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Rights and Responsibility: The Failure of Yasuni- ITT and What it means for Ecuador’s Indigenous Peoples
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Tag Archives: United States
a message from kathy of UCS …
I’m writing because we had a big win since then—after an enormous outcry from UCS and other concerned citizens and groups, the Koch brothers have dropped their attempt to buy up eight major newspapers.
This is a huge victory, but we know the Kochs aren’t going away yet. Along with funding climate-denying front groups, they’re still trying to buy up media (a Koch spokesman said “Koch continues to have an interest in the media business and we’re exploring a broad range of opportunities…”). We’ll continue to keep a sharp eye on the Kochs’ activities and defend climate science at every step. But we need your help and continued involvement. If you’d like to support our efforts, you can make a special gift to UCS now >>
—Kathy
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What do you do when you’re a billionaire and scientific facts about climate change can hurt your bottom line? You fund a massive network of disinformation. And if that doesn’t work, you try to buy some newspapers.
Oil tycoons Charles and David Koch are behind nearly every major effort to stall climate progress in the United States. They bankroll anti-science “think tanks”, pay “experts” to publish faulty reports—and now they’re trying to buy a chain of eight major newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times.1
UCS members are fighting back—exposing Koch-funded “authorities” and sending thousands of letters to newspaper owners asking them not to sell to these ideologues. Our campaign has reached a fever pitch. Will you help?
Stand up for science and fight the Koch machine—donate today >>
It’s tough to even track all the ways Koch money permeates America’s dialogue on clean energy and climate change. But no one out there is doing a better job than UCS. And we’re not just tracking it. We’re doing something about it:
| The Koch Brothers stop at nothing to undermine climate science and clean energy… | ~~ UCS members stop at nothing to defend them… ~~ |
| Koch-funded campaigns attack progress on renewable energy in state after state—opposing solar development in Georgia and wind power in Ohio through misinformation campaigns, citing inaccurate statistics.2 | ~~ UCS members give lawmakers the facts. Just this year, you’ve sent tens of thousands of letters that make the case for renewable energy—and we’re winning in state after state, including the Kochs’ home state of Kansas.3 ~~ |
| The Koch Brothers bankroll anti-science “think tanks” like the Heartland Institute, infamous for its billboard campaign equating climate scientists with Osama bin Laden and the Unabomber.4 | ~~ UCS exposes the money behind these groups—and publishes science-based reports, trusted by policymakers, that answer tough questions on global warming, extreme weather, nuclear safety, and agriculture.~~ |
| They hire “experts” to distort science to protect their bottom line. A Koch-owned company was just taken to task for planting misinformation in scientific journals to hide a product’s cancer-causing risk.5 | ~~ Our experts stand up for science in the media, in statehouses, and on Capitol Hill, correcting distorted science through interviews and testimony. ~~ |
| They go after big media. The Kochs are looking to buy eight trusted papers, including the Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times, where their influence could distort the truth about climate change and energy policy.6 | ~~ UCS members hold a spotlight up to disinformation in the media. Together, we’ve exposed Fox News and The Wall Street Journal for their distorted coverage of climate science, and uncovered media outlets that fail to warn readers about conflicts of interest.7 ~~ |
The Koch Brothers will keep fighting until there’s no fight left. That’s how they operate.
There’s only one way to respond. When they distort the facts, we say so and tell the truth. When they lobby lawmakers, we flood offices with constituent calls and letters. When they try to hide their trail of influence and money, we shine a spotlight. When others duck, UCS members stand up, stand together, and fight back—with science on our side.
This fight needs your support right now. Make a special gift today.
There’s no time to waste.
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Consumer Unions : the EPA needs to hear from you
Cleaner Air:
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Let’s get this done!
Last month the Senate finally confirmed new EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, and she has a lot of important work to do. That includes a clean-car plan that is widely supported by health groups, cities, enviros – even the auto industry.
With some minor changes to new cars, and cleaner gasoline that would add about a penny per gallon, this plan would remove the equivalent of 33 million polluting cars from our roads!
But Big Oil is digging in against it. They don’t want to make changes in their refineries, and they want your family to live with the consequences – dirtier air, dirtier environment.
Let’s show the new EPA Administrator that Americans support this common-sense plan. Send a quick email of support now, and show Big Oil that they don’t run our country!
