September 2007 - Sustainability

[Sustain] Blue Gold Water Blog
by Martin Zehr 13 Sep '07

13 Sep '07

Dear All, This is an invitation to register for and contribute to Blue Gold, the European Water Partnership's water blog at www.questjournalists.com or www.ewp.eu. Blue Gold serves as an information and discussion platform for the water community and welcomes members and contributions from across the globe. The more the merrier. We want to hear your news as well as your views and comments. We look forward to welcoming you to Blue Gold. And please feel free to distribute this invitation within your networks. Best regards, James M. Dorsey Moderator Monday, September 10, 2007 Turning Delta ruling into opportunity By Peter Gleick - Special To The Bee On Aug. 31, a federal judge acknowledged what many people have long known-we have run up against the limits of our water supplies. U.S. District Judge Oliver Wanger ruled that state and federal water managers must change how they operate California's water system to reduce environmental harm. It now seems inevitable that the total amount of water taken from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta will have to be scaled back. While the details and magnitude of these changes still must be worked out, we're already hearing the predictable cries of catastrophe, economic collapse and impending doom. This crisis has been coming for a long time, but it isn't a surprise and need not be a disaster. We now have the opportunity to discuss issues that have long been ignored or considered taboo: inappropriate water rights and allocations, groundwater management and use, real land-use planning, and water-use efficiency. In the past, we've always assumed that we could grow as fast as we wanted, wherever we wanted, and find new water sources to meet our demands. Over the past century, we spent hundreds of billions of dollars building dams, reservoirs, aqueducts and pipelines to realize this vision of California. The complex water management system we built has permitted 37 million of us to live, work and play here. But we are beginning to understand that our manipulation of the water system, based on 19th and 20th century ideas, hurts the natural environment. We are killing our rivers, deltas, wetlands, birds and fish. While we didn't recognize or care about those impacts in the last century, we do now. The judge's decision shows that the system we built must be modified to address the environmental and economic challenges of this century. The water use of the agricultural sector should be re-evaluated. Our farms consume 80 percent of the water used by California, but produce far less than 10 percent of our jobs and revenue. We must continue to have a healthy agricultural community, while using less water. To grow more food with less water, we must improve irrigation efficiency, monitor and measure all groundwater use, choose to grow fewer water-intensive crops and develop new rules to encourage these improvements. Current water rights regimes in California, combined with inappropriate federal subsidies for water and certain crops, have locked in a higher level of waste and inefficiency than we can afford. Land-use planning also needs to be re-evaluated. It makes little sense to permit uncontrolled development in floodplains, only to pass flood risks from developers to homeowners or the state. It is myopic to build McMansions on prime farmland with landscaping that sucks up water faster than farms, with no assurance that a reliable water supply will be available. Conservation needs to be redefined. It needn't mean brown lawns, shorter showers or mandatory rationing. It is about doing what we want, but with less water. We use far more water today than is necessary, whether for flushing our toilets, growing food or making semiconductors. Our conservation efforts have eased this inefficient use, enabling us to grow our economy and population over the past several years without increasing our water demand. But far more could be done. Efforts to improve water-use efficiency have slacked off in the past decade. Even without the judge's wake-up call, our water agencies and utilities should have been implementing new efficiency programs to deal with the drought. The faster we reduce inefficient uses, the longer we can delay or avoid mandatory cutbacks. While predictions of economic disaster arising from the Delta decision may come true, they don't have to. But it will take a re-evaluation of our ideas about water-use and political courage by the governor, Legislature and water users to have open and honest discussions about how to redesign our water system so that it is smart, efficient and sustainable. Only then can we transform this water crisis into an opportunity. US House of Representatives Form Water Caucus Some members of both parties in the US House of Representatives are forming a Congressional Water Caucus to promote scientific information and discussion about water resources and use, according to the American Water Works Association's WaterWeek newsletter said. Co-chairs of the new caucus, launched in mid-August, are Reps. Bart Stupak (D-MI), John Linder (R-GA), Jim Costa (D-CA), George Radanovich (R-CA) and Grace Napolitano (D-CA). The caucus has 29 other original members - 17 Democrats and 12 Republicans. In a letter to House members, the caucus members set forth 12 principles of water policy they will pursue, including: ensuring an adequate supply of fresh water for all US citizens, considering "all available technologies" for increasing the water supply while safeguarding the environment, implementing strategies for water reuse, reducing bureaucratic "red tape" for local communities seeking to build water infrastructure, encouraging federal support for "groundwater banking" for sustainable water supplies, and collecting and sharing water data to determine the effectiveness of policies. Of the caucus's original members and in addition to the co-chairs, California has the largest number of caucus members at 12, followed by Texas (4), Maryland (2), and one each from Florida, Georgia, Virginia, Michigan, Wisconsin, Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Arizona, Nevada and Oregon. Court ruling means big California water crunch A federal judge's August 31 decision ordering cutbacks in water deliveries from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to other parts of California has water managers throughout the state warning of multi-year shortages, conservation mandates and negative effects on the economy, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported. "We are in for a tremendous shift in the way we operate our agencies and access . water supplies for our customers," Gary Arant, general manager of the Valley Center (CA) Municipal Water District, was quoted in the story as saying. US District Court Judge Oliver Wanger's decision last week was aimed at protecting the Delta smelt, a type of small fish that lives in the Sacramento Delta. Huge volumes of water from the Delta are sent through canals and aqueducts to as far away as San Diego and Los Angeles, and it's estimated that the ruling will reduce those water deliveries anywhere from 14 percent to 37 percent, the article said. Among other reactions, the decision was praised by environmentalists and criticized by Gov. Arnold Schwartzenegger. Water managers and others quoted by the Union-Tribune outlined these likely results of the court ruling: water price increases to promote conservation, mandatory lawn-watering and other use restrictions, addition of heavily treated wastewater to reservoirs to supplement drinking water supplies, and cutbacks in new-home building permits and water service to businesses. Mark Watton, general manager of the Otay Water District, was quoted as saying, "We are really in sort of a short-term crunch here over the next two to six years."

