors that go directly to the question of whether we need Keystone XL and whether it is actually in the U.S. national interest.”
Nebraska Easement Action Team (NEAT) Attorney Brian Jorde talks to landowners about Eminent Domain, Landowner Easements, and the Keystone XL Pipeline at the 99th Annual Nebraska Farmers Union (NeFU) Convention in a 21:53 minute video, published December 19th.
           It is time for President Obama to draw a line in the tar sands, and reject the Keystone XL pipeline.  Click here to sign a CredoAction petition to President Obama. The petition reads: “If you are committed to fighting climate change, you must reject the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. You simply cannot have it both ways.” If you are on Facebook, click here to post the petition to your Wall. If you have a Twitter account, click here to automatically tweet:
Tell @BarackObama: You can’t have it both ways on climate change. Reject the Keystone XL pipeline.
Sign a Natural Resources Defense Council Action Alert telling Congress to reject all attempts to force approval of the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline by attaching it to any unrelated legislation. The Keystone XL will deliver billions in profits to Big Oil while the people get stuck with poisoned water, contaminated land and an overheated planet.
Dear President Obama: 171 reasons to deny the pipeline.
           “The Keystone pipeline will spew a massive amount of carbon pollution into our fragile atmosphere. It should be stopped. ” –Jill Stein, 2012 Green Party Presidential Nominee.

STOP FRACKING NOW . . . 4 Scary New Finds About Fracking, by Tara Lohan for Alternet, adds to the continually growing list of warnings about fracking.
From “Five Effects of Fracking You May Not Know About” by Alyssa Figueroa, AlterNet: “What comes to mind when you think of fracking? Perhaps it’s images of tap water being lit on fire or stories of families suffering health problems after nearby wells are fracked. Indeed, the health and environmental impacts of fracking are being documented, but it’s important to know that fracking is a catalyst for widespread negative consequences.” Petition Congress: “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.”
A new article, “Fracking Our Food Supply,” was published by Reader Supported News, and Truthout published “Fracking’s Health Calamaties Left to Fester,” both on December 1, 2012.

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 Substitute Hemp for oil.“

Endorse four principles on radioactive waste, including no more generation, at a Nuclear Information and Resource Service petition to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The comment period on NRC’s new nuclear waste rules ends January 2, 2013.

Lincoln area: Congressional District 1

VIGIL AT THE GOVERNOR’S MANSION . . . Monday, December 24, 2012, at noon, there will be a Christmas Eve vigil at the governor’s mansion, 1425 H Street, Lincoln, asking him to deny the proposed Keystone XL pipeline route, say no to eminent domain for private gain, and let the Public Service Commission assess the route with clear standards and rules that are absent from the current Department of Environmental Quality process. Check out event details on Facebook here.

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.

OCCUPY EDUCATION LINCOLN . . . Occupy Education Lincoln and the Calvary United Methodist Church, 1610 South 11th Street, Lincoln, (corner of South 11th and Garfield Streets) are holding weekly Workshop/Skills Teaching Sessions, The Repair Cafe, every Thursday, starting at 5:30pm. (The time coincides with the start of FoodNet.)  Toss It? No Way! Fix it, find another use, use some of its parts, recycle it, and say no to the throw away culture. Everything and everyone has value. We must discover the value. For more information, contact Barbara van den Berg, 402.488.6926, barbvandenberg [at] hotmail [dot] com.

OCCUPY LINCOLN . . . There is a calendar of Occupy Lincoln events here.  The Facebook page is here.  The Twitter feed is @OccupyLincoln. For more information, e-mail occupylincoln [at] gmail [dot] com or phone 402.585.5865. Corporate Greed is Revolution’s Seed!

Omaha area: Congressional District 2

OMAHA PEOPLE’S FILM FESTIVAL . . . There is a People’s Film Festival every Wednesday, 7:00pm, at McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe, 38th and Harney in Omaha. Wednesday, December 26, 2012, will be Occupy Omaha Night. The People’s Film Festival – Expanding Political Consciousness Since 2004.

OMAHA PEACE VIGILS . . . Every Saturday, 1:00-2:00pm, there is a Peace Vigil at the northwest corner of 72nd and Dodge Streets in Omaha. Park next to 72nd Street, in the pet store lot. Contact Steve Horn, 402.426.9068, for more information about Saturday vigils.

ATM LEAFLETTING IN OMAHA . . . An Alternatives To the Military supporter who lives in Omaha would like to put together and participate in a local leafletting group there. She wants to start small–maybe leafletting at just one or two schools. If you have an interest in joining a Omaha ATM group, please contact Kevin Haake, atmlincoln@gmail.com. The FB link is http://www.facebook.com/atmlincoln. Twitter is http://www.twitter.com/ATMLincolnNE. Leafletting in Omaha.

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 at http://www.engageomaha.com/.

