A View From The Rubble
(And just for the record, we should be able to swim in all of our lakes, ponds, rivers and streams without the fear of pollution and contamination. Just sayin'... We've gotten used to our water being toxic. And that's not "cool"... So to speak.)
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"Gasland" Director Josh Fox Arrested at Congressional Hearing on Natural Gas Fracking
The Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Josh Fox was handcuffed and arrested Wednesday as he attempted to film a congressional hearing on the controversial natural gas drilling technique known as fracking, which the Environmental Protection Agency recently reported caused water contamination in Pavillion, Wyoming. Fox directed the award-winning film, "Gasland," which documents the impact of fracking on communities across the United States, and is now working on a sequel. Fox says he was arrested after Republicans refused to allow him to film because he did not have the proper credentials. "We wanted to report on what happened [at the hearing]. I was not interested in disrupting that hearing. It was not a protest action," says Fox. "I was simply trying to do my job as a journalist and go in there and show to the American people what was transpiring in that hearing, so that down the line, as we know there will be a lot of challenges mounted to that [Pavillion, Wyoming] EPA report—and frankly, to the people in Pavillion, who have been sticking up for themselves and demanding an investigation into the groundwater contamination—and to make sure that people could view that in a larger forum than usually happens."
We're poisoning ourselves.
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Obama’s ratings sink to new lows
I know, I know; Jobs. It's about jobs.
I know I'm being silly... I'm just wondering what's going to happen when we can't breathe.
I'm thinking that might make work rather difficult.
If you haven't already done so, please tell Barack that he should quit blowing smog:
Through the Environmental Defense Action Fund: Tell President Obama You Are Disappointed with His Decision to Withdraw Science-Based Health Standards for Smog
And through the Sierra Club: Tell Obama to Protect Clean Air
Related post: Big, Scary, Mean Smoke Monster
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Whales Have Accents and Regional Dialects: Biologists Interpret the Language of Sperm Whales
ScienceDaily (May 12, 2011) — "Dalhousie Ph.D. student Shane Gero has recently returned from a seven-week visit to Dominica. He has been traveling to the Caribbean island since 2005 to study families of sperm whales, usually spending two to four months of each year working on the Dominica Sperm Whale Project. One of the goals of this project is to record and compare whale calls over time, examining the various phrases and dialects of sperm whale communities.
When they dive together, sperm whales make patterns of clicks to each other known as "codas." Recent findings suggest that not only do different codas mean different things, but that whales can also tell which member of their community is speaking based on the sound properties of the codas. Just as we can tell our friends apart by the sounds of their voices and the way they pronounce their words, different sperm whales make the same pattern of clicks, but with different accents.
Caribbean and Pacific whales have different repertoires of codas, like a regional dialect, but the "Five Regular" call -- a pattern of five evenly spaced clicks -- is thought to have the universal function of individual identity because it is used by sperm whales worldwide.
These discoveries were recently published in the journal Animal Behaviour, in an article authored by University of St. Andrews PhD student Ricardo Antunes, Dal alumnus Tyler Schulz, Mr. Gero, Dal professor Dr. Hal Whitehead, and St. Andrews faculty members Dr. Jonathan Gordon and Dr. Luke Rendell.
Mr. Gero and Dr. Whitehead explain that the sperm whale's biggest threat is human pollution. Not only do humans introduce toxins into the ocean, but they also generate harmful sound pollution. Increased shipping traffic, underwater explosions caused by searching for oil, and military sonar all contribute to ocean noise that masks communication between whales. "No one wants to live in a rock concert," says Mr. Gero, adding that noise pollution is especially troublesome in the ocean because "it is a totally different sensory world." The sperm whales can dive to depths of over 1000 metres and depend on sound for communication and navigation in the pitch black of the deep water."
This is fricking awesome... And really, when we actually "think" about it, we shouldn't be surprised.
The below video is really quite cool. If you can get over the guy being a Kindergarten teacher (because I want to slap the Legos clean out of him), it's cool.
Even MORE pertinent and immediate reason to not allow bullshit like the following.
