Tag Archives: Union of Concerned Scientists

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Union of Concerned Scientists

07/11/2012 Nativegrl77

Have you seen our latest report? It documents precisely how some of the nation’s top energy companies—such as ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips—have managed to stall progress on national legislation to rein in global warming emissions by inserting large amounts of money and misinformation into government policy making and politics.

“There isn’t any real science to say we are altering the climate path of the earth.” —Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO)

You can help end the disinformation on global warming.

Together, we can fight back against efforts to undermine our democratic system. Join us, and become a full member of the Union of Concerned Scientists today.

www.ucsusa.org

The report’s findings are truly eye opening, even for people like me who work on these issues every day. Consider, for instance, that: The 28 companies we investigated spent more than $300 million lobbying Congress in the run up to possible climate legislation; Koch Industries alone has spent more than $55 million since 1997 to misrepresent climate science or oppose safeguards to rein in global warming emissions; and The oil company ConocoPhillips has backed the campaigns of anti-climate candidates for Congress by a ratio of more than 15 to 1 over candidates who have supported science-based climate policies.

The numbers might sound discouraging, but while companies like these have money and influence with people in Washington, we have two ingredients on our side that they don’t: rock-hard scientific evidence and support from people like you.

Become a full member of UCS and make a vital contribution to the fight for a healthy environment and a safer world.

www.ucsusa.org

UCS is working to reduce global warming emissions by accelerating the transition away from dirty coal-fired power plants and oil-reliant vehicles, building support for stronger power plant emissions standards, and working at the state and federal level to increase use of clean, renewable energy.

But oil companies and corporate lobbyists continue to attack these critical efforts to protect our health and environment. That’s why we really need your help more than ever. Please become a member of UCS today.

Thanks in advance. And welcome aboard!

Sincerely,

Kevin Knobloch President

P.S. Remember, when you give to the Union of Concerned Scientists, you join a team more than 400,000 strong from all walks of life—scientists, teachers, business people, parents, engineers, and many other actively engaged citizens—working together to build a healthier environment and a safer world.

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Register for the Webinar Today! UCS

06/13/2012 Nativegrl77

Join Our Webinar to Learn about the Farm Bill

What does the Farm Bill have to do with you? The answer to that question is simple: a lot. The Union of Concerned Scientists is hosting a webinar to help you learn why, with the inside scoop from our experts.

Toward Healthy Food and Farms: How Science-Based Policies in the 2012 Farm Bill Can Transform Agriculture
Date: Thursday, June 14
Time: 2:00-3:00 p.m. EST (11:00 a.m.-noon PST)

When you’re grocery shopping, do you ever wonder why corn chips and sugary drinks cost less than carrots and squash? In large part, it’s because government policies make the wrong foods cheaper and more abundant. UCS analysis shows that practical changes to agricultural policies can shift priorities to provide greater support to healthier food and farms instead of subsidizing unhealthy, processed foods.

Congress is currently working to finalize the Farm Bill, and while we’ve seen some good changes, they’re not enough. And the chance to change these policies comes just once every five years!

The webinar will cover the latest Farm Bill news from Capitol Hill, followed by an overview of UCS analysis showing that support for local food can benefit the economy and our health. Finally, we’ll share how you can take effective action now to urge Congress to support healthy and sustainable food production in the 2012 Farm Bill.

Time is ticking down for us to encourage a healthy and sustainable food system, so register for the webinar today!

Sincerely,

Jenn Yates
National Field Organizer
UCS Food & Environment Program

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What does $700 million get you?

05/29/2012 Nativegrl77

What are pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device companies trying to buy with $700,000,000? Massive influence with our government.

Don’t allow science to take a back seat to the financial interests of corporations! Urge the FDA to protect the American people from unsafe food, drugs, and medical devices by protecting science from corporate interference.

That’s the amount of money these companies spent over the last three years lobbying Congress and the Executive Branch, which includes the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). And now, with negotiations underway on legislation that will govern how the FDA approves and monitors prescription drugs and medical products, it’s clear that all that money has bought the industry a lot of influence with our legislators.

