Category Archives: Green Notes

Green Notes Week of August 22, 2010

August 22, 2010Green Notesgreenone

KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE UPDATE . . . Click here and scroll down the Green Notes Index to learn about the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline if you are new to this website. Green Notes Updates started the week of May 30, 2010. To see photos of what tar sands have done to the Alberta, Canada environment, click here. See CD 2 Green Notes below for details of Tuesday’s Omaha demonstration against the pipeline.
Nebraska has no legislation on the books for regulating the current Keystone I pipeline, nor the proposed XL sand tars pipeline. In light of this year’s Gulf disaster and more recent Michigan tar sands spill, the Lincoln Journal Star has editorialized concern about the project twice. Why it matters that spilled Michigan oil came from tar sands, was posted by Jonathan Hiskes at grist on August 16, 2010. Sunday’s August 22, 2010 Lincoln Journal Star updated TransCanada’s written intent to condemn property if landowners do not sign an easement for pipeline construction. This, before the project is even approved by the Federal Department of State and President Obama. Read “Push coming to shove on pipeline easements” here.
This is not a done deal. Nebraska’s Congressional delegation and the governor need to continue receiving letters, e-mails and phone calls from constituents who demand regulation on the existing tar sands pipeline, expressing concern about building another TransCanada pipeline in our state. Contact information for Nebraska Congressional Representatives: Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, CD-1, 1517 Longworth House Office Bldg., Washington, D.C. 20515, 202.225.4806, 402.438.1598 (Lincoln); Rep. Lee Terry, CD-2, 1524 Longworth HOB, Washington, DC 20515, 202.225.4155, 402.397.9944 (Omaha); Rep. Adrian Smith, CD-3, 503 Cannon House Office Bldg., Washington, DC 20515, 202.225.6435, 888.ADRIAN7 (Toll Free); and Governor Dave Heineman, PO Box 94848, State Capitol Bldg., Lincoln, NE 68509, 402.471.2244. Senator Mike Johanns is at 202.224.4224, 402.476.1400 in Lincoln; and Senator Ben Nelson is at 202.224.6551, 402.441.4600 in Lincoln. Please tell them all that oil pipeline regulations need to be in place, not only to govern the existing pipeline, but also any future pipeline proposed by TransCanada or other environmental exploiters.
Click here to tell Secretary Clinton NOT to grant a permit to TransCanda, tell Gov. Heineman to put forth laws that protect our resources and economic activity and tell President Obama to live up to his promise of clean energy and energy independence.
Remember, every man-made by-product of the petroleum industry could be replaced by hemp. “Help Save the Earth, Time to Subsitute Hemp for Oil.”

Lincoln area: Congressional District 1

CITY FORESTER UPDATE . . . “Lincoln’s city forester retires in wake of restructuring” was posted at the Lincoln Jounal Star website on Thursday, August 19, 2010. Steve Schwab has retired, just days after the Lincoln City Council voted to create a new forester position with stripped-down duties and less pay. Click here and scroll down for background on this issue starting July 25, 2010.

INTEGRATING ORGANICS WITH FEDERAL CONSERVATION PROGRAMS . . . Organic farmers, ranchers, or those transitioning to organic are invited to Ponca State Park, Ponca, Nebraska, on Monday, August 23, 2010, 9:00am to 3:00pm. Learn about federal conservation programs and how to benefit from them at the one day workshop hosted by the Center for Rural Affairs, Organic Farming Research Foundation, Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and Farm Aid. For more information, contact Traci Bruckner by phone at 402.687.2103 ext 1016, or e-mail tracib [at] cfra [dot] org

VIGIL AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY . . . Every Monday, from noon to 1:00pm, Nebraskans for abolition of the death penalty meet in front of the governor’s mansion, 1425 H Street, Lincoln. The lunch-hour presence reminds the governor of a constituency that does not want state killings. Weekly vigils have taken place year-round since July, 1991. All abolitionists are welcome to participate for a few minutes, or the hour. For information about Nebraskans Against the Death Penalty, click here.

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.

LINCOLN GREEN DRINKS . . . Green Drinks will meet in Lincoln on Wednesday, August 25, 2010, 5:30pm to close, at Lazlo’s Brewery and Grill in the Haymarket at 210 North 7th Street. Green Drinks, a self-organizing social network for environmentally interested activists and friends of the Earth, now meets in 721 cities worldwide. For more information, contact Rick Yoder, ryoder [at] mail [dot] unomaha [dot] edu

CONCERTVATION 2010 . . . The Nebraska League of Conservation Voters will host a benefit concert, “Concertvation 2010,” on Thursday, August 26, 2010, at Red 9, 322 South 9th Street, Lincoln. Bands performing in support of the NLCV’s mission of water, land and wildlife conservation initiatives include the Kris Lager Band, Son of ’76, and Stonebelly. The NLCV is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to promoting environmental stewardship across Nebraska, educating about renewable energy solutions and resource conservation. For more information contact Cara Brenner, cbrenner [at] nclv [dot] org or phone 817.729.2666.

OPEN HOUSE AT BOYER CHUTE REFUGE . . . Comprehensive conservation planning begins at Boyer Chute National Wildlife Refuge on Thursday, August 26, 2010, 3:00 to 7:00pm, with an open house for public comments on refuge issues at the NWR office, 720 Rivers Way, Fort Calhoun, Nebraska. Click here for details and contact information.

KZUM MUSIC AND BOOK SALE . . . KZUM-HD, Lincoln’s beacon in the world of community radio at 89.3fm, will hold the Summer Music and Book Sale benefit fundraiser on Friday, August 27, 9:00am to 7:00pm, and Saturday, August 28, 2010, 9:00am to 5:00pm, at the Lincoln Unitarian Church, 6300 A Street. Donate books or music by calling 402.474.5086 ext. 2. Help support community radio, and pick up some great deals on music and books at this annual summer event.

REEFER MADNESS AT NWU . . . The Musical production of “Reefer Madness” opened Thursday, August 19, 2010, at Nebraska Wesleyan University’s McDonald Theatre, 51st Street and Huntington Avenue, Lincoln. This tongue-in-cheek reinterpretation of the 1936 film runs through Sunday, August 29th. For show times, click here. The cast list is here. For tickets, phone 402.465.2384.

GROW AND SHARE . . . Local gardeners can take excess fruits and vegetables to Campbell’s Nurseries, 2342 South 40th and 7000 South 56th Street, Lincoln, every Monday and Tuesday during summer. Food will be collected for the Food Bank of Lincoln, and distributed to 65 Southeast Nebraska agencies serving low-income people and families. Gardeners can also drop off produce at the Food Bank, 4840 Doris Bair Circle–about three blocks north of 48th and Superior, Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm. Click here for tips on how to process produce for sharing. For more information, contact Cory Priefert at Campbell’s, 402.423.4556, ext. 233; or Cheri Lawrence at the Food Bank, 402.466.8170, ext. 106.

ARTS IN THE PARKS . . . Arts in the Parks continues for the second weekend with Festivals in two Lincoln parks. The Neighborhood Festival Series events will be at Peach Park, 14th & Peach Streets, 6:00 to 8:00pm, Saturday, August 28, at Cooper Park, Sixth & D Streets, Sunday, August 29, 2010. The events are free and all are welcome.

LINCOLN FARMERS MARKETS . . . Locally grown produce and baked goods are available at Lincoln Farmers Markets five of the seven week days. Saturdays through October 9th, the Haymarket Farmers Market is open from 8:00am to noon. The Old Cheney Road Garden Market at 55th Street and Old Cheney Road (behind the Lincoln Racquet Club) is open from 10:00am to 2:00pm every Sunday through November 7th. Other Lincoln Markets include
— Havelock Farmers Market, behind the businesses at 62nd and 63rd Streets and Havelock Avenue, Wednesdays 3:00 to 6:30pm, May 5 to October 27th.
— Piedmont Farmers Market, 1265 South Cotner Blvd. Saturdays 8:00am to noon, May 15 to September 18. Vendor spots available. Call Randy Nelsen at 467-2777.
— Centennial Mall Garden Market, 14th and M streets, east side of the Nebraska State Office building. Wednesdays noon to 4:00pm, July 7 to August 25th.
— Community Crops Farmers Market, Pentzer Park, 27th and Potter (2 blocks north of 27th and Holdrege), Thursdays, 4:30-7:30pm, June 3 through September 30, 2010.
— Backyard Farmer’s Market and Exchange, Tuesdays, 4:30 to 7:30pm, in the St. Paul United Church of Christ parking lot at 1302 “F” Street, June 1st through September 28, 2010.

Omaha area: Congressional District 2

PROTEST KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE . . . Guardians of the Good Life will rally to protest the XL tar sands pipeline on Tuesday, August 24, 2010, 5:00 to 7:00pm, at 90th & Maple, in Omaha. Walk, bike, or carpool to the rally if possible. If you drive, try parking in the southwest corner lot of Westlake Hardware. Help educate and raise awareness of the proposed Keystone XL tar sands pipeline threat to the fragile ecosystem of the entire region.

OMAHA PEACE VIGILS . . . Omaha peacemakers vigil every Wednesday, 4:30-5:30pm, at StratCom/UN-O, 6801 Pine Street, east of the Scott Technology Center on the UN-O campus. Free parking is available at the NE Corner of 67th Street and Pine in a student lot. For more information, phone Jerry Ebner, 402.502.5887. Every Saturday, 1:00-2:00pm, there is an Anti-War and Peace Vigil at 72nd and Dodge Streets. Contact Steve Horn at 402.426.9068.

OMAHA PEOPLE’S FILM FESTIVAL . . . There is a People’s Film Festival every Wednesday evening, 7:00pm, at McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe, 38th and Harney in Omaha. The event is always free and open to the public. This week’s film is “This Emotional Life – Episode 2: Family, Friends and Lovers,” The second episode in a three part series, looks at emotions commonly regarded as obstacles to happiness — anger, fear, anxiety, and despair. For more information, click here. The People’s Film Festival – Expanding Political Consciousness Since 2004.

SUSTAINABLE FARM TOUR AND PICNIC . . The Omaha Sierra Club will host a Sustainable Farm Tour and Pot Luck Picnic on Thursday, August 26, 2010, at Rhizosphere Farm, 3650 North 252nd Street, Waterloo, Nebraska. The optional picnic starts at 6:00pm. The farm tour starts at 7:00pm. Click here and scroll down for directions to the farm.

OMAHA FARMERS MARKETS . . .Global research confirms food choices contribute the highest percentage to our carbon footprint; even more than transportation. The advantages of shopping locally go far beyond environmental impact. Farmers markets are the best way to choose local. Click here for a list of Omaha area Farmers Markets including Benson, Bellevue, Papillion, Auburn, Beemer, Bennington, Falls City, Plattsmouth, and Wayne, Nebraska; Glenwood, Council Bluffs, and Griswold, Iowa.

Greater Nebraska: Congressional District 3

WORKSHOP ON LIVESTOCK COMPETITION . . . Friday, August 27, 2010, the USDA and Department of Justice will host an historic workshop on competition in the livestock industry to address issues of buyer power, concentration in livestock markets and enforcement of the Packers and Stockyards Act.[pdf] U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will open the workshop and participate in a roundtable discussion. There will be public testimony, and panels will feature ranchers, academics, processors and industry representatives. A bus chartered by the Independent Cattlemen of Nebraska is offering free transportation to Colorado State University, Lory Student Center, 1101 Centre Avenue Mall, Fort Collins, for the one-day event. 8:45am to 6:30pm. Find a registration form here. Fill out the form, and phone Destry Brown, 308.458.2244, to reserve a seat on the bus. There will be pick-up locations in Grand Island, Burwell, Dunning, Hyannis, Alliance and Sidney, Nebraska. There is no cost to ride the bus, leaving the afternoon/evening of Thursday, August 26th, returning to Nebraska Friday evening. A large turnout at the workshop will send a message that farmers want action to reverse the ongoing concentration and vertical integration in U.S. markets to preserve the future of family farm and ranch livestock production. The workshop is free and open to the public. The only expense will be for cost of meals and the overnight stay. A block of rooms is reserved. For more details about the Colorado workshop, click here.