A Debate: Should the U.S. Approve TransCanada’s Massive Keystone XL Tar Sands Oil Pipeline? Thousands of environmental activists from across the continent plan to gather in Washington, D.C., tomorrow to launch a two-week protest against the proposed Keystone XL pipeline that would carry tar sands oil from Alberta, Canada, to U.S. oil refineries in the Gulf of Mexico. The massive pipeline would cross the Yellowstone River, as well as the Ogallala Aquifer, the largest freshwater aquifer in the United States.
And if that shit isn't bad enough, we have California's new environmental curriculum including a section on "The Advantages of Plastic Shopping Bags". Why, you ask? Because lobbyists for the American Chemistry Council — the same front-group that spent millions to defeat the statewide bag ban last year — convinced school officials to include it. You can find out more and sign a petition against this delusional bullshit here.
We're poisoning our world and ourselves.
And we need to stop.
Now.
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*** Urge President Obama to Impose Sanctions for Whaling
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Since 2006, the American bee population has plummeted from 4.5 million honey-producing hives to a scant 860,000. Worse, that number is still dropping. Rampant pesticide use is a major cause of bee deaths. In 2011, the EPA found that the use of neonicotinoid pesticides is both widespread and catastrophic to bee populations. Neonicotinoids are on average 7,000 times more toxic than DDT, which was banned in 1972.
Despite this, the EPA has not banned the manufacture or use of neonicotinoids, choosing instead to put the products "under review" for the next five years.
Conservation biologists report that when the bees begin to die off, their surrounding environments are sure to follow. Tell the EPA to halt the production of deadly neonicotinoids now.
Everyone's acting like we have time.
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Michael Fishbach narrates his encounter with a humpback whale entangled in a fishing net. Gershon Cohen and he have founded The Great Whale Conservancy to help and protect whales. If you're so inclined, you may visit the link or gwc's facebook page, and join them in helping to save these magnificent beings.
"Mommy, I know what she's doing! She's showing us that she's all free!"
This kills me... Just kills me.
And then, are we SO FUCKING STUPID that we have to have bullshit like the below as headlines?
Is Ocean Garbage Killing Whales?
No, no... Not at all. They love it. They make "art" from it.
Nothing like encouraging ignorance, a-hole.
So, thankfully, the most popular comments on such an inanely named piece were actually quite astute.
Dan said, "The biggest offenders are ocean liners and cruise ships releasing their garbage holds in the oceans. There is literally a highway of garbage that floats for hundreds of miles along these current streams. You can almost walk on it and satellite photos prove it. Also the litter we throw out our car windows eventually winds up in our rivers and into our oceans. Vote Green."
VOTE GREEN, indeed. I'm all about The Green Party. Everyone else can suck it. And does.
And don't tell me my vote will be wasted. It's already been wasted.
Gb replied, "Ocean Garbage Lethal to Marine Life" No kidding!? And rain is wet. Tell us who is doing the dumping and who is paying to clean it up.
And don't forget that root of the problem is GLOBAL OVERPOPULATION - or is that too politically incorrect to discuss?"
Gb. Gb!! Nnooo, you dint. Dang. You done did.
And Sally gave sound advice, "We need to go back to using glass and return for deposit like it use to be."
I agree, Sally. I agree. And it wasn't even that long ago that we did just that.
And Sad Clown wanted to make sure we knew exactly who did this, "Ocean garbage isn't killing whales. HUMAN garbage in the ocean is killing whales. Let's be clear about where the garbage came from."
Sad Clown, I know what you're saying, and you're certainly correct. But, really, do you think we thought a crazy school of tuna were fucking stuff up? Or like some Marlins' tampons were doing all the damage?
And Whosit gets passionate and goes off on a bit of a tangent, "There is too much debris in the ocean. I don't understand why anyone would throw garbage in our oceans. Also, there is too much gum being spit out on our sidewalks. All those little round black globs on the sidewalks is "GUM". There is more of it all the time. Only a pig would spit out their gum on a sidewalk! Get a clue! It has to be sand blasted off to remove it. Be a decent person and put your gum in the garbage!!!!!"
