By Dominique Browning

The first I heard about the terrible Colorado flood was through a text from my younger son, with a photo of the ground floor of his apartment complex — underwater. He was safe. But for a second there, time froze and my heart flip-flopped.

As I write, at least six people are believed to have died in the floods and hundreds remain unaccounted for. More than half a year’s worth of rain fell in one week. The National Weather Service called the deluge “Biblical.”

Everyone across the country is talking about how the weather is changing. And the weather is changing because the climate is changing. Our weather is unfolding in the context of a warmer Earth, caused by greenhouse gas emissions. Climate scientists have shown that extreme rainfall, more likely as the Earth warms, is already becoming more common across the country.

The more informed we are, the more effective we can be in pushing for change.

One of our moms and colleague in Boulder, Vickie Patton, talked about the surreal conditions there, with helicopters ferrying people to safety and clouds bursting open over and over again. But she also talked about how moving it was to see people banding together, and to feel the outpouring of human caring and cooperation.

We do not have an ark. This Earth is our ark. We are at the helm. Now.

That small moment I had of my heart in my throat, wondering if my child was safe — that’s what we should all be feeling, as we think about a world of extreme weather ahead, the world we will leave to our children. Meanwhile, our hearts go out to everyone in Colorado.

PLEASE READ, AND SHARE, OUR NEW FREE EBOOK ON GLOBAL WARMING AND EXTREME WEATHER

TELL EPA YOU SUPPORT LIMITS ON CARBON POLLUTION FROM POWER PLANTS

By Moms Clean Air Force

This was written by Gina McCarthy, Administrator, U.S.Environmental Protection Agency for Huffington Post:

I didn’t plan for a life built around protecting the environment. In fact, I started my career as a health agent in the town of Canton, Mass., and later worked for the Stoughton Board of Health. But at some point I realized that at its core, the issue of a clean environment is a matter of public health. The two are inextricably linked.

That’s why, when President Obama unveiled his Climate Action Plan earlier this year, he talked about the health of our children when laying out his strategy to take responsible steps to cut carbon pollution.

As part of that plan, the president directed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to “complete new pollution standards for both new and existing power plants.” That directive rests on legal authority our agency was granted by Congress through passing the Clean Air Act back in 1970. In 2007, the Supreme Court underscored that authority when it definitively determined that carbon pollution is covered by the Clean Air Act.

Among scientists, there is near universal agreement that climate change is happening, it’s human caused, and it’s a threat to our health and welfare.

The 12 hottest years on record have come in the last 15. Last year was the warmest year ever in the contiguous United States; sea ice in the Arctic shrank to its smallest size on record and about one-third of all Americans experienced 10 days or more of 100-degree heat.

We know that carbon pollution is the most prevalent heat-trapping greenhouse gas, warming our planet and fueling climate change. In 2011, power plants and major industrial facilities in the United States emitted over 3 billion metric tons of carbon pollution, which is equal to annual pollution from over 640 million cars. Annually in the U.S., carbon pollution from power plants accounts for one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions, or 40 percent of total carbon pollution, surpassing industrial sources or the transportation sector. That means power plants emit more carbon pollution than every boat, plane, train, and car in the U.S. combined.

With these facts in mind, and given our legal obligation to the American people, EPA is releasing a proposal to limit carbon pollution from future power plants.

Today’s proposal applies only to future power plants, and sets separate national limits for natural gas-fired power plants and coal-fired power plants.

New large natural gas-fired turbines would need to emit less than 1,000 pounds of CO2 per megawatt-hour, while new small natural gas-fired turbines would need to emit less than 1,100 pounds of CO2 per megawatt-hour.

New coal-fired units would need to emit less than 1,100 pounds of CO2 per megawatt-hour or, to provide plants the flexibility and time to optimize technologies, between 1,000 and 1,050 pounds of CO2 per megawatt-hour on average over 84 months of operation.

These levels are achievable by using partial carbon capture and sequestration, a proven technology that is being used right now to support the development of both new conventional and new unconventional coal plants.

These proposed standards would minimize carbon pollution by taking advantage of modern, cleaner energy technologies that power companies are already using to build the next generation of power plants. This is exactly what the Clean Air Act requires.

Without these steps we will continue to pay an ever-increasing price for climate impacts. In 2012 alone, the cost of weather disasters exceeded $110 billion in the United States, the second costliest year on record.

Beyond the costs of property destruction and disaster relief, there are significant public health risks and costs from climate change. Warmer temperatures spurred by carbon pollution worsen smog and pollen levels. This can lead to more asthma attacks and other respiratory problems. The nation’s asthma rates have already doubled over the past 30 years. In addition to safeguarding public health, these standards are cost effective. Since 1970, every $1 invested to comply with Clean Air Act standards has returned $4-8 in economic benefits. We estimate that by 2020, benefits from the Clean Air Act will outweigh the costs by a ratio of 30 to 1. These standards were developed the same way, based on proven technologies and common sense approaches.

The future power plant carbon pollution standards announced today begin to address the problem, and have benefited from incorporating inputs and views from over 2.5 million public comments, including those from industry leaders and trade groups. We’ve also carefully considered recent trends in the power sector. This proposal represents an update to the old proposal from last year.

EPA is also launching today the process to develop guidelines for existing power plants, building on progress state and local leaders have already made. More than 35 states have renewable energy targets, more than 25 have set energy efficiency targets, and over 1,000 mayors have signed agreements to cut carbon pollution. EPA is working in close consultation with states to ensure that any proposal for existing power plants allows flexibility to account for differences among states.

Throughout the development of both of these plans, we have kept an eye toward economic impact. The argument that we must choose between economic growth and environmental protection is a false one. Where climate change is concerned, the path forward lies in a more efficient, resilient and innovative domestic economy.

The good news is — action on climate change presents a distinct opportunity. And we have seen it work. EPA recently worked with the auto industry to develop historic fuel economy standards that are saving families money and driving down carbon pollution. Today, the auto industry is thriving, and American consumers save about $8 thousand at the pump over the life of their vehicle. We can’t solve climate change overnight — but we can get closer to a solution. As the president said — we must ask ourselves: Do “we have the courage to act before it’s too late? How we answer will have a profound impact on the world that we leave behind,” for generations to come.

