Archive for March, 2009

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Take Part in Earth Hour Saturday Night: Vote for Earth, Not Global Warming

Thursday, March 26th, 2009

On Saturday Night, March 28th, 2009 you can either VOTE EARTH by switching off your lights for one hour 8:30 pm – 9:30 pm, or vote for global warming by leaving your lights on. The results of this election are to be presented at this year’s Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. The World Wildlife Fund organizers are hoping for one billion votes for Earth to urge leaders to take action.

This event began two years ago in Australia with about 400 cities participating worldwide. So far this year 2,848 cities, towns and municipalities in 84 countries have committed to VOTE EARTH for Earth Hour 2009. Commit yourself by signing up at:

The EARTH HOUR WEBSITE has a map with all the cities in each country pledging to turn off lights to vote for Earth that include spots in China, India and other emerging countries. Beijing, China is even having a lights out drill beforehand. The pyramids will go unlit, the Acropolis in Athens, the Eiffel Tower as usual, Las Vegas, the Empire State Building, the Petronas Towers in Malaysia and many more international icons.

Vote for the EARTH Saturday night. Send a clear message to the naysayers, and the polluting factions in this country pushing clean coal, and drilling for oil in the Arctic that their escalating onslaught of propaganda for dirty energy that’s raising it’s ugly head again is not the direction we want to go.

Posted in Conservation, Countries/Continents, Earth, Environmentalism, Global Warming, Morality | No Comments »

New Legislation in Michigan to Protect Shelter Animals

Wednesday, March 25th, 2009

I’m posting an email from the American Humane Association which reports:

The Michigan House of Representatives is considering two groundbreaking bills to help animals.

House Bill 4663, or “Koda’s Law,” would ban the practice of allowing shelter cats and dogs to be used in experimental research.

Koda’s Law is named after a shelter dog who, instead of being placed for adoption, was sold to an animal broker, resold to the University of Michigan and used in the university’s Advanced Trauma Life Support Class, then euthanized. Koda’s former family believed that taking him to a shelter would allow him another opportunity to find a home and did not know he would be used in a research experiment.

House Bill 4263, or the Humane Euthanasia of Shelter Animals Act, would ensure that when the state’s unwanted, sick or unadoptable shelter animals have to be euthanized, the procedure will only be done by injection of sodium pentobarbital. American Humane considers euthanasia by injection to be the only acceptable and humane means of euthanasia of dogs and cats in animal shelters.

Shelter workers often wish to hold and comfort a frightened animal in its final moments of life. That act may be the only kindness the animal has ever known. In contrast, euthanizing an animal by means of a carbon monoxide or dioxide gas chamber is severely inhumane to medium and large dogs, and is demoralizing to the shelter workers.

Both bills are currently in the House Agriculture Committee. Please ask your representative to support them. Kate Ebli is Monroe’s Michigan Rep: 056.housedems.com/contact/

Please also ask Chairman Mike Simpson to schedule HB 4663 (Koda’s Law) and HB 4263 (Humane Euthanasia of Shelter Animals Act) for a hearing and to vote for their passage! 065.housedems.com/contact/

My husband told me the story about Koda. Imagine finding out that your pet you hoped would be adopted was used for trauma tests and killed. I’ve been protesting about the use of animals for research for years. I even got into a huge argument in one of my college classes with a woman who admitted being a researcher. Mind you the class was relative to the animal kingdom and man’s misunderstanding, indifference and/or cruelty toward them as depicted in classic short story prose. 

 

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Posted in Animals in Peril, Legislators, Michigan, Michigan/Great Lakes, Morality, Nature, Science | No Comments »

Imported Chinese Drywall is Toxic

Tuesday, March 24th, 2009

Is China trying to kill us or what? First the toxic baby toys, then bad pet food, after that melamine was found in baby formula from China, and now toxic drywall.

The drywall in question isn’t anything the do-it-yourselfer needs to worry about. You can’t purchase the stuff from Home Depot or Lowes. The Chinese drywall was imported in bulk for use by contractors between 2004 and 2007 for 50,000 homes in 40 states. So how do the new homeowners know their drywall is toxic? They can’t stand to sit in their homes for the smell and the fact that it makes them cough.