Greater Nebraska: Congressional District 3

KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE UPDATE . . . On December 20, 2012, Fuel Fix posted “Keystone XL foes say fed study should consider climate effects,” by Jennifer Dlouhy. “The Obama administration is set to unveil a fresh environmental analysis of the Keystone XL pipeline as early as this week, but critics say that study won’t be complete unless it considers climate change costs tied to the $7 billion project.” The article concludes “Both the environmental review and the national interest determination will need to consider new factors that go directly to the question of whether we need Keystone XL and whether it is actually in the U.S. national interest.”
“Study Finds Flaws in Pipeline Leak Detection Systems,” by Dan Frosch, December 21st in the New York Times, links to a new federal report, and previous reports, showing that “members of the general public are more likely to identify oil and gas spills than the pipeline companies’ own leak detection systems.”
Also on December 21st, CBS News reported President Obama has selected Senator John Kerry, D-Mass., to be his nominee for Secretary of State, replacing Hillary Clintion.
Nebraska Easement Action Team (NEAT) Attorney Brian Jorde talks to landowners about Eminent Domain, Landowner Easements, and the Keystone XL Pipeline at the 99th Annual Nebraska Farmers Union (NeFU) Convention in a 21:53 minute video, published December 19th.
“Not in our interests,” by Stu Luttich, a December 16th Lincoln Journal Star letter to the editor, begins “Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman probably will approve the Environmental Impact Statement and rerouting of the Keystone XL pipeline to skirt the eastern edge of the Nebraska Sandhills as commonly recognized by the U.S. Geological Survey. However, if and when he does, the underlying reason will not be in serving the long-term interests of the people of Nebraska or the nation, because the pipeline is not being constructed to serve the strategic interests of the state or nation. The pipeline is being constructed to serve the economic self-interests of the pipeline company. …Even as the United States currently is importing 25 percent less foreign fossil crude oil than eight or nine years ago, the price at the pump has not declined by the same proportion. Ever wonder why?”
           It is time for President Obama to draw a line in the tar sands, and reject the Keystone XL pipeline.  Click here petition to President Obama. The petition reads: “If you are committed to fighting climate change, you must reject the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. You simply cannot have it both ways.” If you are on Facebook, click here to post the petition to your Wall. If you have a Twitter account, click here to automatically tweet:
Tell @BarackObama: You can’t have it both ways on climate change. Reject the Keystone XL pipeline.
Sign a Natural Resources Defense Council Action Alert telling Congress to reject all attempts to force approval of the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline by attaching it to any unrelated legislation. The Keystone XL will deliver billions in profits to Big Oil while the people get stuck with poisoned water, contaminated land and an overheated planet.
           Dear President Obama: 171 reasons to deny the pipeline.
           “The Keystone pipeline will spew a massive amount of carbon pollution into our fragile atmosphere. It should be stopped. ” –Jill Stein, 2012 Green Party Presidential Nominee.

STOP FRACKING NOW . . . 4 Scary New Finds About Fracking, by Tara Lohan for Alternet, adds to the continually growing list of warnings about fracking.
From “Five Effects of Fracking You May Not Know About” by Alyssa Figueroa, AlterNet: “What comes to mind when you think of fracking? Perhaps it’s images of tap water being lit on fire or stories of families suffering health problems after nearby wells are fracked. Indeed, the health and environmental impacts of fracking are being documented, but it’s important to know that fracking is a catalyst for widespread negative consequences.” Petition Congress: “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.”
A new article, “Fracking Our Food Supply,” was published by Reader Supported News, and Truthout published “Fracking’s Health Calamaties Left to Fester,” both on December 1, 2012.

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 Substitute Hemp for oil.“

Lincoln area: Congressional District 1

VIGIL AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY . . . Every Monday, 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. When weather is bad, 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.

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.

OCCUPY EDUCATION LINCOLN . . . Occupy Education Lincoln and the Calvary United Methodist Church, 1610 South 11th Street, Lincoln, (corner of South 11th and Garfield Streets) will hold weekly Workshop/Skills Teaching Sessions, The Repair Cafe, every Thursday, starting at 5:30pm. (The time coincides with the start of FoodNet.)  Toss It? No Way! Fix it, find another use, use some of its parts, recycle it, and say no to the throw away culture. Everything and everyone has value. We must discover the value. For more information, contact Barbara van den Berg, 402.488.6926, barbvandenberg [at] hotmail [dot] com.

OCCUPY LINCOLN . . . There is a calendar of Occupy Lincoln events here.  The Facebook page is here.  The Twitter feed is @OccupyLincoln. For more information, e-mail occupylincoln [at] gmail [dot] com or phone 402.585.5865. Corporate Greed is Revolution’s Seed!

Omaha area: Congressional District 2

OMAHA PEOPLE’S FILM FESTIVAL . . . There is a People’s Film Festival every Wednesday, 7:00pm, at McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe, 38th and Harney in Omaha. Wednesday, December 19, 2012, the film will be “The Yes Men Fix the World,” a documentary about two gonzo political activists who, posing as top executives of giant corporations, lie their way into big business conferences and pull off the world’s most outrageous pranks. The People’s Film Festival – Expanding Political Consciousness Since 2004.

OMAHA PEACE VIGILS . . . Every Saturday, 1:00-2:00pm, there is a Peace Vigil at the northwest corner of 72nd and Dodge Streets in Omaha. Park next to 72nd Street, in the pet store lot. Contact Steve Horn, 402.426.9068, for more information about Saturday vigils.