UNITE FOR A STRONG PLAN TO FIGHT GLOBAL WARMING

By Moms Clean Air Force

This presentation addressing the Detroit Incinerator was presented by MCAF Michigan Field Manager, Wibke Heymach at a community meeting on Tuesday, September 17, 2013:

I am here today representing Moms Clean Air Force (MCAF). We are a non-profit bipartisan organization that seeks to protect the Clean Air Act. As an organization we have been present in Michigan for 18 months, and have given voice to parents, grandparents, guardians, care takers and anyone that seeks to protect children’s health from issues of air pollution. In Michigan, we are working on federal issues as well as state and local issues of air pollution, including the ongoing travesty that has been the Detroit Incinerator.

Often we face the problem of alerting communities to the urgency of an issue as air pollution seldom is visible. Often what we cannot see or perceive through other sensory means does not exist for us, or is harder to grasp. This however has never been a problem with the Detroit Incinerator. The community has been affected notably for years and has been alerted to the problem by the bad odor they have to suffer through frequently.

This high frequency of complaints to Michigan Department of Environmental Quality’s (MDEQ) Air Quality Division has resulted in Detroit Renewable Power (DRP) receiving 6 odor violations of Rule 901 in 2011-12. Currently DRP is out of compliance with Rule 901 (901 violation is for emitting air contaminants that cause an unreasonable interference in the comfortable enjoyment of life and property). These odor violations generally occur during warm months from May through September.

These odor violations are still unresolved with the MDEQ.

I want to lead this presentation with a caveat. While what is generated at the Incinerator is referred to as Detroit Renewable Energy, it is not what we look at as clean renewable energy that would be derived from wind, solar and hydro sources. This renewable energy being used here is in fact, as many, if not all of you know, generated by burning trash.

The Detroit Department of Public Works’ 2012 Annual Recycling Report states that, currently, the city of Detroit recycles just under 7% of their waste. The remainders of materials, many of which are recyclable, are sent to Detroit Renewable Power to be burned.

The Detroit Incinerator contributes to a poor quality of life for those living around the facility, as many present here can attest. Foul odors prevent residents from enjoying the outdoors during the warmer months. The Michigan DEQ states that since Detroit Renewable Power took over ownership of the facility in 2010, complaints of foul odors to MDEQ have increased precipitously. From only 3-4 complaints to MDEQ under the previous owner Covanta Energy in 2008 – 2009, complaints under Detroit Renewable Power have increased to 16 in 2010, 57 in 2011, and 119 in 2012.

According to 2008 data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Detroit Renewable Power is ranked 7th highest in Wayne County for lead emissions, and 11th for mercury emissions. Mercury is a neurotoxin that impairs motor, sensory, and cognitive functions, and lead exposure can contribute to neurological disorders in children.

Let’s talk about mercury in more detail. Mercury is a natural chemical element, highly poisonous to both people and wildlife. Over 400,000 newborns are affected by mercury pollution every year and mercury can impair the growth of the brain in ways that interfere with learning and thinking. People keep talking about mercury as natural, but that statement is misleading. Unlike some heavy elements, such as zinc and copper, mercury has no biological use. Each and every atom of mercury is toxic. All living cells have to deploy complex mechanisms to protect themselves against it, and when the protective mechanisms fail, results are dramatic. Mercury’s main target organ is the brain and it adversely affects the function and development of the central nervous system. It also affects heart, kidneys, lungs, muscles, reproductive and digestive organs, and our genetic and immune system.

Next time someone tells you that mercury cannot be bad for you because it is natural, remember, nature is full of toxic chemical elements. Remind that person about aluminum, arsenic, barium, cadmium, and lead – just for starters. Lots of natural things are toxic, if the dose is high enough. But with mercury, the toxic dose is tiny. When you breathe in mercury vapors most (about 80%) of the mercury enters your bloodstream directly from your lungs, and then rapidly goes to other parts of your body, including the brain and kidneys. Once in your body, metallic mercury can stay for weeks or months. When metallic mercury enters the brain, it is readily converted to an inorganic form and is “trapped” in the brain for a long time. Metallic mercury in the blood of a pregnant woman can enter her developing child. Most of the metallic mercury will accumulate in your kidneys, but some metallic mercury can also accumulate in the brain. Most of the metallic mercury absorbed into the body eventually leaves in the urine and feces, while smaller amounts leave the body in the exhaled breath.

According to 2008 EPA data, Detroit Renewable Power is the 5th highest emitter of nitrogen oxides (NOx) in Wayne County, an essential ingredient of ozone. Currently Wayne County is in non-attainment for ozone, and ozone is a major contributor to asthma. More than 30,000 children and 700,000 adults suffer from asthma in Michigan, which costs us $394 million in medical bills per year. Asthma is a disease for which rates of hospitalization in Detroit are three times higher than that of Michigan as a whole. The Ozone Action Days last year were at a record high in Michigan–preventing children, especially those plagued with asthma, to play outside while they were in effect.

So what can you do? I do not want to just throw all those facts at you and leave your worried with no way to turn. Well, this is a start: have a conversation with your community, come together and seek action to improve the quality of life for you and your children. Further,continue to call in with complaints so that the pressure on Detroit Renewable Power rises until they can no longer ignore the issue. For that to happen, sign up with an organization, such as ours or Zero Waste Detroit to make your voice heard. We are happy to be your spokesperson and to give your voice volume, through community meetings, letters to the editor and opinion pieces in newspapers and by talking with you to your local and State Representatives.

CLICK HERE to watch a video of Wibke’s statement.

TELL YOUR SENATORS TO SUPPORT THE NEW ENERGY BILL

By Marcia G. Yerman

Fifteen years ago, Jane Dale Owen moved back to her family home in Houston to be with her aging parents. Believing that she was suffering from the flu for a two-year period, Owen sought out doctors, toxicologists, and chemists. She learned about particulate matter and how it causes symptoms that mimic the signs of allergies such as hay fever. “When I moved here, I didn’t realize how polluted it was,” she said. It turned out her health issues emanated from the emissions coming from oil refineries.

Jane Dale Owen

Environmentalist

When I interviewed Owen by telephone, she told me, “Houston made me become an environmentalist because of the air pollution.” She continued, “60 percent of the nation’s refineries are located near the city at the Houston Ship Canal.” Currently, Texas tops all states for mercury pollution. According to the American Lung Association, in their 2013 report that documents the 2009-2011 period, Houston was ranked as “seventh most ozone-polluted in the nation.” Despite improvement, Houston still has levels of ozone and particulate matter that fail to meet national air quality standards.

This is the point at which Owen’s story becomes ironic, because her grandfather was the co-founder of Humble Oil, which consolidated with Standard Oil of New Jersey to become Exxon Company. Her father was a field geologist who discovered the oil field that would become the source of the Houston companies, Gulf Shore Oil and Trans-Texas Production Company. Owen relates, “My grandfather was a religious, generous man and a humanitarian. In the period of 1917-1930, oil was in its early stages. Like tobacco, people didn’t know what the side effects of refining were.”

