Tag Archives: senate spot

I wanted to make sure you’d seen this, from Monday. It’s been five years since BP’s Deepwater Horizon disaster, but the Gulf Coast is still suffering. President Obama can help ensure there are no more Gulf oil spills — and establish his climate legacy at the same time.We’ve already had a great response from thousands of RAN supporters. Will you join them by adding your voice?

Tell President Obama: no more oil, coal and gas leases in coastal waters and on public lands.

Five years ago today, BP’s Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded, killing eleven people and sending some 210 million barrels of oil flooding into the Gulf of Mexico. President Obama called it “the worst environmental disaster America has ever faced”.1

Never again. The president can help ensure there are no more disasters like the Deepwater Horizon — and establish his climate legacy at the same time. Call on President Obama to stop leasing our public lands and waters to the fossil fuel industry.

The Gulf Coast is still suffering. The 170,000 workers who cleaned up the spill are at greater risk for cancer, and kidney and liver disease.2 Last year, dolphins and whales off the Louisiana coast died at four times the usual rates.3 And 10 million gallons of oil sit on the Gulf floor in a congealed “bath mat” the size of Rhode Island.4

BP controls more of the deepwater Gulf than any other oil company, with an outrageous 600 leases.5 In the case of the Deepwater Horizon disaster, a U.S. judge found BP’s conduct to be “grossly negligent”.6 But — to be clear — when it comes to the fossil fuel industry, gross negligence is business as usual.

So we’re joining our friends at CREDO Action to say: No more Gulf oil spills. No more giving away our public lands and waters to rapacious fossil fuel companies that care only about their profits. Tell President Obama to issue an executive order now.

President Obama wants to be remembered as a climate leader. But he has a huge climate blindspot. While the president has pushed for international agreements to limit carbon pollution, he’s also presided over a massive drilling boom on our public lands and in our coastal waters.

That explosive growth is killing the climate. Emissions from federally managed lands and waters cause approximately 24 percent of U.S. energy-related greenhouse gas emissions annually — mostly from coal, oil and gas.7

The solution is simple. If President Obama wants to establish a real climate legacy, he should issue an executive order instructing federal agencies to stop granting new and expanded leases to extract fossil fuels from public lands.

To avoid catastrophic climate change, scientists say we must keep between 67% and 80% of the world’s remaining fossil fuels in the ground.8 One quarter of U.S. fossil fuel production happens on federally-managed lands and waters. The president can take a huge step towards stopping climate change — and preventing future Gulf oil spills. Urge him to issue an executive order today.

For our lands and our waters, our communities and our climate,

Amanda Starbuck
Climate and Energy Program Director
Rainforest Action Network

P.S. Bridge the Gulf, Louisiana Bucket Brigade, and Idle No More Gulf Coast are among the many organizations fighting for justice and accountability in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. On this fifth anniversary of the BP disaster, support them today.

Sources:

1. “Remarks by the President to the Nation on the BP Oil Spill”, White House Office of the Press Secretary, June 15, 2010
2. “BP Oil Spill Cleanup Workers Are At Higher Risk Of Sickness, Cancer”, ThinkProgress, Sep. 17, 2013
3. “Science Links Dolphin Deaths to BP Oil Spill – Again”, National Wildlife Federation, Feb. 13, 2015
4. “Scientists have found a 10 million gallon ‘bath mat’ of oil on the floor of the Gulf of Mexico”, Business Insider, Feb. 4, 2015
5. “Deepwater Gulf of Mexico”, BP
6. “U.S. judge upholds BP ‘gross negligence’ Gulf spill ruling”, Reuters, Nov. 13, 2014
7. “Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Fossil Energy Extracted from Federal Lands and Waters: An Update”, Stratus Consulting, prepared for The Wilderness Society, Dec. 23, 2014
8. “Unburnable Carbon 2013: Wasted capital and stranded assets”, Carbon Tracker Initiative & Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, 2013; “Climate Change 2014: Synthesis Report”, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2014.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

ACTION:Turn On The Water … it’s the right thing -reminder

05/27/2016 Nativegrl77

Thousands of low-income Black Detroit residents have already had their water shut-off risking both public health and personal safety. What’s worse — the city plans to resume shut-offs tomorrow.

Water is a human right.

Tell the panel: turn the water back on in Detroit

Thousands of low income Black Detroit residents have already had their water shut off, risking both public health and personal safety. What’s worse — the city plans to resume shut-offs tomorrow.¹

Just weeks ago, under pressure from organizers in Detroit and thousands of supporters online, Governor Rick Snyder’s hand-picked Emergency Manager returned control of the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) to the duly-elected mayor.² While a small victory for local control, the move was ultimately a political ploy to provide cover for Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr. Mayor Duggan’s “10 Point Plan” does little more than offer better customer service while continuing the inhumane and unjust practice of shutting off water.³

The solution is the Water Affordability Program (WAP) passed by the city council back in 2005. The WAP would provide relief to thousands and create a safety net that allows low income residents to pay on a sliding scale, based on their income. A 3-judge panel is holding a hearing on August 29th during which they could order the WAP back into effect and end the shutoffs once and for all.

Sign the petition: tell the panel to turn the water back on and implement the Water Affordability Program.

While Detroiters suffer under policies implemented by an unelected emergency manager, corporations are protected and speculators are circling. Individuals with as little as $33 owed have had their water shut off without warning while the Palmer Park Golf Course which owes $437,714 still has water.⁴ The initial round of shutoffs were a tactic to make the city’s water rights a more attractive target to potential private investors. ⁵

Even with authority tenuously returned to the Mayor, his plan offers little hope to residents whose rates have risen 119% in the past decade.⁶ Under this scheme, relief is only available after putting down a large lump sum payment and there is no promise that the emergency manager will not seize back control and change the rules yet again.