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[Sustain] Fwd: ProNuke Initiative is Circulating in California - TEXT & DETAILS
by Don Eichelberger 12 Sep '07

12 Sep '07

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[Sustain] E-Alert: U.S. Military Threatening Last 12 Dugong
by Eric Brooks 11 Sep '07

11 Sep '07

http://members.greenpeace.org/action/?action= Help save the world, by taking part in Greenpeace actions. While these may not be as exciting as climbing up the side of a ship importing illegal mahogany, these are just as important. Click "take action now" next to any action, read the letter and send it. If we have your contact information we'll fill out the form for you thus saving you precious seconds. Close Help <http://members.greenpeace.org/action/?action=#> Localize It! Enter your zip here: <http://members.greenpeace.org/action/start/162/> Oura Bay, Henoko is home to Japan's last remaining Dugong. Only 12 of the endangered Dugong, a cousin of the manatee, live and feed in the coral reefs of this Bay. But not for long if the U.S. military has its way. There are plans underway to build a US Marine airstrip directly over the delicate reef these endangered creatures call home. Take Action Now <http://members.greenpeace.org/action/start/162/> -- "I am not a liberator. Liberators do not exist. The people liberate themselves." -- Che Guevara

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Re: [Sustain] Email Supes To Stop Starbucks Displacing Neighborhood Cafes!
by Eric Brooks 11 Sep '07

11 Sep '07

The Board Clerk told me that when email goes to that address which is relevant to an upcoming hearing or vote an an issue, they forward it to the Board. If you have had mail rejected. you might want to do a sunshine request to see if the Clerk is properly forwarding all legitimate emails. The reality is, it is -much- more likely that an email recipient will click on one address than if they have to decide between eleven of them, so we'll get a lot more comments to all of the Supes. peace Eric chkalish(a)ix.netcom.com wrote: > > Are you sure you've got the correct email address for the BOS in this > email. I've sent an email to that address twice and it hasn't been > delivered. Also, it would have been helpful to list the email > addresses of each supervisor. I'm in Japan and don't have them. > > Charles > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Eric Brooks > Sent: Sep 11, 2007 5:38 AM > To: sustainability(a)sfgreens.org > Subject: [Sustain] Email Supes To Stop Starbucks Displacing > Neighborhood Cafes! > > Hi all, > > In 2004, and 2006 we passed strong protections that allow San > Francisco residents and small local businesses to say 'NO' to > chain stores when they don't want them in their neighborhoods. > > But recently the Planning Commission ignored the pleas of such > residents and small businesses (many of them locally owned coffee > shops), and outrageously approved the construction of a Starbucks > in the neighborhood near 4th Ave. and Geary Blvd. San Francisco > residents and small business owners are mobilizing in opposition > to this new Starbucks, which is unwanted, will ruin the > neighborhood's character, and will harm those local businesses. > Take action today to support residents' efforts to preserve > neighborhood character and protect local cafes! (See *Email Action > *below.) > > This Tuesday, September 11, at 4:30 p.m. in San Francisco City > Hall (Rm 250), the Board of Supervisors will decide whether or not > to allow the Starbucks to be built. Let the Supervisors know that > you are opposed to the corporatization of San Francisco's local > retail neighborhoods by sending an email opposing the Starbucks. > * > Email Action: Copy the sample letter below, then add a few words > of your own with your name and address, and email the message to > the Board of Supervisors today at:* > > board.of.supervisors(a)sfgov.org <mailto:board.of.supervisors@sfgov.org> > > SAMPLE LETTER > > Dear Supervisor, > > Please help stop the corporatization of San Francisco by rejecting > the Starbucks project at 4th Ave. and Geary Blvd. Far too many > residents of that neighborhood are opposed, and would be harmed by > a new chain store in their area. > > Thank You, > > [your name and address here] > > END OF SAMPLE LETTER > > For more information see the e-action organization Local Impact's > info page at http://www.local-impact.org/learn53.html > > -- > "I am not a liberator. Liberators do not exist. The people liberate themselves." -- Che Guevara > -- "I am not a liberator. Liberators do not exist. The people liberate themselves." -- Che Guevara

