Greenspiration News: nukes, renewables, gardens, meds

angela bischoff greenspi at web.ca
Mon Nov 17 11:59:45 EST 2008



Greenspiration News


"fair trade not “Free” trade,
sharing, not hoarding;
simplicity, not luxury;
family farms, not factory farms;
biodiversity, not monocrops;
cultural diversity, not monoculture;
creativity, not conformity;
a living wage, not the minimum wage;
a fair price, not the lowest price;
slow food, not fast food;
our bucks, not Starbucks;
our marts, not Wal-Mart;
a love of life, not a love of money."

abridged version from judy wicks of the white dog cafe in philidelphia

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Climate Fall-Out of the McGuinty Government's Nuclear Electricity Plan.

<http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/recent/ontario-wearing-economic-blind>http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/recent/ontario-wearing-economic-blind

This new Greenpeace report shows how Ontario is going to miss its GHG
reduction targets by 1) depending on ageing nuclear stations to operate
better than they ever have historically and 2) increasing GHG while
waiting for new reactors to replace ageing nuclear stations.

Greenpeace is trying to focus attention on the decision regarding the
future of the PIckering B nuclear station (expected in March 2009). The
government is mulling rebuidling Pickering over 6 years or shuting it down
and increasing GHG for 7 years until new nukes are online in 2020.

The test of George Smitherman's green credentials will be whether he
rejects the OPA's bad advice and replaces PIckering with 2000 MW of
addtiional green power.

More information on this can be found at the following sites:

http://greenpeace.ca/shut-down-pickering
http://30km.ca
http://renewableisdoable.ca

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Plugging Ontario Into A Green Future  demonstrates that the best
opportunity to develop a green energy economy in Ontario is to allow
sustainable sources of power to replace ageing nuclear reactors when they
are scheduled to shut down beginning in 2013.

http://www.renewableisdoable.com/

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Plant your own Victory Garden!

In our society, growing food yourself has become the most radical of acts.
It is truly the only effective protest, one that can - and will - overturn
the corporate powers that be. By the process of directly working in
harmony with nature, we do the one thing most essential to change the
world - we change ourselves. ~ Jules Dervaes ~

100 Foot Diet - Growing Closer to Home: A Lifelong Challenge

It wasn’t that long ago (1940s) that people planted Victory Gardens when
it became necessary for them, due to wartime shortages, to grow their own
food. Now, it’s our turn

If you want to fight against peak oil, climate change and our consumerist
culture, then join us and start a living protest right in your own back
(front) yards. Be the change, live the solution! Use your yard (or balcony
or porch steps) not only to grow food but also to cultivate a healthier
and more fulfilling life.

http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2008/01/06/100-foot-diet-challenge-launch/
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G20 for a Green Economy?

When leaders of the 20 largest economies gather in Washington later this
week, a centerpiece of their deliberations should be a Global Green Deal.
The challenge for political leadership is not merely to kickstart the
global economy, but to do so in a way that creates jobs, stabilizes
the climate, increases food output using less water and chemicals, and
generates prosperity while achieving greater income equality.

Read: Building a Green Economy: It's Time for the G20 to Focus on a Global
Green Deal

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Canada must Confront Oily Monster in the Closet and
Americans Deserves Three Cheers
by Ish Theilheimer, Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Many families have terrible secrets that dominate their lives. Canada has
the tar sands.

Tony Clarke and Andrew Nikiforuk are two Canadians working to get the
monster out of the closet and onto the table for public debate. Clarke
launched his new book Tar Sands Showdown(Canadian Centre for Policy
Alternatives, 2008) last week in Ottawa.

When the oil boom goes bust, as it now appears to be doing, Canada will
have nowhere to fall back. The federal government has become dependent on
tar sands tax revenues, but with world oil prices at $60 a barrel, that
revenue will be cut dramatically. Profits and new investment will dry up.
Where will all the workers, already displaced from eastern Canada, go?

Investigative journalist Andrew Nikiforukhas spent several years focussing
on the tar sands. Nikiforuk has just published his own book, Tar Sands:
Dirty Oil and the Future of a Continent.

He writes that investment in the tar sands now totals approximately $200
billion. It has "... become the world's largest energy project, the
world's largest construction project and the world's largest capital
project. No comprehensive assessment of the megaproject's environmental,
economic or social impact has been done.

Continues: http://www.straightgoods.ca/ViewFeature8.cfm?REF=602

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New York Times
July 4, 2009

http://www.nytimes-se.com/

Wow - check out this brilliant spoof of the NYTimes -- good news for a
change! Thousands of copies of this spoof version of the New York Times
were distributed in Manhattan. The paper, dated July 4 2009, conveyed a
utopic post-election scenario. The main headline read "Iraq War Ends," and
articles discussed progressive legislation that had been passed since
Obama was elected.

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Poll: Majority of Americans Want Action on Climate to

Rebuild U.S. Economy

Most Want Economic Rebuilding Paid for with Carbon Auction, not Taxes or Debt

(Washington, DC - November 11, 2008) According to new post-election poll
results released today by Environmental Defense Fund, a majority of
Americans say that given the current economic crisis, now is the time to
address climate change -- because investing in clean energy will create
millions of new jobs and rebuild the economy.

The survey, conducted by respected Democratic pollster Douglas E. Schoen,
also found that two-thirds of Americans think investments in economic
stimulus should be funded with revenue from large companies paying for the
global warming pollution they emit - rather than tax hikes or more
borrowing that increases the national debt.

"The public thinks there's not a minute to waste," said Steve Cochran,
national climate campaign director at EDF. "They want economic
revitalization and action to address global warming to go together, and
they want it paid for."

