Donald Trump is adamantly defending Confederate monuments, all while proceeding to jeopardize our public lands and water.

Growing up in the American West, I have fond memories of camping and exploring our national parks and monuments on family vacations. Many times we found ourselves in the middle of the desert away from all signs of civilization — places like Grand Staircase-Escalante. It’s a landscape you won’t find anywhere else in the world, and one I plan to protect for future generations to come.

If Interior Secretary Zinke and Trump get their way, Grand Staircase-Escalante and 20 other national monuments could be diminished for dangerous oil and gas drilling. We can’t allow it.

The people we memorialize and the sites we protect reveal what values we hold most dear as Americans. 

Donald Trump has shown us his values. At the same time Trump justifies public statues of Confederate generals that serve as a painful reminder of white supremacy and hate, he is effectively auctioning off pristine natural areas to corporate polluters. His values are not our values.

These public lands belong to us all as shared spaces for recreation and conservation, but Zinke and Trump are chipping away at public lands that drive local economies and draw visitors to our states. Cherished areas like the Giant Sequoia National Monument in California could shrink to just a third of its current size.

In Utah, Zinke’s proposal to reduce the Bears Ears National Monument by nearly 90 percent is not just an attack on our environment, it’s an infringement on indigenous rights. That region is sacred to various tribes, and the Trump administration’s unprecedented reversal is an assault on Native American sovereignty.

Act now: Tell Secretary Zinke to protect every acre of our national monuments. 

Thanks for speaking up,

Aaron Burgess
Advocacy Manager
NextGen America

@GovAbbott: We won’t need a special session for #Harvey aid.

Phone: 512-475-2615 Ask Gov. Greg Abbott why he feels there is no need for a #SpecialSession for #HarveyAid and does that mean he will NOT use the reported $10milRainydayFund?  Thing is, the rain that came left more than a puddle! Research: Harvey is a 1000-year flood event unprecedented in scale and each state must make a full disclosure on what funds they have and at least debate vote on how much will be used NOW … Hurricane Season and the responses should be  preplanned event -better

Why not use the RainyDayFund for infrastructure! the nation watched and is still watching a well meant effort in Texas but lost a lot of strength to #MotherNature … Some of us watched General Honore try to hint,tell chide folks about the possibilities,the better safe than sorry moves and while he was on camera his words became foreboding in my opinion …when i heard the grids may not have been shutdown the first thought is who knows maybe there would have been less opportunities of explosions? If not school me, but we all saw the levees breached, shelters flooded, reevaluation of what locations to evacuate first is needed ,designated staging locations organized,boats,air support and military use of real equipment like amphibians etc. in place …

Houston Rescue Crews, on every level, should all be recognized for their work …hours spent in nasty water,fires,accidents while putting their own lives at risk and needs on the back burner is beyond expectations … the local community and national helpers,Mexico, neighbors helping neighbors, folks flying in to help, restaurants, reporters, the weather folks and many others that we will never hear about all pitched in  … It’s time for a serious investment in infrastructure for all of Texas

Expect the best, plan for the worst, and prepare to be surprised

~ Nativegrl77

Yesterday the news broke that Donald Trump will likely end DACA–the program that has allowed 800,000 young immigrants to live their lives with dignity and respect. While the article is not an official White House statement, it gives us an idea of where the administration is going.

We must urge Congress to act now and pass a DREAM Act that provides a permanent solution for immigrant youth and doesn’t add money to Trump’s deportation force.

On Tuesday, hundreds of events are being planned across the country in the fight to #defendDACA. We encourage you to find an event near you and join the fight and demand that Trump protect the 800,000 young immigrants who have benefitted from DACA.

You can find an event near you at www.defenddaca.com.

In solidarity,

Donna De La Cruz
Reform Immigration FOR America

Most of us know to be careful when picking personal care products. Checking labels for common hazardous ingredients like parabens, phthalates and triclosan is a good start. But what about the nasty chemicals that aren’t listed on labels?

That’s right, not all hazardous chemicals make it onto the ingredient panel. Sometimes contaminants or impurities are introduced into personal care products during the production process. Since they are not technically “ingredients,” companies are not required to make their presence known. Case in point? 1,4-Dioxane, which the Environmental Protection Agency has classified as a likely human carcinogen, linked to tumors in the liver and kidney damage.

There is absolutely no reason why companies can’t remove 1,4-dioxane from personal care products, but right now the Food and Drug Administration doesn’t require them to do so – even though the chemical is linked to cancer and serves no purpose in cosmetics.

Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand are petitioning the FDA to prohibit the presence of 1,4-dioxane from personal care products, and EWG is proud to join them in this fight. But in order for the FDA to hear us loud and clear, we need YOU with us too, Friend.

TAKE ACTION: Tell the FDA to protect consumers from 1,4-dioxane – a carcinogenic chemical contaminant in many cosmetic products!

1,4-Dioxane can be found in shampoos, foaming soaps, lotions and laundry detergents, but without regulations it’s hard to determine how many products contain 1,4-dioxane and how to avoid it. An analysis by EWG has revealed that the vast majority of personal care products may contain chemical contaminants like 1,4-dioxane. A recent survey of our Skin Deep® cosmetics database found more than 8,000 products with ingredients produced through ethoxylation, the manufacturing process that forms 1,4-dioxane. The bottom line? 1,4-Dioxane contamination may be harmful and is way too common.

Cosmetics companies have known about the dangers of 1,4-dioxane contamination for years. Way back in 1982, the industry-backed Cosmetic Ingredient Review Panel noted that companies were aware of the problem and were making an effort to lower or remove 1,4-dioxane from their products. Thirty-five years later and we still have no way of knowing whether or not our favorite products contain this hazardous contaminant. It’s time for the FDA to step up and take action to protect consumers!

Join EWG today. Tell the FDA it’s time to hold cosmetics companies accountable and BAN 1,4-dioxane contamination from personal care products.

Thanks for standing with us, Friend.

Nneka Leiba
Director of Healthy Living Science, EWG