The Water Affordability Program would provide relief to all residents living under 175% of the federal poverty line and reign in the out-of-control rates DWSD has charged.⁷ The WAP is the best way to restore water to thousands of residents in Detroit at reasonable rates.

Turn the water back on: Sign the petition to implement the WAP.

Water is a basic human right and denying access to water poses a dire threat to public health. To make matters worse, earlier this month there were historic floods in Detroit. A state of emergency was declared. The flooding has caused millions of gallons of sewage to back up into waterways and basements. ⁸ How are you supposed to clean sewage from your basement when the city has shut off your water?

Sign the petition: Turn the water back on in Detroit!

Thanks and Peace,

Aimée, Rashad, Arisha, Matt, Johnny and the entire ColorOfChange.org team.

Help support our work. ColorOfChange.org is powered by YOU—your energy and dollars. We take no money from lobbyists or large corporations that don’t share our values, and our tiny staff ensures your contributions go a long way.

1. “Duggan, DWSD to release updated plan on water shutoffs Thursday; moratorium extended until Aug. 25,” Metro Times, 8/4/14,
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/3787?t=8&akid=3599.1174326.1Q65qP

2.”Detroit’s drought of democracy,” New York Times, 7/29/14,
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/3789?t=10&akid=3599.1174326.1Q65qP

3.”Orr Dumps ‘Hot Mess’ of Water Shut-offs in Duggan’s Lap,” People’s Water Board, 7/29/14
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/3790?t=12&akid=3599.1174326.1Q65qP

4. “Detroit water department now sending shut-off crews to commercial customers,” Detroit Free Press, 7/14/14
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/3798?t=14&akid=3599.1174326.1Q65qP

5.”Detroit shuts off water to thousands of broke residents,” Think Progress, 6/20/14,
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/3791?t=16&akid=3599.1174326.1Q65qP

6. See reference 3.

7. See reference 3.

8. “Snyder declares flood disaster for southeast Michigan,” Detroit Free Press, 8/20/14,
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/3792?t=18&akid=3599.1174326.1Q65qP

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Jobs … Coming from Wind ~ a repost

05/20/2016 Nativegrl77

~ my 2cents ..., ~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

skin care products …. how about sleep water and good food

05/03/2016 Nativegrl77

Have you been getting digital product ads for Holiday events that are months away. I have and while I do love and buy products from certain sites, others are annoying offensive and you have to wonder how the FDA gave them the greenlight. Anyway, the ads in both print and digital have been focusing on women’s looks … how awful or our sagging skin or wrinkles … lest we talk about those aging spots oh and don’t stop there why not just lighten brighten and whiten your skin to make yourself look younger. Say what? I have admitted to having had a tough time with my skin when I was in my 20’s. I did not have acne in high school but moving to the city and indulging in food I had no idea existed … probably full of Tran’s fat and the environment forced me into doing time under the lights. I had allergy issues eczema and so on but the dermatologist was fantabulous. I did what I was told which is the most important thing during those years so my skin recovered, but the issues of wrinkles, lines and saggy parts of the face actually seem to be less when you go to sleep at a reasonable and consistent hour and to-be-honest water has and will always be our body’s savior. I have to admit, 2015 has been stressful, the heat, and working odd hours has a tendency to bring out wrinkling sagging in the neck area while the face is fine right now. I look at those commercials, scream then wonder if I should finally break down buy the anti-aging stuff. I actually decided to product test anti-aging wrinkle reducers’ in 2013 and did not feel the product I used made a difference. If you just test my advice for a month in 2013 let me know if you saw a big difference; by going to sleep earlier than usual, drink 2 liters of water, and eat right you will definitely see positive changes. I love coffee tea and prefer water mixed unless it’s seriously hot or cold then I will drink what I call “naked water” … they say try to drink half your body weight though getting advice from your friendly doc or nurse is a better suggestion. I try to drink 2 liters of liquids a day…. I do drink naked hot water. I stand by my statement in 2013. I also went back to using coconut oil, moisturizer/creams with high SPF, vitamin C, E and B5 least we talk about adding more fan time

~ Nativegrl77

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Too many Black families … a repost

04/27/2016 Nativegrl77

It’s a time of celebration and joy, but every year there are too many Black families who have empty seats around their holiday dinners.

Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, Tanesha Anderson, John Crawford, and many, many more.

But there’s a vibrant movement on the streets demanding that our country value and protect Black lives, and it’s forcing many Americans — particularly our elected officials — to wake up to the realities of everyday violence against Black people.

We’re in the middle of a transformative moment, and ColorOfChange has bold plans for 2015.

We are going to:

Strengthen the police accountability work we’ve spear-headed throughout 2014. From ensuring Darren Wilson, Daniel Pantaleo, and other police officers are held fully accountable, to securing nationwide structural reforms addressing discriminatory police violence, there’s a lot to be done.
Lift up the voices of our 1 million members to fight back against the new right-wing Congress. The Republicans who now control both houses are determined to pass legislation that will put our communities in harms way. And we’re determined to hold them accountable.
Continue to combat toxic media representations of Black folks and the movements for justice springing up everywhere.
Keep our fingers on the country’s pulse, ready to jump on rapid response moments and influence the national dialogue.

…and there’s a lot more in the pipeline.

Make a $1 holiday donation today to strengthen ColorOfChange’s civil rights campaigns this coming year. (Or give whatever you can.)

Every donation you make, every dollar you give, makes a BIG difference. Our small staff will stretch it out and ensure it has a real impact in 2015.

Thanks and peace,

–Rashad, Arisha, Matt, Bhavik, and the ColorOfChange team