ExxonMobil Shareholder

However, as a descendant of Robert Owen, a Welsh social reformer, Owen is outspoken in her views — and her anger about the way the environment is being impacted is quite palpable. As a shareholder in ExxonMobil, she works on resolutions every year, believing that it is more useful than selling her shares. She conveyed to me, “It’s the most positive way for me to force change.” Owen firmly believes that ExxonMobil “should diversify into renewables in a meaningful way.” She supports solar, wind, and geothermal as potential options.

Blunt about the negative impacts of fracking, Owen said, “It has been documented that after the first year’s return from fracking, resources dwindle. In the second year, there is a 48 percent return.” Discussing the “tremendous amount of water” that is used in the process and the lack of transparency about the chemical ingredients involved, Owen noted, “It’s the most shocking thing going on right now.”

Regarding the Keystone XL pipeline, Owen is unambiguous about her opposition. “What disturbs me most is the red flag—the question of eminent domain.” Besides questioning the potential ruination of water supplies and endangering animal and human health, Owen asked, “What gives them the right? That’s the cut off point.”

Activist

As a citizen activist, Owen worked with Denny Larson and the Bucket Brigade, taking air samples all around Houston. She also endeavored to bring attention to the 1998 shipment of napalm to Texas for disposal purposes. “All states except Texas refused it,” related Owen, observing drily, “Texas makes a lot of money in waste management.”

Owen founded Citizens League for Environmental Action Now (CLEAN) to create a place for those in the Houston area to learn about air quality and pollution issues outside of the “party line” messaging. Eventually, the Houston Chronicle took notice and featured her in an opinion piece titled, “Perry’s Texas Pollution Problem.”

Mother and Grandmother

As a mother and a grandmother, Owen is particularly concerned about what is on the horizon. “It’s so hard to understand why people don’t care,” she said. Referencing her economic peers in the Houston area, she remarked, “It’s shameful that they are turning a blind eye to fence line communities.” As to the issue of corporate social responsibility, Owen pointed out, “These oil companies that have 43 billion dollars per year in profit could relocate [impacted] people.” Underscoring her passion about clean air, Owen said, “I encourage everyone to get involved and be proactive.”

Her final thoughts were simply put. She said, “Our children are our most precious resource. What is more important that protecting future generations?”

Jane Dale Owen photo used with permission.

 TELL YOUR SENATORS TO SUPPORT THE NEW ENERGY BILL

 

By Lori Popkewitz Alper

Walmart is listening. The Mind the Store campaign is working. Together we’ve asked the nation’s top 10 retailers to avoid carrying what are being calling the Hazardous 100 + toxic chemicals.

Remember when I went into Walgreens and asked them to take steps to remove toxic chemicals from the products they sell? These toxic chemicals have been linked to cancer, infertility, learning and developmental disabilities, behavioral problems, obesity, diabetes, and asthma.

Walmart is the world’s biggest multinational retailer, with “superstores” selling everything from clothes and electronics to furniture and groceries and it’s decided to take steps towards selling safer products.

Walmart’s Plan Of Action

“Walmart customers expect products that are safe, affordable and sustainable.” ~Walmart Policy on Sustainable Chemistry in Consumables

Walmart is taking consumer pressure seriously and announced that it will try to get their suppliers to disclose and eventually phase out 10 potentially toxic chemicals from personal care products, cosmetics and cleaning products sold in its stores. Walmart has also agreed to work with their suppliers to move towards safer alternatives.

The disclosure practices will begin in 2015 and apply to cleaners, personal care products, cosmetics and baby care.

Also part of the plan – Walmart brand cleaners will no longer contain toxic chemicals outlined by the EPA’s Design for the Environment program.

Good First Step, But A Long Way to Go

While this appears to be a giant leap in the right direction, there are a few pieces of Walmart’s big news that are concerning.

• Walmart has yet to disclose which chemicals would be phased out. They have confirmed that all 10 chemicals appear on the list of chemicals that Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families published in April as part of its Mind the Store campaign. Why won’t they tell us what the 10 are right now? What’s the secrecy all about? If you’re aiming for full transparency this isn’t a very good way to start.
• Consumers still need to do their homework before purchasing a product. Walmart’s taking a step towards transparency, but we can’t assume that all of their products will now be safe. Remember-they’re only committing to phase out 10 toxic chemicals while there are over 100 on the list. A product could still contain other toxic chemicals in addition to the 10 secret ingredients that Walmart is planning to phase out. This is a good first step, but there is still a long way to go.

In Walmart’s defense, it described this as just the beginning of action on chemicals rather than the end. I’m generally not a Walmart shopper, but I do know that these changes will ultimately impact the safety of the products I buy. Even though I have concerns, this step by Walmart shouldn’t be taken lightly-it’s a huge undertaking with half a million products in every store from more than 100,000 suppliers. We know other retailers are watching how this whole thing plays out. Fingers crossed that they will soon follow Walmart’s lead.

Baby steps.

What do you think about Walmart’s announcement to disclose and phase out a few toxic chemicals?

This was re-posted from Groovy Green Livin. Photo: trekandshoot / Shutterstock.com

TELL YOUR SENATORS TO SUPPORT THE NEW ENERGY BILL

By Judith A. Ross

Ever since man (and woman) figured out how to turn a spark into a flame, there has been soot. Soot, also known as particulate matter, and particle pollution doesn’t just come from fires,  it also comes from diesel engines, vehicle tailpipes, coal plant smokestacks, and oil refineries.

Whatever you call it, the stuff isn’t just dirty, it’s also deadly, causing thousands of premature deaths, asthma attacks, and heart attacks each year.

Soot is powerful stuff — so powerful, in fact, that a study completed earlier this year suggests that it killed the little ice age—a relatively cool period of 500 years that began near the end of the thirteenth century.

According to a recent article in Nature by Quirin Schiermeier,

“Rising air pollution in the wake of the Industrial Revolution seems to be the explanation for a long-standing enigma in glaciology. The emission of soot from Europe’s proliferating factory smokestacks and steam locomotives explains why glaciers in the Alps began their retreat long before the climate warming caused by human activities kicked in…”

In fact, Alpine climate records suggest that rather than retreating, those glaciers should have continued growing until about 1910— about 10 years after global temperatures began to rise significantly.

But, according to the article, when scientists drilled down into ice cores in the western Alps, they found that the layers of glacial ice that date back to around 1860 “…started to contain surprisingly large amounts of soot.”

