19 April 2011
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In addition to last week's three after-shocks of 7.4, 7.1, and 6.4 Richter Scale, on Saturday, 16 April, there was another shock of 5.9. This editor is unsure of the total number of earthquakes (including the first 8.9 shock) because the corporate media is scaling back their information. Following Saturday's quake, levels of radioactivity rose sharply in seawater near the crippled nuclear plant, possibly signaling new leaks at the facility -
Radioactivity rises in sea off Japanese nuclear plant. And again on Monday, 18 April, high radiation readings were taken in seawater of Iodine-131, strongly suggesting that
fuel melting continues. Officials estimate it will take 6-9 months to gain control of the reactors, and nuclear giants Hitachi and Toshiba have made
clean-up proposals ranging from 10-30 years -
Nuclear Crisis in Japan - Updates.
The
Nuclear Information and Resource Service has very extensive coverage, as well as action alerts, data interpretation, and commentary. If you agree that our climate solutions don't need nuclear energy, you might consider signing the following -
A Simple Statement On Nuclear Power and Climate Change.
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OBAMA'S COZY RELATIONSHIP TO THE NUCLEAR INDUSTRY"President Barack Obama's support this week for the
construction of more nuclear power plants in the United States, amid the ongoing nuclear power plant disaster in Japan, must be considered as among the most wrong-headed and irrational positions ever taken by a U.S. President". But on 7 December 2007 during his campaign, Obama said "I start of with the premise that nuclear energy is not optimal, so I am not a nuclear power proponent." But "read my lips" - just as he appointed Wall Street insiders to "solve" the financial crisis,
he appointed three nuclear power insiders to advise him and run his Department of Energy.
When
Dept. of Energy Chair, Steven Chu, was Director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, he minimized, even denied the impact of radioactivity. And his
two top White House aides came from Exelon, the Chicago-based nuclear giant and owner of ten nuclear generating stations including Three Mile Island -
Chief of Staff, Ram Emanuel (now Mayor of Chicago), and
chief political strategist, David Axelrod. -
Obama's Wrongheaded Stance on Nuclear Power and
Exelon 93% nuclear. Exelon was one of Obama's largest campaign donors while he was Senator. And though he did not accept corporate cash from Exelon during his Presidential run, The Center for Responsive Politics found that
Exelon employees were his sixth-largest corporate donor group (#1 was Goldman Sachs.) -
Nuclear Illinois Helped Shape Obama View on Energy and Exelon.
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"I start off with the premise that nuclear energy is not optimal and so I am not a nuclear energy proponent,"
President Barack Obama's support this week for the construction of more nuclear power plants in the United States, amid the ongoing nuclear power plant disaster in Japan, must be considered as among the most wrong-headed and irrational positions ever taken by a US president
President Barack Obama's support this week for the construction of more nuclear power plants in the United States, amid the ongoing nuclear power plant disaster in Japan, must be considered as among the most wrong-headed and irrational positions ever taken by a US president
U.S. REP. ED MARKEY PROPOSES MORATORIUM ON ALL NUCLEAR POWERWhile Pres. Obama is posturing on nuclear energy,
Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) has proposed legislation to
impose a moratorium on ALL new reactor licenses, reactor designs or license extensions until new safety requirements are in place. Six days ago, on 13 April, Rep. Markey submitted the Nuclear Power Plant Safety Act HR 1242.pdf. His accompanying statement said
"A nuclear disaster could happen here in America just as it has in Japan, our technological equal. The meltdown did not occur primarily because of earthquake-related damage; rather, it occurred because of a prolonged loss of electricity [which] could be caused not just by earthquakes or tsunamis, but by severe storms, terrorist attacks or other events." He asked his colleagues to co-sponsor the bill, and you might encourage your U.S. Representative to do just that - Nuclear Power Plant Safety Act. Look up your Congress members here » Congressional Contact Directory.
