A Food Initiative on the Gill Tract Farm -- VIDEO ABOUT PETITION: How smart is it for a major university to pave over half of its last research farm? One graduate student takes us on a tour and synthesizes 15 years of efforts into a stunning vision of what this land could be. Once home to the world's premiere organic pest control research center, U.C. Berkeley is about to build a parking lot and a big box grocery store on this prime soil. According to Katie McKnight (Master of Environmental Planning, 2016), this dismal scenario does not have to be the answer for this unique urban farm. Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yx-avVDbpf4 BACKGROUND ABOUT PETITION: For over 15 years, faculty, students, and local community have protested the commercial development of the historic Gill Tract Farm and research site, managed by UC Berkeley. These concerned stakeholders have crafted several alternative proposals, advocating for its preservation as an educational resource (like the 1997 BACUA Proposal [1]). In 2012, after neighbors and students occupied the land in protest of its commercial development, a 1.5 acre section called "Area A," now called “Gill Tract Community Farm” was transferred from Capital Projects to the College of Natural Resources and became a pilot project for a new community-UC collaboration. That project is flourishing, and we hope to see it grow to all 16 acres rather than the commercial development. Meanwhile, the commercial development that would pave over the southern portion of the Gill Tract is slated to begin any day. This development design, with its vast parking lot, big-box grocery store, and retail stores is out of touch with community and student needs. A new grocery store is being built just two blocks from the Gill Tract, making it unnecessary to build another national chain store that trucks in produce from across the globe. Furthermore, the additional diesel from delivery trucks and the removal of bioremediating trees and green space-- in a neighborhood whose air quality is already highly impacted by industry and roadways [2] -- would be damaging to the public health of the surrounding community. The UC has begun to prioritize food systems as a critical area for expansion, but this statement has yet to be put into practice. A center for urban agriculture and sustainable food systems at the Gill Tract would accomplish all four goals of the recent President Napolitano's Food Initiative [2]. The 16 acres are uniquely suited to be developed as a model food system that integrates farming, economics, culture, and public health. It would make UC resources accessible to the public through hands-on education and participatory research, and develop precedent for establishing authentic University to community relationships. This dynamic model could help make the UC system a global leader on issues of food and farming, while improving student education through engaged and active learning. Student and community voices now join together and demand that our public University reconsider the development and work to involve student and community participation in developing an alternative design that integrates the land's potential for education, research, food production, and distribution. A group of undergraduates, graduates, and alumnae delegates are prepared to meet and move forward with this process. We urge UC Berkeley administration, the UC Regents, and President Napolitano to halt the current development plan for the Gill Tract Farm and enter into a collaborative design process with students and community for the entire Gill Tract Farm. Sincerely, Students for Engaged and Active Learning Co-Sponsors for Petition: Fossil Free Cal, Student Organic Garden Association, Grow the Revolution, Berkeley Student Food Cooperative, UAW 2865, Movement Generation, Planting Justice, Phat Beets Produce, Gill Tract Farm Coalition, Occupy the Farm, Food First, Albany Farm Alliance, Grassroots International, Hormigas Organicas, Rooted in Community, Sustainable Economies Law Center, Biosafety Alliance More on our website: www.sealstudents.wordpress.com 1 http://www.cnr.berkeley.edu/srr/BACUA/bacua_proposal.htm 2 http://oehha.maps.arcgis.com/apps/OnePane/basicviewer/index.html?appid=1d202d7d9dc84120ba5aac97f8b39c56 3 http://modernfarmer.com/2014/03/university-california-plans-major-foodag-initiative/

His lamborghini recently blew up and has been in the shop. I was on the car drive and it could've easily exploded if he drove anymore. This could be a big hazard to us because it could explode and hurt us all. HE SHOULD REPLACE HIS LAMBO WITH A 12C!!!!!!

As a student who has graduated from Peters Township High School, I have had to endure the start time for four years. I, as well as my peers, have had trouble getting to school on time and have experienced the negative consequences of not getting enough sleep. After reading through research and success stories over the last few years of schools that have changed their start time, I believe Peters Township High School should change their start time as well.