I watched the report about toxic drywall from China on this morning’s Good Morning America (ABC). The couple that was interviewed have a 3,000 square foot home that forces them to stay outside—a lot. Sulfuric acid is the culprit. It smells like rotten eggs. It leaches out of the drywall eventually forming a black soot or tarnish on metal surfaces because sulfuric acid corrodes metal and electrical wiring. Eventually this couple’s A/C and other electrical appliances malfunctioned. They are looking at a total rip out of all the drywall in their house as well as inspection of all exposed metal in both the electrical and plumbing.

The health issues aren’t any better. Sulfuric acid mists are considered carcinogenic or cancer causing. If it were me, I would pitch a tent before living in the house depicted on GMA today. Smelling sulfuric acid is one thing, breathing it another.

What a mess—50,000 homes! In these economic times when we have abandoned homes galore, at least 50,000 extra homes will more than likely be temporarily abandoned as well because of yet more bad Chinese imports.

If you have a problem with sooty looking wiring in your new home, appliances like your A/C and water heater going on the fritz, and smell a rotten egg aroma, you may have a big, big problem.

Quite frankly, whenever I pick up food or any number of things that say imported from China anymore, I simply put them back. Price is not everything. Nothing replaces my health, and I still don’t trust that communist regime that has lately imprisoned Tibetan monks again for rebelling against China’s hostile takeover of their country. This is the kind of news that needs to hit the airwaves more than not. We simply should not be doing business with the devil.

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Consumer/story?id=7146929&page=1

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Posted in China, Health, Industry | No Comments »

Canada’s Seal Hunt Begins

Tuesday, March 24th, 2009

It’s disgusting. There is a 280,000 quota for dead baby seals for virtually no reason but never ending red tape and money. The babies in question are innocent and come running up because they are only 3 months old and do not know the cruelty of man. Many are skinned alive.

Many organizations are in the sea and the air documenting the abuses.

Read more and what you can do to stop it: http://www.care2.com/causes/animal-welfare/blog/confirmed-first-seal-killed-today-in-2009-hunt/.

Posted in Animals in Peril, Canada, Canada's Seal Hunt, Industry, Legislators, Marine Life, Morality, Politics | No Comments »

One Million Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles on the Road by 2015

Friday, March 20th, 2009

According to a current article on ENS, Environmental News Service, “President Barack Obama Thursday announced $2.4 billion in economic stimulus funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act” that is meant to meet his goal of putting one million plug-in hybrid vehicles on the road by 2015. The DOE, Dept. of Energy, is also offering $1.5 billion in grants for U.S. manufacturers to produce the batteries for the plug-ins, $500 million in grants for U.S. manufacturers to produce the electric motors and other components, along with a kicker $400 million to “demonstrate and evaluate plug-in hybrids and other electric infrastructure concepts” like charging stations, and the people who will work on these new cars. The DOE plans to further support projects that help develop this market further.

So it looks like plug-ins are on their way. The bonus is that consumers get a piece of the pie too. Purchasing a plug-in hybrid will get us a tax credit of up to $7,500. But, we’re going to need a new electric infrastructure all right. Our power grids are 50 years old.

This is good news for me. A lot of what I hear is good news for me like giving me $5000 to get my gas hog off the road, then turning around and giving me the $7,500 tax credit for going with a plug-in. There is no need to twist my arm because I think the Chevy Volt is sweet, but I’ll take any and all offers to get me moving toward buying a green car in the very near future.

But of course, as of right now, the $5000 for a trade-in isn’t solid, this new stimulus to create plug-in cars has just been announced, and GM, the creator of the sweet little Volt I would like, is still struggling in this economy. Meanwhile my gas-guzzler is really getting old. I don’t feel guilty for driving it because it only leaves the driveway twice a week, three times tops. I consolidate everything to minimalize running around. But I’m beginning to notice a time lag from when I turn the key and the ignition actually strikes. This tells me my time with my old car is limited and I probably won’t make it to the era of the plug-in without buying another car first. It figures.