PEACE WORKERS MEETING . . . Central Nebraska Peace Workers will meet on Sunday, August 29, 2010, 3:00pm, at the home of Del and Carolyn Roper, 906 Bell Street, in Grand Island, Nebraska. This will be a combined business and social pot luck gathering. Beverages and tableware will be provided. All Peacemakers are welcome. For more information, e-mail ceryf [at] windstream [dot] com.

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 in expanded space 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 says WHO DO YOU GOODSEARCH FOR? 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!

We are no longer the alternative; we are the imperative. –Rosa Clemente

Green Notes Week of August 15, 2010

August 15, 2010Green Notesgreenone

KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE UPDATE . . . Click here and scroll down the Green Notes Index to learn about the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline if you are new to this website. The pipeline issue has been updated every week since May 30, 2010. To see photos of what tar sands have done to the Alberta, Canada environment, click here.
Nebraska has no legislation on the books for regulating the current Keystone I pipeline, nor the proposed XL sand tars pipeline. In light of this year’s Gulf disaster and more recent Michigan tar sands spill, the Lincoln Journal Star has editorialized concern about the project here and here. “Keystone XL letters causing stir in state,” published August 15, 2010, reports on certified letters TransCanada sent Nebraska landowners along the proposed pipeline route recently, urging them to sign easements in the next 30 days or face land condemnation proceedings.
Nebraska’s Congressional delegation and the governor need to continue receiving letters, e-mails and phone calls from constituents who demand regulation on the existing tar sands pipeline, expressing concern about building another TransCanada pipeline in our state. Contact information for Nebraska Congressional Representatives: Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, CD-1, 1517 Longworth House Office Bldg., Washington, D.C. 20515, 202.225.4806, 402.438.1598 (Lincoln); Rep. Lee Terry, CD-2, 1524 Longworth HOB, Washington, DC 20515, 202.225.4155, 402.397.9944 (Omaha); Rep. Adrian Smith, CD-3, 503 Cannon House Office Bldg., Washington, DC 20515, 202.225.6435, 888.ADRIAN7 (Toll Free); and Governor Dave Heineman, PO Box 94848, State Capitol Bldg., Lincoln, NE 68509, 402.471.2244. Senator Mike Johanns is at 202.224.4224, 402.476.1400 in Lincoln; and Senator Ben Nelson is at 202.224.6551, 402.441.4600 in Lincoln. Please tell them all that oil pipeline regulations need to be in place, not only to govern the existing pipeline, but also any future pipeline proposed by TransCanada or other environmental exploiters.
Click here to tell Secretary Clinton NOT to grant a permit to TransCanda, tell Gov. Heineman to put forth laws that protect our resources and economic activity and tell President Obama to live up to his promise of clean energy and energy independence.
Remember, every man-made by-product of the petroleum industry could be replaced by hemp. “Help Save the Earth, Time to Subsitute Hemp for Oil.”

WEEKEND WITHOUT OIL: Join the national Call to Action, Friday, August 20 and Saturday, August 21, 2010. Click here to sign the pledge and find a list of starting point ways to reduce personal oil consumption.

Lincoln area: Congressional District 1

CITY FORESTER UPDATE . . . The Lincoln City Council heard public testimony on the Mayor’s proposed budget Monday, August 9, 2010. On Wednesday, Council voted to restore funding for the Forester position, but the job, as it exists today, will disappear. After 21 years as City Forester, Steve Schwab will now have to apply for the new, lower-paying forester job if he decides to continue work for the City. Click here to read Lincoln Journal Star coverage of the City Council budget vote.

MIDWEST RURAL ASSEMBLY . . . The second annual Midwest Rural Assembly will be Monday and Tuesday, August 16 and 17, 2010, in South Sioux City, Nebraska. There will be twenty learning roundtables on rural issues hosted by the Center for Rural Affairs staff. Learn more and register online here. Phone 402.687.2103 1017 or e-mail virginia [at] cfra [dot] org with questions.

MARI SANDOZ AND JOHN NEIHARDT REMEMBERED . . . Ron Hull, senior advisor to Nebraska Educational Telecommunications, will share personal reminiscences of Mari Sandoz and John Neihardt, Thursday, August 19, 2010, noon, at the Nebraska History Museum, 15th & P Streets. Hull will discuss the authors’ distinctive approaches to writing, and their friendship with each other. The presentation is free and open to the public. For more information, phone 402.471.4754.

ALTERNATIVES TO THE MILITARY ANNUAL . . . The Annual Alternatives to The Military Peacemaker of the Year Pot Luck Supper will be Thursday, August 19, 2010, 6:00pm, at Christ United Methodist Church, 4530 A Street, in Lincoln. Jack Gould, co-founder of Common Cause-Nebraska, who almost single-handedly keeps press focused on the revolving door between government and lobbyists, is Peacemaker of the Year 2010. Alternatives to the Military, founded in 1991, leaflets and tables at Lincoln high schools twice each year. ATM also provides school libraries, media centers, and counseling centers with alternatives literature, to help students learn the truth about military promises in exchange for fighting and dying in constant wars and occupations. Everyone is welcome. To rsvp, e-mail mjberry [at] inebraska [dot] com

REEFER MADNESS AT NWU . . . The curtain opens Thursday, August 19, 2010, 7:30pm, for the Musical production of “Reefer Madness” at Nebraska Wesleyan University’s McDonald Theatre, 51st Street and Huntington Avenue, Lincoln. This tongue-in-cheek reinterpretation of the 1936 film will run through Sunday, August 29th. For show times, click here. The cast list is here. For tickets, phone 402.465.2384.

HEMPSTOCK NEBRASKA . . . POSTPONED: The Douglas Village Board voted to DENY HEMP Nebraska a special use permit for this event.

WACHISKA AUDUBON SUNRISE FIELD TRIP . . . Sunday, August 22, 2010, the public is invited to carpool and caravan with Wachiska Audubon for a sunrise visit to North Lake Basin Wildlife Management Area near Utica, Nebraska. Wading birds, ibises, egrets, and other herons often visit wetlands in the area during summer dispersal and fall migration. Meet at 15th & H Streets in Lincoln, at 5:30am, to begin the trip together. For more information, phone John Carlini at 402.475.7275.

LINCOLN FARMERS MARKETS . . . Locally grown produce and baked goods are available at Lincoln Farmers Markets five of the seven week days. Saturdays through October 9th, the Haymarket Farmers Market is open from 8:00am to noon. The Old Cheney Road Garden Market at 55th Street and Old Cheney Road (behind the Lincoln Racquet Club) is open from 10:00am to 2:00pm every Sunday through November 7th. Other Lincoln Markets include;
— Havelock Farmers Market, behind the businesses at 62nd and 63rd Streets and Havelock Avenue, Wednesdays 3:00 to 6:30pm, May 5 to October 27th.
— Piedmont Farmers Market, 1265 South Cotner Blvd. Saturdays 8:00am to noon, May 15 to September 18. Vendor spots available. Call Randy Nelsen at 467-2777.
— Centennial Mall Garden Market, 14th and M streets, east side of the Nebraska State Office building. Wednesdays noon to 4:00pm, July 7 to August 25th.
— Community Crops Farmers Market, Pentzer Park, 27th and Potter (2 blocks north of 27th and Holdrege), Thursdays, 4:30-7:30pm, June 3 through September 30, 2010.
— Backyard Farmer’s Market and Exchange, Tuesdays, 4:30 to 7:30pm, in the St. Paul United Church of Christ parking lot at 1302 “F” Street, June 1st through September 28, 2010.

Omaha area: Congressional District 2

OMAHA PEOPLE’S FILM FESTIVAL . . . There is a People’s Film Festival every Wednesday evening, 7:00pm, at McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe, 38th and Harney in Omaha. The event is always free and open to the public. This week’s film is “Arranged,” about the friendship between two women young women, one a Muslim and one an Orthodox Jew, both involved in arranged marriages. Click here to watch the trailer. For more information, click here. The People’s Film Festival – Expanding Political Consciousness Since 2004.

19TH ANNIVERSARY OF PULSE OMAHA . . . People Uniting Lending Support & Encouragement, PULSE, will celebrate nearly two decades of service to the Omaha community with a benefit concert by jazz guitarist Calvin Keys and his trio on Thursday, August 19, 2010, at 1316 Jones Street, from 7:00 to 11:00pm. PULSE is a non-profit organization offering comprehensive long-term support for secondary victims of homicide. Learn more about PULSE here. Purchase tickets in advance by calling 402.898.6053.

COUNTDOWN TO ZERO . . . An exclusive profile of “Countdown to Zero,” including interviews with the film’s director, and producter, will open at Film Streams Ruth Sokolof Theater, 1340 Mike Fahey Street, Omaha, on Friday, August 20, 2010. The new documentary traces the history of the atomic bomb from its origins to the present state of global affairs with nine nations possessing nuclear weapons capabilities. From Entertainment Weekly, “It’s the rare piece of political filmmaking that could unite the left and the right. It makes getting rid of nuclear weapons as less a ’cause’ than an imperative.” The film will run through Thursday, August 26th. For a schedule of showings, and to watch the trailer, click here.

Greater Nebraska: Congressional District 3

TRANSPORTATION SUMMITS . . . Monday, August 16, 2010, Representative Adrian Smith will host the first transportation summit to discuss Nebraska’s highways, railroads, motor carriers and aviation infrastructure. The public, government officials, and business owners in Congressional District 3 are invited to the free summits. The schedule is as follows: August 16, 10:00am and 1:00pm MT, in Gering; August 17, 10:00am and 1:00pm CT in North Platte; and August 18, 10:00am and 1:00pm CT in Grand Island, Nebraska. Click here for summit locations.

PAWNEE SPEAKERS SERIES . . . The Pawnee were pre-Nebraskan settlers, farming and hunting on the Plains. A 2010 August Speakers Series will present a glimpse of their Culture every Sunday afternoon, 3:00pm, at The Pawnee Arts Center, 106 South Mill Street, Dannebrog, Nebraska. Sunday, August 22nd, Roger Welsch, Nebraska author, folklorist, and historian, will present “Earth Lodges and Sod Houses.” The Center will open at noon. Light refreshments will be available after the program. There is a suggested donation. Phone Gale Pemberton, 308.226.8286, or e-mail gale1938 [at] live [dot] com for more information.

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 in expanded space at 1618 South Street. Buying local grows family farming, grows the local economy, and is thousands of miles fresher.

