Tag Archives: Ecological Wisdom

Sign the petition: Double recycling in Lincoln by 2020

Action Alerts, , , ,

From the Lincoln Journal Star editorial board:

It’s gratifying that Lincoln voters are likely to get the final say on whether to ban cardboard and paper from the city landfill.

Volunteers have begun a petition drive to put a recycling ordinance on the May election ballot. The effort seems to be off to a rip-roaring start. Organizers said they had gathered more than 1,000 signatures in the first few days.

They need to turn in 7,760 valid signatures from registered Lincoln voters by Feb. 13 to get on the ballot. They hope to collect about 10,000 to ensure that they have a margin for any that might be disqualified.

Championing the petition drive is the Nebraska League of Conservation Voters. “By simply diverting cardboard, newsprint, and paper away from the landfill over the next three years, we will double Lincoln’s recycling rate,” said Chelsea Johnson, deputy director of the league. Aiding the cause is Lincoln City Council member and businesswoman Jane Raybould. Her company, B&R Stores, is setting up signature collection points at Russ’s Markets and Super Saver stores.

Read the full editorial.

Sign the petition at Change.org.

Film showing and Q&A: “Years of Living Dangerously” Dec. 11 in Lincoln

Events, ,

From the Lincoln Journal Star:

Volunteers of the Lincoln chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby will host a showing of the acclaimed National Geographic series “Years of Living Dangerously” from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11 at the Barnyard, 151 N. Eighth St. The public watch party will include light refreshments.

The episode will be preceded by a message from special guests, including members of the “Years of Living Dangerously” cast. A question-and-answer session follows the film.

Get more info.

Nebraskans renew vow to fight Keystone XL, if needed

News, , , , , ,

From InsideClimate News:

President-elect Donald Trump has signaled his plan to move quickly to re-start the Keystone XL pipeline as part of his goal to revive a fossil-fueled future. But his administration would be heading quickly into the same legal and political thicket where the Canada-to-Texas tar sands oil pipeline project was stuck for seven years.

If anything, Keystone’s path forward may be more difficult, because economic pressure for Canadian producers to get the pipeline built has eased. While TransCanada’s Keystone was stuck in limbo, producers found other routes to get oil to the U.S. Gulf coast and Midwest, and on Tuesday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau approved two pipelines to export tar sands oil to global markets.

One thing that hasn’t changed is the resolve of about 100 Nebraska landowners who have refused to agree to TransCanada’s right-of-way across their properties. “For us and for a good number of the resisters, this is a fourth- and fifth- generation land holding,” said Jeanne Crumly, whose family owns a ranch and farm in Page, 40 miles south of the South Dakota border. “It’s not a possession. It’s an inheritance. And it comes with responsibilities.”

Read the full story.

Berkshire shareholder resolution: Dump holdings in fossil fuels

News, ,

From Nebraskans for Peace:

In the wake of the international publicity the Nebraska Peace Foundation — the 501(c)(3) arm of Nebraskans for Peace — generated with its shareholder resolution at the 2016 Berkshire Hathaway Shareholder Meeting on April 30th, the foundation has submitted a follow-up resolution for consideration at the forthcoming May 6, 2017 meeting in Omaha.

Earlier this year, in both the 2015 Annual Shareholder Letter and his remarks at the 2016 Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting of Shareholders itself, Warren Buffett did the world and the financial community a great service by acknowledging both the reality and the threat of climate change. In fact, he did so not just once, or in passing — he made this message an explicit focus.

In follow-up, a shareholder proposal has been formally submitted for a vote at the 2017 Annual Shareholders Meeting. In it, the Nebraska Peace Foundation asks Mr. Buffett to extend his public and corporate leadership by committing to divest Berkshire Hathaway of its fossil fuel holdings over a 12-year period.

Such a commitment would not endanger Berkshire Hathaway’s near-term profitability; instead, it would send a timely and urgently needed message to the international community that — to avoid the worst effects of climate disruption — the world must earnestly undertake a shift toward renewable energy sources.

Read more from Nebraskans for Peace, including the full proposal.