Read more: http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/mar2009/2009-03-20-094.asp

Posted in Alternative Energy, Automobile, Energy Infrastructure, Environmental Capital, Environmentalism, Federal Government, Funding for Green Business, Industry, U.S. Automakers, U.S. Dept. of Energy | No Comments »

Russia Stops Seal Hunt

Thursday, March 19th, 2009

Good news from Russia. Yesterday it announced a ban on the hunting of all harp seals less than one year old. I wondered how they sort that out? But when I read the ENS (Environmental News Service) report further it stated: “Later this week, the world’s largest seal hunt will begin off the east coast of Canada. Last year, more than 217,000 harp seals were killed, 99.8 percent of which were under three months of age. Canada does not allow the clubbing of whitecoats. Sealers must wait until the animals get their darker gray coats at about six weeks of age.” Considering 6 weeks up to 3 month old seals are the predominate intent of the kill, this new ban is significant.

To help halt the hunting of baby seals worldwide, the report also said: “On March 2, a European Parliamentary committee voted to ban products derived from seals from being imported into the European Union, exported from it, or even transported through EU territory.” Ireland joined in on St. Patrick’s Day announcing its ” support for the total European Union trade ban on seal products from Canada and South Africa with no loopholes and no exemptions.”

I hope the momentum keeps up with Canada. More and more pressure is mounting against them. Animal welfare organizations and their memberships are the driving force of these changes along with concerned citizens who have literally taken to the streets in protest. Russia stated that large protests were held in 25 of its cities. The whole world wants an end to this decidedly inhumane practice.
The Humane Society International referred to veterinarians who studied Canada’s commercial hunt for 50 years who never failed to find high levels of suffering and this is why there is a world wide agenda to end trade in seal products.

Read more: http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/mar2009/2009-03-18-03.asp

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Posted in Animals in Peril, Canada, Canada's Seal Hunt, Environmentalism, Industry, Morality, Organizations, Science | No Comments »

Build Your Own Wind Turbine

Tuesday, March 17th, 2009

I was watching Planet Green’s “Renovation Nation” and one couple ordered a wind turbine kit delivered to their home. Mind you it looked to be 20 ft tall once it was up. The 3 blades looked different also. They were curved, resembling a quarter moon shape. It was delivered in parts on a flatbed. You assemble it then lift it via cable attached to the flatbed somehow. The owner said he only had to move 10 ft. and the turbine popped right up. Wind generators are measured by rotation speed and typical rotation speeds are 5-20 rpm. His was operating at 10 rpm but 12 rpm was optimal. This particular turbine could supply 100% of the home’s power. That’s quite a step up from turbines of the past. The only major drawback, it cost $10,000 dollars.

Well I wanted to see just what was out there now in wind turbine sales and ran across a build-it-yourself website complete with videos, what parts you will need, what tools, etc. You’ve got to see this for yourself. All I’ve got to say is that there are some pretty enterprising people out there.

http://www.thekevdog.com/projects/wind_generator/

Posted in Alternative Energy, Environmentalism, Green Construction, Green Products, Wind Power | No Comments »

A Word About That Green Beer

Monday, March 16th, 2009

Some green is not good for us. I happened across a “green” blog about natural beers for St. Patrick’s day and learned about food dye—that it is not good for us. The blog said:
“They (food dyes) have been found to cause hyperactivity in children, who should not be drinking beer of course, but is linked to asthma and cancer in adults.” So if you’re out and drinking green beer tomorrow, not the environmental sort, and get a case of happy feet even for clog dancing than you’re actually hyperactive from all the food dye. Tell that to your spouse, “It wasn’t the alcohol honey, it was the green food dye that got me kicked out for dancing on the bar.”

So you might want to forget the dyed green beer and try local natural brews, a different kind of green. The Care2 website where I read about this has a nice list. Or be “green” in another way if you’re going to tie one on for St. Patty’s day. DO NOT DRIVE, but walk to and stagger home from your favorite neighborhood pub—no CO2 emitted for the evening, although there might be other gases involved before the night is over depending on the amount of brewskis imbibed and whether or not you’ve combined that with the normal fare of corned beef and cabbage. What a hangover that will be.

http://www.care2.com:80/greenliving/green-beers-for-st-patricks-day.html

Posted in Food, Health | No Comments »

Clubbing Baby Seals for Fur in the 21st Century

Friday, March 13th, 2009

Why?

