Tag Archives: United States

Drought and its Effects on Your Family


                                                                      Photo: flickr/kecko

With no sign of rain, 17 rural communities in California providing water to 40,000 people are in danger of running out within 60 to 120 days. Thinking that drought isn’t having an impact on your family? Consider your food supply, drinking water and the fuel to the spread of fire.

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Iron Man …


We Might Be Building Iron Man

Yesterday, President Obama announced new public-private manufacturing innovation institutes — one in Chicago and one in the Detroit area — that will help attract the types of high-quality jobs that a growing middle class requires.

But the President had another announcement, too:

I’m here to announce that we’re building Iron Man. I’m going to blast off in a second… this has been a secret project we’ve been working on for a long time. Not really. Maybe. It’s classified.

Find out more about yesterday’s announcement and Iron Man. Maybe.

President Obama delivers remarks about manufacturing innovation.

President Barack Obama delivers remarks announcing two new public-private Manufacturing Innovation Institutes, and launches the first of four new Manufacturing Innovation Institute Competitions, in the East Room of the White House, Feb. 25, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

Get Your Popcorn Ready! It’s the First-Ever White House Film Festival

On Friday, February 28, the White House is hosting the first-ever Student Film Festival, featuring the work of more than a dozen young filmmakers who created short films celebrating the role of technology in the classroom.

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Kids Teach the First Lady and Will Ferrell About Being Healthy

In celebration of the fourth anniversary of Let’s Move!, the First Lady and comedian Will Ferrell hosted a “focus group” with young kids to ask them about eating healthy and being active. Watch what they had to say.

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Governors Come to D.C. for the National Governors Association Winter Meeting

This weekend, governors from across the nation gathered in Washington, D.C. for the 2014 National Governors Association Winter Meeting. During the meeting, the President reiterated his desire to work closely with the governors in order to make their states — and our nation as a whole — even better.

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Public Transportation … and our future


Don Hazen – AlterNetlogo
Dear Friend,
Whether you use it or not, public transportation benefits everyone.
By reducing pollution, easing traffic congestion, and supporting local jobs, public transportationhelps our communities thrive and our economy grow. But we need continued investment in America’s public transit infrastructure to help ensure we’re prepared to meet the demands of a growing population—and to protect our environment.
If you agree, join Voices for Public Transit today!
By joining Voices for Public Transit, you can help us educate our lawmakers on the importance of supporting policies that encourage investment in public transit. Affordable, reliable public transportation helps:

  • Connect people to jobs, education, and other community service
  • Reduce air pollution and our carbon footprint
  • Ease traffic congestion
  • Create local jobs and strengthen our overall economy

Join Voices for Public Transit to join the debate over America’s public transportation.
America’s future depends on expanding our public transit infrastructure, and that will take investment and commitment from our elected officials. Show your support by joining Voices for Public Transit.
Together, we can strengthen and secure the future of America’s public transportation.
Sincerely,
Voices for Public Transit

6,000 transportation and hospitality workers to earn a living wage ~~ The other Washington


mapofWashingtonstateDid you know that the fight for a living wage is taking place right here in Washington state?

While fast food workers across the nation are demanding higher wages, Proposition 1, the Good Jobs Initiative, will be on the November ballot in SeaTac.

It will enable more than 6,000 transportation and hospitality workers to earn a living wage and enjoy common sense benefits, like paid sick leave.

Two weeks ago, 20 elected Democrats, including Rep. Adam Smith and King County Executive Dow Constantine, endorsed a Yes vote on SeaTac Proposition 1.

The Yes for SeaTac campaign needs our help. Can you knock on doors and help spread the word about SeaTac Proposition 1?

What: Yes for SeaTac’s Democrats Weekend!
When: October 12th or 13th, 9am-5pm
Where: Riverton United Methodist Church
3118 S 140th St. Tukwila

Yes, I can help

SeaTac Proposition 1 is endorsed by community organizations, faith groups, and labor unions.

Prop 1:

provides up to 5 days of paid sick leave for full-time airport employees, preventing the spread of dangerous disease and keeping our families and community safe.

incentivizes airport-related businesses to employ full time workers, creating jobs our neighbors can count on to make ends meet.

requires SeaTac hotels and hotel restaurants to do the right thing and give tips and service charges to the employees who perform the actual services.

ensures that SeaTac residents employed at and around the airport can receive a living wage of $15, helping them make ends meet.

exempts small businesses in SeaTac. Prop 1 specifically exempts SeaTac restaurants, grocery stores, and all other small businesses.

Stand with SeaTac workers and sign up to help the Yes for SeaTac campaign today.

Sincerely,

Jaxon Ravens
Executive Director
Washington State Democrats

Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline V Woodland Caribou other wildlife, land and water


Dear Activist,The Keystone XL tar sands pipeline is a serious threat to wildlife and our efforts to curb climate change.Secretary of State John Kerry has the first word on the pipeline and will be one of the key factors President Obama uses when making his final decision on the pipeline.

Help protect caribou and many more at-risk wildlife by sending a message urging Secretary Kerry to say no to the Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline.

Thanks for all you do!

Bob Fertik

National Wildlife Federation

Woodland Caribou Habitat at Risk of Destruction

Caribou

Dear Friend of Wildlife,
A few weeks ago, the U.S. State Department released their final assessment on the environmental risks of the proposal to build the Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline.
Following the release of the final environmental impact statement, Secretary of State John Kerry will have an opportunity to make a decision on the pipeline before it reaches President Obama’s desk.
The survival of thousands of woodland caribou in Alberta, Canada and many more wildlife is at stake with this pipeline decision, so it is absolutely critical that Secretary Kerry hear the strong opposition from America’s wildlife advocates.
Please help save woodland caribou’s habitat by telling Secretary of State John Kerry to say no to the Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline today.
Sadly, the woodland caribou’s boreal forest habitat is already rapidly disappearing due to timber, oil and gas development. And now, what remains of their fragile habitat is threatened by massive expansion of tar sands if the Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline is approved.
Woodland caribou require large tracts of relatively undisturbed old growth forest for their food and shelter. We know that if the Keystone XL pipeline is approved, the associated tar sands strip mining would destroy a 1,200 square mile swath of forest and devastate the fragile eco-system on which they depend. In fact, if habitat destruction from tar sands is not stopped, scientists predict that some herds in the region could disappear in as little as 30 years!
We only have a few weeks to demonstrate to Secretary Kerry the significant public concern there is about the risks—to wildlife and the environment—of building the Keystone XL pipeline. Hearing from wildlife advocates will be crucial as Secretary Kerry’s initial decision will weigh heavily into President Obama’s final decision on this destructive pipeline proposal.
Protect woodland caribou and urge Secretary Kerry to take a stand against the dangerous Keystone XL tar sands pipeline.
In addition to the dramatic loss of habitat, the pipeline would also significantly increase the carbon pollution that is fueling climate change and already harming wildlife across the country.
Secretary Kerry has spoken out about environmental issues that imperil wildlife and has been a champion for strong climate change action in the past.
Now it is critical that Secretary Kerry hears from as many people as possible about how harmful this dirty pipeline would be for woodland caribou and many more wildlife—so he and President Obama can reject Keystone XL once and for all.
We only have a small window to voice our concerns to Secretary Kerry about the risks to wildlife.
Please take action today to save threatened woodland caribou.
Thanks for all you do to protect wildlife.
Sincerely,
AndyAndy Buchsbaum Interim Executive Director, NWF Action Fund info@nwa.org Join us on Facebook