When soot is layered over ice and snow, it absorbs heat in the same way a city street does on a sizzling summer day, accelerating melting. Records show that by the mid-nineteenth century the air in some Alpine valleys was so thick with the inky stuff that, according to the study’s co-author, glaciologist Georg Kaser, “Housewives in Innsbruck refrained from drying laundry outdoors.”

Why does this matter? It matters because it highlights the power of a substance emitted from sources that range from a seemingly innocent campfire to power plants.

Not only is soot by itself a threat to human health and delicate ecosystems, it is a potent contributor to global warming.

Let’s not let climate change finish the glacier melt that soot started.

As Kaser told Nature,

“If glaciers in the region continue to melt at the rate observed during the past 30 years, there is a risk that nearly all of them will vanish before the end of the century.”

Soot is but one piece of the climate change puzzle. Halting its progress will require a series of steps both big and small. One step we can take right now is to urge the Senate to pass what Dominique has dubbed the New Energy Bill, which will save us both energy and money while promoting practices that will help decrease greenhouse gas emissions.

And it might just keep those glaciers from melting away too.

Cartoon: Liza Donnelly

TELL YOUR SENATORS TO SUPPORT THE NEW ENERGY BILL

By Moms Clean Air Force

This was written by Todd Tanner for Climate Access:

I’m not sure how many strategists would agree, but I honestly don’t think there’s a more important climate demographic than sportsmen. As an outdoor writer, as well as a longtime hunter and angler, I’d like to share some thoughts on why we should engage America’s 37 million sportsmen on climate change – as well as how we should go about that task.

Let’s look at the “why” first.

It’s hard to imagine a successful global climate accord without America stepping into a leadership role and exercising its full political, economic and moral authority. Unfortunately, until we break the partisan logjam in DC and bring both political parties to the negotiating table, any kind of unified American response to climate change is little more than a fantasy. Which means that our first, second and third priorities should be getting Republicans and Democrats to work together.

I know … Fat chance.

Realistically, there are only two ways to create this kind of seismic shift. The first is to throw huge – and I mean truly astronomical – amounts of money at the issue. But since we don’t have mountains of cash lying around, we might as well wait for pigs to fly. We’re never going to compete with the fossil fuel interests on a purely financial basis.

The second option is to educate and energize key elements in the conservative base, and then have those elements put serious pressure on their elected leaders in DC. If the base shifts, conservative Senators and Congressmen will have a choice to make – either listen to their constituents or be voted out of office.

Which is where sportsmen come in. Most hunters and anglers are conservative or conservative-leaning. They’ve been helping elect conservative politicians for decades. But most sportsmen don’t vote for conservatives as a reflex action; they vote for them because they feel that conservative politicians share their values and worldview. If millions of sportsmen suddenly begin to realize that their elected officials are selling them out and putting their children and grandchildren at risk, they will demand immediate action – and dozens of climate deniers in Congress will suddenly start singing a different tune.

A quick aside: I’m convinced that if climate change had been framed as a conservative issue, the problem would have been solved decades ago. At a minimum, we would have had millions of armed citizens marching on DC and threatening to burn the whole town to the ground. And when you think about it, that’s exactly what should be happening right now. A small number of exceedingly powerful corporations are putting our entire country—not to mention our sons and daughters—at risk, and we’re standing around like we’re in the church choir, politely whispering “Excuse me …” while the great fossil fuel orators pound the pulpit and preach the gospel of coal, oil and gas.

One thing is certain. Once sportsmen realize that their hunting and fishing—and their families—are at risk from climate change, they won’t swoon and collapse onto their fainting couches. They’ll raise holy hell and bring about a seismic shift in DC. The question isn’t if this will happen. It will. The question is whether it will happen in time for us to address climate change and avoid the worst of the positive feedback loops.

And that’s why we need to bring sportsmen and other conservative groups into the climate fight as soon as possible. We don’t need people who are going to charge up the hill into the machine guns, we need people who, when the coach says, “Run through that damn wall!”, will try to run through that wall. We need—and forgive me for pointing this out, but it’s absolutely true—people with the courage of their convictions, who aren’t worried about being polite and gracious and politically correct; we need people with a backbone. There are indeed some folks like that on the left. My personal experience is that there are a hell of a lot more on the right.

So how should you talk to hunters and anglers about climate change? Here’s my advice.

• Be honest. Be honest to a fault. Don’t try to represent yourself as something you’re not. You only get to lose someone’s trust once. Tell the truth about who you are and why you’re reaching out, and stick to the facts. If the science doesn’t support your message, then you’d better change your message.
• Be respectful. A lot of Americans—especially urban Americans—look down on sportsmen as hicks or rednecks or, to put it more politely, anachronisms from a simpler time. Here’s a news flash. Sportsmen, like any other group, run the gamut, from dumb as a box of rocks to sheer genius, and anything that smacks of “I’m better than you because I don’t kill animals” is not only incredibly counterproductive, it’s completely unwarranted. If you’re always respectful, you’ll take all that potential negativity out of play.
• Be grateful. Sportsmen are responsible for most of the great American conservation stories of the last hundred years. Their license fees and tax dollars have paid to restore fish and wildlife habitat all over our country. Don’t fall into the trap of blaming hunters and anglers for our environmental problems. On balance, they’ve done more than any other group to protect America’s outdoors. If you give them the respect and credit they’re due, they’ll be far more likely to listen to what you have to say.
• Ask. Ask what hunters and anglers think, ask how they feel, ask why they are, or aren’t, worried about climate change. Then take the time to listen to what they have to say. It’s amazing how people react differently when you stop talking and actually listen.
• Remember whom you’re talking to. In The Art of War, Sun Tzu stressed the importance of knowing your enemy. But he also made the case that it’s just as important to know yourself, your allies and your potential allies. Study up on the cognitive sciences and learn to frame your message in a way that allows sportsmen to hear what you’re saying. If you’re using green or environmental or progressive frames on most sportsmen, you’re not only wasting your time, you’re making the whole situation worse. Know your audience. Use conservative frames for conservative sportsmen.
• When it’s appropriate, share Joe Romm’s point regarding libertarians and government intrusion. As Joe pointed out, “If you hate government intrusion into people’s lives, you’d better stop catastrophic global warming, because nothing drives a country more towards activist government than scarcity and deprivation.” Dealing with climate change now will preclude government intrusion down the road. That’s a message that can resonate with certain sportsmen.
• Ask for help when you need it. Bring in actual hunters and anglers who can help you frame and spread your message. Half of persuasion is the message and the other half is the messenger. Look in the mirror, and be honest. If you’re not the right person to make your case, then step back from the bullhorn and take the time to bring in someone else with the right skills and background. It can make a huge difference.
• Stick to climate. It’s not your job to convince conservative sportsmen of the error of their ways, or to nudge them toward progressive values. It doesn’t matter whom they voted for in the last election or what other political or social positions they embrace. They have a right to their views, and conservative-bashing or anti-conservative rhetoric will almost always be counterproductive.
• Focus on the things you have in common, not the areas that divide you. In my experience, most sportsmen treasure their families and our American landscapes. Those shared values are two excellent places to start building a connection.