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KKFI COMMUNITY RADIO ¤ ECOLOGICAL SHOWS THIS WEEKListen at KKFI-FM 90.1, or web-streaming at
http://www.kkfi.org/Thursday,
21 April, 9:30am
¤ Sprouts | Pacifica.org>From Japan, we'll hear
Youki Mikami and Tony Boys describe what its like living in proximity to the leaking Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. Then Paul Gunter of Beyond Nuclear will talk about
Connecticut Senate Bill 1176 that would charge more for electricity from the aging Millstone nuclear reactor than from other sources.
Dominion Resources Inc., of Virginia, the company that operates the Millstone Nuclear Power plant, is portraying the controversy as a jobs-loss issue rather than a safety issue.Friday,
22 April, 9:30am
¤ Bioneers Radio Series Bioneers presents
"Plants and People: Who is Cultivating Whom?" Award-winning journalist,
Michael Pollan, author of "The Botany of Desire: A Plant's Eye View of the World" takes a fresh perspective on the co-evolution of people and plants. Ethnobotanist/artist
Kathleen Harrison, who has been working with the Mazatec people of Oaxaca, delves into the human-sacred plant sacrament relationship.
Saturday,
23 April,
2:30pm ¤ Women's International News Gathering ServiceAuthor, theorist and activist, Naomi Klein, addresses climate activists at the 2011 World Social Forum in Dakar, Senegal.
Monday,
25 April, 6:00pm
¤ locally produced
Eco-Radio KCHost Richard Mabion will talk with
Mbaari Kinya, PhD, Founder/Executive Director of Women in Energy and Environmental Technology Institute WEET, &
Bwosinde Hophine a local Chemist and Author about creating ways to involve Africa Environmental Concerns in future Breaking The Silence Conferences.
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FILMS FOR ACTION EVENT CALENDARFilms For Action is about action rather than passive viewing. One of their new features is an events calendar that brings together
listings of all activities by ecological and social justice groups in Lawrence.
Think of it as a Lawrence.com for events dedicated to changing the world - film screenings, workshops, speaker presentations, demonstrations, direct actions, skill-shares, eco fairs, activist group meetings. If your group is about making the world better in one way or another, we encourage you to add your events to the calendar. To do so, you first create an account on the site, then you can add events from here, or via the events page. ___________________________________________________
"ECONOMICS OF HAPPINESS" ¤ A FILM OF SOLUTIONS FOR TRANSITION Wednesday,
20 April 2011, 7:00pm - $
Liberty Hall,
642 Massachusetts St., Lawrence KS 66044This film brings a positive message about how a
grassroots movement for localization is bubbling up through the cracks of a faltering global economy in every corner of the world. It is produced by Helena Norberg-Hodge of the
International Society for Ecology and Culture, a not-for-profit working for the strengthening of local communities and economies, emphasizing
education for action,
moving beyond single issues to look at the more fundamental influences that shape our lives. Preview it here -
The Economics of Happiness trailer, presented by
Films for Action.
Immediately following the screening will be a
panel discussion by members of
Transition Kaw Valley, a project of the
Sustainability Action Network. Michael Almon, Steve Moring, and Michael Morley will describe how the world-wide
Transition Network energizes open-source creativity in local communities for re-emergent local economies.
"This film presents the localization movement as a systemic alternative to corporate globalization, and a strategy that brings community and meaning to our lives." - Joanna Macy, author
World as Lover, World as Self.
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PERMACULTURE EARTHWORKS: SWALES, TERRACES, WATER CATCHMENTS ¤ 8TH LECTUREFriday,
22 April 2011, 6:00-9:00pm - $$$
Dreher 4-H Building,
2110 Harper St., Lawrence KS 66044This eighth session
will cover a critical component of any site design, that of maximizing water absorption and minimizing run-off. Several techniques can be used to modify the terrain as needed, and they are best done at the outset before any planting takes place. Water catchments can be roofs with tank storage, or ground basins like ponds or water gardens. Swales and Key Lines are water channels that spread run-off horizontally by gravity. Terraces are on-level contours that slow the down-hill flow of water. The lecture will be followed by a viewing of the film
"Water Harvesting" by Geoff Lawton.Steve Moring of
Vajra Farm Permaculture Center is teaching this Design Certification Course with assistance from
Michael Almon and
Michael Morley. Preregistration is required, and a percentage of the fees will support the
Kaw Permaculture Collaborative and it's parent organization, the
Sustainability Action Network. For more info go to
Kaw Permaculture Collaborative, or contact Steve Moring at (785)691-7305 or
<smoring@grasshoppernet.com>.
