file under: what in the F*@K?

I love this! Leave to LA to be the example of absolute hypocrisy.

We are in the middle of a drought. Check.
The mayor has asked us to do “whatever” we can to conserve water. Check.
The Public Works department is citing people for planting drought resistant plants. Chec…. WHAT?!?

Yep. You did read that correctly.

It was also after Krieger and his wife Sandy faced a supervisor and two Public Workers inspectors over the citation they were given ordered to immediately remove their drought-resistant plants and replace them with grass or pavement or leave the parkway as dirt — or face prosecution.

You can read the whole article HERE.

Happy Halloween

I got a late afternoon treat that put a big smile on my face.

The FDA’s science board, a group of outside experts, voted unanimously to endorse a report that found major flaws in the agency’s decision to declare BPA safe.

The science board agreed with the finding that that the FDA was wrong to base its August decision that BPA is safe only on studies funded by the chemical industry. Excluded studies suggest that BPA, which acts like the hormone estrogen, could pose harm to children at levels at least 10 times lower than what the agency allows.

It is not good when an organization like the FDA lets itself get manipulated into approving a chemical by ignoring that it is harmful and instead focusing on the corporate interest and revenue.

I am so happy that the public outcry created the need for an independent review!

HERE is an article about the decision. Although, I will warn you, it is depressing to see how little the FDA did to ensure our safety. For example:

When measuring the amount of BPA to which babies are exposed from liquid infant formula, for example, the FDA used data from more than a decade ago and sampled only 14 liquid formula cans, all from the Washington, D.C. area. It also based its exposure estimate on the average BPA level. That could allow children fed from cans with above-average BPA levels to receive far more of the chemical.

I am sure you will be hearing more about this as the week goes on.

water rationing predicted for Cali

California Department of Water Resources announced that water rationing is our likely future, unless we get some heavy rain and lasting snowfall this winter. And, at this point, that is not predicted. What is expected drought and increasing temperatures.

Things can change rapidly but for now there is a call for extra effort in conservation and to keep it as a habit.

I have posted this before, but in LA, it is illegal to:
• Use water to wash any hard surfaces such as sidewalks, walkways, driveways
or parking areas, unless flushing is needed to protect health and safety;
• Use water to clean, fill or maintain decorative fountains unless the water is
part of a recirculating system;
• Serve water to customers in eating establishments unless requested;
• Permit leaks from any pipe or fixture to go unrepaired;
• Allow for the washing of a vehicle without using a hose with a self-closing,
shut-off device;
• Permit watering during periods of rain;
• Irrigate landscaping between the hours of
9 a.m. and 4 p.m.;
• Water outdoors for more than 15 minutes per watering station, 10 minutes for
other irrigation systems;
• Allow runoff onto streets and gutters from excessive watering;

contest

The winners of the 2008 Wildlife Photography of the Year were announced yesterday.

All I can say is… whoa.

Go HERE for all the photos. Some are presented below.

A cat-eyed tree-snake, coiled around a branch, was locked in an embrace with a Morelet’s treefrog – a critically endangered species.

Sulawesi macaques are now at high risk of extinction.

White-tailed eagles are the largest eagles in northern Europe, with a wingspan of more than two metres.

World Vegan Day

So… October 1st was World Vegetarian Day, but I missed it. So, I thought I would acknowledge World Vegan Day which is tomorrow, November 1st.

There is just no arguing anymore that reducing your meat intact is one of the best things you can do for the environment. The factory culture of the meat industry has resulted in poorer quality of meat, dead zones in our oceans due to waste material seeping into our water systems, every increasing levels of methane gas, not to mention an atmosphere of animal abuse and cruelty.

So, I ask you to take a pledge to change your eating habits. If you don’t want to go vegan or vegetarian, I understand. But cut down your meat intake. Don’t eat meat tomorrow. And then pick another day next week that you don’t eat meat. Then two more.

The website I link to above… it has a FREE vegan cookbook available. I mean… how much easier could you get!?

here are some links about meat and the environment:
Go Veg
The New Scientist
A report from NPR

Living Planet Report

The World Wildlife Fund presented it’s annual report about the state of our world. And, if you think the downward economic spiral has been bad… you ain’t seen nothing yet.

The report describes the changing state of global biodiversity and the pressure on the biosphere arising from human consumption of natural resources. It concludes by telling us that by the mid-2030′s we will need the equivalent of two Earth’s to support us, unless we make rapid and immediate change.

The site is fantastic. It is interactive, full of graphs and charts that clearly depict what is going on, as well as a comprehensive list of possible solutions. I highly recommend perusing it. You can find it HERE.

something horrendous is happening

And, no, I am not talking about the destruction of our planet. I mean, that too, but something even more horrendous is happening.

You see, there is this group called Californians for Population Stabilization. You might think that they support a zero population growth, or Planned Parenthood, are pro-choice, and are concerned about the environment. You would be wrong. Dead wrong.

This group is against immigrants. Specifically, Latino immigrants.

As a result, they have done the most heinous thing imaginable. You may have even seen it. They have paid for an advertisement in which they blame global warming on Latin immigrants, there by calling on our citizenry to disallow them from our country. (you can find an article, including a link to the commercial HERE.)

