Jen's Green Journal

Global Warming Action Rally tomorrow at the Gallivan Plaza from 10 am to 12 pm.

"Doubt is our product, since it is the best means of competing with the 'body of fact' that exists in the mind of the general public. It is also the means of establishing a controversy...if we are successful in establishing a controversy at the public level, there is an opportunity to put across the real facts about smoking and health."

The above quote was found in a memo discussing how to counter the "anti-cigarette forces" back in 1969. It's also a quote that appears in the film "An Inconvenient Truth" and it's the same strategy used by the industries that have the most to lose if we take global warming seriously.
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I was fortunate to see an advanced screening of "An Inconvenient Truth" this evening. The film opens officially in Salt Lake City at the Broadway Theatre on Friday. The opening screening will include a panel discussion hosted by KCPW which can be heard live.

Al Gore is the central figure of the film, which follows him as he gives lectures with a slide show on global warming around the globe. Interwoven are stories from Al's life and how that plays into what he's doing now -- trying to educate us to save ourselves and our planet.

As a self-proclaimed environmentalist, I've been following the global warming issue for some time, but it wasn't enough to prepare me for seeing this film. It came together in such a real and powerful way, and I found myself with a stomachache from fear, but at the same time getting pumped up to go make some instant changes as soon as the credits rolled. For me, the most powerful aspect of the film was to see how much we could reduce the planetary threat if we are all willing to make a few sacrifices for the good of the whole world.  I had almost come to the belief that even if we changed things now, we were still doomed, so there was some relief for me to see how we as a society could somewhat easily bring down our atmospheric CO₂ levels to 1970 levels (which while not perfect, is far preferable to what they are now).

I ran through a list of things I could do or things I could do better as I walked next door to Mr. Z's where a discussion was to be facilitated by former Mayor of Salt Lake City Ted Wilson and Salt Lake Tribune columnist Holly Mullen. There were about 20 of us there at the discussion, including Geralyn Dreyfous of the Salt Lake Film Center, Dr. Louis Borgenicht, Salt Lake County councilwoman Jenny Wilson, David Berg from UARC and several people whose names I didn't catch, but included a reporter from KCPW, a woman who works with helping set energy goals, someone from the Sierra Club and other environmental groups.

I'm glad David Berg was at the discussion, because one of the main things missing from this film's suggestions of things to do (mostly shown during the credits) is to go meatless (or at the very least have several meatless days a week). Dave mentioned that the fossil fuels needed to produce one hamburger could power a car for 20 miles. A recent study that I posted about shows that vegan diets are the best diets to reduce global warming, but the article also mentions that by cutting down from "two burgers a week to one, you've already made a substantial difference."

Holly Mullen talked about the difficulty in journalism of always having to balance out points of view. In the case of global warming, there are really no other non-corporate funded scientific points of view out there, which makes trying to balance out the discussion disingenuous.

What I got most out of the discussion is that this truly has to be change from the grassroots. The necessary force of will to make the needed changes is not going to come from the top down.

At the top of my new list of "things to do my part to reduce global warming" is to get as many people to see this film as possible. I'm offering to any one I personally know to take them to this film and then out to eat (or coffe or dessert) afterward, my treat. Since I'm fairly poor, I have to limit this, so I'll try to come up with a different incentive for those I don't know but read this blog to go see it (suggestions on what this could be are welcome, just comment to this post).

More info: www.climatecrisis.net

Darfur Rally, Salt Lake City, Utah, April 30, 2006

As Mayor Rocky Anderson said at the rally -- if you knew of a rape happening a few feet away you'd find some way to help, so why won't we lift a finger to help stop the atrocities happeing to hundreds of thousands? Is it just because it's in another country?

So word is just barely out that there will be a hearing on the controversial S.B. 70 by the Senate Natural Resources committee early tomorrow morning.

This is the bill that would allow the legislature to overturn a veto from the governor on the issue of Envirocare's proposed expansion of their nuclear waste dump.

It's controversial because Senator Stephenson, who is sponsoring the bill, is a paid lobbyist for the Utah Tax Payers Association of which Envirocare is a member. I wrote about this possible conflict of interest here.