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"END/CIV" FILM SCREENINGFriday,
22 April 2011, 6:00pm - FREE
McCoy Meetin’ House,
Park University,
8700 NW River Park Dr., Parkville MO 64152If you've heard of this film, you will probably want to be there. If you haven't, you may want to learn about it.
It features Derek Jensen, author of "A Culture of Make Believe", "A Language Older Than Words", and "End Game". The film presents the folly of industrial hubris and unsustainable growth, eco-centric indigenous resistance, and mainstream political indifference, and challenges the physical and spiritual viability of industrial civilization. Click here to watch the
END:CIV trailer. After the screening there will be
free refreshments, a discussion of the film and what community activities may be desirable.
The information is compelling, and the urgency for action is obvious. Jensen's solutions range from
depriving the powerful of their ability to destroy the planet, to defending and rebuilding just and sustainable human communities nestled inside repaired and restored landbases. His strategy is laid out in his latest initiative and book,
Deep Green Resistance, available May 1st. There will be a discussion and brainstorming
meeting at the Lawrence Public Library Auditorium on
May 7th, 2:30pm.
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INTRODUCTION TO PERMACULTURE ¤ ONE DAY INTENSIVESaturday,
23 April 2011, 9:00am-4:00pm - $$
Flint Hills Technical College,
3301 W. 18th Ave, Emporia, KS 66801This is a one day intensive on permaculture principles taught by Ben Stallings of the Kaw Permaculture Collaborative, and holder of a Permaculture Design Certificate. Students will be introduced to ecological principles and learn how to apply them to their garden, home or workplace, will create a design of their own, and will receive constructive feedback from the other students and the instructor. Fore more info go to
Introduction to Permaculture Design - 23 April 2011.
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EUDORA PRIME AG LAND THREATENED BY SAND PIT ¤ PLANNING COMMISSIONMonday,
25 April 2011, 6:30pm
Lawrence City Hall, 6 East 6th St., Lawrence KS 66044
A Kansas City company has filed for a
Conditional Use Permit to operate an
open pit sand mine just
N.W. of Eudora Kansas. It would remove 197 acres of prime agriculture land, be in the floodway of the Kansas River, and be immediately adjacent to the municipal well field that supplies Eudora's drinking water. Although the
Kansas River Keepers advocate for sand operations on land rather than dredging directly from the rivers, prime agriculture land should not be an option. Our community's (not to distant) future food security will depend on these prime bottom-land soils. This link provides a map and good analysis by the Kansas River Keepers -
Eudora Sand Pit Mine Analysis.
The
Kansas River Valley Growers in the East Bottoms between Lawrence and Eudora have banded together to
oppose this proposal. Last year there was a sand pit proposal north of the Kaw River near Midland Junction; this year it is south of the river by Eudora. Until our Comprehensive Plan has strong and enforcible language that preserves our prime soils, we will be fighting "whack-a-mole" proposals over and over again. The public is welcome to speak at the meeting.
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TRANSITION KANSAS CITY ¤ TOWARDS A LOWER-CARBON COMMUNITYMonday,
25 April 2011, 7:00pm
Plaza Library,
4801 Main St., Kansas City MO 64112
The
Kansas City Transition Initiative is addressing climate disruption and peak oil inflation at the local level, a relocalization effort similar to hundreds of others around the globe. At Monday's meeting,
Franny Knight will update us on the interesting happenings with the Emerald City initiative. Also, architect
Jerry Sargent will update us on the project dealing to redesign many vacant school properties. And
Mike Hoey will update us on the global Transition movement.
