We have a lot of flat roofed buildings covered in tar shingles or metal. Adding green roofing will make the building more insulated from heat and cold, and improves air quality and storm water retention. Not to mention people can perhaps enjoy green spaces in urban areas. Here is more information about this process: http://www.greenroofs.com/Greenroofs101/economic.htm

Auto makers have had enough time and made enough money. It's time all car's run 55 or 60 miles to the gallon. If we must use fossil fuels then its time the auto makers catch up, now not 10 years from now

Listening to The President's convention speech, I was horrified to hear his references to "clean coal" and new sources of natural gas. I want a Clean Energy plan that is based on clean, renewable energy.

You may know that hydraulic fracturing for natural gas, or “fracking,” is polluting drinking water and impacting air quality in communities from Pennsylvania to Colorado. But fracking has had another, less publicized consequence that hits closer to home: demand for silica sand, or "frac sand," which is used in the hydraulic fracturing process, has gone through the roof. As a result, large-scale frac sand mining operations have descended on central and southern Minnesota—and our waterways, landscapes and public health could suffer the consequences. Major concerns associated with frac sand mining include: -Polluted wastewater leaks from frac sand mines, which endangers waterways such as the Mississippi, St. Croix and Minnesota River basins; -Groundwater depletion as a result of excessive use by the frac sand industry; -Air pollution and environmental degradation as a result of transporting industrial machinery, equipment and millions of tons of sands; -The destruction of rural lands important for wildlife, agriculture, and tourism; -Respiratory disorders from breathing silica sand dust. Now is the time to address the potential dangers of frac sand mining and ensure that Minnesota is properly protected.

Dunkin' Donuts is the largest coffee and baked goods chain in the world. In fact, the company sells more coffee than Starbucks. Each day the company serves an amazing 3 million people which leads to yearly sales of 4.7 million. The problem with this is that Dunkin' Donuts also has made the very dangerous and cheep corporate decision to serve all of their coffee in styrofoam cups. According to the Earth Research Foundation polystyrene also known as styrofoam is a petroleum-based plastic made from the styrene monomer.Styrene is classified as a possible human carcinogen by the EPA and by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). A voluntary compliance program has been adopted by industries using styrene. The US Department of Labor, Occupational Safety & Health Administration unsuccessfully (a federal court overturned the ruling in 1992) tried to limit the amount of worker exposure to styrene to 50 parts per million (ppm). According to the Styrene Information and Research Center (SIRC). Styrofoam contains many toxic chemicals which leach out of these products into the food that they contain (especially when heated in a microwave or when served with hot food or liquids, including piping hot coffee. These chemicals threaten human health and reproductive systems. There is extensive research in the endocrinological dangers associated with the chemicals found in polystyrene containers. These include increase in breast and testicular cancer. THE BRIGHT SIDE OF CHANGE- -Post-consumer recycled paper, bamboo, corn plastics, etc. are easily renewable resources. -All of these products biodegrade when composted. -Paper products can be recycled at most people's doorstep where community recycling is in place. -In 1995, 40% of all US paper was recycled, including 32.6 million tons of paper & paperboard. (EPA) -Every ton of 100% Post-consumer waste recycled paper products you buy saves: 12 trees 1,087 pounds of solid waste 1,560 kilowatts of energy (2 months of electric power required by the average US home) 1,196 gallons of water 1,976 lbs. of greenhouse gases (1,600 miles traveled in the average US car) 3 cubic yards of landfill space 9 pounds of HAPs, VOCs, and AOXs combined 390 gallons of oil

I do not want to see coal trains passing through our state. Coal is hazardous to mine, to transport and to burn.

Use Solar Cells to charge our electric cars...

Americans should have the right to know what's in their food. About 20 years ago, the FDA denied consumers the right to know whether their food was genetically altered or not. This regulation was introduced by Michael Taylor, a former Monsanto lawyer who transferred into the offices of the FDA. California now has Prop 37 on the ballot for November 6th, to pass GMO labeling. Our petition, which will go to The White House, will strengthen the message for nationwide change.

Last year, we saw one of the worst droughts in history: Reservoirs dipped to record-lows. Stretches of the Rio Grande, Brazos and Guadalupe rivers ran dry. As many as 500 million trees across Texas died. And we're not out of the woods yet: 72% of Texas is still in drought and 11 reservoirs are still less than 10 percent full. Meanwhile, billions of gallons of water are withdrawn from our rivers every year only to be wasted, as drilling companies fail to recycle their wastewater, agribusinesses waste water in unlined ditches, and power companies forego modern technologies in favor of outdated methods. As these companies sap two-thirds of Texas' water, it's become all too clear: Individual action is not enough to solve our problems long-term. To get the job done, we need our lawmakers in Austin to crack down on our worst corporate water hogs.

Last year, we saw one of the worst droughts in history: Reservoirs dipped to record-lows. Stretches of the Rio Grande, Brazos and Guadalupe rivers ran dry. As many as 500 million trees across Texas died. And we're not out of the woods yet: 72% of Texas is still in drought and 11 reservoirs are still less than 10 percent full. But despite these very real and current conditions, some of Texas’ most powerful industries are still wasting billions of gallons of water—a precious resource that we—and our environment—depend upon. For example, using a new drilling technique known as "fracking", oil and gas companies used 25 billion gallons of water last year in Texas, the vast majority of which was contaminated and then injected deep underground, forever removed from the hydrologic cycle.

Magazines insert several pieces of paper in every issue, not only newstand issues but subscribed issues. At the least these multiple inserts are annoying and wasteful. At the most tons upon tons of paper are tossed--and trees destroyed--for these redundant and unwanted inserts. We are asking all magazines (especially those who claim to be scientifically, health, and environmentally oriented) to stop using these inserts.

China dominates the rare earth element market. Rare Earth Elements are critical to high tech items (smart phones/tablets, ect)The US needs to re-start its rare earth element mines but a solution must be provided for the Thorium by-product. The best solution to this problem is to use Thorium in the next generation of nuclear reactors. The US explored this area but stopped in the early 1970 because Thorium reactors make no bomb material. In addition Thorium reactors use passive safety not active safety as is used in Uranium reactors. We need to have an adult disscussion of future energy policy, because the sun does not always shine and the wind does not always blow, we need a third option which does not include carbon.