At the end of the day, people trying to reach hunters and anglers on climate change have one huge advantage. We have reality on our side. Sportsmen already see the changes taking place on the landscape. Our job is to help them make the connection between what they’re seeing and what our scientists are saying—and then make them aware of the threat to their families, their sporting heritage and their outdoor traditions. If we’re successful, America’s 37 million hunters and anglers can change the climate and energy paradigm in DC. But keep in mind that reaching out to sportsmen isn’t preaching to the choir. We need to be smart, honest and effective if we’re going to educate hunters and anglers and turn them into climate activists.

About the author: Todd Tanner is a lifelong hunter and angler, a former fly fishing and big game guide, and a nationally recognized outdoor writer. He is also the founder and chair of Conservation Hawks, a nonprofit group focused on educating America’s hunters and anglers about climate change. His personal website is Casting West.

UNITE FOR A STRONG PLAN TO FIGHT GLOBAL WARMING

By Gina Carroll

For my family of asthma sufferers, the implications of a new study connecting black women to higher incidents of asthma, adds to our already heightened (Post-Trayvon Martin) consciousness of racism’s presence. For us, racial hatred, discrimination and disparate treatment, in their blatant and their more subtle incarnations, are additional forms of pollution wreaking havoc on our health and our well-being.

In a new study from the Slone Epidemiology Center (SEC) at Boston University, researchers found that African-American women who reported more frequent experiences of racism had a greater likelihood of adult-onset asthma. The study followed 38,142 black women from 1997 thru 2011. As participants in the Black Women’s Health Study (the largest follow-up study of the health of African American women in the United States), subjects completed health questionnaires every two years. The surveys asked them to provide information on their experiences of “everyday” racism, like poor service in restaurants or stores, and on their experiences with “lifetime” racism, like discrimination by police, on the job or in housing. The study found that as “everyday” and “lifetime” racism increased, the incidence of adult-onset asthma also rose. Study participants showed up to 45% increase in the highest category of the racism measures compared to women in the lowest category. This increase was even higher for those in the highest category of “everyday” racism, their measures showing an upward climb both in 1997 and in 2009.

Researchers suggest that the mechanism at play, connecting racism to disease, is stress. The affects of stress on the immune and respiratory systems are well-documented. Lead researcher, Dr. Patricia Coogan, indicates that the experiences of racism, as reported by the study participants, cause a level of stress that has the potential to undermine the health of black women. She says,

“Racism is a significant stressor in the lives of African-American women, and our results contribute to a growing body of evidence indicating that experiences of racism can have adverse effects on health.”

Black women have higher rates of many illnesses, such as hypertension, more virulent forms of breast cancer at young ages, diabetes, stroke, and lupus. African Americans suffer asthma and respiratory ailments at disproportionately higher rates than the rest of the population. Isn’t it interesting that stress plays a role in all of these ailments as a trigger and exaserbator?

Those of us involved in clean air issues (and sounding of the alarm about the epidemic numbers of African-American asthma suffers) know that African-American communities who grapple with asthma, allergies and other chronic respiratory diseases, must add racism to the list of triggers against which many feel powerless. Racism is another pollution whose toll is highest among people-of-color, already disproportionately poor and without adequate access to quality education.

This is not a “oh poor me” statement about the inequities in our country. This a call out about a reality that is everyone’s responsibility and burden. Racism kills…and it makes us sick. Like all of the other forms of man-made pollution diminishing our health, it is completely within our power to make a difference.

UNITE FOR A STRONG PLAN TO FIGHT GLOBAL WARMING

By Moms Clean Air Force

Ever wonder about chemicals in your day-to-day life?

What’s in the air I breathe? The water I drink? The food I eat? Even the things I put on my skin?

Ed Brown wondered these same things after his wife suffered two miscarriages (they now have two beautiful children). But instead of just wondering, he traveled around the country with his video camera to interview top minds in the fields of science, advocacy and law and learned there are unacceptable levels of chemicals in so many things. Including our bodies.

Approximately 200 synthetic industrial chemicals interact with our cells every single day.

Ed’s documentary dissects the ways chemicals saturate our homes and environment amid a backdrop of a glaring lack of regulation. It chronicles the results of the post-WWII chemical boom and details common avenues of exposure, from food to fluoride to toxic sludge.

Some Unacceptable Facts from the film:

• Autism now affects one in 50 children.
• Cancer is the leading cause of death (after accidents) in children younger than 15 years in the United States.
• In the last twenty years, the rates of asthma, allergies and ADHD are on the rise: 400% increase in allergies, 300% increase in asthma, 400% increase in ADHD
• $2.6 Trillion of the GDP is spent on treating disease every year.

This film is a huge eye-opener! Once a parent sees this, they thankfully won’t ever approach their child’s health & future the same way ever again!” ~ Jessica Capshaw Gavigan, actress, MCAF Leadership Circle

Joins us for a screening in Michigan!

WHEN: October 16

WHERE: Michigan Theater 603 E Liberty Street, Ann Arbor

For event details and tickets please visit http://www.tugg.com/events/5451

Or contact Wibke: vee@momscleanairforce.org, 586.344.2603

View the trailer for the award-winning debut film, Unacceptable Levels:

To find a screening in your area, visit UnacceptableLevels.com. New screenings will be added, so be sure to check back often.

JOIN MOMS CLEAN AIR FORCE

By Danny Shanahan

Got a college kid? Did you know asthma is the third-ranking cause of hospitalization in children and young adults and it accounts for approximately 500,000 hospitalizations each year? There’s a minefield of asthma triggers at college, but with planning and management you and your child can breathe easier at school.

Please READ and SHARE our free Asthma Goes To College ebook.

Remember, the best way to control the air on campus is to support strong laws that protect our air. And don’t forget to tell roommates that smoking and burning incense are a deal breakers.

