FEMA, UCBerkeley, the East Bay Regional Park District, and the National Park Service have proposed a fire protection program for the East Bay Hills. Fire protection is necessary, however, the absence of a re-forestation plan combined with the extensive use of herbicides in the FEMA plan needs immediate reconsideration. The public in the East Bay has not had sufficient time to discuss this. Urge your political representatives, local, state and federal to intervene and extend the period of public debate until July 31, 2013.

Worldwide, 1/3 of hived bees are dead or in danger of perishing from food growth mechanisms in place or practice. Pollination is being done by humans in China, an unsustainable activity. Investigate and stop or reduce whatever must be changed in order to resurrect a population of healthy, pollinating bees.

“If the bee disappears from the earth, man would have no more than four years to live.” Albert Einstein. They have been in existence for over 100 million years, but it has taken us less than 30 years to kill almost all of them off. Honey bees are responsible for pollinating 60% of the world’s food supply. Without them, the human race would face starvation. A worldwide epidemic, it has been called the bee apocalypse by Russia’s president, but it is worse in the United States than any other country. Since 1972, feral honey bees in the United States have declined 80% to near extinction, and domestic bees in the United States are down to 60%. Since 2006, the epidemic has been referred to as colony collapse disorder, describing the disappearance of entire colonies of bees. Among the causes cited for this disaster of epidemic proportions are parasites, the decrease in abundance and diversity of wildflowers, insecticides and genetically engineered foods (GMO’s) that create their own synthetic pesticides which kill bees as well as other insects. But one thing is for certain-- mankind is responsible for the drastic decline in bee population and the United States government is doing nothing about it. On the contrary, the government has taken measures to make the problem worse. While other countries around the world are taking action to try to stop the bee apocalypse, such as the UK, which passed the Bees Act in 1980 and the European Union, who is moving to ban bee killing pesticides, the United States has done nothing to halt the use of bee killing pesticides and is actually encouraging the continued use of genetically engineered plants that have been proven in our courts and others around the world to be dangerous to the environment. Monsanto’s Mon810 corn is genetically engineered to produce a synthetic pesticide that has been proven to destroy bees and has been banned in Poland. Monsanto’s GMO’s are no longer welcome in Europe, and, as a result, the company no longer markets them there. Neonicotinoid pesticides, manufactured in the United States by Bayer and in Switzerland by Swiss GMO manufacturer and pesticide giant Syngenta, are being banned in Europe for massive bee deaths. But, due to the fact that giant companies like Monsanto can buy themselves legislation to immunize themselves from liability, don’t expect the United States to ban the bee killing pesticides or plants anytime soon. On March 31, 2013, the Senate passed the “Farmer Assurance Provision,” which was signed into law by President Obama on March 26, 2013. The Provision has been dubbed the “Monsanto Protection Act,” after the huge chemical conglomerate who makes the offending genetically engineered seeds. The Plant Protection Act, passed in 2000 (7 USC section 7701 et. Seq.), authorizes the Dept. of Agriculture to prevent the introduction of “plant pests” into the United States food supply. Regulations classify genetically engineered plants as “plant pests.” Persons wishing to plant such genetically engineered plants are prohibited from doing so unless granted non-regulated status by the Animal and Plant Inspection Service. In order to grant the non-regulated status, a detailed environmental impact statement must be prepared by the federal agencies responsible. What the Monsanto Protection Act does is strip the federal courts of their power to protect the environment by making any court reversal of non-regulated status or a court injunction against growing plants that have been proven to be dangerous ineffectual, at the request of any grower or seed producer, who petitions the Dept. of Agriculture for an exemption. Hence the term “Monsanto Protection Act” as Monsanto is the largest producer of genetically engineered seeds in the world, and certainly footed the lobby bill for the provision. The bad news is that giant corporations throw giant money to lobbyists who control Congressmen and Senators who are supposed to work for you. The good news is that this provision is temporary and there is a huge grass roots movement calling for its repeal. So effective has been the movement, that Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon (where non-approved Monsanto wheat recently contaminated wheat fields, nine years after and 500 miles away from Monsanto field trials), is proposing to introduce an amendment to repeal the provision. Contamination of natural plant life by genetically engineered crops, which are engineered to resist insecticides and herbicides, occurs naturally by the process of pollination. The wheat crisis is being minimized by the government, despite the fact that it could affect wheat exports, which are mostly to countries who will not accept the genetically engineered wheat. The United States is the largest exporter of wheat in the world.

Utah State Legislature: let us have cash refund for plastic, aluminum, and glass bottles!

Light Rail is necessary for cutting back on fossil fuel and reducing carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. It is an easy form of transportation. We need High Speed Rail to connect our towns and cities. I am a commuter and want to see progress in our infrastructure.

Big oil is starting fracking thoughout the agricultural basin of California where much of the nation's food supply is grown. The Haliburton loophole allows them to pump toxic chemicals in which will directly affect the groundwater that irrigates these crops.

Wireless Transmission Facilities

Our groundwater, farms, and native habitats are negatively impacted by the Closed Basin Project. It must cease operation to ensure the health of these lands

The Kentucky Board of Education is about to vote on Next Generation Science Standards, an updated and comprehensive set of standards which include the science of climate change. Sadly, climate change deniers – including State Senate Education Chairman Mike Wilson — are already lining up against this new research-based science curriculum (1). Senator Wilson wants to prevent climate science from reaching our classrooms at a time when climate impacts, from heat waves to drought to severe storms, are already harming Kentucky communities. I refuse to stand by while my grandchildren are prevented from receiving the kind of high-quality science education they need to prepare for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Climate change will have a huge impact on our children’s future, and we need to let the Board know that Kentucky parents, grandparents and science supporters want our kids to learn the facts. Action now is critical, because the Board plans to consider adoption of the new science standards-including climate change education-at their meeting in Frankfort next Wednesday, June 5th. Thank you for taking action for our children and grandchildren! Sheila Anderson Mother and Grandmother Frankfort, KY (1) http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20130523/OPINION04/305230023/Sen-Mike-Wilson-Science-standards-include-troubling-assumptions?nclick_check=1

We have lived with danger and blight on the corner of 16th and Mission for too long. Our neighborhood deserves better access to safe, clean and walkable transportation corridors.

The San Francisco Bay Area emits 100 million tons of greenhouse gases (GHGs) per year. Scientists tell us that to avoid catastrophic warming and climate change we must cut GHG emissions to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. California aims to reduce GHGs to 1990 levels by 2020. It's a start, but not nearly enough. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) has the power to regulate over 50% of all the GHG emissions in the Bay Area, but they're not doing it yet. They need to lead the way to bring those emissions down to safe levels. If the progressive, environmentally aware Bay Area can't lead the way, who can? Read the RESOLUTION we want them to adopt: http://www.350bayarea.org/baycap_resolution_for_air_district

THESE BILLS NEED TO BE ENFORCE, IN ORDER FOR EACH BILL TO MAKE DUKE ENERGY CLEAN UP ITS ACT, OR LEAVE NC. BILL 365-ENERGY ACT REFORM-STOP BLOCKING NEW ENERGY-AND ENERGY COMPANIES, BILL-328 SOLID WASTE MGMT ACT REFORM, AND BILL 484 PERMITTING WIND ENERGY FACILITIES IN NC. ¡YA QUE DUKE ENERGY ESTÁ BLOQUEANDO NUEVA ENERGÍA, Y LA ENERGÍA LIMPIA, VIOLANDO LA LEY FEDERAL, ESTOS PROYECTOS DE LEY SE DEBEN CUMPLIR EN NC Y EN OTROS ESTADOS TAMBIÉN!