We are no longer the alternative; we are the imperative. –Rosa Clemente

Green Notes Week of August 8, 2010

August 8, 2010Green Notesgreenone

KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE UPDATE . . . Another Lincoln Journal Star Editorial on the tar sands pipeline, “Michigan oil spill holds lessons,” was published on August 4, 2010. It begins “The oil spill from a pipeline in Michigan last week justifiably adds to fears about the safety of the proposed TransCanada Keystone XL pipeline that would carry oil across Nebraska’s fragile Sand Hills.” As reported in Green Notes last week, Nebraska has no legislation on the books for regulating the current Keystone I pipeline, nor the proposed XL sand tars pipeline. The Editorial ends with this: “The obvious lesson from the mess in Michigan is that promises of safety and quick response to spills are not always kept. An effective safety system should include inspections, monitoring and adequate spill response planning. Before the State Department approves the Keystone XL project, it should ensure that all these elements are in place.”
An August 5th LJS article reported that TransCanada “responded to critics Thursday by dropping its proposal to run the pipeline at a higher pressure level and agreeing to follow U.S. safety standards for the project.” August 7th, LJS reported that members of the Rainforest Action Network and Friends of the Earth in Chicago protested the XL pipeline with a banner over Lake Shore Drive during rush hour on Thursday. President Obama made several Chicago appearances that day. The banner asked him to “Block the Keystone Pipeline and Stop the Tar Sands.” Protesters also demonstrated outside the Palmer House where Obama spoke. To see photos of what tar sands have done to the Alberts, Canada environment, click here. Click here for David Suzuki’s two part program about oil sands on “The Bottom Line.” Click here for the CBC Radio podcast.
Nebraska’s Congressional delegation and the governor need to continue getting letters, e-mails and phone calls from constituents who demand oil pipeline regulation in our state. Contact information for Nebraska Congressional Representatives: Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, CD-1, 1517 Longworth House Office Bldg., Washington, D.C. 20515, 202.225.4806, 402.438.1598 (Lincoln); Rep. Lee Terry, CD-2, 1524 Longworth HOB, Washington, DC 20515, 202.225.4155, 402.397.9944 (Omaha); Rep. Adrian Smith, CD-3, 503 Cannon House Office Bldg., Washington, DC 20515, 202.225.6435, 888.ADRIAN7 (Toll Free); and Governor Dave Heineman, PO Box 94848, State Capitol Bldg., Lincoln, NE 68509, 402.471.2244. Senator Mike Johanns is at 202.224.4224, 402.476.1400 in Lincoln; and Senator Ben Nelson is at 202.224.6551, 402.441.4600 in Lincoln. Please tell them all that oil pipeline regulations need to be in place, not only to govern the existing pipeline, but also any future pipeline proposed by TransCanada or any other environmental exploiter.
Click here to send a message to Secretary Clinton, NOT to grant a permit to TransCanda, tell Governor Heineman to put forth laws that protect our resources and economic activity, and tell President Obama to live up to his promise of clean energy and energy independence.
And remember, every man-made by-product of the petroleum industry could be replaced by hemp. “Help Save the Earth, Time to Subsitute Hemp for Oil.”

Lincoln area: Congressional District 1

SUPPORT LINCOLN’S TREES . . . On Monday, August 9, 2010, at 2:15pm and 6:30pm, the Lincoln City Council will hear public testimony on the Mayor’s proposed budget at the County City Building, 555 South 10th Street, Room 112. Supporters of Save Lincoln’s Trees, and EveryOne concerned with his plan to eliminate the City Forester position is needed to attend one or both sessions of this public hearing. Read an August 5, 2010 letter to the editor of Lincoln Journal Star, “Rethink Forestry Plan,” here, and an August 8th letter, “Keep the forester,” here. Trees are the hallmark of the Arbor Day Foundation headquartered in Lincoln. On Tuesday, workers will begin installing a “green roof” on the Foundation’s administrative building. A strong show of public support on Monday will send a clear message to the Council that Lincoln needs a City Forester. Wear green. If you want to testify, e-mail Mary Schwab at Ohair42 [at] aol [dot] com

LEARN ABOUT TAI CHI . . . A community education program on tai chi will be Tuesday, August 10, 2010, 7:00 to 8:30pm, at BryanLGH Medical Center East Conference Center, 1600 South 48th Street. Longtime practitioner Otto Altobelli will lead the presentation, followed by participant movements. To register, click here or phone 402.481.8886.

FORTENBERRY TOWN HALL . . . Nebraska’s Congressional District 1 Representative Jeff Fortenberry will hold a Lincoln Town Hall meeting on Wednesday, August 11, 2010, 7:00pm, at Lincoln Southwest High School, 7001 South 14 Street. This is an opportunity to bring up the Keystone XL pipeline issue, or any other topic of personal concern.

JOHNSGARD AT WACHISKA MEETING . . . University of Nebraska-Lincoln ornithology professor emeritus Paul Johnsgard will speak about Nebraska’s Sandhill cranes and other spring birds at the monthly Wachiska Audubon meeting, Thursday, August 12, 2010, 7:00pm, in Room 3 of the Union College Dick Administration Building, 3800 South 48th Street, Lincoln. Johnsgard has written more than 50 books on nature topics, many of them about birds and their habitats. Refreshments will be served after the program. For more information, call the Wachiska office at 402.486.4846.

MIDWEST RURAL ASSEMBLY . . . The second annual Midwest Rural Assembly will be Monday and Tuesday,August 16 and 17, 2010, in South Sioux City, Nebraska. There will be twenty learning roundtables on rural issues hosted by Center for Rural Affairs. Learn more and register online here. Phone 402.687.2103 1017 or e-mail virginia [at] cfra [dot] org with questions.

LINCOLN FARMERS MARKETS . . . Locally grown produce and baked goods are available at Lincoln Farmers Markets five of the seven week days. Saturdays through October 9th, the Haymarket Farmers Market is open from 8:00am to noon. The Old Cheney Road Garden Market at 55th Street and Old Cheney Road (behind the Lincoln Racquet Club) is open from 10:00am to 2:00pm every Sunday through November 7th. Other Lincoln Markets include;
— Havelock Farmers Market, behind the businesses at 62nd and 63rd Streets and Havelock Avenue, Wednesdays 3:00 to 6:30pm, May 5 to October 27th.
— Piedmont Farmers Market, 1265 South Cotner Blvd. Saturdays 8:00am to noon, May 15 to September 18. Vendor spots available. Call Randy Nelsen at 467-2777.
— Centennial Mall Garden Market, 14th and M streets, east side of the Nebraska State Office building. Wednesdays noon to 4:00pm, July 7 to August 25th.
— Community Crops Farmers Market, Pentzer Park, 27th and Potter (2 blocks north of 27th and Holdrege), Thursdays, 4:30-7:30pm, June 3 through September 30, 2010.
— Backyard Farmer’s Market and Exchange, Tuesdays, 4:30 to 7:30pm, in the St. Paul United Church of Christ parking lot at 1302 “F” Street, June 1st through September 28, 2010.

Omaha area: Congressional District 2

CLOSING CEREMONY AT STRATCOM . . . The annual weekend of vigils at Kenny Gate, Offutt Air Force Base, commemorating the 1945 U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, ended Sunday, August 8, 2010. Monday, August 9, there will be a Closing Ceremony with prayer circle and line crossing at 11:00am. Long time Omaha peace activists Peg Gallagher, Father Jack McCaslin and military veteran Mark Kenney are planning to “cross the line.” Gallagher, McCaslin and Kenney have long histories of protesting at STRATCOM, because of their deeply held belief in nonviolence. Father Jack is 81 years old. Gallagher is 91. All three will be risking jail, again, for their convictions, and need the support of Omaha’s peace community Monday morning. Join them in their action, or just be there in solidarity. For driving directions to Kenny Gate click here, and scroll down past the map. Phone Jerry Ebner, 402.502.5887, or e-mail cwomaha [at] gmail [dot] com for more information.

OMAHA PEACE VIGILS . . . Omaha peacemakers vigil every Wednesday, 4:30-5:30pm, at StratCom/UN-O, 6801 Pine Street, east of the Scott Technology Center on the Un-O campus. Free parking is available at the NE Corner of 67th Street and Pine in a student lot. For more information, phone Jerry Ebner, 402.502.5887. Every Saturday, 1:00-2:00pm, there is an Anti-War and Peace Vigil at 72nd and Dodge Streets. Contact Steve Horn at 402.426.9068.

OMAHA PEOPLE’S FILM FESTIVAL . . . There is a People’s Film Festival every Wednesday evening, 7:00pm, at McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe, 38th and Harney in Omaha. The event is always free and open to the public. This week the Festival will host “The Conspiracy Tour,” a whirlwind, month-long excursion across the continental United States to raise awareness of and solidarity for political activists facing severe state repression. For more information, click here. The People’s Film Festival – Expanding Political Consciousness Since 2004.

PROGRESSIVE OMAHA MEETING . . . Saturday, August 14, 2010, Progressive Omaha will meet at 4924 Chicago in Dundee, from 6:00 to 9:00pm. The speakers will be Christian Gray, Executive Director of inCOMMON Community Development, and Howard Dotson, from Neighbors United, inCOMMON’s partner group. There will be a pot luck supper from 6:00 to 7:00, speakers from 7:00 to 8:00, and business with social time from 8:00 to 9:00pm. All are welcome. E-mail kabrams123 [at] cox [dot] net for more information.

Greater Nebraska: Congressional District 3

PAWNEE SPEAKERS SERIES . . . The Pawnee were pre-Nebraskan settlers, farming and hunting on the Plains. A 2010 August Speakers Series will present a glimpse of their Culture every Sunday afternoon, 3:00pm, at The Pawnee Arts Center, 106 South Mill Street, Dannebrog, Nebraska. Sunday, August 15th, Jean Lukesh, Nebraska author, educator, and historian, will present “The North Brothers and Their Pawnee Scouts,” an understanding of the friendships and services Pawnee extended to the settlers. The Center will open at noon. Light refreshments will be available after the program. There is a suggested donation. Phone Gale Pemberton, 308.226.8286, or e-mail gale1938 [at] live [dot] com for more information.

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 in expanded space at 1618 South Street. Buying local grows family farming, grows the local economy, and is thousands of miles fresher.

We are no longer the alternative; we are the imperative. –Rosa Clemente

Green Notes Week of August 1, 2010

August 1, 2010Green Notesgreenone

KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE UPDATE . . . A July 26, 2010, earth2lincoln broadcast on KZUM, 89.3fm (6:00pm every Monday), revealed that there is *no* regulation legislation in Nebraska, for the current Keystone I pipeline, nor for the proposed XL pipeline. Listen to the interview here. To see photos of what tar sands have done to the Alberta, Canada environment, click here.
Now, two leaks have already been discovered, both in South Dakota, at the brand-new Keystone I pipeline, before the operation is even in production. A report on the May 2010 leak, revealed by Plains Justice, is here. The June 20, 2010 leak is covered here.
A Lincoln Journal-Star Editorial on July 27th, Keystone XL pipeline needs more study begins “The Environmental Protection Agency is right. The draft statement on the environmental impact of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline is inadequate. More work is needed.” Further, “The draft is full of omissions and oversights. The current statement does not deserve approval. We are pleased that the State Department on Monday extended the Sept. 15 deadline by 90 days for federal agencies to comment on the draft, but that’s not enough. The problems should be fixed and the public should get another chance to comment on the revised statement.” Read the entire editorial here.
Ruptured Oil Pipe Sends 877,000 Gallons of Crude Oil into Kalamazoo River, Threatening People and Wildlife covers last week’s Michigan spill, the largest ever oil disaster in the Midwest. The AlterNet article is from July 30, 2010.
The State Department comment period expired July 2nd, but Nebraska’s Congressional delegation and the governor need to continue getting letters, e-mails and phone calls from constituents calling for oil pipeline regulation in Nebraska. Contact Nebraska Congressional Representatives: Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, CD-1, 1517 Longworth House Office Bldg., Washington, D.C. 20515, 202.225.4806, 402.438.1598 (Lincoln); Rep. Lee Terry, CD-2, 1524 Longworth HOB, Washington, DC 20515, 202.225.4155, 402.397.9944 (Omaha); Rep. Adrian Smith, CD-3, 503 Cannon House Office Bldg., Washington, DC 20515, 202.225.6435, 888.ADRIAN7 (Toll Free); and Governor Dave Heineman, PO Box 94848, State Capitol Bldg., Lincoln, NE 68509, 402.471.2244. Senator Mike Johanns is at 202.224.4224, 402.476.1400 in Lincoln; and Senator Ben Nelson is at 202.224.6551, 402.441.4600 in Lincoln. Please tell them all that oil pipeline regulations need to be in place, not only to govern the existing pipeline, but also any future pipeline proposed by TransCanada or any other environmental exploiter.
Click here to tell Secretary Clinton NOT to grant a permit to TransCanda, tell Gov. Heineman to put forth laws that protect our resources and economic activity and tell President Obama to live up to his promise of clean energy and energy independence.
And remember, every man-made by-product of the petroleum industry could be replaced by hemp. Read “Help Save the Earth, Time to Subsitute Hemp for Oil” here.