UNITE (WITH YOUR COLLEGE CHILDREN) FOR A STRONG PLAN TO FIGHT GLOBAL WARMING

By Dominique Browning

Finally: a (relatively) small bill that could make a huge difference.  And all of a sudden, because of the delay in a vote on Syria, it is on the Senate floor right now.

I’m calling it the New Energy Bill, because its real name is a mouthful: The Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act (S. 761).

The first major energy bill since 2007, the New Energy Bill is being sponsored by Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat from New Hampshire, and Senator Rob Portman, a Republican from Ohio. It is all about saving energy—and saving money. It speaks to those good, old-fashioned values of thrift and respect for precious resources.

The New Energy Bill will:

• Require cuts in government and industrial energy waste
• Help homeowners finance energy efficiency improvements
• Save consumers and businesses over $65 billion on energy bills by 2030
• Create new jobs in the United States
• Prevent unnecessary electric generation and natural gas consumption
• Cut greenhouse gas emissions
• Promote research and development of energy-efficient technologies.

Ever wonder about the connection between, say, your window—and climate change? An energy efficient window keeps heat and cool air inside—so we use less energy. That lowers bills. We burn fewer fossil fuels—and that means we decrease the greenhouse gas emissions that are disrupting our climate.

The fight against greenhouse gas pollution is a tough one. There isn’t one magic bullet that stops global warming. Instead, we have to chug our way through. This energy bill is like the Little Engine That Could—remember that? “I think I can, I think I can.”  This bipartisan bill is reason for optimism. We can unite around values of efficiency, and find solutions to our climate problems—right in our own homes.

Please tell your Senator: We think you can! You can pass this New Energy Bill, and usher in an era of energy efficiency that is a win-win for all of us. And please– keep the bill clean and free of amendments that would weaken it!

 TELL YOUR SENATORS TO SUPPORT THE NEW ENERGY BILL

 

By Bridget James

At 6:30 p.m. on Friday, September 6th, I walked outside with my 2 year old son to relish the feeling of being surrounded by clouds. The cloudy, misty skies that surrounded us was like something one usually sees when high in the mountains or on an incredibly foggy, wet day. I remember the awe that swept over me as one minute the skies were sunny and clear while the next, a fog so thick I thought I was in a dream. We sat on our lounge chairs and I snuggled my son, telling him about the weather and enjoying the change from our typical sunny and hot surroundings. Little did I know, the thick haze was not only a wet, cold front pushing through the city.  Along with it came non other than bypassed medical waste that had incinerated with such greatness, it followed a front through the city, choking Utah’s residents.

Stericycle, a Utah based medical waste incinerating plant, has been under fire for illegal activity and toxic air emissions. The company, located next to residential neighboring communities in North Salt Lake, was caught for giving false records and consequently ordered to be in violation by the Environmental Protection Agency for illegally emitting more waste than reported.  In May of 2013, the EPA fined Stericycle for giving false records and incinerating more medical waste and emitting more deadly toxins into the capital city’s already poor air shed than their records shown.  Neighboring residents began noticing a change in activity at the facility, noting smoke throughout the nights, and demanded to know what was being done to protect the health of their families.

Then, on Friday September 6th, the plant emitted a toxic cloud because of an “emergency bypass” into the metropolis so large that nearby residents ran for cover.  The fire department was called by concerned citizens so they made their way to the medical waste plant only to be turned away at the door. Turned away?

Erin Brokovich, the notable attorney who Julia Roberts played in a the blockbuster film “Erin Brokovich”, took notice of the medical waste facility’s suspicious activity.  It is  clear to see that the waste being incinerated and the toxic fumes is nothing but a public health catastrophe for this particular setting.

Robert Bowcock, Erin Brokovich’s lead investigator, had this to say in response to last Friday’s event:
I am sickened by the Government response to the Stericycle “event” yesterday. All of Utah should be outraged that a Non-Utah corporation can turn one of the most beautiful places on earth into their own dumping ground…and literally behave like criminals and get away with it…in the name of due process. Tell that to the children whose lungs were clogged with tissue and medical waste ash yesterday evening. Nice job Utah Division of Air Quality…tuck your children into bed with a clear conscience.

While Utah’s residents are accustomed to the typical air toxins emitted from vehicle exhaust and coal fired power, the Stericycle event sheds an entire new light, and host of deadly toxins, into Utah’s continuing air quality problems.

Utah Moms for Clean Air’s official statement on Stericycle:

The position of Utah Moms for Clean Air is clear: Allowing the highly toxic Stericycle medical incinerator in North Salt Lake to remain open in our community is nothing less than a form of modern-day human sacrifice in the name of profit.  We call for an immediate shut-down of this facility.

Utah Moms for Clean Air, along with newly formed Community for Clean Air of North Salt Lake, HEAL Utah, Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, Erin Brokovich and her investigative team, and Greenaction are asking the Governor to use his emergency authority and close the Stericycle incinerator.

In Utah, we are already on the brink of disastrous air quality caused from a combination of our unique geological setting, vehicle exhaust and big industrial polluters.  Adding highly toxic incinerated medical waste into the mix is nothing more than a tragedy.  Our government officials must act now, before it’s too late!  I can only hope that the toxic plume my son and I inhaled, along with the thousands of other families, is never allowed to happen to our fragile children again.

By Moms Clean Air Force

This was written by Keith Gaby for EDF Voices:

It seems to be human nature to put people in categories and make assumptions about their behavior. Most evangelical Christians are conservatives, many conservatives have doubts about climate science, so we assume evangelicals are not concerned about global warming. The only problem with that logic is that, it turns out, a lot of deeply religious Christians are very concerned about climate change.

The latest evidence of that is a letter written by 200 scientists who are also evangelical Christians. One of the letter organizers, Katharine Hayhoe, director of the Climate Science Center at Texas Tech University, told Climate Wire that the signers’ faith motivated them to speak out. “We wanted to tell our community and nation that not only does science compel us to get involved, but that also faith compels us,” Hayhoe said.

The letter reads, in part:

The Bible tells us that “love does no harm to its neighbor” (Romans 13:10), yet the way we live now harms our neighbors, both locally and globally. For the world’s poorest people, climate change means dried-up wells in Africa, floods in Asia that wash away crops and homes, wildfires in the U.S. and Russia, loss of villages and food species in the Arctic, environmental refugees, and disease. Our changing climate threatens the health, security, and well-being of millions of people who are made in God’s image. The threat to future generations and global prosperity means we can no longer afford complacency and endless debate. We as a society risk being counted among “those who destroy the earth” (Revelation 11:18)

The letter comes on the heels of the Obama administration’s new Climate Action Plan, but many evangelicals have been making the case for action on global warming for years. Some see a biblical imperative to care for God’s creation. Others are reflecting on Christ’s command that we should care for the “least” in our society – seeing the risks from climate-driven impacts like flooding and agricultural disruption in places like Bangladesh and many parts of Africa.