PEACE ON EARTH VIGIL . . . Saturday, December 22, 2012, 1:00 to 2:00pm, there will be a Peace on Earth vigil at 72nd & Dodge, in Omaha. Join us and take a stand for building Peace on Earth.

ATM LEAFLETTING IN OMAHA . . . An Alternatives To the Military supporter who lives in Omaha would like to put together and participate in a local leafletting group there. She wants to start small–maybe leafletting at just one or two schools. If you have an interest in joining a Omaha ATM group, please contact Kevin Haake, atmlincoln@gmail.com. The FB link is http://www.facebook.com/atmlincoln. Twitter is http://www.twitter.com/ATMLincolnNE.
Leafletting in Omaha.

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 at http://www.engageomaha.com/.

Greater Nebraska: Congressional District 3

KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE UPDATE . . . Thank you to EveryOne who responded to last week’s Roots Action website alert to President Obama expressing concern about UN Ambassador Susan Rice’s blatant KXL conflict of interest. Thursday this week, Politico reported “Susan Rice Withdraws Name From Consideration for Secretary of State.”
Also this week, ABC News reported that a “Texas Judge Halts Oil Pipeline Work: “A Texas judge has ordered TransCanada to temporarily halt work on a private property where it is building part of an oil pipeline designed to carry tar sands oil from Canada to the Gulf Coast, the latest legal battle to plague a project that has encountered numerous obstacles nationwide.”
“Pipeline proposal heading toward showdown over First Nations rights,” by Dene Moore, Vancouver Sun, was published December 13, 2012: “As the review hearings into the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline progress, it seems increasingly likely that the debate about the oil pipeline — an oil pipeline, any oil pipeline — will end in a showdown between the federal government and First Nations over aboriginal rights.”
“Keystone XL walker bound for end of the line,” by Art Hovey, was in the Lincoln Journal Star December 14th. Quoting walker Ken Ilgunas, “When you see devastation from one edge of the horizon to the other, nothing but black and dirt and Armageddon tailings ponds, you change your mind pretty quickly about what the pipeline means.”
From Ken Winston, Nebraska Sierra Club Policy Advocate, click here  for a 2:42 minute Video of Randy Thompson at the Do the Math Tour, telling it like it is.
Quoting “Clinton’s Environmental (XL Pipeline) Failure,” by Bill McKibben, The Daily Beast, sourced to Reader Supported News December 9th: “Hillary isn’t winning many friends among environmentalists with her support of the Keystone Pipeline–and it will be the purest test of whether Obama’s second term will be greener than his first.”
“Not in our interests,” by Stu Luttich, a December 16th Lincoln Journal Star letter to the editor, begins “Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman probably will approve the Environmental Impact Statement and rerouting of the Keystone XL pipeline to skirt the eastern edge of the Nebraska Sandhills as commonly recognized by the U.S. Geological Survey. However, if and when he does, the underlying reason will not be in serving the long-term interests of the people of Nebraska or the nation, because the pipeline is not being constructed to serve the strategic interests of the state or nation. The pipeline is being constructed to serve the economic self-interests of the pipeline company. …Even as the United States currently is importing 25 percent less foreign fossil crude oil than eight or nine years ago, the price at the pump has not declined by the same proportion. Ever wonder why?
It is time for President Obama to draw a line in the tar sands, and reject the Keystone XL pipeline. Click here to sign a CredoAction petition to President Obama. The petition reads: “If you are committed to fighting climate change, you must reject the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. You simply cannot have it both ways.” If you are on Facebook, click here to post the petition to your Wall. If you have a Twitter account, click here to automatically tweet:  Tell @BarackObama: You can’t have it both ways on climate change. Reject the Keystone XL pipeline.
Sign a Natural Resources Defense Council Action Alert telling Congress to reject all attempts to force approval of the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline by attaching it to any unrelated legislation. The Keystone XL will deliver billions in profits to Big Oil while the people get stuck with poisoned water, contaminated land and an overheated planet.
Dear President Obama: 171 reasons to deny the pipeline.
           “The Keystone pipeline will spew a massive amount of carbon pollution into our fragile atmosphere. It should be stopped. ” –Jill Stein, 2012 Green Party Presidential Nominee.

STOP FRACKING NOW . . . 4 Scary New Finds About Fracking This Week, by Tara Lohan for Alternet, adds to the continually growing list of warnings about fracking.
From “Five Effects of Fracking You May Not Know About” by Alyssa Figueroa, AlterNet: “What comes to mind when you think of fracking? Perhaps it’s images of tap water being lit on fire or stories of families suffering health problems after nearby wells are fracked. Indeed, the health and environmental impacts of fracking are being documented, but it’s important to know that fracking is a catalyst for widespread negative consequences.” Petition Congress: “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.”
A new article, “Fracking Our Food Supply,” was published by Reader Supported News, and Truthout published “Fracking’s Health Calamaties Left to Fester,” both on December 1, 2012.

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 Substitute Hemp for oil.“