Lincoln area: Congressional District 1

REMEMBERING HIROSHIMA-NAGASAKI . . . The first U.S. performance of “Foie Gras and the Public Servant,” by Hayashi Kyoko, victim of the bombing of Nagasaki, will be part of a program on Friday, August 6, 2010, 7:00pm, at the Lincoln Unitarian Church, 6300 “A” Street. Local actors David Landis, William Gaines and Hanna Day-Woodruff will perform the leads in this “reading performance” of what was originally a radio play. For more information, e-mail Paul Olson, polson2 [at] unlnotes [dot] unl [dot] edu

REMEMBRANCE CONTINUES . . . The 2010 Hiroshima-Nagasaki Lantern Float commemoration will be Saturday, August 7, 2010, 7:00pm, at Lincoln’s Holmes Lake. The program will be a mixture of music, poetry and reflection, culminating with the lantern float at nightfall. The purpose of the event is to remind us of what happened and to affirm that such events never occur again. For a schedule of the evening’s events, scroll down here.

Omaha area: Congressional District 2

BENEFIT FOR OMAHA BIKES . . . Monday, August 2, 2010, 7:30pm to 10:00pm, Tom Snyders, “The Bicycling Comedian,” will perform a one-night-only comedy show “You Can’t Bring That Bike in Here!” for the benefit of Omaha Bikes, a community organization promoting improved transportation, utility, and recreational bicycling infrastructure, opportunities and experiences in Omaha. The fundraiser will be at Barley’s Bar & Grill, 1510 Cuming Street. Now pedaling through the Midwest, Snyders has performed in more than 200 comedy clubs, riding his bicycle to each performance, accumulating more than 150,000 miles in all 50 states and 33 countries on six continents. For details, click here.

STOP THE PIPELINE DEMONSTRATION . . . Weekly demonstrations promoting clean energy and an end to plans for the Keystone XL Pipeline will continue throughout the summer. This week, the demonstration will be Tuesday, August 3, 2010, 5:00 to 7:00pm, on the northeast corner of 90th & Dodge Street in Omaha. Help by holding a burma shave type sign during part or all of the rally.

TIBETAN MONKS IN OMAHA . . . Tuesday, August 3, through Sunday, August 8, 2010, the Tibetan monks of Gaden Shartse Monastery in exile at Mundgod, India, will present a week of cultural events at the OM Center, 1216 Howard Street, Omaha. For a schedule of the week’s events, click here and scroll down.

OMAHA PEOPLE’S FILM FESTIVAL . . . There is a People’s Film Festival every Wednesday evening, 7:00pm, at McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe, 38th and Harney in Omaha. The event is always free and open to the public. This week’s film is “Trouble Behind,” a film that shows how present and past are tied together in a seemingly typical American town, Corbin, Kentucky, home of Kentucky Fried Chicken. For more information, click here. The People’s Film Festival – Expanding Political Consciousness Since 2004.

STOP THE PIPELINE MEETING . . . A new group organized around support for clean, renewable energy, will meet Friday, August 6, 2010, 6:30pm, on the back patio of Caffeine Dreams Coffee Shop, 4524 Farnam Street, (one block west of Saddle Creek). The group is dedicated to stopping the Keystone XL Pipeline.

ANNUAL VIGILS AT STRATCOM . . . The annual weekend of vigils at the gates of Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue, home of the Strategic Nuclear and U.S. Military Space Commands, will begin Thursday evening, August 5, 2010, with a 6:00pm Mass and Pot Luck Supper at the Omaha Catholic Worker, 1104 North 24th Street, Omaha. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, August 6, 7 and 8, vigils will be at the Kenny Gate of STRATCom, 8:00am to 5:00pm, commemorating the anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. Click here for a full schedule of events and details. Monday, August 9, there will be a vigil and Closing Ceremony (including line crossing) from 8:00 to 11:00am. Phone Jerry Ebner, 402.502.5887, or e-mail cwomaha [at] gmail [dot] com for more information.

HIKE FONTENELLE FOREST . . . The Missouri Valley Sierra Club will host a perimeter hike of Fontenelle Forest, open to all, on Saturday, August 7, 2010. Meet at the Nature Center, 1111 Bellevue Blvd. North, Bellevue, at 10:00am. For more information, e-mail bobbygoetschkes [at] hotmail [dot] com

Greater Nebraska: Congressional District 3

PAWNEE SPEAKERS SERIES . . . The Pawnee were pre-Nebraskan settlers, farming and hunting on the Plains. A 2010 August Speakers Series will present a glimpse of their Culture every Sunday afternoon, 3:00pm, at The Pawnee Arts Center, 106 South Mill Street, Dannebrog, Nebraska. Sunday, August 8th, Ronnie O’Brien, Education Director of the Kearney Archway, will present ” Building the Earth Lodge,” an understanding of where the Pawnee lived. The Center will open at noon. Light refreshments will be available after the program. There is a suggested donation. Phone Gale Pemberton, 308.226.8286, or e-mail gale1938 [at] live [dot] com for more information.

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 in expanded space at 1618 South Street. Buying local grows family farming, grows the local economy, and is thousands of miles fresher.

We are no longer the alternative; we are the imperative. –Rosa Clemente

Green Notes Week of July 25, 2010

July 25, 2010Green Notesgreenone

EARTH CIRCLE . . . On the first day of each month, people around the world stop for five minutes to visualize peace and focus on new levels of kindness, understanding, and compassion necessary for collectively facing the challenges of the 21st century. NewDimensions invites peacemakers everywhere to join at 4:00pm Greenwich Mean Time, 10:00am in Lincoln and Omaha, 9:00am in District 3 where Mountain Time begins, on Sunday, August 1, 2010, with the intention of deep healing for the Planet and all its people. Click here for more information about Earth Circle.

MOST BENEVOLENT OUTCOME REQUEST FOR THE GULF . . . “I am asking that the molecules of oil in the waters of the Gulf and other places where they are migrating now mutate and transform into a benign and benevolent form of existence that is totally compatible with the natural ocean and all life within it, resulting in the most benevolent outcome for all beings.” For more information about Benevolent Outcomes, click here.

TRANSCANADA KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE . . . Last week’s major development in the ongoing Nebraska effort to stop the Keystone XL Pipeline came with publication on Wednesday of an Environmental Protection Agency letter to the State Department saying the draft Environmental Impact Study for TransCanada’s proposed oil pipeline is inadequate and should be revised. “EPA: Keystone XL impact statement needs revising,” and “Nebraska pipeline opponents applaud EPA stance” report that as Nebraska groups hosted an Interactive Pipeline Summit calling attention to concerns about the proposed pipeline, word spread that the EPA has concerns as well. The EPA also wants another public comment period. For a 6:20 minute BBC report on TransCanada and tar sands oil, click here.
A July 18, 2010 Grand Island Independent article, “Pipeline Expansion: State’s hands tied,” quotes senators saying Nebraska has little impact on the upcoming federal decision to allow or deny pipeline expansion, but organizers against the project do not agree. An AlterNet article, Game Changer: EPA Asserts Tar Sands Pipeline Environmental Analysis is Inadequate reports that the State Department’s draft Environmental Impact Statement asserts that the EIS is “woefully deficient” because “the Draft EIS does not provide the scope or detail of analysis necessary to fully inform decision makers and the public, and we recommend that additional information and analysis be provided.”
In Omaha, weekly meetings of an as-yet-unnamed citizens group dedicated to stopping the pipeline are on the back patio of Caffeine Dreams Coffee Shop, 4524 Farnam Street, one block west of Saddle Creek, 6:30pm every Friday. The group, in support of clean, renewable energy for Nebraska, also plans weekly demonstrations throughout the summer. EveryOne is welcome to get involved in this campaign. Click here for background from the Green Notes index. Then schroll down for updates published before the first comment period ended July 2, 2010.
Green Notes will continue to update this issue as new information becomes available. Reminder: Every man-made by-product of the petroleum industry could be replaced by hemp. Read “Help Save the Earth, Time to Subsitute Hemp for Oil” here.

Lincoln area: Congressional District 1

UPDATE ON LINCOLN’S FORESTRY DEPARTMENT . . . The mayor’s initial proposed budget for 2010-2011 cut the Community Forestry Program eliminating the positions of City Forester and two certified arborists. Sunday, July 18th, sixty mph winds knocked over two 50- to 60- foot city trees. City arborists responded to 35 calls to remove tree limbs from cars and streets after the midnight thunderstorm. A July 19, 2010 letter to the Lincoln Journal-Star editor, “Pros are needed,” called on the mayor to restore the positions. Following a letter-writing campaign, the mayor backed off on some budget cuts, restoring the two arborist positions. A summary of the new proposed budget changes is here.
The City Forester position has not been restored. A Saturday, July 24th rally at Antelope Park in support of Steve Schwab, with 21 years of local experience, is reported here. It indicates “On August 9, the City Council will vote on the elimination of the position. Four of seven votes would be needed to save the forester position.
For more information, click here. Scroll all the way down to find direct links and contact information for the mayor’s office, and the City Council. If you value Our trees, parks and trails, please take action by asking the Council NOT to eliminate the City Forester position.

REMEMBERING HIROSHIMA-NAGASAKI . . . The first U.S. performance of “Foie Gras and the Public Servant,” by Hayashi Kyoko, victim of the bombing of Nagasaki, will be part of a play-reading program on Friday, August 6, 2010, 7:00pm, at the Lincoln Unitarian Church, 6300 “A” Street.

REMEMBRANCE CONTINUES . . . The 2010 Hiroshima-Nagasaki Lantern Float commemoration will be Saturday, August 7th, 7:00pm at Lincoln’s Holmes Lake. The program will be a mixture of music, poetry and reflection, culminating with the lantern float at nightfall. The purpose of the event is to remind us of what happened and to affirm that such events never occur again. For a schedule of the evening’s events, scroll down here.

