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Archive for Activism

Don’t Frack With the Delaware

Friday, November 25th, 2011

According to a recent Forbes magazine article, Aubrey McClendon, the CEO of Chesapeake Gas, and the chief proponent for fracking, consumes $20,000 bottles of wine. Like many CEO’s, he travels by corporate jet. Yet in an employee memo, McClendon felt himself bested by the citizens calling for water and health protection. He warned his employees that “Our opponents are extremely well-funded.”

But on Monday when hundreds of people from all parts of the Mid-Atlantic region converged on Trenton, N.J. for a rally to protect the Delaware River from fracking, McClendon’s “well-funded” opponents traveled by bus, carrying their signs and their bag lunches with them. And yet in a time of economic crisis, this dedicated citizenry is making itself heard over the better funded corporate P.R. and advertising campaigns.

With a surprise setback to fracking occurring late last week, the rally on the steps of the War Memorial, and the walk to the State legislature was one part cautious victory celebration, one part rededication rally. Read More→

Do Americans Have the Right to Know What They’re Eating?

Sunday, October 16th, 2011

Back when President Obama was a Senator, he promised to label GMO foods, to support the consumer right to know “where their food comes from. Americans should know what they are buying,” he said  (see video here.) But despite these promises, it hasn’t happened. Family farmers, seed businesses and organic agricultural organizations filed suit against Monsanto in New York court over six months ago, but still no action from the President. According to the Public Patent Foundation (PUBPAT) which filed on their behalf, the plaintiffs were forced to sue preemptively to protect themselves from future accusations of patent infringement when Monsanto’s genetically modified seed contaminates their crops, something which cannot be prevented once GM seeds are released. Read More→

Even without grokking the science of climate change, it’s obvious that novel weather events have increased around the country and the world. Thanks to Hurricanes Irene and Lee, at summer’s end, torrential rains swept the Northeast region, flooding the areas where New York’s food comes from. In these upstate regions in Ulster, Sullivan, and Delaware counties, there’s a new breed of organic and sustainable farming. But will those farmers, their farms, and their food survive changing weather patterns to continue to grow and supply the foods health and environmentally conscious people prefer to eat? Read More→

Do Americans Have the Right to Know What They’re Eating?

Sunday, October 16th, 2011

Back when President Obama was a Senator, he promised to label GMO foods, to support the consumer right to know “where their food comes from. Americans should know what they are buying,” he said  (see video here.) But despite these promises, it hasn’t happened. Family farmers, seed businesses and organic agricultural organizations filed suit against Monsanto in New York court over six months ago, but still no action from the President. According to the Public Patent Foundation (PUBPAT) which filed on their behalf, the plaintiffs were forced to sue preemptively to protect themselves from future accusations of patent infringement when Monsanto’s genetically modified seed contaminates their crops, something which cannot be prevented once GM seeds are released. Read More→

Being an activist celebrity is a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, some people secretly question whether you have sufficient expertise to weigh in on major matters, like cancer or polluting the water supply of New York and Philadelphia. On the other hand, many issues of urgent social concern don’t get attention without a star attached to the cause. Fortunately, some celebrity performers are taking the spotlight off themselves and focusing it on crucial matters that affect us all. I personally am deeply grateful to Deepak Chopra to act as the first major health leader to highlight these issues. It’s an answer to a green health journalist’s prayers. Read More→

Will New York be “Half-Pregnant” with Fracking?

Saturday, July 9th, 2011

Ten days ago, New York’s Governor Cuomo issued his plan to get New York “half pregnant” with fracking contamination. Politicans cutting deals with powerful multinational companies wishfully believe that you can tell contaminated water to stay put in one place. They believe that if they prohibit fracking in the area surrounding the upstate NYC water reservoir, NYC’s water will be safe. Too bad water and air currents don’t stay within the electoral districts that politicians are accustomed to compromising about. Join the Sierra Club and take action here.

A newly discovered pathogen, visible only under an electron microscope, is destroying plants and undermining the health of livestock, thereby posing a deadly risk to the U.S. food supply, a senior plant pathologist warned USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack. In a January 2010 letter to Vilsack, (a former Iowa governor and agribusiness champion, appointed by President Obama), Dr. Don Huber advised caution in introducing additional GMO crops. But just weeks later, the USDA approved expansion of GMO crops to include alfalfa, the most widespread animal feed crop. Read More→

What will it take to Save a free internet, PBS, and NPR from Media Monopoly?
First, believing that Congress is yet again trying to eliminate access to a free internet and a free press. I attended the National Conference for Media Reform, hosted by Free Press, a 10 year old organization to whom we owe thanks that the internet, thriving with creativity, connection, and diversity, does not resemble television. Although in a few days, that could change thanks to the latest from the 2011 Congress.

Remember Television?
I remember it well from the days of Ed Bradley, with whom I worked at CBS. Read More→

“Today is Independence Day for America. Monsanto’s threats and abuse of family farmers stops here.  Monsanto’s genetic contamination of organic seed and organic crops ends now.” Declared Jim Gerritsen, a Maine family farmer, who is President of the lead plaintiff Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association. “Americans have the right to choice in the marketplace — to decide what kind of food they will feed their families — and we are taking this action on their behalf to protect that right to choose.”

To support the organic growers who are fighting for our food supply, go to selected links for Food Democracy Now, the Cornucopia Institute,and Organic Seed Growers.

Our second action this week is curbing the nuclear threat here in the U.S. There are two featured actions. First, tell President Obama not to use taxpayer dollars to fund nuclear power. Second, let’s close down all GE Mark nuclear reactors here in the U.S. Third, while we’re at it, let’s ask GE to pay their taxes. That’s right, they’re not paying any. Hey, how could that be? I thought corporations are people?

Step Up to Quantum Activism

Saturday, January 29th, 2011

For some reason, we’ve gotten programmed to believe that Proactive Health means— “taking care of my health,” not taking care of “our health.” That’s why in my radio show, blogs, and ezine, I want to make it easier for all of us to take health action. Each week, I’ll be focusing on one action you can take every week to make a critical difference for health– your’s, mine, and our’s. On this week’s Connect the Dots, radio program, physicist Amit Goswami explains how we can do this and why we must. To listen, go here at Noon ET on Saturday, January 29th. Read More→