The
Transition movement was begun by Rob Hopkins in Great Britain
Transition Towns, and in the U.S. is coordinated by
Transition US based in Sebastapol CA. They help local initiatives with resources and publications, and they have
22 trainers traveling to conduct local training sessions. For more info, or to get on the Kansas City e-mail list, call (816)767-8873, or contact them at
<bkjelshus@sbcglobal.net>___________________________________________________
PEAK OIL & A CHANGING CLIMATE ¤ YOU-TUBE VIDEO SERIESon your computer
final video:
How Climate Change Puts Globalization in Reverse | #14 with
Rob HopkinsPeak Oil is the point at which petroleum extraction reaches its greatest rate just before going into perpetual decline. This is the
last in the series from On The Earth Productions. But all the videos are still available for your viewing at
Peak Oil and a Changing Climate | video series.
Rob Hopkins is the founder of the
Transition Movement, community-driven approach to relocalizing societies in response to peak oil and climate disruption. He has stated that "A relocalized future of diminished oil is preferable to the present society with diminished oil."
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PERMACULTURE DESIGN SERIES WITH WARREN BRUSH ¤ DISCOUNT DEADLINESaturday,
30 April 2011 - $$$
Warren Brush is returning to
Lawrence to teach a four day
Advanced Permaculture Design course from
Tuesday-Saturday, 17-21 May. Tuesday evening is "Intro to Permaculture" lecture; Wednesday,
Delaware Street Commons hosts a fundamentals session; Thursday's urban intensive session is at
Forest Floor Permaculture; Friday-Saturday culminates with broad acre design at
Karlin Family Farm. But you need to
register NOW to receive the discount. To register and get more info, e-mail at
<karlinfamilyfarms@gmail.com> or call (785) 371-4700.
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MYCORRHIZAL SOIL BIOREMEDIATION WORKSHOPSaturday,
30 April 2011, 10:00am-1:00pm - $$
12th Street Homestead,
1145 Pennsylvania St., Lawrence KS 66044This hands-on workshop will address concerns of cleaning up contaminated soils in urban brownfields, specifically for urban food gardeners. With special
guest speaker, Trish Jackson PhD. Mycelia are the filamentous organism present in all soils for which mushrooms are the fruiting body. Paul Stamets of
Fungi Perfecti calls
mycelia the "grand dissemblers of nature" because they break down complex substances into simpler components. And that's how mycelia remove contaminants from soil, including petroleum byproducts, plastic residues, PCBs and even dioxin. Come with appropriate gardening attire. Please RSVP at
<12sthomestead@gmail.com>. ___________________________________________________
NATIVE MEDICINAL GARDEN PLANTING AT K.U. SCHOOL OF PHARMACY Tuesday,
3 May 2011, 3:00-5:00pm
School of Pharmacy patio (south side of building), 2010 Becker Dr., west campus, Lawrence KS
The faculty and staff of the
Native Medicinal Plant Research Program at the University of Kansas will host this public planting of a medicinal plant garden. The garden will have five themed beds of medicinal plants, about 70 species total. The event will open with a short presentation about the new garden as well as KU’s first medicinal garden, planted by the School of Pharmacy in the 1920s. For more info contact Kirsten Bosnak,
nativeplants@ku.edu or 864-6267
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COTTIN'S FARMERS' MARKET ¤ REAR PARKING LOTThursday,
5 May 2011, 4:00-6:00pm
Cottin's Hardware, 1832 Massachusetts St., Lawrence KS
In their second year, this weekly market on Thursdays typically has about a dozen vendors, as well as Indian tacos, bar-B-que, children's events, and live music (Bill Crahan this week). For bands to book a date, or just for more info, call (785)843-2981.