This petition was started because we, the undersigned students of UH Maui College, wish to create funding for sustainability and green initiatives on our UH campuses. Currently we pay a whopping 30% of our tuition to cover the expense of non-renewable utility costs. Not only is this a great personal expense for each and every one of us, using this type of energy also contributes to carbon emissions, the main proponent of climate change. It makes sense to reduce UH’s carbon footprint, not only because it will generate a positive ROI for the UH system rathern than a negative one, but because it simply is the right thing to do. With funding backing the new Board of Regents Sustainability Policy, the process of planning and implementing the switch from dirty energy to clean, sustainable energy on campus would be within reach. The Student Sustainability Fund (SSF) was invented as one vehicle to put solid resources behind student led sustainability initiatives on campus. We would like to see this become a reality on every UH campus. It does not make sense for UH to continue to pay high energy bill costs while no funding currently exists for sustainability / green efforts on our campuses. We intend to step forward and empower students to create, fund and manage a sustainability fund to find solutions to issues like UH high utility costs. Just think about the funds a 50% reduction in utility costs would free up. This is within reach if there is cooperation amongst administration and facilities to make it so. The SSF will directly benefit students, clubs, departments and our campus as a whole. The Student Sustainability Fund will be $5 a semester for each student and give UH a starting point to make their goals a reality and engage students in active involvement in this arena. As the athletic fee is $50 a semester, a $5 fee for the SSF is a small step towards a brighter future for all those at UH Maui College. Sustainability and greening efforts on hundreds of campuses typically result in a 1-3 year payback with a high return on investment. To manage projects like recycling, renewable energy, student gardens and more, financial support is necessary and the SSF will provide an initial push for the administration to then come on board with their own investments. Fore more information and access to a survey on the SSF, check out http://www.hawaii.edu/sustainability/ssch/ssf. The mission of the Hui Haumāna Mālama Hawaiʻi (Student Sustainability Coalition of Hawaiʻi) is to cultivate a system of sustainable learning environments throughout Hawaiʻi.

to restore some financial equality to americans and to help the poor

So many women today face discrimination on a daily basis--whether in the workplace, at home, in their personal lives, or in any other domain--that goes largely unnoticed by society but that we must work to stop. CEDAW outlines provisions key to ending discrimination against women and to protecting women's equality and fair treatment. It is a United Nations resolution that the United States has not ratified but that cities around the county, such as San Francisco, are acting on and adopting.

The new Tappan Zee Bridge is more than simply a replacement structure for vehicles. The pedestrian/cycling path with its scenic overlooks is like a pedestrian park that will attract large numbers of visitors to Westchester and Rockland counties. To accommodate the swell of visitors, the state plans to build a café, restrooms and parking for 135 cars on Thruway Authority property in Tarrytown. On the Rockland side of the bridge, however, there is no adequate plan to accommodate the large numbers of visitors. The path will abruptly dump users onto a dangerous intersection at a Thruway entrance ramp in the Village of South Nyack. In an attempt to mitigate this problem, local authorities proposed demolishing South Nyack's village hall and replacing it with a 20+ space parking lot. This plan was soundly rejected by most who saw it as unsafe and grossly inadequate. Since then, village leaders have backed away from that plan. This is the largest highway and bridge project in North America today. We urge you and the TZ team to expand the parameters of the project to provide safe and well-designed accommodations that work for visitors and for the Village of South Nyack.

Are veterans who served there are now fighting for their lives and in cases we don't hear about, they are dieing! They did their duty and suffer from it, now it is time to give back to them.

The people of Colorado deserve better than a politician who claims to represent us while selling us out to corporate lobbyist and special interests on swanky yachts. Con Man Cory Gardner claims to be in Washington fighting for the people of Colorado, but his record tells a different story. Gardner has quickly become a creature of the Washington, D.C. insider crowd, taking advantage of every perk offered to him by corporate lobbyists and out-of-state special interests.

A senior student, Chris, needed to run home during his lunch hour to get a text book for a class he had. He asked his friend if he could borrow his car to do so. Friend tosses keys to Chris and he puts them in his pocket and goes to his next class. Administration wants to search the friends car and calls Chris to office because he was in possession of the keys (all of this was completely unknown to Chris). Whatever the issue was regarding the search of the vehicle had nothing to do with Chris but when he gave administration the keys of his friend they saw a small key chain pocket knife and suspended Chris for being in possession of a weapon on school campus, despite them not being his keys and not knowing the keys had this small pocket knife on them. He is now not allowed to attend the Prom, which is unfair when administration has bent rules for other students. Administration cannot pick and choose when to uphold policies for some students and then allow other students to not have consequences for their actions. Chris did nothing wrong and he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. We want administration to spend their time upholding the rules and protecting students from the students who are breaking policies and rules knowingly and with intent as opposed to cracking down on an innocent student with a technicality. Please support us in sending Chris to Prom!!!!

This constitutional amendment will bring back political power to the individual voter. It will be easily enforceable and a strong rebuke to the recent supreme court decision on financial contributions.

As a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, your support of H. Res 520, co-sponsored by Congressmen Royce and Engle would help protect women and children. This resolution is slated to be voted on in this committee at the end of this month, so your support in vital. This resolution supports 1)an end to attacks on civilians 2) ensure humanitarian aid sent to Syria by the U.S. government reaches those Syrians most in need through Syrian American NGOs (non profits) who have been working on the ground for the past three years, 3) that the US Government no longer recognizes Assad as the legitimate president of Syria.