LINCOLN FARMERS MARKETS . . . Locally grown produce and baked goods are available at Lincoln Farmers Markets five of the seven week days. Saturdays through October 9th, the Haymarket Farmers Market is open from 8:00am to noon. The Old Cheney Road Garden Market at 55th Street and Old Cheney Road (behind the Lincoln Racquet Club) is open from 10:00am to 2:00pm every Sunday through November 7th. Other Lincoln Markets include;
— Havelock Farmers Market, behind the businesses at 62nd and 63rd Streets and Havelock Avenue, Wednesdays 3:00 to 6:30pm, May 5 to October 27th.
— Piedmont Farmers Market, 1265 South Cotner Blvd. Saturdays 8:00am to noon, May 15 to September 18. Vendor spots available. Call Randy Nelsen at 467-2777.
— Centennial Mall Garden Market, 14th and M streets, east side of the Nebraska State Office building. Wednesdays noon to 4:00pm, July 7 to August 25th.
— Community Crops Farmers Market, Pentzer Park, 27th and Potter (2 blocks north of 27th and Holdrege), Thursdays, 4:30-7:30pm, June 3 through September 30, 2010.
— Backyard Farmer’s Market and Exchange, Tuesdays, 4:30 to 7:30pm, in the St. Paul United Church of Christ parking lot at 1302 “F” Street, June 1st through September 28, 2010.

Omaha area: Congressional District 2

STOP THE PIPELINE DEMONSTRATION . . . Weekly demonstrations promoting clean energy and an end to plans for the Keystone XL Pipeline will continue throughout the summer. This week’s rally is Wednesday, July 28, 2010, 4:30-6:30pm (or as late as people want to stay), at 72nd & Dodge (northeast corner to start, then spreading out). From the announcement, “We need lots of people in order to hold our Burma Shave-type signs that spell out things like “No oil spills in our Sand Hills.” We are hoping this technique will engage the commuters to read along – and spur interest in finding out more about threats to the Good Life in Nebraska and what they can do about it. And please carpool, take the bus, walk or bike to the rally if you can.” The demonstration is open to anyone who believes the proposed Keystone XL pipeline is BAD for Nebraska, and that we need to move to a clean energy economy as soon as possible.

OMAHA GREEN DRINKS . . . Green Drinks, an international self organizing social network, will meet in Omaha on Wednesday, July 28, 2010, at Whole Foods Market, 10020 Regency Circle, in the education room across from the coffee bar, starting at 5:30pm. Green Drinks now meets in 713 cities worldwide. Anyone with an interest in environmental issues is welcome.

OMAHA PEOPLE’S FILM FESTIVAL . . . There is a People’s Film Festival every Wednesday evening, 7:00pm, at McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe, 38th and Harney in Omaha. The event is always free and open to the public. This week’s film is “This Emotional Life – Episode 1: Family, Friends and Lovers.” The film looks at the importance of relationships, and why they are central to our emotional well-being. For more information, click here. The People’s Film Festival – Expanding Political Consciousness Since 2004.

STOP THE PIPELINE MEETING . . . A new group organized round support for clean, renewable energy, will meet Friday, July 30, 2010, 6:30pm, on the back patio of Caffeine Dreams Coffee Shop, 4524 Farnam Street, (one block west of Saddle Creek). The group is dedicated to stopping the Keystone XLX Pipeline.

Greater Nebraska: Congressional District 3

WIND ENERGY IN THE PANHANDLE . . . There will be a “Forum on Our Future” focused on wind energy in the Panhandle, Tuesday, July 27, 2010, 7:00pm, at A103 Harms Advanced Technology Center, Western NE Community College, 2620 College Park, Scottsbluff.

PAWNEE SPEAKERS SERIES BEGINS . . . The Pawnee were pre-Nebraskan settlers, farming and hunting on the Plains. A 2010 August Speakers Series will present a glimpse of their Culture every Sunday afternoon, 3:00pm, at The Pawnee Arts Center, 106 South Mill Street, Dannebrog, Nebraska. Sunday, August 1st, John Carter, Research Historian at the Nebraska State Historical Society, will present “Picturing the Pawnee: Nebraska Before the Diaspora,” a photo essay of the way they were. The Center will open at noon. Light refreshments will be available after the programs. There is a suggested donation. Phone Gale Pemberton, 308.226.8286, or e-mail gale1938 [at] live [dot] com for more information.

We are no longer the alternative; we are the imperative. –Rosa Clemente

Green Notes Week of July 18, 2010

July 18, 2010Green Notesgreenone

TRANSCANADA KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE . . . On Wednesday, July 21, 2010, 6:00 to 8:00pm, the National Wildlife Federation, Nebraska Wildlife Federation, Nebraska Sierra Club, Nebraska Farmers Union, Nebraska Audubon Society and Bold Nebraska will sponsor an educational summit on the Keystone XL pipeline threatening Our groundwater-rich Sand Hills, including the Ogallala Aquifer. The free event, open to the public, will be held at NET Studios, 1800 North 33rd Street, Lincoln. A discussion with speakers including Paul Blackburn, Plains Justice; Marty Cobenais, Indigenous Environmental Network; Duane Hovorka, Nebraska Wildlife Federation; Ernie Fellows, Nebraska Landowners for Fairness; and Jane Kleeb, Bold Nebraska, will be followed by questions and answers. Questions submitted to actions@boldnebraska.org will be answered live at the event. Space is limited. Please send rsvp to actions [at] boldnebraska [dot] org. A live webcast will be online at www.boldnebraska.org. twitter: @boldnebraska www.facebook.com/boldnebraska
In Omaha, weekly meetings of an as-yet-unnamed citizens group dedicated to STOPPING the Keystone XL Pipeline are on the back patio of Caffeine Dreams Coffee Shop, 4524 Farnam Street, one block west of Saddle Creek, 6:30pm on Fridays. EveryOne is welcome to get involved in this campaign.
Click here for background from our Green Notes index. Schroll down for updates published before the State Department comment period ended July 2, 2010.
Green Notes will continue to update this issue as new information becomes available. Reminder: Every man-made by-product of the petroleum industry could be replaced by hemp. Read “Help Save the Earth, Time to Subsitute Hemp for Oil” here.

Lincoln area: Congressional District 1

WRITE-IN CAMPAIGN: SAVE LINCOLN’S FORESTRY DEPARTMENT . . . The mayor’s proposed budget for 2010-2011 cuts the Community Forestry Program would eliminating the positions of City Forester and two certified arborists. Lincoln is the home of the National Arbor Day Foundation. It is the only city in the U.S. that concurrently holds all five Tree City USA designations. In the next one to three years, 108,000 ash trees will face an infestation by the Emerald Ash Borer, likely resulting in severe damage or total loss of these trees. Now the mayor wants volunteers to replace professionals in caring for all of Our 1.5 million trees. E-mail to all City Council people asking that they restore these positions to the Community Forestry Program in the 2010-2011 City Budget may be sent to council@lincoln.ne.gov. Find Individual Councilmember’s direct e-ddresses here. The Council office phone number is 441-7515. Contact Mayor Chris Beutler’s office here, or phone 441-7511. Send a letter to the editor of Lincoln Journal-Star at oped@journalstar.com. A July 15 letter, “Keep forestry work,”is here, a July 17 letter, “Not OK substitute,” is here,
and a July 18 letter, “Don’t cut positions” is here. The Sunday July 18 LJS editorial opinion “Our trees need expert hands” is here. For more information, click here, www.SaveLincolnsTrees.com or go to www.facebook.com keyword: Save Lincoln’s Trees. If you value Our trees, parks and trails, please take action by asking City leaders NOT to eliminate the City Forester and Arborist positions.

HEALTHY SOILS . . . Learn about the role soil’s health and structure plays in the garden landscape with Horticulturist Twyla Hansen at a Community CROPS class on Tuesday, July 20, 2010, 6:30 to 7:30pm, at Antelope Church, 3645 Sumner, Lincoln. Register and Pre-pay online here.

NANO SCIENCE CAFE . . . The Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will present a Nano Science Café at Red9 on Thursday, July 22, 2010, at 6:30pm. Professor Christian Binek, associate professor in physics and astronomy, and Steve Michalski, physics postdoctoral research associate, will talk about discoveries in the nanosciences, where material is manipulated at an atomic level.

NEBRASKA ENERGY FAIR IN LYONS . . . The Center for Rural Affairs and Nebraska Renewable Energy Systems will host an Energy Fair in Lyons, Nebraska, Friday and Saturday, July 23 and 24, 2010, featuring a renewable energy bus tour, demonstrations, breakout sessions, exhibit booths and more. The Energy bus tour, beginning 8:00am, July 23rd, at Nebraska Green Fuels, 300 Main Street, will visit five wind turbines, a solar installatio, a renewable energy farm, a commercial methane digester, and an on-farm alcohol plant. Check-in begins at 8:00am July 24th at the Lyons Auditorium, 335 Main Street, for the Energy Fair. Finish the evening at the Fallout Bar Street Dance, featuring the band Off the Grid. For more information, contact Stephanie at the Center for Rural Affairs, 402.358.3432 or StephanieF [at] cfra [dot] org.

LINCOLN FARMERS MARKETS . . . Locally grown produce and baked goods are available at Lincoln Farmers Markets
five of the seven week days. Saturdays through October 9th, the Haymarket Farmers Market is open from 8:00am to noon. The Old Cheney Road Garden Market at 55th Street and Old Cheney Road (behind the Lincoln Racquet Club) is open from 10:00am to 2:00pm every Sunday through November 7th. Other Lincoln Markets include
— Havelock Farmers Market, behind the businesses at 62nd and 63rd Streets and Havelock Avenue, Wednesdays 3:00 to 6:30pm, May 5 to October 27th.
— Piedmont Farmers Market, 1265 South Cotner Blvd. Saturdays 8:00am to noon, May 15 to September 18. Vendor spots available. Call Randy Nelsen at 467-2777.
— Centennial Mall Garden Market, 14th and M streets, east side of the Nebraska State Office building. Wednesdays noon to 4:00pm, July 7 to August 25th.
— Community Crops Farmers Market, Pentzer Park, 27th and Potter (2 blocks north of 27th and Holdrege), Thursdays, 4:30-7:30pm, June 3 through September 30, 2010.
— Backyard Farmer’s Market and Exchange, Tuesdays, 4:30 to 7:30pm, in the St. Paul United Church of Christ parking lot at 1302 “F” Street, June 1st through September 28, 2010.

Omaha area: Congressional District 2

PASS THE POTATOES, PLEASE . . . Environment Omaha, a partnership of the City, the community, and Omaha by Design, is joining with Community ReDesigned to launch www.passthepotatoes.com, a virtual town hall event that invites anyone interested in Omaha to submit practical, creative and resourceful ideas for improving sustainability of the city. If you have an idea for a project, large or small, that could help make Omaha a greener community, submit it to www.passthepotatoes.com. A panel of local experts will review the top ideas for potential implementation. www.passthepotatoes.com is seeking project ideas in five areas: preserving and enhancing Omaha’s natural environment; improving how people move around Omaha and what shape its future growth should take; improving the way Omaha builds, renovates and maintains its buildings; conserving natural resources; and improving Omaha’s overall health. For more information about www.passthepotatoes.com, phone Omaha by Design at 402.554.4010, or Community ReDesigned at 402.553.5485.

OMAHA PEOPLE’S FILM FESTIVAL . . . There is a People’s Film Festival every Wednesday evening, 7:00pm, at McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe, 38th and Harney in Omaha. The event is always free and open to the public. This week’s film is “Strong Roots, Fragile Farms.” Watch the trailer, featuring Willie Nelson, here. For more information, click here. The People’s Film Festival – Expanding Political Consciousness Since 2004.

Greater Nebraska: Congressional District 3

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 in expanded space at 1618 South Street. Buying local grows family farming, grows the local economy, and is thousands of miles fresher.