YEAH, FUCKERS!! PUT YOUR GUM IN THE GARBAGE!! Or better yet, don't chew it in the first place. No one is going to tell you this, but after a certain age, let's say 21, you look neurotic and stupid chewing on something that you never swallow. If you need to do it to get over smoking, fine. But, if you need to do it forever, get therapy. And save the rest of us from you chewing like a cow. THEY even swallow what they chew. (I think someone else may have gone off on a tangent...)
And "Whosit"? I don't think many people are literally throwing garbage in the ocean. Well, wait a minute. I guess they are. In mass amounts.
Whypolitics.com said, "Huge mounds of trash floating in our oceans? This is disgusting, and for what? So some CEO of some company can afford an extra Porsche, or a politician gets an extra kick back and new summer home?
I am not for regulations that restrict freedoms unnecessarily, but I am all for regulations that protect might rights and freedoms, like being able to enjoy clean natural resources!"
Exactly. The CEOs are the ones who think regulations are a bad thing. And they've led the sheep going to slaughter, to agree.
Mercury said, "Most species understand that you dont %%$%# where you eat... Apparently, humanites intelligence isnt as far advanced as we would like to think."
Mr. Freddie Mercury, apparently you're correct. And just for the record, I really try not to %%$%# where I eat. I get indigestion from all those symbols. And sometimes they're not fun coming out...
(Okay, so they can't ALL be funny, people! Such a tough crowd...)
And Todd said, "Everything humans use should be recycled, EVERYTHING! If it can't be recycled it shouldn't be allowed to be made!"
Now, Todd, THAT'S a novel idea. Imagine...
And OohAah said, "The problem of sea trash and its devastating effects on the ocean environment has been know for years... decades, even. But, as usual, nothing is done until the devastation is of such magnitude that it has become extremely difficult, if not impossible, to rectify. We humans are slowly killing ourselves."
"OohAah"... You couldn't be more correct... HhooHummUugh.
And "Yahoo" said, "Ingestion of plastic bags is known as one of the biggest killers of sea-turtles who ingest the bags mistaking them for their favorite prey food, which is jellyfish. The bags constipate and kill them. Also beach development is killing off sea-turtles as they run out of wild beach areas to lay eggs......and of course lost fishing nets also kill-off sea turtles. Fishing nets should be required by law to have GPS locating chips in them for retrieval."
Thank you, Miss Yahoo, I like when people don't just bitch and actually have some ideas as well. So, tell me more about these locating "chips". Are they fresh baked? And what about salsa? Don't you think salsa would be healthier for the fish?
(Okay, Okay! Not funny again!! I've got to try, people!)
Two Hands said, "Industry has the power to stop this plastic pollution at the source by introducing litter free sytems and product designs.. for example how many Coke bottles would end up as litter if Coke used refillable bottle systems with a 50 cent bottle refund in place?"
"Two Hands" are totally better than one. Now, get over here!
Bru Diggity said, "This is just a small sample of what's to come with plastic-based refuse pollution. PLEASE recycle your plastic. I take mine to the neighboring municipality. Think globally, act locally."
Bru Diggity? I like the way you work it. I got my mind made up.
And "Choice" ironically said, "Man"...a virus on the Face of the Earth."
And while that sobering statement might very well be true, so is the ironic part... "Choice". We still have that. And that's what it boils down to, right?
Choice.
10 Things You Can Do to Save the Ocean
Don't be an accomplice and do something.
How you live matters.
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Related Posts: *** Blubber *** Saving Whales is Hot *** The Blue Whale and Donatella Versace's Vagina
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AP IMPACT: Tritium leaks found at many nuke sites
BRACEVILLE, Ill. – Radioactive tritium has leaked from three-quarters of U.S. commercial nuclear power sites, often into groundwater from corroded, buried piping, an Associated Press investigation shows.
The number and severity of the leaks has been escalating, even as federal regulators extend the licenses of more and more reactors across the nation.