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[Sustain] Email Supes To Stop Starbucks Displacing Neighborhood Cafes!
by Eric Brooks 10 Sep '07

10 Sep '07

Hi all, In 2004, and 2006 we passed strong protections that allow San Francisco residents and small local businesses to say 'NO' to chain stores when they don't want them in their neighborhoods. But recently the Planning Commission ignored the pleas of such residents and small businesses (many of them locally owned coffee shops), and outrageously approved the construction of a Starbucks in the neighborhood near 4th Ave. and Geary Blvd. San Francisco residents and small business owners are mobilizing in opposition to this new Starbucks, which is unwanted, will ruin the neighborhood's character, and will harm those local businesses. Take action today to support residents' efforts to preserve neighborhood character and protect local cafes! (See *Email Action *below.) This Tuesday, September 11, at 4:30 p.m. in San Francisco City Hall (Rm 250), the Board of Supervisors will decide whether or not to allow the Starbucks to be built. Let the Supervisors know that you are opposed to the corporatization of San Francisco's local retail neighborhoods by sending an email opposing the Starbucks. * Email Action: Copy the sample letter below, then add a few words of your own with your name and address, and email the message to the Board of Supervisors today at:* board.of.supervisors(a)sfgov.org SAMPLE LETTER Dear Supervisor, Please help stop the corporatization of San Francisco by rejecting the Starbucks project at 4th Ave. and Geary Blvd. Far too many residents of that neighborhood are opposed, and would be harmed by a new chain store in their area. Thank You, [your name and address here] END OF SAMPLE LETTER For more information see the e-action organization Local Impact's info page at http://www.local-impact.org/learn53.html -- "I am not a liberator. Liberators do not exist. The people liberate themselves." – Che Guevara

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[Sustain] Fwd: URGENT: [Fwd: NEED SIGN ON OF SUPPORT ASAP] Cal nuclear push
by Don Eichelberger 04 Sep '07

