- Sustainability - list.sfgreens.org

[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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[Sustain] You are cordially invited to my blog
by Don Eichelberger 30 Aug '07

30 Aug '07

If you have not checked out my blog, or not recently, you might find it interesting and even entertaining- see link below-. Check especially the recent addition of my music video- "He's Brave with other people's children", written and performed by your's truly. I hope you like it. Let me know. Thanks, Don 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 will 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 accountable 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] Fwd: CEO of Nuclear Energy Institute at Commonwealth Club (September 13, 2007)]
by Eric Brooks 21 Aug '07

21 Aug '07

Media Advisory from The Commonwealth Club the nation’s premier public affairs forum SPEAKER: Frank L. “Skip” Bowman, President and CEO, Nuclear Energy Institute TITLE: More Nuclear Energy: Why America Needs It Now DATE: Thursday, September 13, 2007 TIME : 5:30 p.m., Wine and Cheese; 6 p.m. Program PLACE : Club Office, 595 Market St. , 2nd Floor, San Francisco PRICE: Free for Members , $18 for Non-Members For tickets: 415/597-6705, www.commonwealthclub.org CONTACT: Riki Rafner, Public Relations Director, 415/597-6712 Ariana Nash, Public Relations Fellow, 415/597-6734 Media interested in attending should please RSVP to jhale(a)commonwealthclub.org by noon day of event. _____________________________________________________________________ President and CEO of the Nuclear Energy Institute, Frank “Skip” Bowman will delve into the challenges of securing a future for nuclear power in the United States . Bowman believes the demand for nuclear power will only continue to increase due to the volatility of natural gas prices and the potential for restrictions on coal fuelled power plants. Bowman was appointed to the Nuclear Energy Institute in 2005 upon ending his military career in 2004 after 38 years of service. At the time of his retirement from the Navy, he was a four-star Admiral serving as the director of Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, a position he had held since 1996. Prior to that promotion, the Admiral served as the deputy administrator for naval reactors in the National Nuclear Security Administration of the Department of Energy. In addition to serving three tours at the Bureau of Naval Personnel, Bowman served two tours on the Joint Staff and was the Attack Submarine Program Coordinator on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations. Bowman has been honored with the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, and the Legion of Merit, among many other awards. Bowman holds a Bachelor’s degree from Duke University and two masters degrees, in Nuclear Engineering and Naval Architecture/Marine Engineering, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. # # #

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[Sustain] Fwd: Air Board Chair owns Stock In 13 Energy Firms (Including oil & Peabody Coal)
by Eric Brooks 19 Aug '07