Nebraska Nuclear Plants on Alert Following Missouri River Flooding Massive flooding along the Missouri River has put two nuclear plants in Nebraska on alert. On Sunday, the Cooper Nuclear Station declared a low-level emergency as the Missouri River threatened to flood the nuclear power facility. Authorities say the plant, which is about 70 miles south of Omaha, will have to close down if the river rises another three inches. Meanwhile, the Fort Calhoun nuclear power plant, located about 20 miles north of Omaha, has been shut down since April 9, in part due to flooding.
Federal Regulators Work Closely with Nuclear Power Industry to Weaken Standards In nuclear news, a new exposé by the Associated Press has revealed that federal regulators have been working closely with the nuclear power industry to keep the nation’s aging reactors operating within safety standards by repeatedly weakening those standards, or simply failing to enforce them. Just last year, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission weakened the safety margin for acceptable radiation damage to reactor vessels—for a second time. (source)
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"Processed foods will keep us sick. Keeping us sick will keep us on Rx's... And... See the cycle? A plant based diet is where it's at."
Thank you for this, Holly! And Holly went on to say, "I've toyed with becoming vegan for years now. But, after loosing my second loved one to cancer (literally seeing them die) in 10 yrs - I couldn't do that to my family, or myself. If you haven't read The China Study, by T. Colin Campbell PhD, you should. It will open your eyes."
And another friend, Rachel, chimed in, "Exactly!!! And the China Study is a must reading for anyone who honestly cares about their health."
Thanks, you two.
And for those of you who might be interested:
And due out soon:
Will and I haven't completely cut meat out of our diet. But, we have greatly reduced our intake of much of it. We no longer eat pork (as much as I love it). And we rarely eat red meat (as much as I love it). We're trying to increase our consumption of vegetables and fruit. And we still eat chicken, turkey and fish. And you'll probably have to pull cheese and eggs from my cold, dead hands. But, I guess what I'm getting at is that I'm trying to stay informed, while doing what I can. And reducing my meat intake, for the sake of my health and that of the environment, and animals' rights as well, it's at least doing something, which is always better than doing nothing.
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Tom Ridge? You don't know what you're talking about...
Or you do, and you're lying.
Scientific Study Links Flammable Drinking Water to Fracking
And unless you prefer your water flammable and don't mind catching your face on fire while you drink a nice glass of water, please join the movement to STOP FRACKING NOW.
AND... Say No to Fracking: Ohio's Health and Environment is Not for Sale. This petition goes directly to that asshole john kasich.
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Well, up until today, it's been really healing to lie here recovering from surgery, with the windows opened to the Spring that's springing outside, only to be assaulted by leaf blowers. FOR HOURS. The smell of exhaust wafting over our gardens and in through our windows... Aahhh... The smell of progress in the morning, in the afternoon and in the evening... Reminds me of 'Nam.
SO, when I watch this classic scene with Judy Garland and Gene Kelly from the film, "The Pirate", I imagine the a-holes in the neighborhood with the leaf blowers as Gene Kelly's character, Serafin.
And I suppose... That would make me Judy Garland's Manuela.
Wow. I'm totally gay.
Cool.
p.s. How fantastic is this scene? There's something so gratifying in watching it... It's like popping those frisky bubbles in bubble wrap. Or like crunching granola. Or pulling people's hair.
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So, shortly after Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" came out, there wasn't much debate. People on both sides of the fence embraced the dire need for conservation. We listened to "scientists" back then. Our "carbon footprint" was all over the mainstream news. Liberals and conservatives alike agreed that we needed to do something and fast. And MOST of the world still believes this. Conservatives in other countries still understand the necessity for action in limiting our pollution.
But here in the States, the spin machine, at the hands of such greedy, short-sighted, narrow-minded shits as the "koch brothers" (among others), have POLLUTED many Americans' minds with the notion that global warming, climate change, (MASS POLLUTION) is nothing to worry about. That the economy is more important than literally the air we breathe and the water we drink.
Rather than taking their immense profits and investing in green energy, which would benefit them as well as everyone else, they've chosen to invest it into propaganda. Propaganda that benefits their financial standing.