Read this: “To immobilize each of the seal pups, a sealer near us quickly clubbed every seal within a small radius and then dragged the bodies to the center of his circle. One by one he flipped each seal on its back and skinned it. If the seal flipped around or fought against the skinning, he’d flip it on its stomach, club it several more times and then finish the skinning.” – IFAW Seal Hunt Observer

If that didn’t make you sick:
It’s safe and easy, and it preserves the seal’s valuable pelt. Federal laws in Canada give a sealer three ways to hunt his prey. He can shoot a seal with a rifle or shotgun—provided it’s above a minimum caliber or gauge; he can break its head with a blunt club (like a baseball bat) that must be at least 2 feet long; or he can smash in its brains with something called a hakapik—a 4- or 5-foot wooden pole with a bent, metal spike affixed to the end. http://www.slate.com/id/2139026/.

IFAW’s (International Fund for Animal Welfare) website stated that Canadian Senator Mac Harb just introduced legislation to end Canada’s commercial seal hunt for good. He is the first Canadian politician to do so. It went on to say this seal hunt is the largest remaining marine mammal slaughter in the world.
This is a real travesty because it isn’t all about furs; it’s about a process that’s in place. When I signed a petition to our Ambassador to Canada relative to this slaughter on the IFAW website, it revealed: “This hunt only continues to exist because it is propped up by a range of government subsidies and taxpayers money.” Mankind has just completely lost touch with nature. Of course I find this no different than the wolf slaughter—unnecessary.

I don’t know about anyone else but I have a vision of this slaughter now that I didn’t want to have and will remember this for quite a long time.

HELP STOP THE SEAL HUNT FOR GOOD: http://www.ifaw.org/ifaw_canada_english/ or
http://www.stopthesealhunt.com/c.ihKPIWPCIqE/b.2580449/k.DF8D/Stop_
the_Seal_Hunt_Take_Action_to_End_the_Seal_Hunt/siteapps/advocacy/ActionItem.aspx

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Release of Dioxin Study Would Help Michigan’s Saginaw Bay Watershed

Wednesday, March 11th, 2009

The latest dioxin study is to be expedited for release by our new EPA. Dioxin is a carcinogen that affects our endocrine system, (hormone releasing glands), and immune system. EPA studies since the early 90’s show that it is much more dangerous than we previously thought. Those in the health care industry are pressing the new EPA to release the reassessment of dioxin so that everyone involved in protecting our health can begin to develop standards for dioxin. The Bush administration favored a review board to go over the new reassessment, which would hold up any effective protections for years. It figures. This is another example of the general public’s health versus corporate investment for cleaning up their pollution. We all know the scarier the stuff in question, the quicker it gets cleaned up and so this study is crucial to that end. And not a minute too soon since dioxin is still running amok in Michigan’s Saginaw Bay watershed according to an article in the Michigan Messenger. It said, “Dow Chemical’s Midland plant has contaminated 50 miles of that watershed with dioxin.

A picture for that same article showed a swing set and monkey bars in Saginaw’s West Michigan Park that is under water from flooding of the dioxin-contaminated Tittabawassee River. Think about that park where children play on dioxin-contaminated soil and consider why children are having so many immune system malfunctions throughout the country like asthma, and allergies, etc. Hormonal problems from a faulty endocrine system affect puberty, reproduction, and even hair loss. Children are reaching puberty earlier. And I don’t know about anyone else, but to see a man with a full head of hair any more is a rarity. Dioxin appears in low doses in much of the food we eat too. We don’t need our water and soil full of the stuff.

Read more: http://michiganmessenger.com/14472/epa-to-expedite-report-on-dioxin-danger

Posted in EPA, Environmentalism, Health, Industry, Michigan Clean Water, Michigan Environmental News, Michigan Pollution | No Comments »

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