EPA needs to hear from you, not Big Oil!If Americans speak out in support of a plan that will clean up our gasoline and our air, we can beat back Big Oil. But we have to get this done by the end of the year. Tell the EPA’s new boss to approve it now! |
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The clock is ticking on a clean-car plan that will dramatically slash pollution in our cities – the equivalent of taking 33 million cars off our roads!
The Environmental Protection Agency has only four months to finalize a plan that would clean up our gasoline so it doesn’t emit so much pollution when it’s burned. And with a new EPA administrator now on board, we have a great opportunity to get it moving!
Of course, Big Oil is out in force trying to kill it. They don’t want to make needed changes in their refineries, and they expect you to live with the consequences – tens of thousands of more respiratory problems in kids and adults, and the resulting environmental problems.
While many of us would like a world without polluting cars, we’re just not there yet. But we can make a huge dent in pollution by cleaning up the gas our vehicles run on. The air near our roadways has high concentrations of particulates, ozone, carbon monoxide, lead and sulfur – over 50 percent of which come from vehicles.
This plan would add under a penny to a gallon of gas, and less than $150 to the cost of a new car in 2025. It’s widely backed by public health officials, cities, environmentalists – even the auto industry is on board.
But Big Oil is digging in! They’re hoping to run out the clock or get Congress to intervene and kill it. That’s why it’s so important EPA Administrator McCarthy finalizes the plan soon!
If you have friends and family who would join you in action, please forward this email to them. Let’s show the new EPA director that Big Oil doesn’t run our country!
Sincerely, Shannon Baker-Branstetter, Consumers Union Policy and Action from Consumer Reports
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A Better Bargain for Responsible, Middle Class Homeowners
In his weekly address, President Obama notes that while college education has never been more important, it has also never been more expensive — which is why he proposed major new reforms this week to make college more affordable for middle class families and those fighting to get into the middle class.
A Better Bargain for Students: President Obama hit the road on Thursday for a two-day bus tour in New York and Pennsylvania to share his plan to make college more affordable. The President stressed the importance of ensuring that higher education pays off for students and their families:
“Too many students are facing a choice that they should never have to make: Either they say no to college and pay the price for not getting a degree — and that’s a price that lasts a lifetime — or you do what it takes to go to college, but then you run the risk that you won’t be able to pay it off because you’ve got so much debt.”
President Obama also shared his own story about college loans in an email to White House subscribers. If you didn’t receive it, be sure to sign up for future updates.
Meet Sunny: The Obamas welcomed a new member of their family, a Portuguese water dog named Sunny! The new puppy is settling into the White House and is expected to take on many family projects, just like her big brother Bo.
Administration Officials Answer Your Education Questions: On Thursday, the White House hosted office hours with Deputy Communications Director Katie Beirne-Fallon and Deputy Director of Domestic Policy Council James Kvaal. You can check out many of questions asked on Storify.
On Friday, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan joined Sal Khan, the founder of Khan Academy, to discuss how we can innovate in American education.
“At a time when going to college has never been more important, unfortunately it has never been more expensive,” Duncan said. “And so we have to work together to drive down costs. We have to have much greater transparency and help young people and their families make better choices.”
Mental Health and the Affordable Care Act: On Wednesday, health leaders and mental health advocates came to the White House to talk about how health reform will help Americans gain access to mental health coverage if they need. Because of the Affordable Care Act, 71 million privately insured Americans have gained improved coverage for preventive services.
We the (Immigrant) Geeks: Friday’s edition of We the Geeks highlighted prominent immigrants who are breaking ground in their professional fields. In a Google+ Hangout moderated by Todd Park, U.S. Chief Technology Officer, and Doug Rand, Assistant Director of Entrepreneurship at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, participants discussed why immigration reform is necessary to keep bringing innovators to the United States.
Hosting the 1973 Super Bowl Champion Miami Dolphins: On Tuesday, the undefeated 1972-1973 Miami Dolphins visited the White House. President Obama congratulated the team for their legacy both on the field and in their communities.
“I know that some people may be asking why we’re doing this after all these years. And my answer is simple: I wanted to be the young guy up here for once,” President Obama joked about the team’s visit 40 years after they earned their Super Bowl rings.
One Year of Open Source Code for We The People: One year ago on Friday, the White House published its source code for We the People. To mark this anniversary, we updated readers about our new web development projects and how you can get involved.
Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Strategy: On Monday, the Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force released its final report. The Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Strategy provides recommendations to rebuild and reinvigorate Sandy-impacted areas. Over the past six months, FEMA has provided $12 billion to individuals and communities in need.
Be a Seed for Change 
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