BLIND GREED.
And history will not be kind to these assholes. Unfortunately, innocent life (people and all species alike) will suffer their ignorance.
I know I don't really have to explain this to you. And of course, I've talked about this Big, Scary, Mean Smoke Monster before. I'm well aware that the average reader here at "Herculaneum" is informed, educated and bright. I know that I'm preaching to the choir. But, I thought I'd rant a bit (as I do...). So, thank you for letting me. I'll explode if I don't. And that will just add more pollution. Until I decompose... And then, I'll just be food for the soil... You know what... Never mind.
Well, today is Earth Day, as I'm sure you well know. And in the event you aren't aware of some of these films worth watching, I thought I'd pass along their trailers to you.
Fresh water is NOT a commodity. It's a fundamental right for all life.
This one is kind of shaky and the quality is... lacking, but it's hysterical. And frighteningly possible.
And then this one, is pure brilliance...
Utter brilliance. If you haven't seen it, prepare to be humbled by Mother Nature.
So obviously, there's a lot you can do. But, one of the biggest impacts you can have is just cutting your meat consumption. Just by reducing your intake of beef and/or pork, you greatly diminish your carbon footprint. It's not really that good for you anyway. More fruits, nuts and vegetables, bishes...
The earth AND your heart will thank you.
"Yeah, bishes... Quit fuckin' my shit up. Yo... And dang... I think I gots somepin' in my eye... Like,... Southern China... That shit hurts."
(That's suppose to be "Earth" reading us.)
And don't forget to enjoy our home...
It's pretty special.
*** In honor of Earth Day, speak up and out to STOP FRACKING NOW. "Fracking" is DEVASTATING to our environment. Get educated. Get involved. Silence is compliance. *************************************
I'm... going... to... speak... very... very... slowly... for... the... delusional... in... the... group.
Although, I'm not going to continue to write slowly. Just read slowly if you need to... It's okay, no one is checking. And take notes if you have to.
Okay, "Global Warming" was just too much, because they were all like, (please read all following italicised text with a hillbilly dialect - thank you) "'Global Warmin' MY ASS! There's still snow in Winter and sometimes it gets really, really cold! Like, you know, below zero! And only Hitler knows what that is in that commie Celsius degree mumbo-jumbo those red-belly Euros use! This is just a way for Al Gore to make tons of money because he owns stock in trees and he wants people to plant trees. AND IT'S SNOWING IN WINTER FOR GEE-WILLY'S SAKE! And then 'they' mentioned hot cow farts and well, I just told Marge I don't believe it. HOT COW FARTS ARE RUINING THE PLANET?? COME ON!! I told Marge, I said, 'Marge, the only one trying to ruin the planet around here is that Al Gore! He wants to plant a bunch of gosh darn trees! We can't have TREES everywhere! You wouldn't be able to walk in a straight line or drive a car very far without hitting somepin' for gosh darn's sake! All the roads would be curvy and topsy-turvy and goin' around trees and I'd get car-sick! And I bet I wouldn't be the only one! Everyone would be throwing up and there'd be barf all over the place! And really, when was the last time you saw a tree help with ANYTHING!? I mean, they always droppin' leaves and twigs and those helicopter things and acorns and cloggin' the gutters and LORD ALMIGHTY!"
And then we talked about our "Carbon Footprint".
"Carbon Footprint"? Well, what in the heck are all y'all talkin' about!? I got skin on my foots. And sometimes I gots shoes on 'em. I ain't got no carbon on my foots! Carbon's in a printer, silly! And I bet 'carbon' is a French word! DARN FRENCH! Trying to own fries and everathang. Well, guess what. THEY'RE FREEDOM FRIES NOW! TAKE THAT!! I'll put my 'carbon' footprint right up your derriere. Get it, Marge? I said 'derriere' instead of ass. Funny, huh, Marge? Those darn French. They just smell anyway. IT'S PROLLY THEIR B-O THAT'S RUINING THE PLANET! For chriminity's sake! And "car-bon" sounds an awful lot like "car-bomb". I bet it's French-moslem talk for blowing things up! The French and those moslems are RUINING EVERATHANG!"