We can’t allow science to take a back seat to the financial interests of corporations—especially when our lives are on the line.
We have seen many concerted efforts from industry lobbyists to roll back key safeguards at the FDA that protect science from corporate interference. The FDA’s foremost priority is to protect the American people from unsafe food, drugs, and medical devices. That requires the agency use the best available science when determining whether products are safe or not.

It’s time we remind the FDA to put safety first.
Take Action Today!

Sincerely, Michael Halpern Program Manager UCS Scientific Integrity Program
P.S. Don’t Forget: Give to the Union of Concerned Scientists today and your gift will go twice as far—helping to challenge attacks on science and stand up to corporate-sponsored misinformation.

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41 Million Cars — GONE … Union of Concerned Scientists

05/25/2012 Nativegrl77

Time is running out on the opportunity to double the impact of your membership gift to the Union of Concerned Scientists.

Time’s running out! Give today and your gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar. Act today and your gift to the Union of Concerned Scientists will go twice as far—putting science to work for a healthy environment and a safer world.

A generous supporter has pledged to match all donations dollar-for-dollar—up to $250,000—but only if you act by the end of the week!

Your support of UCS makes a vital difference in building a healthier environment and a safer world. If you’re still looking for a reason to support UCS, how about this one:

41 million fewer cars.

Picture a four-lane highway packed bumper to bumper with idling cars stretching all the way around the earth at the equator. Now picture the tailpipe emissions from all those cars and think about how much that would speed up global warming.

UCS supporters like you helped push through tough emissions standards for new cars and trucks that will require automakers to produce vehicles that emit roughly half of the global warming emissions of a new automobile today. By the year 2030, this effort alone will keep more than 300 million tons of carbon dioxide from being released into our atmosphere. That’s like taking 41 million cars off the road.

time is running out to take advantage of this special opportunity. Please act now. Join more than 85,000 other members of UCS—become a member of UCS today.

WWW.UCSUSA.org

With your help, we will:

expose corporations, front groups, and policy makers who mislead the public and undermine understanding of climate science;
fight to shut down old and dirty coal plants and increase investment in wind, solar, and other clean, renewable sources of energy; and
actively protect scientists in the government and academia from politically motivated personal attacks.

You are a key partner in all this work. Please act now and take advantage of this special, short-term opportunity.

With your help, I’m confident we can win more important victories in the year ahead and the years to come.

Sincerely,

Kevin Knobloch
President

P.S. Remember: this special opportunity only lasts through the end of the week. Your gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar—but only if you act now!

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Real solutions to high gas prices … Union of Concerned Scientists

03/26/2012 Nativegrl77

If you’ve filled up your gas tank recently, you don’t need the newspapers to tell you gas prices are on the rise. But oil and gas prices are in the news, and politicians are grabbing headlines with plans that they claim will bring immediate relief at the pump. But these plans always fall short while real, long-term solutions are often missing from the conversation.

There is no “silver bullet” solution to high gas prices, but there are practical steps we can take to begin the transition from our oil-based transportation system. As a driver, you can take simple steps to cut down on your fill-ups, if you haven’t already. As a citizen, you can push for a plan to cut projected U.S. oil use in half in 20 years. These steps will help insulate us all from even higher prices as we scrape increasingly expensive and dirty oil from the bottom of the barrel.

Oil companies are working hard to maintain the status quo because they are profiting more than ever at the expense of the American public. We must push back and demand a transportation system that works for us—one that is powered by less oil and more American innovation through the development of electric cars, advanced biofuels, and better transportation options.

The Obama administration has taken action to cut U.S. oil use by moving forward with strong new fuel efficiency and global warming emissions standards. This is an important piece of the puzzle, but we can and must do more. We need a combination of smart federal policies and private sector innovation to expand consumer transportation choices and cut U.S. oil use in half in 20 years—and the Union of Concerned Scientists has a plan to do just that.

You can help get the story of real solutions out—submit a letter to the editor of your local paper today showing how we can cut our oil use through a national oil savings plan and how that will help your bottom line.

Take Action Today!

Sincerely,

Rachel Cohen
National Field Organizer
UCS Clean Vehicles Program