Tag Archives: politics

~ FDA/USDA ~~ Alerts & Safety, ~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Keep Frankenfish Out of Our Food Chain …


Take ActionThe FDA is moving toward approving genetically-engineered fish for human consumption. Please help us ensure our native fish populations are protected! Take Action Today!

Earthjustice, Protect Northwest Orcas Campaign
What do you think would happen if our precious and vulnerable native salmon came face-to-face with fast-growing, genetically-engineered salmon? Not sure? Unfortunately, you’re not the only one.

During the holidays, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) took a controversial step toward approving the first-ever genetically-engineered fish made for human consumption. These fish are the spawn of a company called AquaBounty Technologies and are engineered in foreign laboratories to grow twice as fast as natural Atlantic salmon.

And if that’s not scary enough, the FDA isn’t planning on thoroughly studying all the environmental risks presented by these Frankenfish before giving the green light to AquaBounty. This means these Frankenfish will be produced on a commercial scale before anyone knows what damaging impacts they may have if they invade our most sensitive natural marine environments. The FDA wants to be able to save these crucial questions for a later time, but we think the questions need to need to be answered now, before it’s too late.

If you agree, join us in calling on the FDA to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the full range of potential environmental impacts of these genetically-engineered fish.

We have until April 26, 2013 to submit comments. Please help us ensure our native fish populations are protected!

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Official Google blog …


GOOGLe

RISE Awards 2013: A global effort

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 01:48 AM PST

“I am standing in a partial enclosure made of sticks and plant fronds. This is the school for roughly 35 students, ranging in age from three to about 20 years old. There are no desks. There is only a single shared chalkboard, and it has gaping holes.” — David Rathmann-Bloch from the 21st Century Chalkboard Project, writing from rural Haiti.

These are just some of the many challenges faced by education organizations who applied for this year’s Google RISE Awards. The RISE (Roots in Science and Engineering) Awards program funds and supports organizations around the world that provide science and technology education at a grassroots level.

This year we’re delighted to give awards to 30 new organizations from 18 different countries. Combined they will reach more than 90,000 children in 2013, helping inspire and teach the scientists and engineers of the future.

  • Some, such as Haiti’s 21st Century Chalkboard Project and the Uniristii Association (site in Romanian) in Romania, help those from underserved communities gain access to computing resources.
  • Others, like the U.K.’s Code Club and the U.S.’s CodeNow, offer extracurricular activities that help interested children, especially those from underrepresented minority backgrounds, to learn programming.
  • A few, such as the Middle East’s MEET and iLab Liberia, seek to use technology education as a platform to bridge wider social and cultural divides.
  • Some, like Girlstart in the U.S. and New Zealand’s Programming Challenge 4 Girls, aim to empower girls to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

In addition to receiving funding and support to continue their outreach, RISE Award recipients will be brought together for a global summit this June in London.

To paraphrase an old saying, from small seeds, great things can grow. The recipients of the 2013 RISE Awards have already made a difference. Connecting with other like-minded organizations will help spread valuable and practical expertise, and spark opportunities for global collaboration and expansion.

Posted by Roxana Shirkhoda, Education Outreach Specialist

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Climate Reality …


What I Love -- Share it with your friends

climatereality

“It starts out like a good trip, then ends with a jolt of reality. Warm and fuzzy, beautiful, manipulative, and disconcerting all at once. This is brilliant.”

We launched our new digital experience, What I Love, last week, and within hours, users like the one above were sharing their excitement.

Around the world, thousands of people have been visiting the site to encounter the things they love — whether it’s a steaming cup of coffee to wake you up in the morning … a long walk surrounded by trees in a nearby forest … the smell of a pie or freshly baked cookies — and to learn about their uncertain futures.

Most of all, users keep telling us that the experience transforms how they see climate change. Renee W., a Climate Reality supporter, wrote “this is a very valuable site … to see what you love and how the climate changes are affecting what you love” is so important. Helen D. says that What I Love “brings it all home.”