So... THEN they tried "Climate Change".
Well... I don't think that's cutting it either. Because then they've been all, "CLIMATE CHANGE! WELL, DUH!! IT'S CALLED WEATHER! Sometimes it rains, sometimes it doesn't. I mean, really! I just told Marge about it the other day when we was standing outside the Piggly-Wiggly smoking our cigarettes. I told Marge, I did! I said, "Marge! Now, them commies are calling it "climate change"! Marge, it's called "weather". I mean, look. They point to some clouds up there and they start yellin'. And those people who suffered all those floods in Pack-It-Stan and the people who got wolloped in that big tidal wave over there in that Indamnesia place, well... I don't want to say nothin', but they ain't 'Christians'. And then, those people out there in that California with the fires and the earthquakes and the mudslides, well... I don't want to say nothin', but that whole state might as well just be Sodom and Gomorra. I mean, am I right, Marge? Spring springs, Summer's hot, Autumn leaves fall, and then it snows in Winter! It's called WEATHER. And sometimes it rains, and sometimes it doesn't. Baby Jesus is the only one who knows when it's going to rain! And Marge knew JUST what I was talkin' about..."
So, yeah. I think we just need to call it "Big, Scary, Mean Smoke Monster".
Oh, wait a minute...
I can just see it now.
"BIG, SCARY, MEAN SMOKE MONSTER!! COME ON!! You have GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!! Marge? Did you hear that? Now, they're saying it's a "Big, Scary, Mean Smoke Monster"! Marge? Am I crazy? I mean how ridiculous is THAT! I mean, really... We ALL KNOW that that big, scary, mean smoke monster is on that island out there in the Pattsifi... Pattspecific... PatsyCline... IN THAT DARN OCEAN WHERE ALL THOSE DARK-SKINNED PEOPLE THAT AREN'T CHRISTIAN LIVE! But, those poor people crashed there on that island in that Documentary "Lost" that we used to watch... Member? And that big, scary, mean smoke monster would come out of the jungle and start throwing people up in the air and well... I think most of them was "Christian". I bet that smoke monster's a moslem. But you know what I just realized! They was from California! SEE, MARGE!! SINNERS!! But, Marge... I bet those lilly-livered commies watched that show and thought that smoke monster was some exhausted fumes or somepin' and ruinin' the planet by throwing people up in the air! They probably don't know that it can't leave that island! You know what? I can see where that could get confusin'."
So, maybe we should just go right for the money and call it... "Big, Bad, Commie Air - That Is Sometimes Invisible".
What do you think?
"Marge. MARGE! Did you hear what's goin' on? Marge... YOU WON'T BELIEVE IT. BUT, YOU GOT TO! It's terrible, Marge. There's somepin' called a "Big, Bad, Commie Air" thing goin' on. It's comin' out of cars and factories and... ... and... cow's butts and... It's even comin' out of Cheverolettes! It's scary, Marge. I bet it's those Japs that are doin' this. But, I had no idea that cows were communists. Did you know that, Marge? Now that I think of it, them cows always seem real secretive, you know? Like they just keep their heads down and don't say NOTHIN'. They leave enough grass for each other and just walk real slow like they're UP TO SOMEPIN'! And I never did trust nothin' with a bunch of nipples. You know what? There's not a doubt in my mind that this is Barack Hussein Obamalama's fault! Oh Lord, I just thought about all that milk Junior's been drinkin'! OH, MARGE, JUNIOR'S BEEN DRINKIN' COMMIE MILK! That's it! We gotta do somepin'! I'm gonna get Fred. I'm gonna get Fred to build us a bunker. FRED! FRED!! PUT THAT MILLER LITE DOWN RIGHT NOW! Go get a shovel and start diggin' a bunker. WHAT DO YOU MEAN, 'WHAT FER'? JUST DO IT! WE GOT TO HIDE FROM THAT COMMIE AIR!! Marge, I got to hang up. I'm going to Piggly Wiggly and stockin' up on canned goods and shot gun shells and cigarettes. Can never have enough Spaghetti O's or bullets or smokes."