19 Aug '07

No surprise that this was on the front page of the, Saturday, edition... http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/08/18/MNGBRKMAO.DTL&ty… California Air Resources board chair owns stocks in 13 energy firms Matthew Yi, Chronicle Sacramento Bureau <mailto:myi@sfchronicle.com> Saturday, August 18, 2007 Mary Nichols has a financial stake in 13 energy-related f... <http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object/article?f=/c/a/2007/08/18/MNGBRKMAO.DTL&o=…> *(08-18) 04:00 PDT Sacramento -* -- The new chairwoman of the California Air Resources Board owns stocks in several oil, coal and utility firms, some of which are likely to be affected by rules the agency implements as part of the state's groundbreaking law to fight global warming, The Chronicle has learned. Mary Nichols' stock holdings include shares in oil giants Chevron Corp., BP PLC and Royal Dutch Shell, as well as a stake in a Bermuda tanker company that transports crude oil, according to economic interest statements she filed this week. She also owns stock in the world's largest coal company, Peabody Energy Corp., along with utilities including Edison International, whose subsidiary, Southern California Edison, serves most of the Southern California electricity market. In total, she and her husband, John Daum, an attorney who represents Exxon in the ongoing Exxon Valdez oil-spill case, have a financial stake in 13 energy-related firms in a diversified stock portfolio that contains 84 companies, according to statements she filed on Tuesday with the state Fair Political Practices Commission. The air board is expected to consider wide-ranging regulations that will affect what kind of fuel motorists pump into their vehicles and help dictate what sources of energy utility companies can use to generate electricity. Nichols told The Chronicle this week that she realized there would be a conflict of interest when she filled out the economic disclosure form shortly after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced her appointment on July 3. But rather than divest holdings, she said she plans to put her investments in a blind trust and to have that in place before the next air board meeting, which is set for Sept. 27. "I think it's a wise policy for regulators to divest themselves from holdings in companies that they regulate," said Sierra Club lobbyist Bill Magavern. "It's important to avoid any conflict of interest, and it's important to avoid any appearance of conflict of interest." In late July, however, Nichols presided over two days of board meetings, one of which resulted in the adoption of regulations to limit emissions from off-road diesel vehicles such as construction equipment. She said she didn't believe her stock holdings in oil companies were in conflict with her action because the regulations affect construction equipment owners and not fuel companies. But air board spokesman Leo Kay said Friday that the agency's general counsel office is "considering that issue as we speak." The general counsel was unaware of Nichols' stock ownership until a Chronicle reporter called Thursday afternoon to ask about her potential conflict of interest. This is not the first time Nichols has disclosed extensive stock holdings while working in government. She owned shares in Chevron, Valero Energy Corp., Enron Corp. and other energy firms when she served as Resources Agency secretary under then-Gov. Gray Davis and sat on the California Coastal Commission as a Davis appointee before his recall in 2003. Nichols said there was no reason to set up a blind trust at that time because she believed there was no conflict as secretary of the resources agency because her job was to advise the governor rather than make policy or regulatory decisions. On the Coastal Commission, it was easy to recuse herself from matters because the commission's actions usually affected individual companies, she said. "But at the Air Resources Board, we rarely pass a rule that affects just one company," she said. "And with the new responsibility of implementing AB32, we will likely develop regulations that likely will affect every single sector." That's why she believes setting up a blind trust is the prudent option at this time, Nichols said. Blind trusts have been a method of choice for handling personal investments for some public officials, including Schwarzenegger. Five of the stock ownerships she disclosed in her recent statements, including the Chevron stock, are worth between $100,001 and $1 million each, and 78 of them are each worth between $10,001 and $100,000, according to the disclosure filing. The fair market value and nature of investment for a banking firm was not included in her statement. "This is family money, and it's a joint decision (between my husband and me), and the decision is to invest it for the best long-term yield for us and our family," Nichols said. Some state Capitol observers were surprised that Nichols, who is highly regarded in the environmental community as a longtime environmental lawyer who served on the air board three decades ago under then-Gov. Jerry Brown, would own shares in oil and coal firms. "My perception is that she is a living legend in the environmental community, and I would have bet that she would have a greener portfolio," said Barbara O'Connor, director of Sacramento State University's Institute for the Study of Politics and the Media. John Pitney Jr., political science professor at Claremont McKenna College, said that while not every public official's personal finances should be raised as an issue, higher profile positions do matter at least in public perception and a chairmanship on the state air board is one of them. The air board's responsibility to implement AB32 has elevated the agency's status, and it came under scrutiny this summer when Schwarzenegger fired then-chairman Robert Sawyer after he tried to enact more pollution-saving measures than the three approved by the governor's staff. Sawyer's firing was followed by the resignation of the air board's executive director, placing the agency in further turmoil and causing Democratic lawmakers and environmental groups to question the governor's commitment to fight global warming. Within a week, Schwarzenegger announced Nichols as Sawyer's replacement, drawing praise from those same critics. Her appointment requires confirmation by the state Senate, which has a year to make that decision. Andrew LaMar, a spokesman for state Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland, who chairs the rules committee, said the committee "will take a look at her holdings in vetting her appointment as the chair of the Air Resources Board." While he said it is encouraging that Nichols is considering creating a blind trust, LaMar said the "public has a right to know what the financial interests are for officials who are representing them." /E-mail Matthew Yi at myi(a)sfchronicle.com <mailto:myi@sfchronicle.com>./ http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/08/18/MNGBRKMAO.DTL This article appeared on page *A - 1* of the San Francisco Chronicle ###

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[Sustain] Skip August Meeting?
by Eric Brooks 15 Aug '07

15 Aug '07

Hey all, Due to the facts that there will be three GM meetings for endorsements this month, including one on the 22nd, and, that I will be recovering from dental surgery on the 23rd, that we should skip the Aug 23rd meeting. If others want to go ahead cool, but I'm thinking we should just skip until September. Thoughts? Eric

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