Background Information

 

Reducing Petroleum Input to Farming, given reduced supply and rising prices  A Farm for the Future 01, and more in this series.   BBC documentary on the precient global farming and food crisis, filmed in the UK. Featuring Martin Crawford (Agroforestry Research Trust), Fordhall Farm, Richard Heinberg and others.   Topics covered are the influence of oil on the food production, peak-oil, food security, carbon emissions, sustainability and permaculture.

Boulder, CO Passes “Bee Safe” Resolution Restricting Use of Bee-Toxic Neonicotinoids

May 6, 2015, www.beyondpesticides.org | “The City of Boulder, Colorado yesterday became the most recent locality in the U.S. to restrict the use of bee-toxic neonicotinoid (neonic) pesticides on city property. The resolution moved forward primarily as a result of efforts by grassroots activists with the local organization Bee Safe Boulder, but also received strong support from city officials.”

Boulder City, CO Passes “Bee Safe” Resolution Restricting Use of Bee-Toxic Neonicotinoids
Beyond Pesticides offers the latest information on pesticides and alternatives, as well as ongoing projects including children’s health, organic food, mosquito control and organic lawn care.
beyondpesticides.org

2,000 free trees up for grabs in Spokane

Ric Weidner prepares one of the cherry trees before planting it in the ground. The wind was howling and temperatures were hovering in the mid 40's but a couple hundred people turned out for the event. To celebrate the Japan United Sates Cherry Blossom Cen

March 20, 2015, www.krem.com | “SPOKANE, Wash. — The City of Spokane and its partners are giving away 2,000 trees in an effort to reduce stormwater runoff.”

  GoodNews FortheEarth

Local residents can come grab two trees each for two tree give away events. The first event was held April 17 and 18; the second event will be held at the end of October. The local residents who do come and claim trees have been asked to plant their trees in a way to help mitigate water from the storms.

  • Pedram Goudarzi, Pippi Langkous, Merry Bindner, Tree Hugger, Alice Alford, Rex Peters, Annie Vas, Robert Stone, Amy Ruddell, Pete Denison, Allan Schwarz,                            Ami Linden, Diana Hartel, Rita Cooper, Kate Sinks, Nancy Knight, Alison Jones, Alex La Tierra, Gail Lucas, Judith Green, Kate Dow, Lesley Labbe, Michael Sykes, Dawn Shitstorm Ti, Jericho Sarai, Rita Kerzen, Linda Stein, Maryska Azzena, Regina Siegel

Doctors and Environmentalists Are Fighting for a Ban Against Monsanto

April 30, 2015, www.takepart.com | “Multinational ag giant Monsanto may seem like an unstoppable force—but don’t tell that to the growing coalition of environmentalists and public health advocates in Argentina. They are fighting toward one audacious goal: to kick the company out of their country.”

Ami Linden shared a link to GoodNews FortheEarth‘s Timeline.
A big medical group joins the chorus calling for the company to be kicked out of Argentina.
takepart.com
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Black Mesa Water Coalition

April 30, 2015, www.blackmesawatercoalition.org | “Black Mesa Water Coalition is dedicated to preserving and protecting Mother Earth and the integrity of Indigenous Peoples’ cultures, with the vision of building sustainable and healthy communities. BMWC strives to empower young people while building sustainable communities.”

Thank you Louise Benally and friends!
Black Mesa Water Coalition is dedicated to preserving and protecting Mother Earth and the integrity of Indigenous Peoples’ cultures, with the vision of building…
blackmesawatercoalition.org
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Pope Summons Scientists to Shape Climate Change Debate

April 27, 2015, www.bloomberg.com | “Pope Francis summoned scientists, government officials and religious leaders to a villa in the manicured Vatican Gardens on Tuesday as he stepped into the heated climate-change debate.  ‘Climate change is a defining issue of our time,’ United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon told attendees at the Vatican conference. ‘It is a moral issue, it is an issue of social justice, human rights and fundamental ethics.'”