We are no longer the alternative; we are the imperative. –Rosa Clemente

Green Notes Week of July 11, 2010

July 11, 2010Green Notesgreenone

KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE / TAR SANDS . . . If you are new to Green Notes and the issue of a proposed Keystone XL Pipeline through Nebraska’s groundwater-rich Sand Hills, including the Ogallala Aquifer, click here for background from our Green Notes index. Schroll down for updates published before the comment period to the Department of State ended July 2, 2010. Omaha progressives against the pipeline met Friday, July 9th, to discuss an action plan. Nationally, TruthOut reports that Protesters gathered at the Canadian embassy on Pennsylvania Avenue asking Secretary of State Clinton to Vote No on the tar sands proposal. The Obama administration is poised to approve or veto the 1,700-mile pipeline. Click here for the TruthOut article.
Comments of concern may still be addressed on line to Nebraska Congressional Representatives and the governor as follows: Rep. Jeff Fortenberry; Rep. Lee Terry; Rep. Adrian Smith; and Governor Dave Heineman. Green Notes will continue to update the situation as new information becomes available. Reminder: Every man-made by-product of the petroleum industry could be replaced by hemp. Read “Help Save the Earth, Time to Subsitute Hemp for Oil” here.

Lincoln area: Congressional District 1

NEBRASKA PHARMACY BOARD HEARING . . . Monday, July 12, 2010, the Nebraska Pharmacy Board meets at 8:00am in the State Office Building, 301 Centennial Mall South, Lincoln, to hear testimony on the subject of medical cannabis. Last winter, an independent pharmacy board in Iowa recommended that the Legislature reclassify marijuana so it could be used for medical treatment, and other states have now followed the reclassification trend. (A new Denver Sales Tax on Medical Marijuana Raised Over $1 Million In Five Months.) A powerful new eye-opening film about the future of cannabis, and perhaps the future of medicine, has just been released. The trailer for “What if Cannabis Cured Cancer,” is here.
“What If Cannabis Cured Cancer summarizes the remarkable research findings of recent years about the cancer-protective effects of novel compounds in marijuana. Most medical doctors are not aware of this information and its implications for prevention and treatment. If we need more evidence that our current policy on cannabis is counterproductive and foolish, here it is.” –Andrew Weil, M.D.

VIDEO YOUR GREEN PROJECTS . . . Jose Espinosa, a journalist traveling the country for GreenStories, will be interviewing people in Nebraska about their green projects, green activities, and green jobs. He will be in Lincoln Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, July 12 through the 14th. If you’d like to be interviewed about your Nebraska specific green lifestyle, contact him at JE [at] USAGreenStories [dot] com

“LIVING AND WORKING IN 2040” . . . The City and County will spend the next 12 to 18 months updating the Comprehensive Plan and long-range transportation plan for Lincoln/Lancaster. In conjunction with beginning this process, there will be a public workshop, “Living and Working in 2040,”(pdf) from 7:00 to 9:00pm, Tuesday, July 13, 2010, in City Council Chambers, County-City Building, 555 South 10th Street. Click here for more information.

PRIDE WEEKEND . . . Lincoln PRIDE weekend, celebrating LGBT diversity, will start Friday, July 16, 2010, with the Star City PRIDE Street Dance at the main site, 18th & N Streets. A beer garden will open at 5:00pm. Live music starts around 7:00pm. Saturday, July 17th, the Star City PRIDE Street Festival featuring food, vendors, speakers, and local artists, begins at 2:00pm. Jumpin’ Kate will sing original songs from 4:00 to 4:30, and bands will rock until 1:00am. A Kidz Zone will be open from 2:00 to 4:00 under the big tent on N Street west of the main stage. Click here for a full schedule of events, entertainers, and more information.

Omaha area: Congressional District 2

ANOTHER WORLD IS POSSIBLE, ANOTHER U.S. IS NECESSARY, ANOTHER DETROIT IS HAPPENING . . . Eighteen people from Nebraska, under the umbrella of the Omaha/USSF Coalition, joined 12,000 other Progressive activists from around the country to network, learn and celebrate at the U.S. Social Forum, June 22 through 26, 2010, in Detroit. Click here for a grab-bag of impressions from the event.

2010 OPPD HOME ENERGY EFFICIENCY WORKSHOP . . . There will be a Home Energy Workshop at the Omaha Neighborhood Center, 115 South 49th Avenue, on Monday, July 12, 2010, 5:30pm. For more information, phone Renee at 636.3541, or e-mail rmjacobsen [at] oppd [dot] com

POWER OF THE MIND . . . Monday, July 12, 2010, Omaha native Friar Justin Belitz of the Franciscan Order of Friars Minor, will present a free lecture on the power of the mind, at Hampton Inn, Dodge Street and I-680, in Omaha, 7:30pm. Saturday and Sunday, July 17 and 18, Belitz will teach the Silva Method of Meditation at the Hampton Inn, Westroads. Belitz is an internationally recognized lecturer on meditation, mind development, relaxation, visualization and motivation. For more information, phone 402.334.8154 or 402.203.3514.

“BEYOND THE MOTOR CITY” . . . There will be a free opportunity to watch a PBS Documentary Screening and Discussion of the future of mass transit in America at Film Streams Theater, 1340 Mike Fahey Street, Omaha, Wednesday, July 14, 2010, at 7:00pm. For more information, contact Casey Logan, 402.933.0259, or e-mail casey [at] filmstreams [dot] org

OMAHA PEOPLE’S FILM FESTIVAL . . . There is a People’s Film Festival every Wednesday evening, 7:00pm, at McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe, 38th and Harney in Omaha. The event is always free and open to the public. This week’s film is “Ask Not,” a documentary that explores the effects of the US military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gay and lesbian service members. For more information, click here. The People’s Film Festival – Expanding Political Consciousness Since 2004.

VIDEO YOUR GREEN PROJECTS . . . Jose Espinosa, a journalist traveling the country for GreenStories, will be interviewing people in Nebraska about their green projects, green activities, and green jobs. He will be in Omaha Thursday, Friday and Saturday, July 15th through the 17th. If you’d like to be interviewed about your Nebraska specific green lifestyle, contact him at JE [at] USAGreenStories [dot] com

LEAD REMEDIATION PUBLIC MEETING . . . A toxic waste dump has been proposed for a South Omaha residential area located at 2727 South 28th Avenue. Thursday, July 15, 2010, 7:00pm, there will be a public meeting at the Southeast Police Precinct, 2475 Deer Park Blvd., to discuss this possibililty. As part of the Environmental Protection Agency lead remediation project, all soil removed from lead poisoned yards must be moved to a staging site for testing before it can proceed to the landfill. While the proposed property is zoned “industrial,” it is located in a residential area. The South Omaha Neighborhood Alliance invites all neighborhood associations, businesses, schools, community groups and non-profit organizations to attend this meeting to ask the EPA and its contractors to consider a site that is located in a non-residential area. For more information, contact Crystal Rhoades crhoades [at] mail [dot] unomaha [dot]edu

OMAHA FARMERS MARKETS . . .Global research confirms food choices contribute the highest percentage to our carbon footprint; even more than transportation.
The advantages of shopping locally go far beyond environmental impact. Farmers markets are the best way to choose local. Click here for a list of Omaha area Farmers Markets including Benson, Bellevue, Papillion, Auburn, Beemer, Bennington, Falls City, Plattsmouth, and Wayne, Nebraska; Glenwood, Council Bluffs, and Griswold, Iowa.

Greater Nebraska: Congressional District 3

We are no longer the alternative; we are the imperative. –Rosa Clemente

Green Notes Week of July 4, 2010

July 4, 2010Green Notesgreenone

KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE / TAR SANDS . . . The comment period for messages of concern about the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline to bring Canadian tar sands through Nebraska’s groundwater-rich Sand Hills and the Ogallala Aquifer has ended. This past week, Lincoln Journal-Star published an editorial opinion, “Pipeline needs more scrutiny.” June 30, 2010 letters to the editor are here. Three July 2nd letters are here.
On July 2nd, thirteen environmental groups, including Sierra Club and Wachiska Audubon, formally objected to the proposal and requested either rejection of the project or further review to ensure it will be safely operated and monitored. The groups sent a 35-page letter to the State Department. A July 3rd Omaha World Herald article covering the group action is here.
A June 28th press advisory from Plains Justice, a public-interest energy and environmental law center in Vermillion, South Dakota, released a report showing that defective steel might have been used in TransCanada’s already constructed Keystone pipeline. The group has asked the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to fully investigate, and to reduce the pipeline’s operating pressure until it can be fully tested. “Keystone XL Environmental Review Fatally Flawed” is here.
Further concerns may still be addressed on line to Nebraska Congressional Representatives and the governor as follows: Rep. Jeff Fortenberry; Rep. Lee Terry; Rep. Adrian Smith; and Governor Dave Heineman. Green Notes will continue to update the situation as new information becomes available.
Reminder: Every man-made by-product of the petroleum industry could be replaced by hemp. Read “Help Save the Earth, Time to Subsitute Hemp for Oil” here.

Lincoln area: Congressional District 1

CANNABIS INDEPENDENCE DAY RALLY . . . Monday, July 5, 2010, starting around 12:30pm, HEMP, Helping End Misguided Prohibition, will sponsor a Rally at the State Capitol Building, and a parade through downtown Lincoln. The United States was founded by farmers who prospered from the production of hemp–the world’s most versitile crop. The HEMP group’s goal is to educate, legislate, and liberate cannabis.

GROW AND SHARE . . . Starting Monday, July 5, 2010, local gardeners can take excess fruits and vegetables to Campbell’s Nurseries, 2342 South 40th and 7000 South 56th Street, Lincoln, every Monday and Tuesday. The food will be collected for the Food Bank of Lincoln, and distributed to 65 Southeast Nebraska agencies serving low-income people and families. Gardeners can also drop off produce at the Food Bank, 4840 Doris Bair Circle–about three blocks north of 48th and Superior, Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm. Click here for tips on how to process produce for sharing. For more information, contact Cory Priefert at Campbell’s, 402.423.4556, ext. 233; or Cheri Lawrence at the Food Bank, 402.466.8170, ext. 106.

WACHISKA AT THE ZOO . . . Meet Wachiska Audubon members at the Lincoln Children’s Zoo, this Wednesday, July 7, 2010, for a free evening beginning with a bring-your-own brown bag picnic at 6:00pm. Park in the zoo’s lots, 27th & A Streets, and gather outside the main entrance (before crossing the zoo’s railroad tracks) between 5:45 and 6:00pm. The Wachiska group will be admitted free at 6:00pm sharp. After a brief program and presentation of the Lyman Award for the zoo’s Healthy Families Play Outside (HFPO) Initiative, everyone will be free to roam the zoo for the evening. Phone the Wachiska office, 402.486.4846, with any questions. There is no rain date for this event.

PASTORS FOR PEACE CUBA FUNDRAISER . . . The 21st annual Pastors for Peace Caravan to Cuba arrives in Lincoln on Sunday, July 11, 2010 for a potluck fundraiser at the home of Peter and Jodi Spalding. The Social Justice Committee of First Presbyterian Church, is hosting the 6:30pm event. Pastors for Peace volunteers from the US, Canada and Europe expect to collect 100 tons of aid from 125 communities during a two-week caravan that will converge in McAllen, Texas before traveling to Cuba. Please call the church office at 402.477.6037 for more details on this humanitarian effort.