This seems to be moving very fast, and this hearing seems to be scheduled in such a way as to limit public participation -- most likely due to the fact that the majority of Utahns do not want nuclear waste dumped here.

For those who are able to participate, show support, or just want to get their feet wet in the political process,  the hearing is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. Monday, January 23 in room W015 of the West Wing which is the bottom floor of new west wing addition to capitol. There are plenty of helpful people working up at the capitol that can help you locate the meeting. Parking may be a little tight so leave a little early.

I'm planning on being there with my 2 year old and I'll stay as long as her behavior holds out.

If you can't make the meeting or can and want to help more, you can contact the committee members

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The League of Women Voter's legislative update has it worded differently:

Today at 9:00 the Senate Natural Resources Committee debates SB 70, a bill that changes the approval process for expanding low level nuclear waste storage at Envirocare. The law currently says the governor AND the Legislature must approve changing a radioactive waste facility. The question is exactly how they do that. SB 70 says that the Legislature's approval should be in the form of a law. This means the governor, who has said he's opposed to Envirocare's expansion, could veto that law but the Legislature could override the veto by a two-thirds vote and have the final say. (ed. note: still looks like a power grab to me)

Senator Stephenson, the bill's sponsor, is an officer and lobbyist for the Utah Taxpayer's Association, whose members include Envirocare. This has raised the question of conflict of interest.

Every so often (and getting more frequent), I have to write letters and emails to save organic standards. Sadly, it's time to do this again. Here's the latest attack on our right to organic food and something you can do about it.

Having to go through this effort every few years to fight the corporate food producing giants' attack on my food options is getting extremely annoying. But until we stop electing politicians from the two corporate parties (with a few exceptions), we will likely face many attempted "sneak attacks" like this one in our legislation.

From Organic Consumers Association

"Now, large corporations, such as Kraft, Wal-Mart, & Dean Foods--aided and abetted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and members of the Organic Trade Association, are moving to lower organic standards by allowing Bush appointees in the USDA National Organic Program to approve a broad list of synthetic ingredients and processing aids that would be allowed in organic production. Even worse these proposed regulatory changes will reduce future public discussion and input and take away the National Organic Standards Board’s (NOSB) traditional lead jurisdiction in setting standards. What this means, in blunt terms. is that USDA bureaucrats and industry lobbyists, not consumers, will have near total control over what can go into organic foods and products."

Received this in an email today, and it goes along with my latest post, so I wanted to put it out there.

( Join the Guantanamo Fast )
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Tomorrow in Salt Lake we'll have our own peace rally in solidarity with the actions in D.C. and San Francisco.

There are actions planned around the county for those who don't live here. You can find many of them listed on the United for Peace and Justice website.

We're meeting at Pioneer Park (300 W 400 S) to start and marching to the City-County Building. Since the Farmer's Market will be in full swing, they're asking that folks not park at Pioneer Park. It probably makes sense to park near the City-County Building and then when it's time to leave your car should be close . . .

I'll be participating in the first part of the events with the Radical Cheerleaders, Pom Poms Not Bomb Bombs, our first task is to encourage those attending the Farmer's Market to join in our event. We'll then be leading cheers during the march.

More info on Salt Lake's rally can be found on Progressive Utah among other places.

shamelessly stolen from revolutionnow05 in the americandissent LJ community:</span></span>

What will FEMA block next??
FEMA won't accept Amtrak's help in evacuations
FEMA turns away experienced firefighters
FEMA turns back Wal-Mart supply trucks
FEMA prevents Coast Guard from delivering diesel fuel
FEMA won't let Red Cross deliver food
FEMA bars morticians from entering New Orleans
FEMA blocks 500-boat citizen flotilla from delivering aid
FEMA fails to utilize Navy ship with 600-bed hospital on board
FEMA to Chicago: Send just one truck
FEMA turns away generators
FEMA: "First Responders Urged Not To Respond"
That last one is real -- not satire but straight from FEMA's website.
full story here

Also two Bush 2000 Florida recount aides were awarded with top FEMA posts Michael Brown being one of them

Check the comments for more Katrina/Bush horror stories from other LJ communities and bloggers.

Can't skip over this topic. Trying to find different ways to help, I came across the following:

Craiglist of resources is here.

The Green Party of Utah has set up an emergency board to help with assistance here.