So many others are discovering the experience … but we noticed that you haven’t quite yet. Perhaps you’ve been outside raking newly fallen leaves, or have had your nose buried in a good book. No matter what you’re up to, something you love is being affected by climate change.

Remember what’s most important and find out how those things are being affected by climate change … and how you can protect them.

It’s not too late. But without you protecting the things you love … one day it could be.

Thanks for your help,

The Climate Reality Team
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Weekly Address: Averting the Sequester and Finding a Balanced Approach to Deficit Reduction

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Weekly Address: Averting the Sequester and Finding a Balanced Approach to Deficit Reduction

President Obama urges Congress to act to avoid a series of harmful and automatic cuts — called a sequester — from going into effect that would hurt our economy and the middle class and threaten thousands of American jobs. The President urges Congress to find a balanced approach to deficit reduction that makes investments in areas that help us grow and cuts what we don’t need.

Watch this week’s Weekly Address.

Weekly Address: Averting the Sequester and Finding a Balanced Approach to Deficit Reduction

In Case You Missed It

Here’s a quick glimpse at what happened this week on WhiteHouse.gov:

Common-sense Reforms: On Monday, President Obama traveled Midwest to Minneapolis to speak with local police, community leaders and folks who have experienced gun violence in their family. The President firmly believes “law enforcement and other community leaders must have a seat at the table.”

With mounting support for universal background checks, President Obama is driving Congress to listen and take action. While pressing for background checks, the President did not let up.

“We shouldn’t stop there. We should restore the ban on military-style assault weapons and a 10-round limit for magazines,” said President Obama. “And that deserves a vote in Congress — because weapons of war have no place on our streets, or in our schools, or threatening our law enforcement officers.”

Watch the full speech here and read our blog post tracking the two weeks since President Obama released his plan for reducing gun violence.

Sequester Delay: On Tuesday, President Obama talked about the sequester and urged Congress to act before automatic spending cuts are put into place starting March 1. If a new deal is not struck by March 1, automatic spending cuts, which are known as the sequester will begin.

Billions of dollars in cuts would hinder education and research, along with defense spending to name a few. President Obama called for “a smaller package of spending cuts and tax reforms” as he is prepared to work with republicans to strike a deal for the American people.

Newest Cabinet Nominee: On Wednesday, President Obama nominated Sally Jewell to head the Interior Department. If the current CEO of the outdoor retail giant REI is confirmed, she will play a critical role in protecting our country’s land and natural resources. Along with an enthusiasm for the outdoors, she carries with her experience as a former oil engineer and commercial banker, which will be vital in dealing with our energy sector and creating jobs for Americans.

Jewell is very excited to work with the Interior and “sharing their hopes and their dreams for our public lands, our resources, our people — especially our first people — our history and our culture.”

Revamped Immigration Page: On Wednesday, the White House released a new issue section laying out what is at stake for comprehensive immigration reform. The President’s proposal calls for the strengthening of our borders, cracking down on companies that hire undocumented workers, creating a path to earned citizenship and streamlining our legal immigration system.

National Prayer Breakfast: On Thursday, President Obama attended the National Prayer Breakfast at the Washington Hilton. Citing the importance of faith in his life, the President discussed the comfort Scripture gave President Abraham Lincoln and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “I thought about their humility, and how we don’t seem to live that out the way we should, every day, even when we give lip service to it,” said the President.

The biggest hope from the breakfast was Americans, especially our public servants, should embrace cooperation and humility to avoid the constant bipartisan rhetoric in Washington. Watch the full speech here.

SOTU Preparation: This Tuesday, the President will speak to the country through the annual State of the Union address. President Obama will discuss the most demanding issues facing our country and offer solutions to tackle these challenges. On February 12, at 9 pm ET head to our State of the Union page to watch a live enhanced version with charts, graphs, and data to coincide with his address. Before Tuesday, check out our page to view the 2012 enhanced version and discover new ways you can participate in this year’s State of the Union.