Today the Vatican hosts a major event to help move leaders to action on climate change.
Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas, Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information,…
www.bloomberg.com
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Court Declares Vermont’s Genetically Engineered Food Labeling Law Constitutional

April 27, 2015, www.centerforfoodsafety.org | “Today, Center for Food Safety (CFS) hailed the just-issued federal court decision from the U.S. District Court for the District of Vermont affirming the constitutionality of Vermont’s genetically engineered food labeling law, Act 120. The ruling fully denied the preliminary injunction motion brought by the Grocery Manufacturer’s Association, Snack Food Association, and other plaintiffs to try and halt the law’s implementation, and granted the State of Vermont’s motion to dismiss on several claims.”

Ruling Denies Big Food’s Preliminary Injunction Motion April 27, 2015 (Washington, DC)–Today, Center for Food Safety (CFS) hailed the just-issued federal court…centerforfoodsafety.org
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Organic Trumps Conventional Across the Board: Highlights from The Rodale Institute’s 30-Year Report

April 26, 2015, foodtank.com | “After a 30-year side-by-side comparison of organic and conventional agricultural systems, the Rodale Institute reports that organic systems match, or even outperform, conventional systems in terms of yield, profitability, and energy efficiency, while having positive effects on soil health, water quality, and rural communities.”

After a 30-year side-by-side comparison of organic and conventional agricultural systems, the Rodale Institute reports that organic systems match, or even outperform, conventional systems in terms of yield, profitability, and energy efficiency, while having positive effects on soil health, water quality, and rural communities.
The Rodale Institute’s Farming Systems Trial® has concluded that organic methods are superior across the board.
foodtank.com

Ex-NASA Engineer to Plant One Billion Trees a Year Using Drones

April 25, 2015, www.goodnewsnetwork.org | “A start-up plans to help solve the world’s climate problems by using drones to plant forests of seedlings.  “We are going to counter industrial scale deforestation using industrial scale reforestation,” says Lauren Fletcher, the founder of BioCarbon Engineering.  The environmental engineer who worked 20 years with NASA wants to use drone technology to plant up to one billion trees a year, without having to plant each one by hand.”

A start-up plans to help solve the world’s climate problems by using drones to plant forests of seedlings – a billion trees each year.
goodnewsnetwork.org|By Good News Network
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Department of Justice Won’t Stand Behind Fed Agency Support for Industrial Hog Facility

Buffalo National River is one of the few remaining undammed rivers in the lower-48 states.April 24, 2015, earthjustice.org | “Today, the Department of Justice abandoned its defense of an Arkansas hog farm’s $3 million in federal loan guarantees, sending a strong signal to federal agencies: In the future, big loans and guarantees to build big ag facilities have to follow the law. Earthjustice has been fighting Cargill’s C&H Hog Farms, which threatens a national treasure—the Buffalo National River—and nearby Arkansas communities. This 6,500-hog facility in the Arkansas Ozarks jeopardizes waterways, community health and local economy.”

Robert Brothers shared a link to GoodNews FortheEarth‘s Timeline.
Today, the Department of Justice abandoned its defense of an Arkansas hog farm’s $3 million in federal loan guarantees, sending a strong signal to federal agencies:…
earthjustice.org

Vermont Becomes First to Have Mandatory GMO Labeling

April 23, 2015, naturalsociety.com | “Vermont became the first state to become GMO-labeled (a step toward becoming GMO-Free) in 2014, but Monsanto, Dow, Bayer and other biotech interests decided that consumers had no rights at the state level to determine what they wanted to eat. Vermont was brave enough to uphold the voted-upon law anyhow, and even put money aside for the legal fight they knew would ensue when the new legislation passed.”

Maryska AzzenaGoodNews FortheEarth

 Yay!
After months of consumer and activist comments and fighting Big Biotech lawsuits, Vermont has just become the first state to have mandatory GMO labeling.
naturalsociety.com
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