What to do now: Sustained protest and organizing

Action Alerts, , , , , , , , ,

From the Green Party US:

“The Green Party and Green candidates and activists represented political revolution throughout the 2016 election year. We’ll continue to do so during the next four years and beyond,” said Jill Stein, the Green Party’s 2016 nominee for president.

“For Greens, political revolution means supporting front lines of struggle from Black Lives Matter, to pipeline blockades, ending immigrant deportations and bailing out students. It also means fighting Sen. Charles Schumer’s corporate tax break proposal as well as the Trump-Pence agenda. It means offering a Green alternative to neoliberalism, white supremacy, and the two-party political establishment that made the election of someone like Donald Trump possible,” said Dr. Stein.

Read the full list of talking points and action plans from Greens around the country.

Nebraskans demand that their State Troopers come home from North Dakota

News, , , , , , ,

From the Lincoln Journal Star:

Nebraskans who don’t want this state’s troopers responding to anti-pipeline protests in North Dakota slid a wad of petition signatures through the Governor’s Mansion gates Monday.

The two petitions contained names of more than 29,000 people calling for Gov. Pete Ricketts to bring the troopers home, said organizer Joseph Hams, a 21-year-old University of Nebraska-Lincoln student.

“At the very least, I hope he recycles them,” Hams said of the petitions, joking. He added, “I hope that he’s moved by how many people were offended by his actions.”

Thousands of Nebraskans along with people from other states and countries signed the online petitions, one started by Hams and the other by Bold Nebraska.

Read the full story.

Check out Election Central from the Green Party US

News, , , , , , , , ,

From the Green Party US:

Check out Election Central from the national Green Party all day on election day and into the evening. You can:

Go to Election Central.

Nebraskans stand with those at Standing Rock

News, , , , , , ,

From the Lincoln Journal Star:

Flashing signs that read “We Stand with Standing Rock, #NoDAPL” and “Can’t Drink Oil,” about 200 Nebraskans rallied Saturday afternoon at the state Capitol to oppose a controversial pipeline being constructed more than 400 miles away.

Should it be completed, the Dakota Access oil pipeline will run underground in close proximity to the Missouri River, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s main water source. It also would require tearing apart land the tribe considers sacred burial grounds.

Protests escalated last weekend when demonstrators set up camp on private land along the pipeline’s path, and more than 140 people were arrested Thursday.

Quieter protests continued Friday and Saturday.

Lincoln’s rally and march were organized by a 17-year-old high school student.

Read the full story.

Get Your Stein/Baraka Yard Sign

Action Alerts, , , , , , , , ,

Yard signs for Stein/Baraka are available:

  • IN OMAHA: Pick up signs any day after 7:15 p.m. at 2028 N. 65th Avenue. Phone Dave at (402) 570-2187 to make special arrangements if necessary.
  • IN LINCOLN: Phone Charise Grimes, (402) 720-6760, if you’re in Northeast Lincoln, or phone Mj, (402) 489-0598, in Central Lincoln.

Annual Peace Conference Oct. 29 in Omaha

Events, , , , , , , , ,

From Nebraskans for Peace:

Plan to attend Nebraskans for Peace’s Annual Peace Conference. Senator Ernie Chambers, Dr. Richard Miller, and ​Professor John Hibbing will be keynote speakers:

  • Saturday, October 29
  • 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Augustana Lutheran Church, 38th Sreet and Lafayette Avenue, Omaha

The 2016 Annual Peace Conference promises to be one of the best in our storied 46-year history. You can attend this all-day event (lunch included) for just $20. You can register for the conference by contacting the NFP State Office directly at nfpstate (at) nebraskansforpeace.org or (402) 475-4620.

The eight workshops are about Combating Climate Change, Stopping the Nuclear Arms Race, Our Criminal Justice System, The Latest on Whiteclay, Public Policy & Black Lives Matter, Getting To Know Our Muslim Neighbors, Crisis in Syria and Iraq, and The Political & Economic Prowess of the 1%.

Check out the full details, including the schedule and registration form.