Tag Archives: vote

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Tell Chevron to Clean Up Its Toxic Mess in Ecuador




Demand that Chevron to take responsibility for dumping 18 billion gallons of toxic wastewater.
 Over the course of twenty-six years of oil drilling in Ecuador’s Amazon rainforest, U.S. oil giant Chevron deliberately dumped more than 18 billion gallons of toxic wastewater into the rainforest, leaving local people suffering a wave of cancers, miscarriages and birth defects.

The tragedy in Ecuador is so profound, it has been compared to the Exxon Valdez spill and called the “Amazon’s Chernobyl.”

In spite of the tremendous suffering caused by this toxic pollution, Chevron has refused to clean up the catastrophe.

Demand that Chevron take responsibility for its actions now >

Within the next year, the outcome of a court case sixteen years in the making will be determined by a court in Ecuador.

Chevron has pledged that even if it is found guilty in court the company simply won’t pay to clean up the site or provide health care, potable water and compensation to affected communities.

Chevron needs to take responsibility. But the company won’t unless it feels pressure from its American customers and the general public.

Send a letter to CEO John Watson and tell him he needs to clean up the toxic legacy in Ecuador >

And tell Watson that Chevron must shift to clean sources energy and adopt sound human rights policies so that what is happening to the people of Ecuador and the rainforest never happens anywhere else.

Thank you for lending your voice,

– The Change.org Team in partnership
with Rainforest Action Network

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Washington State … Repower America:: tell your Senator:: Don’t mess with the Clean Air Act


As early as tomorrow, your Senators could vote to block the Clean Air Act’s protections against carbon pollution, carving out a loophole that hands the biggest polluters a clear path to spew dangerous emissions into our air and water.

And, unfortunately, it comes as no surprise that this so-called “Dirty Air Act” was literally written by fossil fuel industry lobbyists.1

We have less than 24 hours before the vote could happen — please help flood your Senators with urgent calls demanding that they vote “NO” on this attack on the Clean Air Act.

Senator Cantwell: (202) 224-3441
Senator Murray: (202) 224-2621

Let them know you’re a constituent and say:

“I urge Senator _____ to oppose any efforts to weaken the Clean Air Act’s ability to limit dangerous carbon pollution. Instead of taking our country a step backwards, I hope you will work to pass comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation this year.”

Please report your call.

This vote pits the profits of a few companies against the health and welfare of the American public.

The same lobbyist who was invited to help draft the amendment — former Bush administration official Jeffrey Holmstead — represents some of the worst of the worst, including the top three coal-fired sources of global warming pollution in the entire country. What’s more, his clients donated over $50,000 in campaign contributions to the Senator who introduced the proposal.2

This kind of pay-to-play politics must be rejected, and forcefully. Call today and tell your Senators: Don’t mess with the Clean Air Act.

Thanks,

Dave Boundy

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

EPA Strengthens Smog Standards


EPA Strengthens Smog Standard/Proposed standards, strictest to date, will protect the health of all Americans, especially children

Release date: 01/07/2010

Contact Information: Cathy Milbourn milbourn.cathy@epa.gov 202-564-7849 202-564-4355

Complete article at yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf or  http://www.epa.gov

The United States Environmental Protection Agency today proposed the strictest health standards to date for smog. Smog, also known as ground-level ozone, is linked to a number of serious health problems, ranging from aggravation of asthma to increased risk of premature death in people with heart or lung disease. Ozone can even harm healthy people who work and play outdoors. The agency is proposing to replace the standards set by the previous administration, which many believe were not protective enough of human health.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Cash for Appliances …


By Renee DeFranco

Many traded in their “clunkers” for new fuel-efficient vehicles in 2009. As we move into 2010, the popularity of green appliances is heating up.

That’s thanks to a newly launched federal appliance rebate program, modeled after the popular Cash for Clunkers incentive. We provided a sneak peek back in August, and now the deal has officially begun. Consumers can receive cash for swapping their older clothes washers, refrigerators and other appliances for energy-efficient models that qualify for the “Energy Star” designation.

How does the program work? Guidelines and rebate amounts vary by state. California residents, for example, can get $100 rebates for washing machines, $75 for refrigerators and $50 for room air conditioners. To see how your state stacks up, check out the program information currently available on the federal web site.

If you’re in the market for new home-appliance upgrades, now may be the time to cash in. But first, there are some finer points to consider. For instance, will you save enough in water and energy bills over time to justify splurging on a new product? (The older the appliance, the greater possibility of saving money by buying a new one, suggests this Associated Press article.) Also, just because you’re getting a federal rebate, be sure you shop around to find the absolute best deal.

Still interested?

Then it’s helpful to act sooner, rather than later. That’s because the federal appliance rebate program received only $300 million, which is one-tenth of what the Cash for Clunkers incentive garnered and about $1 per U.S. resident. The program is expected to end by February 2012 or when the money runs out — whichever happens first. We saw what reached the finish line first in Cash for Clunkers… government funding.

Do you plan to take advantage of the federal appliance rebates? Do you have energy-efficient appliances in your home, and do you think they were worth the investment? Share your thoughts here. <——– click the link to respond to Renee DeFranco

— The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.