Greenspiration News: Klein, renewables, arms show, addiction

Tue Aug 26 10:52:57 EDT 2008

Greenspiration News

"A time comes when silence is betrayal. We are called to speak for the
weak, for the voiceless, for victims of our nation and for those it
calls enemy, for no document from human hands can make these humans any
less our brothers and sisters." -  Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Naomi Klein -- The Shock Doctrine opens the way for oil drilling

http://therealnews.com/t/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33&Itemid=74&jumival=186

On this page you can also view 4 other excellent segments of Naomi Klein
discussing disaster capitalism and China.

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Renewable Power's Growth in Colorado Presages National Debate

Washington Post, August 18, 2008 - front page

DENVER -- When Colorado voters were deciding whether to require that 10
percent of the state's electricity come from renewable fuels, the state's
largest utility fought the proposal, warning that any shift from coal and
natural gas would be costly, uncertain and unwise.

Then a funny thing happened. The ballot initiative passed, and
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Xcel+Energy+Inc.?tid=informline>Xcel
Energy met the requirement eight years ahead of schedule. And at the
government's urging, its executives quickly agreed to double the target,
to 20 percent.

In Colorado -- a state historically known for natural gas and fights over
drilling -- wind and solar power are fast becoming prominent parts of the
energy mix. Wind capacity has quadrupled in the past 18 months, according
to Gov.
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Bill+Ritter?tid=informline>Bill
Ritter (D), and Xcel has become the largest provider of wind power in the
nation.

The politics and economics of energy are shifting here in ways that
foretell debates across the country as states create renewable-energy
mandates and the federal government moves toward limiting carbon
emissions. One advocate calls Colorado "ground zero" for the looming
battle over energy. <snip>

Full article:
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/17/AR2008081702193_pf.html>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/17/AR2008081702193_pf.html

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How doctors are turning millions of us INTO addicts

Hooked: It's thought between three and seven million Britons are addicted
to prescription drugs

Gina Loxam was feeling a bit low, so she went to see her GP and was
prescribed the anti-depressant, Seroxat.

Ten years later, she is still on the drug because the severe mood swings,
headaches, fatigue and weight gain she suffers when she tries to come off
are unbearable.

Gina, a 52-year-old finance and quality manager, is one of more than 600
people now suing the pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline for damages on
the grounds that they were not warned of the possible side-effects, such
as personality changes, as well as addiction. <snip>

Full article:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1046612/How-doctors-turning-millions-INTO-addicts.html

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Bicycle City

http://www.bicyclecity.com/

A group of American entrepreneurs has launched Bicycle City - the largest
planned car-free communities project in the United States. Begun in 1992
and accelerated in 2006 after securing seed funding, their inspiration
comes from luminaries such as Paolo Soleri, Jane Jacobs, John Naisbitt,
Richard Register, Jane Goodall and Maria Montessori.

They've spent time exploring model cities and villages around the world
and are now developing plans for the first Bicycle City - in what they
hope will evolve into a coast-to-coast (perhaps even world-wide) network
of car free, eco-friendly communities linked primarily by rail and bicycle
greenways. 

Bicycle City's first planned community will be a model new ecocity located
in the South Eastern United States. Property negotiations are in final
discussions and Bicycle City expects to announce the location in the next
1-3 months.

"Phase One" of Bicycle City is planned for approximately 750 - 1,000
people. A limited number of advance reservations are now being taken. If
you are interested in reserving space in Bicycle City, the first true
ecocity planned in the United States, here is your chance!

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Mutated fish alarms delegates at northern Alberta water gathering

Aug. 18, CBC

Days before a conference on water quality began in Fort Chipewyan, Alta.,
last week, residents say a strange fish with two mouths was found at the
nearby lake.

The event brought together western and northern Canadian aboriginal
leaders and environmental activists, all of whom expressed concern with
the quality of water in the Athabasca River, downstream from oilsands
development in Fort McMurray.

Full article:
http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2008/08/18/chip-fish.html

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Hanging Out in Beijing

BC activist Nicole Rycroft on why she dangled a 'Free Tibet' banner -- and
herself -- from atop a Beijing billboard.

August 19, 2008

http://thetyee.ca/News/2008/08/19/FreeTibet/

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Canada should not abet erosion of international nuclear restraints

By TAMARA LORINCZ

Canadians should be very concerned about nuclear weapons proliferation
because our country is one of the main suppliers of uranium, a raw
material needed for these weapons, on the world market.

Dr. Gordon Edwards of the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility
describes how our uranium was used in the development of the atomic bombs
dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.

Now, our uranium could be used to expand and modernize India’s nuclear
weapons. According to the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, India has 50 to
60 nuclear weapons and "is thought to be increasing (its) stockpiles."

Last week, the Canadian government indicated that it plans to reverse its
longstanding position of not supplying India with nuclear technologies and
fuel, such as uranium. Canada’s approval will advance the controversial
United States-India Nuclear Co-operation deal. This deal "is a virtual
endorsement of India’s nuclear weapons status" according to the Arms
Control Association. <snip>

Full article: http://thechronicleherald.ca/Opinion/1071563.html

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Energy Innovation - Solar Panels and Solar Cookers
By: Suzanne Elston

While we sit comfortably in our temperature and lighting controlled
environments, it’s worth noting that almost a third of the world’s
population doesn’t have access to any electricity. This means that for an
estimated two billion people living in parts of the developing world,
there is no air conditioning, nor are there any lights, electric cooking
stoves, computers, cell phones, or any of the other conveniences that we
consider necessities of life. 

Until recently, it was considered either economically unfeasible or
environmentally unsound to create a centralized electrical grid in many of
these impoverished corners of the globe. Thanks to some pretty amazing
innovation, new technologies are bringing the services that electricity
can provide to these remote areas. <snip>

http://yourearth.blogspot.com/2008/08/energy-innovation.html

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Stop Ottawa's Arms Shows

The US arms expo is part of a large military show called "Secure Canada
2008." It's sponsors are the US and UK governments, major US war-related
industries, the top lobby group for US arms makers, the US Chamber of
Commerce in Canada, and two Canadian magazines catering to the
military-industrial complex.

Ottawa has not hosted any such events since 1989 when the Coalition to
Oppose the Arms Trade rallied thousands to Lansdowne Park to
protest ARMX—Canada’s largest arms bazaar.

We stopped them before, we can stop them again!

Please sign the online petition now.
http://prax.ca/coat/No-Arms-Shows

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The Prince of Pot

Airing: Thursday, Aug. 28 at 5 pm ET and Tues. Sept. 2 at 10 p.m. PT on
CBC Newsworld

Canadian Marc Emery, Canada's most prominent marijuana legalization
activist, is at the top of the U.S, Drug Enforcement Agency's 'Most Wanted
List' and now faces extradition to the U.S. and possible life
imprisonment.  His crime - selling marijuana seeds over the Internet.  An
occupation he has never denied.  In fact for more than a decade he has
dutifully filed his income tax returns in Canada stating his occupation as
"marijuana seed seller".  He paid his taxes and was left alone by the
Canadian authorities.  However Canada's RCMP suddenly and willingly
co-operated when the DEA got him in their sights. Read more:
http://www.cbc.ca/thelens/program_231007.html

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Swiss to Vote on SUV Ban

Swiss campaigners launched a bid on Monday to ban off-roaders, SUVs and
gas-guzzling executive and sports cars, winning enough support for a
referendum.

http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/49948/story.htm

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