Tag Archives: Union of Concerned Scientists

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Keep toxic chemicals off store shelves

01/09/2015 Nativegrl77

If there’s one question UCS gets asked a lot it’s this: “Why don’t you folks all work together?” But here at the Union of Concerned Scientists, collaboration is a guiding principle. We partner with many of the nation’s leading scientists, environmental and consumer protection organizations, and decision-makers in government to achieve our common goal: a healthy, safe, and sustainable future.
Right now, we’re teaming up with our friends at the League of Conservation Voters to pressure top retailers to keep hazardous chemicals out of their products.
Join us in taking action with the League of Conservation Voters. Send a message now asking the nation’s biggest retailers to keep toxic chemicals off their shelves >>
For years, UCS has worked as part of the Safer Chemicals Healthy Families Coalition to ensure that policy makers and consumers have access to accurate scientific information about the toxic chemicals in our communities and consumer products. Like you, we believe that people need access to adequate information about toxics if they are to make informed decisions that protect the health of their families. Now you can take the next step by taking action with the League of Conservation Voters to urge retailers to take toxic chemicals out of their stores.

Tell our nation’s biggest retailers to take toxic chemicals out of their stores! Add your name to our petition for safe products here >>

Want to keep harmful chemicals out of our everyday products?

Sign our petition to the biggest retailers to keep toxic chemicals off the shelves!

When you stopped to grab a bottle of shampoo, did anyone tell you that it could contain cancer-causing chemicals? Have you checked if that shirt you bought is kept wrinkle-free by formaldehyde? Do you know if that couch you bought is releasing chemicals that could harm your children’s mental development?
Most of the time, I don’t. It’s impossible to know all the right questions to ask when we go to the store to keep ourselves and our families safe. And frankly, it shouldn’t be our job. The stores where we shop should watch out for us by asking their suppliers to keep toxic chemicals out of their products. But they won’t do it unless we make them.
Sign our petition urging the biggest retailers to keep products with toxic chemicals off their shelves now >>
In April, we joined with the Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families coalition on a campaign called “Mind the Store,” which asks major retailers to protect us by keeping the Hazardous 100+ toxic chemicals out of their products.
More than 40,000 people took action and we were heard! Target and Walmart responded to our petition by announcing that they would take some of the most dangerous chemicals out of the products they sell.
Now we need your help to make sure that other major retailers like Walgreens, Costco, and Safeway follow suit. These retailers are often stuck in the same place we are. Our broken federal laws mean they have limited access to basic health and safety information on toxic chemicals sold in their very own stores.
But they have the power to ask the questions and make the demands to keep us safe. And as we saw with Target and Walmart, if they hear from enough of their customers, these major retailers will tell their suppliers to take theseHazardous 100+ chemicals out of their products.
So help us show these major retailers that their customers are demanding toxic-free products. Sign our petition here >>
Our nation’s chemical laws may be broken, but we don’t have to wait for progress in Washington to start making our stores and homes safer.
With your voice and the thousands of others dedicated to creating safer chemicals that will lead to healthier families, we can create real change and accountability for the suppliers now and make sure our neighbors are minding their stores!

Sincerely,

Vanessa Kritzer Online Campaigns Manager League of Conservation Voters

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Do you believe global warming is good for us? …Union of Concerned Scientists

04/10/2014 Nativegrl77 10 Comments

Who Will Check Their Facts ?

I believe we stand at a critical time in the fight against global warming, and against those who cynically deny it is happening and say there is nothing we can do to mitigate its effects.

“The net effect of continued warming and rising carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere is most likely to be beneficial to humans, plants, and wildlife.”
—Heartland Institute, August 2011.

Let’s end the disinformation on climate change.

Help UCS expose and challenge attacks on science.

That’s why I’m asking you to become a member of the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) today. www.ucsusa.org

Don’t you ever wonder when the denial and disinformation about climate change will end? Make no mistake. This is an all-out attack on science. It’s well coordinated and funded, and it’s backed by opponents who are putting near-term fossil fuel profits ahead of protections for human health.

Opponents like the Heartland Institute continue to mislead the public into thinking that global warming isn’t a problem. In a recent report they even went so far as to claim that the net effects of climate change will be good for people and the environment.

But we’re not that easily fooled. We remember this same organization, that has accepted funding from the tobacco company Philip Morris, made headlines in the 1990s trying to downplay the dangers of second-hand smoke.

When you become a member of UCS, you’ll help us face down attacks on science and blatant disinformation about global warming. www.ucsusa.org

You’ll also help us move forward to build a healthier environment during our lifetime, and those of our children and grandchildren.

Consider that, in the past few months alone, UCS has:
Won historic changes in fuel economy standards for cars and trucks that will dramatically lower global warming emissions and help our economy for decades to come—preventing some 280 million tons of climate emissions from being released into our atmosphere by 2030. That’s the equivalent of shutting down 72 coal-fired power plants.
Helped design and win passage of California’s landmark Renewable Energy Standard—the toughest in the nation—mandating that one third of all the state’s energy will be produced from renewable sources by 2020.

You are a key partner in all our work.

