From C-8 contamination in the mid-Ohio Valley and beyond to the Bhopal disaster, DuPont and Dow Chemical have poisoned the world with dangerous chemicals. Both companies already face overwhelming liabilities in connection to their environmental disasters, and advocacy groups like Keep Your Promises DuPont are fighting for accountability against these corporate giants. If DuPont and Dow Chemical are allowed to merge, it will be even harder to hold them accountable for poisoning the world. Tell Attorney General Lynch to block the DuPont-Dow megamerger.

On April 4, 2016, MV@Play and Gale Associates presented to the MVRHS school committee a $12-million proposal to build a centralized athletic facility on a 3.6-acre parcel of land on the MVRHS campus. Funding would initially come from private donors, but MVRHS, and all six Island towns, would be expected to pay for future upkeep. The plans, designed to be implemented in three phases, the first beginning as early as September 1, 2016, include the installation of four artificial turf playing fields: one inside the track, plus three others. The intent is to eventually host all soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, and football practices and games (from the youngest players through high school and adult leagues) there for decades to come. From financial, maintenance, health, environmental, and playability perspectives alike, natural grass is a far better choice. Artificial turf fields are not as low-maintenance nor as cost-effective as their billion-dollar industry suggests. According to Gale Associates, installation costs for a new artificial turf field with GreenPlay infill costs $850,000, assumes a 14-year carpet life, and the only maintenance is grooming with a towed groomer 4-5 times per year. The limited warranty covers only 8 years, however, and can be voided for a multitude of common conditions/maintenance practices. The life cycle costs of natural grass fields, when compared to those of artificial turf, are essentially the same—assuming the artificial carpet lasts 6 extra years after warranty expiration, and the cost of replacement doesn’t rise. Not mentioned: the premature failure rate of artificial turf fields, the costs of replenishing the infill, whether we would switch to crumb rubber if the GreenPlay infill becomes moldy, the intensive maintenance costs and practices necessary to keep the carpet sanitary and safe—including sweeping up debris like trash and leaves, brushing to straighten fibers, deep raking to loosen infill, spraying disinfectant and anti-static chemicals, manual removal of gum (with a solvent, then hand-pried out of the fibers), cleaning of spilled drinks, vomit, spit, sweat, blood, and animal droppings (dog, goose, etc.), and repairing loose seams to avoid liability issues. Given the exorbitant costs and many complications associated with artificial turf fields, it would be highly irresponsible for MVRHS to assume financial responsibility for their upkeep. Forbes. “Buyers’ Remorse Surfacing over Artificial Turf Fields.” October 23, 2014. http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2014/10/22/buyers-remorse-surfacing-over-artificial-turf-fields/#7203e2c321ff City Limits. “NYC’s Fake Grass Gamble: A $300 Million Mistake?” August 24, 2010. Winner of the 2010 Sigma Delta Chi Award for Investigative Reporting. http://www.spjvideo.org/sdx/sdx10/mag-inv-reporting-r.pdf Red Hen Turf. “The Dirt on Turf: What You Need to Know About Synthetic Turf and Natural Grass for Athletic Fields.” http://redhenturf.com/pdfs/TheTruthAboutArtificialTurf.pdf Artificial turf fields are not safe. According to Mount Sinai Hospital Children’s Environmental Health Center, “All components of an artificial turf field (fiber blades, infill, backing, colorants, sealants, antimicrobials, and flame retardants) contain potential chemicals of concern and can leach from the product.” They urge extra caution when the site is in close proximity to a water source potentially contaminated by chemical leaching, as MVRHS is (directly above the Island’s sole source aquifer). Further, the antimicrobials and fungicides required to routinely sanitize the fields “not only increase the likelihood of chemical exposures, they may pose health risks for children chronically exposed to them.” Although the newly proposed infill is labeled “organic,” such terms are not regulated in the turf industry, nor are manufacturers required to list all chemicals. Risk of joint injuries, turf burns, “turf toe,” and heat-related complications are proven to be more likely on artificial turf, and it is a fertile breeding ground for harmful bacteria including those that cause antibiotic-resistant infections such as MRSA. Artificial turf also denies our children hours of time that would otherwise have been spent on grass and dirt, the immunological and psychological benefits of which are well documented. Mount Sinai Hospital Children’s Environmental Health Center. “Artificial Turf: A Health-Based Consumer Guide.” February 2016. http://media.wix.com/ugd/fd0a19_f5aa0824698341499b4228ebabf90cb5.pdf Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “MRSA and the Workplace.” August 27, 2015. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/mrsa/ (Note: the artificial turf proposed for MVRHS would likely qualify for all five C’s of the MRSA risk factors.) Most athletes dislike playing on artificial turf. From professional athletes down to the youth level, the majority of players regard artificial turf as a second-tier playing surface. This strong preference is based on increased post-game recovery time, risk of injury, and heat stroke on artificial turf, as well as a fundamental preference for playing the sport on grass. These issues led a group of international soccer players to file a lawsuit against FIFA for forcing them to play the 2015 Women’s World Cup on artificial turf. Lawsuit against FIFA and the Canadian Soccer Association regarding the use of artificial turf at the Women’s 2015 World Cup. http://equalizersoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/141001_2_Application-Sec-24-Schedule-A.pdf Change.org. “FIFA: The World Cup Should Be Played on Natural Grass.” https://www.coworker.org/petitions/fifa-the-world-cup-should-be-played-on-natural-grass (Note: more than 70 national team players from 17 countries signed this petition.) BMC Sports Science, Medicine, and Rehabilitation. “The Perceptions of Professional Soccer Players on the Risk of Injury from Competition and Training on Natural Grass and 3rd Generation Artificial Turf.” March 2014. http://bm...

