Maybe it is me, but somehow it makes perfect sense to me that a Meteorologist would be one of the last to believe or understand Climate Change. After all, their job is reporting the weather from day to day to day--This is the living breathing definition of "Can't see the forest for the trees".( Photograph by Skip Brown) In recent years, the world's scientists have begun to show that climate change is altering the magnitude and frequency of severe weather, and polls say a majority of Americans now link droughts, floods and other extremes to global warming.
And yet, this country's TV weather forecasters have increasingly taken to denying evidence that warming is affecting weather—or is even happening at all. Only 19 percent accept the established science that human activity is driving climate change, says a 2011 report by the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication, making TV meteorologists far more skeptical than the public at large. Read more
On the lighter side, I am so glad that I found this picture on file, since I have yet to own a digital camera, since I probably would not know how to work it--I am the low tech person of the family. This--This--This is the way to relax, one day that will be me in that canoe slowly rowing down a peaceful stream. :-) IF Only there were not so many things to do, places to go (to get things done) and people to see. I would be . . . .
The minimum wage increase that has passed the New York State Assembly but is stalled in the Republican-controlled Senate and is not drawing support from Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo would directly benefit 10.1 percent of New York workers. The proposed increase from the federal minimum wage of $7.25 to $8.50 would affect 880,000 workers currently earning less than $8.50 an hour, a new report from the Fiscal Policy Institute finds, and another 200,000 workers making just over $8.50 might benefit from a spillover effect. Read more
Wake up and smell the coffee! We need to do everything possible and then some to keep the Middle Class strong. The Middle Class Family is the Real Backbone of Society--Not the 1%--To Re-name the rich--the job creator is both deception and blasphemy. First of all, how many rich people leave a high paying job to start their own company--Really??? Secondly, look and see how small of a step it is to go from 'The Job Creator' to 'The Creator'.
The groundswell of opposition to the dirty and dangerous practice of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in New York has come from all corners of the state and from all types of people. Parents have raised alarm over the prospect of fracking just feet from their children’s schools and playgrounds. Business owners have voiced concern over a loss of revenue from tourists and local patrons who could be frightened off by the drilling. Farmers wonder what will become of their pristine fields and pastures, and New Yorkers of all stripes are fearful of the potential for chemical spills, contaminated drinking water and even earthquakes - all sad symptoms of fracking in neighboring states. Read more
This is so fitting on so many different levels. After all, is it not written that out of the mouths of babes and sucklings has Thou ordained Strength. In addition, as the Mother of two, now, grown sons, I can look back and see how much I learned and grew while raising them.
Dirty tricks used to defend toxic flame retardants
Dear Reader, I am passing this on because the Truth is Too Important and The Future of Our World are Too Important Not To Share, which I hope that you do the same--Thank You; On Wednesday the Chicago Tribune published an update to its week-long "Playing With Fire" series on the dirty tricks that toxic flame retardant manufacturers used to kill legislation that would have banned some toxic flame retardants.
The disturbing and illuminating series exposed how flame retardant companies took a page right out of Big Tobacco’s playbook by deliberately misrepresenting the science around flame retardant chemicals regarding their effectiveness and their health risks.
Since the Tribune published its series momentum has been building for stricter oversight of toxic chemicals. This week a hundreds of moms, nurses, labor leaders, and other concerned citizens rolled on the national capitol for the National Stroller Brigade for Safer Chemicals. Read more about the brigade and their efforts to pass the Safe Chemicals Act on our new blog post.
Read our new blog about the the growing momentum to fix our broken chemicals laws following the Chicago Tribune's series and our experiences in Michigan when the flame retardant industry used the same unethical actions to thwart policies to ban toxic flame retardants.
After you read the blog ask your Senators to support the Safe Chemicals Act.
Sincerely,
Rebecca Meuninck
Ecology Center
Michigan Network for Children's Environmental Health
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