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LAWRENCE SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARDWednesday,
11 May 2011, 5:30pm
Recycling and Resource Recovery Annex,
320 N.E. Industrial Lane, Lawrence KSThe May agenda is unavailable to date. The S.A.B. meets monthly to discuss any and all aspects of furthering sustainability policies and practices by the City of
Lawrence government and private persons. The public is welcome. Minutes are finalized in about a month after each meeting
http://www.lawrenceks.org/wrr/envadvisoryboard___________________________________________________
KANSAS CITY ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSIONWednesday,
11 May 2011, 4:00-6:00pm
Mid America Regional Council,
Rivergate Center 2nd floor, 600 Broadway, KC MOThe Environmental Management Commission promotes environmental awareness and resource efficiency to the City's leader and staff, to assist the progress of Kansas City toward sustainability. The general public is encouraged to attend and observe meetings and to join and participate in its efforts. More information and the EMC April 2009 minutes are available at http://www.kcmo.org/manager.nsf/web/emc___________________________________________________
LAWRENCE ELECTRONICS RECYCLING EVENTSaturday,
14 May 2011, 9:00am to 1:00pm
Free State High School (north parking lot),
4700 Overland Drive, Lawrence KSElectronics devices typically contain toxic heavy metals like lead and mercury and cadmium, and precious metals like silver and gold. If recycled properly, these metals can be materials feed stock for new industrial processes, not to mention saving production costs, and keeping them out of the landfill.
This one day event will provide Lawrence residents and businesses a way to conveniently recycle old, unwanted electronics equipment.
Items accepted for recycling are computer monitors, desktops, laptops, keyboards, printers and other peripherals, televisions, copiers, scanners, telephones, cell phones, pagers, fax machines, VHS/DVD drives, hand held devices, and small appliances like micro wave or toaster ovens. There is a recycling fee for computer monitors ($10.00) and televisions ($10.00-$20.00). There are no charges for other electronic equipment. Items not accepted are large appliances such as refrigerators and AC units. Fees may be paid by cash or check.Electronic recycling will be provided by Extreme Recycling, Inc. http://www.extremerecyclinginc.com/ recycling the E-waste in accordance to Federal and Kansas Electronic Waste Processing Regulations. The event is sponsored by the City of Lawrence Waste Reduction & Recycling Division http://www.lawrencerecycles.org/
The SUSTAINABILITY ACTION NETWORK, Inc. is a 501(C)(3) tax-exempt organization. DONATIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE. Mail checks to P.O.Box 1064, Lawrence KS 66044.
Our mission is to advocate and organize societal scale action to address sustainability issues. The triple crises of Energy-Ecology-Economy are building so rapidly that large scale action is needed immediately and methodically to overcome institutional barriers and advance public policy that preserves ecological sustainability. Our focus is to build a relocalized economy-ecology in concert with the Transition Town movement occurring in many other communities. To join the Sustainability Action Network please contact us at <paradigm@ixks.com>
Our current projects include:
1) Transition Kaw Valley - initiating transition to a relocalized post-carbon economy, and municipal-level Peak Oil response planning.
2) Kaw Permaculture Collaborative and Kansas Permaculture Institute - developing skills and resources for polyculture sustainable food production.
3) Eco Village Land Trust - Designing and focalizing a sustainable intentional community near Lawrence.
4) Growers' Land Trust - organizing interested stakeholders to acquire prime farmland in the urban fringe for land-based economic development and regional food security.
5) Weekly Sustainability Announcements - informing and encouraging others to become active in the Sustainability Action Network, or other action driven groups.
6) Water Rights and Watersheds - protecting the water commons, the source of all life, from privatization and contamination, and restoring our watersheds.
7) Electric & Human Powered Vehicles - promoting neighborhood electric vehicles and utility tricycles, including infrastructure and pro-active regulations.
8) Energy Conservation & Renewables - advancing a green economy through decentralized renewable energy and conservation.
9) Collaboration with sister organizations - such as: The Light Center eco-village; Kaw River Valley Food System farm-based economic development; Citizens for Responsible Planning; Films for Action; Kansas River Valley Growers fighting for local water rights; national efforts by the Sustainable Energy Network; KC Metro groups like the Kansas City Food Circle, Transition Kansas City, and the All Species Project, etc.
We welcome suggestions for items to be included. Please send items to <paradigm@ixks.com>To subscribe to this list, please send an e-mail to
<paradigm@ixks.com> with the subject line reading “subscribe to Sustainability Announcements”.
If you do not care to continue on this announcements list, please respond "unsubscribe to Sustainability Announcements" at
<paradigm@ixks.com> 