The mixing of residential and and commercial living space will adversely affect the small town feel of our neighborhoods located between Germantown Rd/118 and Great Seneca Highway from the Germantown Marc Station to Clopper Road. This addition to our neighborhood will not only affect the feel of our community, but Dawson Farm Road and Liberty Mill Road, both roads that our children use to walk to Germantown Elementary School, will be overwhelmed with traffic coming in and out of an already congested area during school start/end times. Please sign and forward this petition to let our voices be heard in this matter.

Currently the State of NC says it wants to do this, but it will be 20 years before it happens. It is needed now, particularly in the under-developed northeastern part of NC from Edenton, NC to Norfolk, VA (i.e., Highway 17). It's essential to make us competitive for new businesses who are re-locating, improve access to the port of Norfolk, VA, and expand awareness of our capable work force. We are proven workers. We have never recovered from the banking disaster of 2008 and do not need to wait 20 years for major improvement to key highway in our region.

More than 11 million documents from the secretive Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca were leaked to international journalists, and more than 140 world leaders, public officials, and major celebrities have been implicated already. The documents, spanning almost 30 years, expose how the world’s elite use fake corporations called “shell companies” to launder money, evade sanctions, hide wealth, and dodge taxes. While U.S. government officials insist they are aware of the scandal, there is little indication they are taking action. But now, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Sen. Sherrod Brown are demanding that the Treasury Department investigate U.S. links in the Panama Papers, and we need to stand with them. (From Americans for Tax Fairness email 5/9/16.)

Corporate interests rule everything in america, from television to congress. There are a few safe spaces left, and the national parks are one of them. If this deal goes through, and Jarvis is allowed to stay in his post, we move past the point of no return.

New Jersey is the nation’s most densely populated state, and we’re running out of open space. Back in 2014, voters took action to keep parks, farms, and historic areas from being developed. But that dedicated money for open space has been accruing in the Treasury and can’t be spent predictably until Governor Christie signs the Open Space Implementation Bill. Once this bill becomes law, New Jersey will have reliable, dedicated funding to preserve open spaces, parks, farms, and historic areas, and to clean up polluted areas. The bill also guarantees that the funds don’t get diverted to pet projects or used to plug holes in the state budget. Last year, Governor Christie pocket vetoed a similar bill. It’s time for Governor Christie to do the right thing. Nearly two-thirds of New Jersey voters supported open space funding, and the full legislature has voted for it twice. We can convince Governor Christie to change his position, but we’ve got to flood him with messages so that he sees the overwhelming majority of New Jerseyans and their elected representatives support this law!