The national survey was conducted on the evening of November 4th. Its goal
was to measure public support for climate change legislation amid a time
of economic recession and in anticipation of a new President and Congress.

Full results are available online at www.edf.org/electiondaypoll.

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Canadians for a Progressive Coalition

In 2008 the majority of Canadians voted for a prosperous, fair, and green
Canada. Over 60% of voters cast their ballots for parties with progressive
platforms. With 37% of the vote the Conservatives will effectively hold
100% of the power.

The Conservatives received 170,000 fewer votes than the last election, yet
they won more seats. The Greens, who received 940,747 votes, are not
represented at all.

Politics as usual is not working: the progressive majority in Canada is
now ruled by a right-wing minority. If Canadians do not act we are going
to watch Canada become more unequal, more irresponsible, and more out of
step with a changing world.

We can change this. The Conservatives only secured 143 seats in Parliament
while the NDP, Liberals, and Bloc Quebecois secured a combined 165 seats.
These seats give the NDP, Liberals, and Bloc Quebecois the ability to form
a coalition government. You don't have to give up your vision of Canada.
The parties can work together to find common ground.

Canadians for a Progressive Coalition are asking the NDP, Liberals, and
Bloc Quebecois to form a coalition government that includes counsel from
the Greens.

Find out more and sign the petition for a Coalition here:
http://www.progressivecoalition.ca/

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ACTION OPPORTUNITY

Opportunity: Otesha Cycling Tours for the Planet - Spring, Summer & Fall 2009
Type: full-time, one or two months
Terms: fundraise or bursary to cover your expenses
Organization: Otesha <http://www.otesha.ca>http://www.otesha.ca
Locations: seven locations across Canada

We wanted to let you in on a wonderful, tasty, piece of news:
*The Otesha Project's 2009 cycling and performing tours
have just been launched!*

Check them out here:
<http://www.otesha.ca/bike+tours/>http://www.otesha.ca/bike+tours/

Learning tours, bilingual tours, one month, two months
-- the possibilities are endless! If you or someone you
know is interested in applying to go on a tour, now is
the time.

The Otesha Project is a youth-run organization that uses
theatre to mobilize young people to make local and global
change through their everyday consumer choices. The
cycling and performing tour offers participants the chance
to live in a mobile sustainable community while giving
performances to high school students and community
groups about how to make sustainability a part of
everyday life.

*Word of mouth is our most effective tool for recruiting
cycling tour members.* Tell your neighbors, tell your
dentist, tell your school friends and coworkers. Tell the
World.

The Otesha Project
<http://www.otesha.ca>http://www.otesha.ca
613-237-6065

Sign up for Otesha's monthly e-journal!
<http://mail.otesha.ca/mailman/listinfo/journal3_otesha.ca>http://mail.otesha.ca/mailman/listinfo/journal3_otesha.ca

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*Prescription Drugs Kill 300 Percent More Americans Than Illegal Drugs*

Prescription Drugs Kill 300 Percent More Americans Than Illegal Drugs
Monday 10 November 2008

by: David Gutierrez, Natural News

A report by the Florida Medical Examiners Commission has concluded that
prescription drugs have outstripped illegal drugs as a cause of death.

An analysis of 168,900 autopsies conducted in Florida in 2007 found that
three times as many people were killed by legal drugs as by cocaine,
heroin and all methamphetamines put together. According to state law
enforcement officials, this is a sign of a burgeoning prescription drug
abuse problem.

"The abuse has reached epidemic proportions," said Lisa McElhaney, a
sergeant in the pharmaceutical drug diversion unit of the Broward County
Sheriff's Office. "It's just explosive."

In 2007, cocaine was responsible for 843 deaths, heroin for 121,
methamphetamines for 25 and marijuana for zero, for a total of 989 deaths.
In contrast, 2,328 people were killed by opioid painkillers, including
Vicodin and Oxycontin, and 743 were killed by drugs containing
benzodiazepine, including the depressants Valium and Xanax.

Alcohol directly caused 466 deaths, but was found in the bodies of 4,179
cadavers in all.

Read The Full Story http://www.truthout.org/111208HA
 or http://www.naturalnews.com/024765.html

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International Day Against Climate Chaos

On December 7, 2008, people across Canada will unite to stop climate
chaos. The national day of action will take place during the UN climate
talks in Poznan, Poland. It's part of a global movement, with protests
planned in
many countries around the world.

Last December, thousands of Canadians joined demonstrations in solidarity
with people marching in 80 countries. Please encourage your friends,
co-workers and members of your organizations to join us on December 7.

Help organize an event in your community. It can be as simple as a potluck
or a talk, or as large as a march. Please let us know if you're organizing
something, and we can help you get started. Contact:

- Mike Buckthought, National Climate Change Campaigner, Sierra Club Canada
<mikeb at sierraclub.ca>

- Barbara Hayes, Director, Canadian Youth Climate Coalition
<director at ourclimate.ca>

* For more information about the December 7 Day of Action on Climate
Change, visit: http://www.sierraclub.ca/climatecrisis/

* For a list of events across Canada:
http://www.sierraclub.ca/climatecrisis/?page_id=665

* Please let us know if you're organizing something. We'll list information
about your event and organizing meetings.

* Join the Facebook group, "Stop Climate Chaos-Canada" and invite all your
friends to join
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=5775162577

* There's also a Facebook event page, for events across Canada: "Stop
Climate Chaos | Arrêtons le chaos climatique"
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=48392995398

* We can help you with posters.

Good luck with the organizing!

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Democrats shield automakers
November 17, 2008

The automobile lobby is back on Capitol Hill warming up to some of their
best friends - Democrats

Courtesy of the Real News Network - 5 min. video
http://therealnews.com/t/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=2789

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