LINCOLN FARMERS MARKETS . . . Locally grown produce and baked goods are available at Lincoln Farmers Markets five of the seven week days. Saturdays through October 9th, the Haymarket Farmers Market will be open from 8:00am to noon. The Old Cheney Road Garden Market at 55th Street and Old Cheney Road (behind the Lincoln Racquet Club) is open from 10:00am to 2:00pm every Sunday through November 7th. Other Lincoln Markets include
— Havelock Farmers Market, behind the businesses at 62nd and 63rd Streets and Havelock Avenue, Wednesdays 3:00 to 6:30pm, May 5 to October 27th.
— Piedmont Farmers Market, 1265 South Cotner Blvd. Saturdays 8:00am to noon, May 15 to September 18. Vendor spots available. Call Randy Nelsen at 467-2777.
— Centennial Mall Garden Market, 14th and M streets, east side of the Nebraska State Office building. Wednesdays noon to 4:00pm, July 7 to August 25th.
— Community Crops Farmers Market, Pentzer Park, 27th and Potter (2 blocks north of 27th and Holdrege), Thursdays, 4:30-7:30pm, June 3 through September 30, 2010.
— Backyard Farmer’s Market and Exchange, Tuesdays, 4:30 to 7:30pm, in the St. Paul United Church of Christ parking lot at 1302 “F” Street, June 1st through September 28, 2010.

Omaha area: Congressional District 2

JULY 5TH IMMIGRATION RALLY . . . Students 4 Immigration Reform will be celebrating Independence day on Monday, July 5, 2010, with a rally begining at 12:00pm in front of the Tree of Life on the corner of 24th and L streets, in Omaha. After the rally, around 1:30pm, there will be a voter registration barbeque hosted by the Association of Latino American Students (ALAS) at Unity Park, just south of Missouri Avenue on 18th street. Everyone is welcome. Visit the Facebook Group here.

NO OFFSHORE; YES TO CLEAN ENERGY . . . There will be an Omaha protest demonstration, “Say Yes to Clean Energy,” during rush hour on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Meet at 72nd & Dodge between 5:00 and 5:30pm. Park on the west side of Petco, not at Target. Signs will be available, or bring your own.

OMAHA PEOPLE’S FILM FESTIVAL . . . There is a People’s Film Festival every Wednesday evening, 7:00pm, at McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe, 38th and Harney in Omaha. The event is always free and open to the public. This week’s film is “Meeting David Wilson,” a feature length documentary about the enduring legacy of slavery in today’s young black society. Watch the trailer here. For more information, click here. The People’s Film Festival – Expanding Political Consciousness Since 2004.

PROGRESSIVE OMAHA . . . Canceled due to illness.

SIERRA BIKE RIDE . . . Sunday, July 11th, 2010, Sierra will host a 26 mile round trip ride along the Oak Creek Trail between Valparaiso and Brainard, Nebraska. This former Union Pacific rail winds through wooded, rolling hills and offers “highland” vistas along the way. For more information, and to rsvp, e-mail bobbygoetschkes [at] hotmail [dot] com or phone 402.614.4788.

Greater Nebraska: Congressional District 3

BLOSSOMS, BUTTERFLIES & BIRDS . . . The third annual Blossoms, Butterflies & Birds Tour will be Wednesday, July 7, 2010, at the Northeast Nebraska Resource Conservation & Development Council Office, 702 East Park Avenue, Plainview, Nebraska, from 8:15am to 2:00pm. The tour includes speakers, transportation, a fried chicken picnic lunch with the Amish, seldom traveled back roads, and exclusive butterfly destinations. Pre-register at 402.582.4866 or northeastrcd [at] plvwtelco [dot] net

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 in expanded space 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 says WHO DO YOU GOODSEARCH FOR? here. Bookmark the GoodSearch Homepage, or make it your 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 supporting Nebraska Greens.

We are no longer the alternative; we are the imperative. –Rosa Clemente

Green Notes Week of June 27, 2010

June 27, 2010Green Notesgreenone

EARTH CIRCLE . . . On the first day of each month, people around the world stop for five minutes to visualize peace and focus on new levels of kindness, understanding, and compassion necessary for collectively facing the challenges of the 21st century. NewDimensions invites peacemakers everywhere to join at 4:00pm Greenwich Mean Time, 10:00am in Lincoln and Omaha, 9:00am in District 3 where Mountain Time begins, on Thursday, July 1, 2010, with the intention of deep healing for the Planet and all its people. Click here for more information about Earth Circle.

TAR SANDS COMMENTS DEADLINE FRIDAY . . . As oil leaking into the Gulf of Mexico destroys habitat and livelihoods, the extraction of oil from Canadian tar sands is having a similar impact on fragile ecosystems and communities deep in the North American interior, but another environmental disaster can still be averted if enough people speak up. Learn about “the most destructive project on Earth” threatening our region’s Ogallala Aquifer, here. “This proposed route through Nebraska is guaranteed to decimate and destroy a huge amount of fragile rare habitat that is vulnerable,” says Buffalo Bruce, Platte Valley Group Conservation Chair. Click here for a map of the pipeline through Nebraska, and Sierra’s statement in opposition to “An Oil Disaster We Can Still Stop.” Click here for a 1:33 minute video and action alert to “Stop the Tar Sands.”
Letters and editorials published this week include “Share your concerns;” “TransCanada pipeline plan threatens the Sand Hills;” and “Pipeline promotes possible tragedy.” A Sunday, June 27, 2010 Omaha World Herald article indicates two members of Nebraska’s congressional delegation are raising concerns. 50 Members of Congress Warn State Department Against Rubberstamping 2,000-Mile Oil Sands Pipeline. “Tar Sands Poised to Become the Next Fossil Fuels Disaster” reports on how the project would impact other states as well as Nebraska, and includes a photo of the impact a Syncrude operation has had on the Canadian landscape. Click here for June 25th coverage of Syncrude’s conviction of provincial and federal charges in the deaths of 1,600 ducks that got sucked into the slime of the company’s tar sands tailing pond in 2008.
Make online comments to the Department of State here. E-mail comments to xlpipelineproject@state.gov Contact Nebraska Congressional Representatives: Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, 1517 Longworth House Office Bldg., Washington, D.C. 20515, 202.225.4806, 402.438.1598 (Lincoln); Rep. Lee Terry, 1524 Longworth HOB, Washington, DC 20515, 202.225.4155, 402.397.9944 (Omaha); Rep. Adrian Smith, 503 Cannon House Office Bldg., Washington, DC 20515, 202.225.6435, 888.ADRIAN7 (Toll Free); and Governor Dave Heineman, PO Box 94848, State Capitol Bldg., Lincoln, NE 68509, 402.471.2244.
Meanwhile, every man-made by-product of the petroleum industry could be replaced by hemp. Read “Help Save the Earth, Time to Subsitute Hemp for Oil” here.

Lincoln area: Congressional District 1

LINCOLN FARMERS MARKETS . . . Locally grown produce and baked goods are available at Lincoln Farmers Markets five of the seven week days. Saturdays through October 9th, the Haymarket Farmers Market will be open from 8:00am to noon. The Old Cheney Road Garden Market at 55th Street and Old Cheney Road (behind the Lincoln Racquet Club) is open from 10:00am to 2:00pm every Sunday through November 7th. Other Lincoln Markets include
— Havelock Farmers Market, behind the businesses at 62nd and 63rd Streets and Havelock Avenue, Wednesdays 3:00 to 6:30pm, May 5 to October 27th.
— Piedmont Farmers Market, 1265 South Cotner Blvd. Saturdays 8:00am to noon, May 15 to September 18. Vendor spots available. Call Randy Nelsen at 467-2777.
— The Mid-Week Haymarket Farmers Market, 12th and R streets. Tuesdays in June from 5:00 to 7:00pm, in conjunction with Jazz in June.
— Centennial Mall Garden Market, 14th and M streets, east side of the Nebraska State Office building. Wednesdays noon to 4:00pm, July 7 to August 25th.
— Community Crops Farmers Market, Pentzer Park, 27th and Potter (2 blocks north of 27th and Holdrege), Thursdays, 4:30-7:30pm, June 3 through September 30, 2010.
— Backyard Farmer’s Market and Exchange, Tuesdays, 4:30 to 7:30pm, in the St. Paul United Church of Christ parking lot at 1302 “F” Street, June 1st through September 28, 2010.

Omaha area: Congressional District 2

LGBT RIGHTS PROGRAM . . . Tuesday, June 29, 2010, Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail will host UN-L’s Pat Tetreault, Assistant Director of Student Involvement for LGBTQA Programs & Services, discussing defining moments in the history of human rights at the Carl T. Curtis National Park Service Building, 601 Riverfront Drive, Omaha, 7:00pm. The free program will feature a film highlighting gay and lesbian rights, and a panel of speakers who will share what it’s like to be a lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered person in Nebraska.

COLLECTIVE ACTION NEEDED . . . There will be a discussion about how to unite against the Keystone XL Pipeline and preserve Nebraska’s fragile eco-system on Wednesday, June 30, 2010, 6:30 to 8:00pm at W. Dale Clark Library, 215 South 15th Street, Omaha. Without collective action, the Keystone Pipeline will be extended to carry oil from tar sands in Canada directly across Nebraska. For a map of the Ogallala Aquifer, and contact information for further details, click here.

OMAHA PEOPLE’S FILM FESTIVAL . . . There is a People’s Film Festival every Wednesday evening, 7:00pm, at McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe, 38th and Harney in Omaha. The event is always free and open to the public. This week’s film is “Medieval Lives (The Monks, The philosopher).” This Terry Jones adventure series is focused on the medieval world. For more information, click here. The People’s Film Festival – Expanding Political Consciousness Since 2004.

GOglbt NETWORK MEETING . . . The mission of Greater Omaha GLBT Professionals Network is to advance growth and equality for its members, businesses and allies by providing educational, networking, and community-building activities. The GOglbt Backyard Summer Social will be Thursday, July 1, 2010, 5:30pm, at 319 South 53rd Street, hosted by Gary and Shelley Kiel. Click here for more information.

OMAHA PRIDE PARADE . . . “One candle in the darkness ignited hope—25 Years of Nebraska Pride,” is the theme of this year’s Omaha Pride Parade from approximately 10:00am to noon on Saturday, July 3, 2010, starting at 10th & Pacific Streets. Email tyler [at[ tylerrichard [dot] com if you’d like to march with the Pro-Choice Coalition.

Greater Nebraska: Congressional District 3

CENTRAL NEBRASKA PEACEWORKERS VIGIL . . . The CNPW June Peace Vigil at State Street and Webb Road in Grand Island, is Wednesday, June 30, 2010, from 5:00 to 6:00pm. Stop by for the hour, or as long as you wish. Signs are provided, or you may bring your own.

PRE-REGISTER BY FRIDAY, JULY 2, 2010 . . . The third annual Blossoms, Butterflies & Birds Tour will be Wednesday, July 7, 2010, at the Northeast Nebraska Resource Conservation & Development Council Office, 702 East Park Avenue, Plainview, Nebraska, from 8:15am to 2:00pm. The tour includes speakers, transportation, a fried chicken picnic lunch with the Amish, seldom traveled back roads, and exclusive butterfly destinations. Pre-register by July 2nd at 402.582.4866 or northeastrcd [at] plvwtelco [dot] net

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 in expanded space 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 says WHO DO YOU GOODSEARCH FOR? here. Every time you use the GoodSearch toolbar, one penny will be donated to Nebraska Greens. Download the GoodSearch Toolbar here. THANK YOU for supporting Nebraska Greens.