This campaign is awful, for so many reasons. First of all, last time I checked this country has continuously worked towards anti-discrimination laws and supports equality for all. Secondly, it just isn’t true. Global warming is not caused by one thing or one group of people. That is why this is so hard to battle. It doesn’t have a face. It’s a matrix of lack of education, low cost of fuel, bad food production, television and over-consumption by Westerners (and let me tell you, that’s white folk.)

Lastly, and most importantly, have you ever wondered what the heck you would do without all the latino immigrants in this country? Have you? Who would pick your food from the fields? Who would cook your food at California Pizza Kitchen or Spago? Who would clean your house, or your yard, or park your car for you? Why people do not understand that this population is a net positive to our economy is dumbfounding.

But on top of that, these are not the people I see driving around in SUV’s. These are not the people I see at the malls buying item after item on new merchandise. These are not the people I see at Ralph’s buying frozen pizzas and sugary foods for their children. Nor are they the people with five TV’s to a household of three. They do not over spend on cosmetics or cell phones or clothing or toys or all the other crap you can imagine. And on top of that, I cannot even tell you how many times I have seen Latino families going through trash bins pulling out all the recyclable items, that YOU threw out. So you tell me who’s better for this planet?

In all honesty, they work hard so you don’t have to. Their presence keeps the cost of food and goods low, so our economy can keep going. It is the jerks on Wall Street, most of them white, that have hurt this economy and fueled global warming.

So I say to this group, and any other person, that discriminates towards our immigrants… shame on you. You live a life of luxury for no regard on how you attain that.

I challenge you to open your eyes to the blessings you have in your life. And when you do, I almost promise you, the first reaction will be to thank an immigrant.

GOOD sheet – Election ’08

You know I love those GOOD Sheets! Starting today, you can find them online and in Starbucks discussing the differences between the two candidates. Well worth the read for someone who may be undecided.

HERE is the link.

60 some odd days… right? RIGHT?!?!

The White House is working to enact a wide array of federal regulations, many of which would weaken government rules aimed at protecting consumers and the environment, before President Bush leaves office in January.

The new rules would be among the most controversial deregulatory steps of the Bush era and could be difficult for his successor to undo. Some would ease or lift constraints on private industry, including power plants, mines and farms.

Those and other regulations would help clear obstacles to some commercial ocean-fishing activities, ease controls on emissions of pollutants that contribute to global warming, relax drinking-water standards and lift a key restriction on mountaintop coal mining.

Once such rules take effect, they typically can be undone only through a laborious new regulatory proceeding, including lengthy periods of public comment, drafting and mandated reanalysis.

You can read the whole article HERE. (It may require a free registration.)

California Propostion 10

This is the final ballot measure having something to do with the environment. Tomorrow, I will post a summary of the ballot measures. But remember, you can go to the link on the right hand side of the screen labeled “Election 2008″ and get all the information you need about ballot measures and candidates.

Proposition 10: California Alternative Fuels Inititative

It sets up a rebate program to give money back to people who purchase vehicles that are powered by fuel sources other than regular gasoline, as well as a rebate for people who buy fuel-saving vehicles (like the Toyota Prius). The state government would pay for the rebates, up to a total of $5 billion.

The initiative authorizes $5 billion in bonds paid from state’s General Fund, allocated approximately as follows:

* 58% in cash payments of between $2,000 and $50,000 to purchasers of certain high fuel economy and alternative fuel vehicles;
* 20% in incentives for research, development and production of renewable energy technology;
* 11% in incentives for research and development of alternative fuel vehicle technology;
* 5% in incentives for purchase of renewable energy technology;
* 4% in grants to eight cities for education about these technologies; and
* 3% in grants to colleges to train students in these technologies.

Argument FOR:
– The funding it provides will allow the generation of electricity from renewable sources, and provide consumer rebates for the purchase or lease of “clean alternative fuel vehicles”.
– The funding will allow the replacement of “older polluting diesel trucks with clean alternative fuel trucks” and provide for research into alternative fuels.
– The programs funded by Prop. 10 will help reduce dependence on foreign fuel produced by “hostile foreign governments.”
– The diesel trucks that could be replaced produce dangerous pollution.
– Alternatives to high-priced gasoline are important

Argument AGAINST:
– Would require taking $10 billion out of the state’s general fund over a 30 year period at a time when the state is already in debt.
– Average consumers would not benefit from the rebate created by Proposition 10 that goes to those who buy vehicles that run on non-petroleum based fuels; instead, critics say, the main beneficiaries of the rebate would be “companies that have large vehicle fleets.”
– There are relatively few mechanics who know how to fix natural-gas engines and few filling stations offer natural gas.
– The proposition was initiated by one person/interest group and as such lacks the vetting that would have come had it gained input from a wider variety of sources. Shames says, “A well-intentioned individual with an excessive amount of money doesn’t necessarily have the capacity to present a comprehensive policy initiative on a complex topic.”

Recommendation: NO

It comes down to this… natural gas vehicles can provide a moderate reduction in pollution contributing to global warming. But this measure is not worth the cost to the state. It legislates a market for natural gas, therefore adding pressure to drill, while diverting funds and research from other alternatives. It is no surprise that the major investor in the “yes” campaign, has the most to profit from such a move; T. Boone Pickens.

link to the website in FAVOR
link to the website in OPPOSITION

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