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It survived the asteroid that killed all the dinosaurs, but if we don’t act quickly, it won’t survive us. The pallid sturgeon has plied Earth’s waterways for 78 million years. But a century of dam building has led to habitat changes that may mean the end for this amazing fish. Biologists estimate that only 125 wild-born pallid sturgeon remain in the Upper Missouri and Yellowstone rivers. What’s worse, none have successfully reproduced in decades because too many dams now block their path and destroy their habitat. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation have the chance to change that, but they have recently released a plan that, far from helping these fish, will likely doom them. The clear way to save the pallid sturgeon and spend taxpayer dollars wisely is to restore the Yellowstone River by removing the irrigation dam that blocks the path of these fish and to deliver water to irrigators via pumps or other means. But current government agency plans promote a different solution that Montana fish biologists – and even the government’s own scientists – say won’t work: an even larger concrete dam and two-mile long artificial fish bypass channel. This flawed alternative may have profound effects on the entire fishery of the lower Yellowstone River, not just the pallid sturgeon. Your voice can make a difference. Tell the agencies involved that you oppose the construction of a new, more permanent dam and that you believe that federal funding for the project should be spent on restoring the Yellowstone River, not on building a bigger dam. These fish cannot wait. They need our help now. Thank you for all you do. Sincerely,
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The climate denier playbook – by Union of Concerned Scientists
here’s their plan:
First, harass climate scientists and politicize their research. Next, denounce lawmakers who call for climate action. Then slash funding for climate science—because it’s too “politicized.”
Those are the words of Trump senior adviser Bob Walker, head of the NASA transition team. He wants to eliminate NASA’s funding for earth science and research.¹ Yep, you read that right.
Even forgetting climate change, NASA’s earth science research is crucial to billions of dollars of economic activity, improving weather forecasts, helping farmers measure soil moisture, helping predict the spread of disease, and more.² Gutting it would have permanent implications.
This disregard for science is visible throughout Trump’s transition team. That’s why we need to be more ready than ever to fight back—to protect science, to advocate for scientists, to defend the victories we’ve won together.
We’ve set a goal of raising $2.065 million by December 31st, and we’re still $365,000 away. Please, renew your support with a year-end donation.
Thank you,
John Mace, Membership Director
1. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/nov/22/nasa-earth -donald-trump-eliminate-climate-change-research
2. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/02/opinion/earth-the-final-frontier.html
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“Washington State’s water quality standards are not protecting you”
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EPA, Washington State Department of Ecology: Reject Increased Cancer Risk Level; Approve New Fish Consumption Rate |
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ClearWaterProject: Building a movement for clean water & cultural survival
“Without clean water, we cannot survive,” Emergildo Criollo told me recently. 
You may have heard of Emergildo. An indigenous leader of the Cofan Nation in Ecuador’s northern Amazon, he has been a relentless advocate for his people, speaking out about oil giant Chevron’s toxic legacy in his territory. But today, even as he continues the fight to hold Chevron accountable, Emergildo isn’t waiting for a cleanup that seems always on the horizon.
Emergildo is taking matters into his own hands, helping to bring clean water to thousands of indigenous people who have suffered without for decades. And today, I want to ask you to support Emergildo, and the other indigenous leaders who are part of an effort that Amazon Watch is deeply proud to support:
It’s called The ClearWater Project.
Established in late 2011 by long-time Amazon Watch campaigner Mitch Anderson, ClearWater was a response to Emergildo’s clarion call for clean water, where access to this basic necessity can be a matter of life and death.
ClearWater began with a big goal: provide safe, sustainable access to clean water for every indigenous family in the region, whose ancestral waterways have been poisoned by oil production and ensuing industrialization.
In just two years, ClearWater has installed more than 500 family-sized rainwater harvesting and filtration systems that serve thousands of people in communities who have long suffered an epidemic of cancer, birth defects, and other illnesses that numerous health studies in the region blame on a lack of access to safe sources of water for drinking, bathing, and cooking.
And our efforts have been able to make this impact because from the beginning, ClearWater has been a collaborative partnership between the five indigenous nationalities here – the Cofan, Siona, Secoya, Kichwa, and Waorani – and international supporters, such as water engineers, humanitarians, activists, philanthropists, and people like you.
ClearWater believes in collaborative, integrative, community-led solutions, where someone like Emergildo is coordinating amongst the different indigenous nationalities to install new water systems, local youth are using GPS to map their biological and cultural resources, and frontline leaders are learning new media techniques to broadcast their concerns to the world.
Clean water, health, and dignity. From this foundation, Emergildo and the indigenous people of Ecuador’s northern Amazon, are building a movement for rainforest protection and cultural survival.
I’m proud that Amazon Watch is a founding partner in this project, and I hope you’ll join us too.
In solidarity,
Han Shan
Amazon Watch Advisory Board Member
P.S. Explore ClearWater’s impact by navigating around this cutting-edge interactive map designed by another Amazon Watch family member, Gregor MacLennan, now Digital Democracy’s Program Director.
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Water: does it go bad?
Updated December 02, 2016.
Bottled water may carry an expiration date, but under typical storage conditions it does not go bad. baona/iStock
Question: Does Bottled Water Go Bad?
Most bottled water has an expiration date stamped on the bottle, but does the bottled water actually go bad? If so, how long is bottled water good? Here’s the answer to this common question.
Answer: Although bottled water has an expiration date, it doesn’t actually go bad. Why is there an expiration date on a product that doesn’t go bad? This is because New Jersey requires all food and beverages, including water, to carry an expiration date on its packaging. It doesn’t matter if you don’t live in New Jersey… your water may carry an expiration date anyway to make it easier to standardize packaging. Some bottled water only carries its bottling date or a ‘best by’ date. These dates are helpful because the flavor of the water will change over time as it absorbs chemicals from its packaging. The flavor will not necessarily be bad, but it may be noticeable.
Leaching of chemicals from packaging is a health concern, but as far as toxic chemicals go, you can get exposure to most of those chemicals from freshly bottled water as well as bottled water that has been on the shelf a while.
A ‘plastic’ taste is not necessarily an indicator that the water is bad; absence of an unpleasant flavor does not mean the water is free from contaminants.
While algae and bacteria will not grow in sealed bottled water, the situation changes once the seal has been broken. You should consume or discard water within 2 weeks after opening it.
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