We need your help to combat attacks on science and to move forward with positive changes to forestall the worst effects of global warming.

That’s why I’m counting on you to act now. Please don’t put it off, the stakes are too high. Become a member today.

I look forward to hearing from you and working alongside you to build a healthy environment and a safer world.

Thank you for all your help and support.

Sincerely,

Kevin Knobloch
President

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Harassing scientists needs to stop — now

12/30/2013 Nativegrl77

The Virginia Supreme court just agreed to hear a disturbing case. The question: whether to hand over the private emails of climate scientist Dr. Michael Mann to people who have been trying to destroy him professionally for a decade—all because they disagree with his research.¹

When Dr. Mann’s scientific findings angered the oil industry, an industry “think tank” sued for access to Dr. Mann’s private correspondence.² Another “think tank” compared him to a convicted child molester.³ His research has been twisted again and again by the media.

Researchers are often ill-equipped to deal with media or politicians. That’s where we come in—to help them defend their science in the court of public opinion. Thanks to you, UCS is the first place many scientists turn when they’re targeted.

There are only a few days left, and we need you with us to help provide scientists the training and resources they need to stand up to attacks and effectively counter misinformation in 2014. Make a tax-deductible donation today.

Sadly, Dr. Mann is just one of many scientists under threat. Luckily, they can count on UCS members to have their backs. In fact, thanks to you, we’re often the first group scientists turn to when dragged into court or defamed in the media:

Climate scientist Dr. Katharine Hayhoe was called a “babe” by Rush Limbaugh and sued by a Koch-affiliated group for access to her emails.⁴ We provided Dr. Hayhoe with extensive media training in order to handle the firestorm she faced.
Researcher Dr. Shaun Marcott was sent hate mail and online bloggers twisted his groundbreaking findings to obscure the facts.⁵ We helped Dr. Marcott overcome the misreports and take his actual findings directly to Congressional leaders.

For Dr. Mann, we were able to fact check the court filings in his case. We’re here to support researchers as they defend their work—and these scientists are counting on you to stand with them.

Help do even more for scientists in 2014—make your year-end gift before December 31!

The climate deniers aren’t resting—so neither can we. Almost every day, there’s a new need to stand up for scientific facts or to expose the money and influence behind a lobbyist, ideologue, or corporation out to undermine scientists in pursuit of their own private interest. That won’t change in the New Year, so I’m glad you’re on our side.

Sincerely,

Kathleen Rest, PhD, MPA Executive Director

P.S. I wanted to share something Dr. Hayoe told us: “I received a lot of advice about how to respond to the attacks, but the Union of Concerned Scientists was the group that had my best interests as a scientist at heart.” Hearing that scientists value our work always inspires me, and I hope you understand the powerful impact you have as a part of this community. Thank you for considering a year-end gift today.

1. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/local/wp/2013/10/09/prince-william-foia-case-on-global-warming-headed-for-virginia-supreme-court/ 2. http://www.ucsusa.org/scientific_integrity/abuses_of_science/va-ag-timeline.html 3. http://blog.ucsusa.org/cei-compares-climate-scientist-to-a-child-molester 4. http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2012/01/newt-dumps-leading-climate-scientist 5. http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2013/03/response-by-marcott-et-al/

The Union of Concerned Scientists puts rigorous, independent science to work to solve our planet’s most pressing problems. Joining with citizens across the country, we combine technical analysis and effective advocacy to create innovative, practical solutions for a healthy, safe, and sustainable future.

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Union of Concerned Scientists

11/15/2012 Nativegrl77

WANTED
A Few Good Engineers

The United States is moving toward a clean energy economy and we need engineers to help educate policy makers, the media, and the public about the progress we’re already making and how we can continue moving forward.

Right now, Union of Concerned Scientists staff are meeting and talking with engineers at the annual meetings of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), and Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE).

Are you an engineer? If yes, let us know!

Do you have friends who are engineers? Forward this message to them.

Not an engineer? Your voice is still critical to addressing the impacts of climate change, cutting our oil use, and bringing cleaner sources of energy online. Read more about our work on global warming, clean vehicles, and clean energy.

Sincerely,


Megan Rising National Field Organizer Climate & Energy Program Union of Concerned Scientists	Rachel Cohen National Field Organizer Clean Vehicles Program Union of Concerned Scientists

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

For science (and NOT the election)

11/14/2012 Nativegrl77

Union of Concerned Scientists

Congress: Keep Independent Federal Agencies Independent

After the election, the Senate will likely take up misguided legislation that would give the White House more control over certain federal agencies that protect our health and safety—such as the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

The bill would make it more difficult for these agencies to use the latest science to protect the public from emerging threats—and make it easier for the White House to interfere in the work of these critical independent agencies. As a result, special interests with deep pockets would have even more influence in Washington.

Don’t let the lame duck Congress pass this terrible legislation.

Urge your senators today to strongly oppose the so-called Independent Agency Regulatory Analysis Act.

Take Action Today!

Sincerely,

Michael Halpern
National Field Organizer
Center for Science and Democracy
Union of Concerned Scientists