This is not to say that all, or even most, evangelical Christians are pushing for urgent action on climate change. Opinion in that community is diverse, and many who are politically conservative remain uncertain about adopting a position normally associated with liberals. But it seems as if more and more evangelical Christians are seeing the impacts of climate change, and becoming concerned about its effects on the planet and the poor.

Finding a solution to climate change will require broadening the circle of those calling for action, so growing support in the evangelical community is very welcome news. Hopefully more people, evangelical Christians among them, will take a new look at this challenge and help spread the word of the need for action. While there has sometimes been a tension between science and religion, this is an area in which good works and good science can be aligned.

UNITE FOR A STRONG PLAN TO FIGHT GLOBAL WARMING

By Moms Clean Air Force

Did you know that the air inside of your house is three to five times more polluted than the air outside, even if you live in a city? Green Living Expert & Author, Alexandra Zissu (and MCAF contributor) discusses cheap ways to improve indoor air quality. She joins Marlo Thomas HERE.

Watch the interview below and let us know what you do to keep your indoor air clean for your family:

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By Moms Clean Air Force

REGISTER HERE

By Karen Lee

The title sounds daunting, doesn’t it? Raising a child is hard enough, and you won’t find much about raising an ecological child in baby books. But it’s important to raise our children to be their own advocates and to teach them how to be aware of their environmental status. And I’ll admit I’ve resorted to creative and stealthy ways to achieve that.

I wonder…

Even with the best of intentions of teaching our children what we think they should know about the environment, do they act ecologically responsible when we are not around? Are they ecologically conscientious? Were my ‘stealthy’ tactics effective?

With my last child leaving for college recently, I found the answer to my questions…

Ecological Parenting

In general, I try to lead by example — by showing my children how to be morally, ethically, and environmentally responsible. In our daily conversations, early on, I started verbalizing by including words, such as, “ecologically responsible.” It’s easier said than it seems, trust me. There are a few habits – albeit small – that I made sure were part of their lives.

• Family Dinners – Daily dinner conversations that included topics on climate change and toxicity in our lives gave my children something to think about other than which movies to watch, or how much homework they had.
• REFUSE unnecessary stuff. REUSE what we already have. Yes, we can reuse glass jars, even though they are recyclable. REPURPOSE (Upcycle) what we have. But when my daughter started cutting up old tee-shirts – all of them – to make tank tops, I had to take away the scissors. RECYCLE obviously, but also, sort properly. Yes, you need to take the bottles caps off before throwing them in the recycling bin and no, you can’t recycle broken drinking glasses or mirrors.
• Buy Organic - It might cost a bit more but not compared to health care costs if we get sick. Buying organic products cuts down on the time it takes to go grocery shopping since it eliminates the need to read labels for GMO and chemicals.
• Drive responsibly to lower CO2 emission levels. I included my children in my recent Plug In For Charity MPG Challenge so they can learn what it means to drive an energy-efficient car and why that is important to our air quality. And we chose Autism Speaks to donate our $2500 prize money! The decision was, in part, because autism has been linked to air pollution. Thanks to my children, we were able to reach the 999 MPG challenge. My son even made a video of our progress…and my daughter added her humor to the end.

Karen and her family – Plug In For Charity.

 

So how did all this eco-effort affect my child?

An Ecologically Conscientious Child

My daughter started at a small college in upstate New York as a freshman. I was about to enter the emotionally fragile empty-nester stage. All l I could think about was my past ecological parenting skills and how it would affect my child in her new home-away-from-home. After all, I’m not going to be around to watch over her recycling bin or judge her sorting skills. Nor will I be cooking her healthy eat dinners and discussing President Obama’s Climate Action Plans.

However, despite my trepidation of her leaving home, it turns out my daughter, all on her own was able to achieve her “Ecologically Conscientious Child” status by:

• Choosing to enroll in an early freshmen program called, “Green Tour” where entering freshmen toured the areas around the college, including a working farm where they fed animals and picked fruits from orchards. They also visited parks and natural preserves, like lakes and falls. The two day program ended with a visit to one of the largest farmers markets in upstate NY where she sampled many local foods and bought locally grown fruits. She said it was just like being at home! I was so proud of her for choosing a green program to start the new school year.
• Selecting to follow a curriculum track that emphasizes sustainability. Again, this was not my doing. One of her classes is called, “Food and Water.” The professor made an arrangement for students to order books from a local independent bookstore that will deliver the books on the first day of class. She chose to support the local business and not order from Amazon. It would have cost less, but she was committed to lowering her carbon footprint and chose not to get the book shipped.
• Suggesting to her roommates to take their shoes off in the room to reduce indoor pollution.
• Creating two recycling bins in the room – one for paper and one for plastic and glass.
• Taking all the unused pages from her high school notebooks to be used for her college binders. New paper or new notebooks were never a necessary novelty for back-to-school at our home and college was no exception.
• Picking out only non-toxic and organic health and beauty products. I should note that this was without my help.
• Calling home to ask if I packed a produce spray to wash her fruits. Good habits are hard to break!

The list goes on. Again, not trying to brag about my children. Quite the opposite, I’m merely saying, this is ‘normal’ for because it was ingrained their whole lives. Many of the acts and conversations we’ve had at home about eco-living have transpired to their college experiences. It’s part of their lifestyle.

What YOU do with your children….right now…daily, will make a difference. And you can raise your hand together when there is a question about a product and to sign a petition to fight for what you believe in.

My favorite quote says,

We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.” ~Native American Proverb~

We owe it to our children to raise them with an ecological conscience.

UNITE (WITH YOUR CHILDREN) FOR A STRONG PLAN TO FIGHT GLOBAL WARMING

By Moms Clean Air Force

Red cedar trees.

This was written by David Biello for Scientific American:

The red cedar trees of Grant County, West Virginia can tell a fascinating tale. Because locked inside them is the history of U.S. air pollution in the 20th century.

Researchers began pulling cores from five randomly selected red cedar trees in 2008. The ratio of heavy and light isotopes of carbon found in the tree rings told them many secrets about the trees and their environment.

From the 1940s through the 1970s, the trees closed the tiny holes in their leaves known as stomata to protect themselves from acid rain. That acid rain was coming from the sulfur dioxide pollution spewed by coal-fired power plants upwind in states like Ohio. Then, in 1982 or so, about 10 years after passage of the Clean Air Act that cut back on such pollution, the stomata began to reopen. And they’ve been opening wider ever since, boosting growth.