M-A-S-S P-O-L-L-U-T-I-O-N is not up for debate.
We're treating the earth like garbage.
And just where else is it that we're suppose to live?
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(Thank you for this video, Claud!)
100 days of oil: Gulf life will never be the same
Barge hits well near Gulf, sends oil, gas spewing
Oil pipeline leak pollutes major Michigan river
All these monumental disasters and I'm sitting here watching (and listening to - as it pierces my brain) a fat neighbor use a CHAIN SAW to cut twigs. TWIGS. How 'bout trying a manual handsaw or actually just breaking them with your hands? What's that? Oohh... Right. That would require more muscle. Less fat.
So, while I don't believe that we don't all have a hand in this (simply by being consumers of fossil fuels, we're accomplices), I DO believe that we can do something about it... As I'm sure you know from my constant rambling on the issue.
Even by just cutting down on our beef consumption, we in turn will be consuming less fossil fuels that actually go into the the production, slaughter and transportation of that meat. And it DOES make a difference.
"The Senate announced it would not bring comprehensive climate legislation before Congress breaks for the August recess.
It's infuriating that every single Republican Senator has sided with corporate polluters like BP in blocking a comprehensive climate bill, but we must channel our anger and disappointment into action.
And, we can start by making sure the Senate passes a strong package of oil disaster response and clean energy provisions in the next week, before they adjourn for the August recess." - The Sierra Club
These stupid fuckers act like we have time. We don't.
If you're so inclined, please sign this petition from the Sierra Club. They'll send the message directly to your fucking dumbass senators.
And meanwhile, just for today, step away from the burger. Your heart and our world will thank you. It will probably be a more quiet kind of "Thank You", so don't expect anything big.
Actually, I take that back. You'll KNOW that you're literally doing something to help rather than hinder.
And that's pretty big.
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Just so we're all on the same page... Now, it's not just George W.'s administration's fault... Although it is context. As I've stated before, we all have a hand in this. We have no one to blame but ourselves.
AP Poll: Most unhappy with Obama on oil spill
FACT CHECK: Obama left blanks in oil spill speech
And just in case you haven't heard, ANOTHER oil spill; Oil spill reaches Great Salt Lake.
Nice.
We desperately need to end our dependence. And the one thing we haven't got is time.
*** If you are so inclined, please take one minute to join us in moving toward a real solution to oil spills by calling on the EPA to do its job as science, the law, the tragedy in the Gulf, and common sense require. Sign the People's Petition to Cap Carbon at 350 parts per million today.
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One 42-gallon barrel of oil creates 19.4 gallons of gasoline. The rest (over half) is used to make things like: this partial list of products made from Petroleum (144 of 6000 items).
What you can use instead: Hemp food, hemp oil, hemp plastics, hemp insulation, hemp concrete, hemp paper, and other hemp composites all available today! And yes, the list goes on and on. Plus, Hemp is both Eco-friendly and Renewable.
Illegal to grow in the US; it's a direct competitor with petroleum. Plain and simple.
AND Hemp plants do not have the same THC levels as plants used for Medical Marijuana, so it is ridiculous that they don't legalize hemp.
It's way past time to stop.
Think outside the box.
How You Live Matters.
(Thank you for the great links, Holly!) **************************************
It will never be "all better" until we stop.
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22-Mile Oil Plume Under Gulf Nears Rich Waters
"If you don't know how to fix it, stop breaking it." (She's a TOTAL badass.)
Being consumers, we all have a hand in this disaster. What you can do? Use less fossil fuels. Walk, bike, use public transportation whenever you can. Stop using your air conditioning if you can help it. Use manual tools (manual push mower for your grass, rake, broom, use fingers, hands and elbows instead of vibrators - we've already been over this, etc.). Hang your laundry. Try sailing, canoeing, kite surfing, kayaking, rather than speed boats and jet skis - your muscles will thank you anyway, as will the peace and quiet.
Think outside the box.
How you live matters.
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