We are no longer the alternative; we are the imperative. –Rosa Clemente

Green Notes Week of June 20, 2010

June 20, 2010Green Notesgreenone

Anti-coal action in front of the Union Pacific Offices in Omaha, Thursday, June 17, 2010, organized and sponsored by Nebraskans for Peace, the Nebraska Green Party, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Nebraska Sierra Club, and 350.org

“Clean Coal is a Lie”
Perpetuation of the myth that coal fired electricity plants produce clean energy is a social justice issue. Present societies and past generations are responsible for radically changing the atmospheric conditions of our planet Earth, and threatening the survival of our children and grandchildren. The protest was outside the offices of Union Pacific because UP profits from hauling coal across the nation to electricity generation plants. Both featured speakers, Bruce Johansen and Bill McKibben, are passionate environmentalists who have dedicated their lives to the pursuit of honest science, research about climate change, and concern for the moral issue of life on Earth for future generations. From McKibben’s website: “We’ve built a new Earth. It’s not as nice as the old one; it’s the greatest mistake humans have ever made, one that we will pay for literally forever. We live on a new planet. What happens next is up to us.” His new book Eaarth is a “guide to living on a fundamentally altered planet.”
Events like this anti-coal action show local environmentalists we are not alone, and that there are progressive, thinking people willing to make time on a work-day to demonstrate concern for our air, water, plants, animals and human life, now and in the future. It was a very windy day in Omaha, appropriately suggesting another way to produce energy that is clean. Watch the first 9:18 minutes of McKibben’s remarks here. –Photo and comments by Barbara van den Berg

The U.S. Social Forum II begins Tuesday, June 22, 2010, in Detroit, Michigan. Well over 10,000 people will be there, including a delegation from Nebraska co-coordinated by Nebraska Green Party Chair Doug Paterson. The Social Forum is a movement-building process, not a conference–a space for people to collaborate on solutions to the problems that plague our communities and our planet. The Move to Amend coalition and its member organizations will present a series of sessions, leading up to a “People’s Movement Assembly” at 1:00pm Friday, June 25th. Another World is Possible. Another U.S. is Necessary.

TAR SANDS COMMENTS DEADLINE EXTENDED . . . The National Sierra Club is calling the proposed Keystone pipeline “An Oil Disaster We Can Still Stop.” Click here for a 1:33 minute video and action alert to Stop the Tar Sands. As oil leaking into the Gulf of Mexico destroys habitat and livelihoods, the extraction of oil from Canadian tar sands is having a similar impact on fragile ecosystems and communities deep in the North American interior, but another environmental disaster can still be averted if enough people speak up. The deadline for comments of concern about the threat to our Ogallala Aquifer, has been extended to July 2, 2010. Learn about “the most destructive project on Earth,” here. “This proposed route through Nebraska is guaranteed to decimate and destroy a huge amount of fragile rare habitat that is vulnerable,” says Buffalo Bruce, Platte Valley Group Conservation Chair. Click here for the pipeline map through Nebraska, and Sierra’s statement in opposition to the proposed plan. Letters to the editor include the following: “Danger to water supply,” “Aim pipeline away from aquifer,””Don’t risk water supply,” and “Feeding the addiction,”
Make online comments to the Department of State here. E-mail comments to xlpipelineproject@state.gov. Contact Nebraska Congressional Representatives: Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, CD-1, 1517 Longworth House Office Bldg., Washington, D.C. 20515, 202.225.4806, 402.438.1598 (Lincoln); Rep. Lee Terry, CD-2, 1524 Longworth HOB, Washington, DC 20515, 202.225.4155, 402.397.9944 (Omaha); Rep. Adrian Smith, CD-3, 503 Cannon House Office Bldg., Washington, DC 20515, 202.225.6435, 888.ADRIAN7 (Toll Free); and Governor Dave Heineman, PO Box 94848, State Capitol Bldg., Lincoln, NE 68509, 402.471.2244.
Meanwhile, every man-made by-product of the petroleum industry could be replaced by hemp. Read “Help Save the Earth, Time to Subsitute Hemp for Oil” here.

Lincoln area: Congressional District 1

LINCOLN GREEN DRINKS . . . Green Drinks, Lincoln’s environmentally focused social networking group, will meet Wednesday, June 23, 2010, 5:30pm, at Lazlo’s Brewery and Grill, in the Haymarket at 210 North 7th Street. Green Drinks now meets in 701 cities worldwide. Start a conversation about the Deepwater disaster at the Green Drinks Facebook page. For more information, e-mail ryoder [at] mail [dot] unomaha [dot] edu.

POWER LINE OPEN HOUSE . . . A third Lincoln Electric System open house to gather public input on a new powerline project will be Wednesday, June 23, 2010, – time – at the Lincoln High School cafeteria, 2229 J Street. LES is replacing 5.6 miles of 35 year old buried cable. The route has yet to be determined. Both overhead and underground lines are being considered. Options will be presented at the open house.

SIERRA KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE PRESENTATION . . . Saturday, June 26, 2010, 9:30am, the Sierra Club will host a Keystone XL Pipeline Presentation and Environmental Legislation Wrap-up at Lincoln Unitarian Church, 6300 A Street. The Nebraska Sierra Club Statement of Opposition to the pipeline project is here.

BREAKFAST WITH NO2ARENA FRIENDS . . . While a “Union battle is brewing over Haymarket arena contracts,” “Haymarket business owners are mixed on the arena,” and the “Mayor questions auditor’s authority on Lincoln arena,” the No2Arena group will gather to reconnect at the Huntington Day Center, 4701 Huntington Avenue, for a breakfast feast prepared by Chef Murphy, Saturday, June 26, 2010, at 10:00am. Please phone Kathy at 202.8153 by Wednesday, June 23rd, to rsvp.
ACTION . . . The city of Lincoln made a pre-election agreement with 2015 Vision group to reimburse their campaign expenses if they “won” the election. 2015 spent more than $500,000 on related costs. Now TAXPAYER’S DOLLARS will be used to pay for the pro-arena campaign, per agreement already made, UNLESS there is an outcry from Lincoln citizens. This is not a legitimate use of tax dollars. Let your City leaders know if this concerns you. E-mail City Council members here. Contact the mayor here. Write a short letter to the editor at oped@journalstar.com
Meanwhile, the City Council will have to approve a new package of taxes on bars, restaurants, hotels and car rentals to pay for about half the estimated $344M arena project. A public hearing on the new taxes is scheduled for June 28, 2010.

BIOBLITZ AT SPRING CREEK PRAIRIE . . . Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center near Denton will host its second annual BioBlitz from noon Saturday, June 26 to noon Sunday, June 27, 2010. Home to one of Nebraska’s largest remaining tallgrass ecosystems, Spring Creek is a nationally recognized Important Bird Area, encompassing more than 650 acres of native prairie. The public is invited to join biologists in the 24-hour survey of all plant and animal life in a given area — turtles and frogs, wildflowers, birds, bats, butterflies and etc. No previous experience or training is required, and participants can stay for as long or brief a time as they choose. Supper and breakfast will be provided for volunteers participating for three hours or more. There is no fee, but all participants must register and will be informed of times of hikes and surveys. Tent camping and overnight accommodations are available. Contact the center at 402.797.2301 for more information. Click here for directions.

CROPS GARDEN GALA . . . Sunday, June 27, 2010, Community CROPS will host a Garden Gala at the 46th Street Community Garden, 46th and Pioneers Boulevard, in Lincoln. The free, family-friendly event will feature an ice cream social from 2:00 to 3:00pm. There will be live children’s music by Jim King, garden tours and demonstrations throughout the afternoon.

LINCOLN FARMERS MARKETS . . . Locally grown produce and baked goods are available at Lincoln Farmers Markets five of the seven week days.
Saturdays through October 9th, the Haymarket Farmers Market will be open from 8:00am to noon. The Old Cheney Road Garden Market at 55th Street and Old Cheney Road (behind the Lincoln Racquet Club) is open from 10:00am to 2:00pm every Sunday through November 7th. Other Lincoln Markets include
— Havelock Farmers Market, behind the businesses at 62nd and 63rd Streets and Havelock Avenue, Wednesdays 3:00 to 6:30pm, May 5 to October 27th.
— Piedmont Farmers Market, 1265 South Cotner Blvd. Saturdays 8:00am to noon, May 15 to September 18. Vendor spots available. Call Randy Nelsen at 467-2777.
— The Mid-Week Haymarket Farmers Market, 12th and R streets. Tuesdays in June from 5:00 to 7:00pm, in conjunction with Jazz in June.
— Centennial Mall Garden Market, 14th and M streets, east side of the Nebraska State Office building. Wednesdays noon to 4:00pm, July 7 to August 25th.
— Community Crops Farmers Market, Pentzer Park, 27th and Potter (2 blocks north of 27th and Holdrege), Thursdays, 4:30-7:30pm, June 3 through September 30, 2010.
— Backyard Farmer’s Market and Exchange, Tuesdays, 4:30 to 7:30pm, in the St. Paul United Church of Christ parking lot at 1302 “F” Street, June 1st through September 28, 2010.

Omaha area: Congressional District 2

OMAHA PEOPLE’S FILM FESTIVAL . . . There is a People’s Film Festival every Wednesday evening, 7:00pm, at McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe, 38th and Harney in Omaha. The event is always free and open to the public. This week’s film is “RISING FROM THE RAILS: THE STORY OF THE PULLMAN PORTER.” The documentary chronicles relatively unheralded Pullman Porters, generations of African American men who served as caretakers to wealthy white passengers on luxury trains during the golden age of rail. Food and drink is available. A lively discussion follows each showing. For more information, click here. The People’s Film Festival – Expanding Political Consciousness Since 2004.

OMAHA SUMMER ARTS FESTIVAL . . . There will be art, music, food, and children’s activities at the Downtown Omaha Summer Arts Festival, Friday, June 25 through Sunday June 27, 2010, on Farnam Street between 10th and 15th. The free event features an Artist’s Market, World Music Pavilion, Children’s Fair, TasteFest, and a Young Artist Exhibition. Click here to find a schedule of music performances on three stages.

TOTAL TOGETHERNESS . . . Promoting cultural awareness and non-violence in Omaha is the purpose of Kulture Works, sponsor of “Total Togetherness,” at Louis Bar and Grill, 5702 NW Radial Hwy, Benson, in the parking lot, on Saturday, June 26, 2010, starting at 5:00pm. The event will feature two reggae bands, a dj and authentic Caribbean food.

Greater Nebraska: Congressional District 3

CENTRAL NEBRASKA PEACEWORKERS MEET . . . The monthly meeting of Central Nebraska Peacworkers will be Sunday, June 27, 2010, after a Memorial for John Damon. The memorial service is at Friends Meeting House, 403 B Avenue, Central City, Nebraska, starting at 3:00pm. CNPW will meet following the service at Ladybug Tea House Restaurant, 321 G Street, Central City. Meeting reservations are for between 5:00 and 5:30pm. Please rsvp to Mena at 308.754.4901, or e-mail ottomine1971 [at] gmail [dot] com if you can attend. There is space for 35 at the Restaurant.. The CNPW June Peace Vigil at State Street and Webb Road in Grand Island will be Wednesday, June 30th, from 5:00 to 6:00pm.

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 says WHO DO YOU GOODSEARCH FOR? here. Every time you use the GoodSearch toolbar, one penny will be donated to Nebraska Greens. Download the GoodSearch Toolbar here. THANK YOU for supporting Nebraska Greens.

We are no longer the alternative; we are the imperative. –Rosa Clemente