04 Sep '07

Rochelle- I join with Roger in Abalone Alliance Safe Energy Clearinghouse endorsement of this, and will work to get other Green Party activists active also. If not too late, I would put DeVors's name to the initiative in the headline, or maybe a sub-head, to show that it is not the work of an organization, but the act of a single legislator. That was not clear to me at first reading because it leads off with the coalition opposed before it talks to the initiative, which I found confusing. DEVORE NUCLEAR INITIATIVE WOULD REPEAL CALIFORNIAS NUCLEAR POWER PLANT SAFETY LAWS; LOWER STANDARDS FOR WASTE DISPOSAL Single legislator seeks to undo state ballot initiative protections against economic impacts of nuclear power Something like that. Also, the initiative did not challenge nuclear power on safety, as DeVore points out, due to federal preemption, but the economic consequences of nuclear power, which is still a strong argument. Thank you for hearing me out, and take care, Don Eichelberger, Co-Chair Green Party of California Energy Working Group >From: Don Eichelberger <done7777(a)sbcglobal.net> >Subject: Fwd: URGENT: [Fwd: NEED SIGN ON OF SUPPORT ASAP] Cal nuclear push >>Date: Sun, 02 Sep 2007 08:34:13 -0700 >>From: Roger Herried <rogerh(a)energy-net.org> >>Subject: URGENT: [Fwd: NEED SIGN ON OF SUPPORT ASAP] Cal nuclear push >> >>This is a very short window, but >>urgent.Â Please forwardÂ to groupsÂ you know! >>Â >> >> >>-------- Original Message -------- >>Subject: NEED SIGN ON OF SUPPORT ASAP >>Date: Sat, 1 Sep 2007 12:38:01 -0700 (GMT-07:00) >>From: <mailto:beckers@thegrid.net>beckers(a)thegrid.net >>Reply-To: <mailto:beckers@thegrid.net>beckers(a)thegrid.net >>To: <mailto:rochelle@a4nr.org>rochelle(a)a4nr.org >> >> >> >>Dear Friends >> >>A sample press release is attached (WITH AN >>EMBARGO) and I would like to have all CA >>organizations listed to demonstrate united >>enviro opposition to this initiative >>(attached). I have also attached list of >>proponents of this initiative so you can see what we are up against so far. >> >>We can also use business owners to sign on in >>opposition, but need this by Wed Sept 5th at latest. >> >>In Peace >> >>Rochelle Becker, Executive Director >>Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility >><http://www.a4nr.org>www.a4nr.org >>PO 1328 >>San Luis Obispo, Ca 93406-1328 >> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, September 5, 2007 CONTACT: Rochelle Becker 858 337 2703 NUCLEAR INITIATIVE WOULD REPEAL CALIFORNIAS NUCLEAR POWER PLANT SAFETY LAWS; LOWER STANDARDS FOR WASTE DISPOSAL A coalition that includes virtually every statewide environmental organization in California today called a nuclear power plant initiative filed by Assemblymember Chuck DeVore a sneaky and duplicitous attempt to repeal Californias nuclear power plant safety laws and open the door for nuclear power plant construction throughout the state. This initiative: · Repeals the California nuclear power plant safety laws enacted in 1976; · Lowers the standards for safe disposal of highly radioactive nuclear wastes; · Permits construction of nuclear power plants in active earthquake zones; · Permits construction of nuclear power plants on the coast of California. It does all these things under the false and misleading guise of fighting global warming, coalition spokespersons said in a statement released today. The statement was issued as the Secretary of States office certified the measure to be circulated for signatures aimed a qualifying for the ballot next year. The initiative attempts to make a case for nuclear power being an answer to global warming, the coalition statement said. Nothing could be further from the truth. · Diesel driven heavy equipment is used in the mining of uranium for fuel; · Diesel powered ships bring the uranium ore from mines in Australia and Africa; · The processing of the ore into fuel includes the burning of coal and the use of other pollutants; · The manufacture of massive amounts of steel and concrete generates substantial amounts of greenhouse gases; · Shipment of the steel and concrete is done in diesel spewing heavy trucks; · Operation of a nuclear power plant requires a constant source of new fuel, the mining and processing of which produce greenhouse gases; · Finally, when the plant is decommissioned there is the need to dismantle the highly radioactive structure and ship it someplace for storage. This also creates large amounts of greenhouse gases; · Then, after all this, we are left with the highly radioactive nuclear wastes and not place to put them for the hundreds of thousands of years they remain lethal. So, contrary to Assemblymember DeVores claims, nuclear power is an extremely dirty, carbon-producing, greenhouse gas spewing technology. Assembly member DeVores motives truly were to fight global warming, he would have voted along with the majority of Californias legislators for the two most important pieces of legislation on the subject in the last session of the legislature. The coalition went on to point out that DeVore is inaccurate, also, in his claim that nuclear power means energy independence for California. First, they point out that no nuclear fuel is mined in California. Second, they point out, most uranium mining today is done in Australia, Canada or in unstable African countries, including some that are dictatorships. Coalition organizations issuing todays statement include: Rochelle Becker, Executive Director Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility: Don Eichelberger DJ Fix Independent Productions Green Uprising Blog www.greenuprising.blogspot.com Donny Fix del.icio.us book marks http://del.icio.us/donnyfix The Hegelian/Marxist goal is emancipation. Marx said it best in 1843: "Human emancipation wll only be complete when the real, individual man (sic) is absorbed into himself the abstract citizen; when as an individual man, in his every day life, in his work and in his relationships, he has become a species-being (politically accountabe to the whole); and when he recognizes and realizes his own power as social powers, so that he no longer separates this social power from himself as political power."

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[Sustain] Useful Video
by Dennis Brumm 01 Sep '07

01 Sep '07

Greensumption: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i79a1Sr73uw (peak oil, globalization, climate change, "green" building, Prius, et. al.)

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