The FDA has ruled that all vape technology is considered tobacco products. This means that small businesses and thousands of jobs that can't afford to pay the millions of dollars in testing will be lost and the FDA will earn more money from giant tobacco companies and big pharmaceutical companies. We must stop this over-step. This ruling means that the vaping industry will come to a grinding hault and many people who have successfully quit smoking will be forced back to cigarettes. This means more money for big tobacco and more money to big pharmaceutical companies. We finally have a safer solution to the smoking epidemic, but our government ignores this fact because it will lose money. Millions of lives can be saved with this new technology, yet the FDA is seeking to stop it before it can be widely accepted. I urge our local, state, and federal governments to fight back towards the FDA and tell them that this kind of obstruction will not stand.

At the age of 10, Rosa Silk's son, Brandon, started having an allergic reaction to an ingredient in Unilever’s popular Axe Body Spray. For eight years, she's been struggling to keep her son, an otherwise happy and healthy young man, in school and out of hospital emergency rooms due to one harmful word in this product: “fragrance.” After many years researching what ingredients might be causing Brandon’s severe reactions, they still have no idea of exactly which chemicals are being used in Axe Body Spray, or what ingredients are causing the problem, because the manufacturer refuses to disclose the fragrance ingredients. Although it's just one little word on an ingredient label, fragrance can contain dozens, even hundreds, of chemicals—including known carcinogens, hormone disruptors, environmental toxicants and other chemicals of concern. In fact, fragrance allergies affect two to 11 percent of the general population. This translates into tens of millions of people that are globally affected by fragrance and studies suggest that this chemical sensitivity is on the rise. Without required fragrance ingredient disclosure, it is impossible for consumers to avoid problematic ingredients or for researchers and regulators to understand the full universe of ingredients used to formulate cosmetic products. On behalf of Brandon and others affected by this life-threatening issue, please help us tell Unilever to disclose all fragrance ingredients on their labels!

The Democratic National Convention's Platform Committee will prepare the platform stating the Democratic Party's stance on a wide range of policy issues. [1] For example, it is likely to state the party's stance on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement [TPP], and could state whether a vote on the TPP should occur in a lame duck session of Congress after the election. Both Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have stated their opposition to a lame duck vote on the TPP. [2] To ensure that the Democratic Party Platform reflects the views of the majority of Democrats, it is crucial that Bernie Sanders supporters be fairly represented on the Platform Committee and the Rules Committee. Urge Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz to work with Sen. Jeff Merkley and Congressional Progressive Caucus co-chairs Keith Ellison and Raul Grijalva to ensure fair representation for Bernie Sanders supporters on the Platform Committee and the Rules Committee by signing our petition. References: 1. http://bigstory.ap.org/article/1f5a37abda654bfdad8b53309d36b475/sanders-wants-supporters-represented-party-convention 2. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/clinton-does-not-back-obama-trade-vote-in-post-election-congressional-session/2016/05/05/ce94f76e-12d7-11e6-8967-7ac733c56f12_story.html

HB 386 is working its way to the Governor in Louisiana. This bill would extend the mandatory waiting period for an abortion to 72 hours. Under the bill, women who live as far as 149 miles away from a clinic would be forced to drive over three hours to the clinic, take three or more days they may not have off of work, and find child care and a motel room to sit and wait out the government's intrusive clock. All for a common, safe procedure that 1 in 3 women will undergo. But some women cannot wait this long due to personal need or medical circumstance, and those who can will travel to other states. That means waiting periods for everyone. States that have passed similar laws have wasted millions defending them in court also, and Louisiana is about to do the same. Aren’t we in a budget crisis? Governor Bel Edwards and the legislature should focus on fixing the budget rather than attacking women.

Whereas, On October 18th, Corey was shot by officer Nouman Raja while Corey was waiting for a tow truck. Corey, who is a churchgoing man, had just finished a band gig when plain clothed Officer Nouman Raja pulled up in his unmarked car and murdered Corey. We demand the arrest of Nouman Raja. We demand a full investigation. We demand that Nouman Raja be brought to trial for justice for the murder of Corey Jones.