The red cedars also show that the same thing happened back in the 1930s—because the Great Depression’s effect on industry actually helped clean up the air. The research appeared in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. [Richard B. Thomas et al, Evidence of recovery of Juniperus virginiana trees from sulfur pollution after the Clean Air Act]

The question now is: what will the red cedars tell us about increasing levels of CO2 from all our fossil fuel burning a few decades from now?

Listen to the trees tell their story of air pollution HERE.

READ MORE ABOUT THE CLEAN AIR ACT: 

What You Need To Know About The Clean Air Act

Photos: Before And After The Clean Air Act

Armed With The Facts: Ozone

UNITE FOR A STRONG PLAN TO FIGHT GLOBAL WARMING

By Moms Clean Air Force

Please join the Delaware Valley Green Building Council and Moms Clean Air Force to register a project with the Green Apple Day of Service, September 28th, 2013.

Green Apple Day of Service is an international event in which schools, parents and children participate in a project of their choice to improve the environment in and around their school building. Since most children (and teachers) spend 30-40 hours in a school building per week, the environmental factors they are exposed to are significant. Just a few simple steps can reduce exposures and improve student health, performance and alertness.

Schools that have embraced green practices have seen measurable results in:

• Reduced absenteeism
• Reduced incidents of asthma
• Increased productivity
• Improved morale and satisfaction

Delaware Valley Green Building Council and Mom’s Clean Air Force will provide support and access to instructional materials for your school’s project. We’ll help to assist with the greening of your school!

We are also offering schools (on a first-come, first-served basis) unlimited copies of our informational graphic flyer on healthy schools, which can can be sent home with children or sent to parents. Please reserve your flyers as soon as possible. To learn more contact: Jen at 215-888-3616 or jmcintyre@momscleanairforce.org

Resources:

The Healthier Classroom Checklist: Environmental Health Guidance For Teachers

Armed With the Facts: School Air (Green Apple Day of Service version)

JOIN MOMS CLEAN AIR FORCE

By Dominique Browning

We tend to feature little kids on our Moms Clean Air Force website — but we think our older ones are just as adorable, and (mostly) just as lovable. A while back we were talking about how wrenching it is to watch them troop off to college, beginning their adult lives away from home. Even trickier if we have concerns about their health.

So we created an e-book to tuck into their virtual backpacks: Asthma Goes to College.

Moms Clean Air Force is uniting to protect our children against global warming — every step of the way. It helps to keep in mind that climate change is really a simple air pollution issue — too many greenhouse gases disrupting the intricate (and awe-inspiring) balance of our atmosphere. And global warming affects our health. All air pollutions does.

Too much heat, too much ozone, and too much particulate matter fouling our air — all conspire to create an asthma epidemic the likes of which we have never seen in this country.

Time for it to end. But meanwhile, here are some thoughts for protecting our loved ones, big and small. Sent to you with a smile, and much love.

SUPPORT PRESIDENT OBAMA’S CLIMATE ACTION PLAN

By Moms Clean Air Force

Please stop by the Moms Clean Air Force Action Tent at the Philadelphia Greenfest, September 8, 2013. Sign our giant cards to Senator Casey and Senator Toomey urging them to support strong chemical safety laws! You’ll feel good letting them know that you support kids health, not polluters & chemical companies.

Moms Clean Air Force is proud to sponsor Greenfest Kids Korner for the second year in row and inspire the next generation of champions for a better, cleaner, safer environment! While you’re at the Action Tent, pick up some swanky freebies while your kids create fabulous crafts out of recycled materials courtesy of the Queen Village Art Center. Learn how to make simple, safe home cleaning solutions at the marvelous Holistic Mom’s tent.

Other Greenfest Kids Korner Events:

Fairmount & Queen Village Art Center: All Day
The fabulous folks of Fairmount & Queen Village Art Center will be hosting make ‘n take art making for the young and young at heart using recycled materials. Turn trash into treasure! www.phillyartcenter.com

Radio Disney: 10-11:30 am
Radio Disney will be on-site with their Green Team! There will be fun and excitement for the whole family, including dancing, games and prizes with the Radio Disney AM 640 Talent and Road Crew. Radio Disney AM 640, part of the #1 radio network for kids, tweens and families will be on-site with the latest hits from Radio Disney. For more information about Radio Disney, log onto www.radiodisney.com.

Kids DIG Yoga: 1-2 pm
DIG yoga will be leading a special yoga class just for kids at Greenfest. Kids Yoga teaches kids to do yoga in a fun and safe environment. Poses are taught to promote strength, flexibility, coordination, confidence, and body awareness with a focus on respect for others and a love for oneself.

DIG Yoga is a health-conscious, eco-friendly, people-oriented yoga business. Everything about DIG reflects this inclusive and life-affirming philosophy. As a sanctuary for the community, DIG supports people in their quest to realize their greatest potential. www.digyoga.com

Philadelphia Zoo: 11 am-3 pm
The Philadelphia Zoo will be bringing all the excitement and live animals right to Greenfest. In addition to meeting the animals, Traveling Naturalists will be on hand with touchable biofacts and an action opportunity to help save animals. www.philadelphiazoo.org

KYW Kidcasting: 12:30-5 pm
KYW Newsradio Kidcast Mobile Studio will be making a stop at Greenfest! Your kids won’t want to miss out on their chance to be a KYW News Anchor. Just stop by the KYW Newsradio tent, where your child will record a story. KYW will edit the report; add the signature KYW Newsradio jingle and ticker, then upload the finished product to KYW1060.com. Your kids can log on and download or listen to their very own news report — and share it with family and friends! Listen to some recent Kidcasts now at www.kywkidcasts.com.

Kivka Pottery — All Day
Kivka Pottery will be bringing their “Kids Play with Clay.” Greenfest attendees are invited to explore this tactile craft on their own or with the guidance of experienced potters. Adults and children are encouraged to sink their hands into raw clay as they participate in group and individual projects. http://www.kivka.com/

SAVE THE DATE: How Polluted Air Affects Our Children

Please join Mom’s Clean Air Force and the Academy of Natural Sciences for an Urban Sustainability Forum panel discussion on air pollution and children’s health on Thursday, September 19, 2013. To register: https://childrenshealthyair.eventbrite.com

SAVE THE DATE: Green Apple Day of Service Saturday, September 28, 2013

JOIN MOMS CLEAN AIR FORCE