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Daphna
- 35 minutes ago - secure.nrdconline.org

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Signed and thank you Birdie!   This one slipped up on me!   I will forward and cross post!

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UPDATE: Last Friday we sent you a very important alert about the Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights Act (H.R.627), which holds a dangerous rider that will allow loaded guns in our national parks. Tuesday, May 19th, is our last chance to strike this rider allowing loaded guns in national parks!
 
Tomorrow, the National Parks Conservation Association is co-hosting a press event with Congressman Raul Grijalva, Chairman of the National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands Subcommittee, requesting that President Obama work to withdraw this rider allowing loaded shotguns and rifles in our parks. You can support our event on the hill by taking action NOW.

This is our final chance to stop the guns rider. Tell your Senators and Representative to oppose this effort to allow loaded guns in our national parks.

Please take action TODAY to help put a stop to this dangerous rider from becoming law!

Click Here to Urge Your Senators and  Representative to Stop this Dangerous Rider from Becoming Law!

What does credit card reform legislation have to do with national parks? We asked ourselves that same question. But the rules of the U.S. Senate being what they are, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) attached a rider to the Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights Act (H.R.627) that would allow individuals to carry loaded rifles, shotguns, and semi-automatic weapons in national parks if the firearm is in compliance with state law.

The Coburn rider overturns the existing, reasonable Reagan-era regulation that allows guns to be transported through national parks as long as they are unloaded and stowed away. Seven former Directors of the Park Service and current and former park rangers oppose the rider because they believe it will increase the risk of poaching and vandalism of historic resources, and put visitors at risk.

So in this difficult economy, when American citizens are looking to their Congress for economic reforms and relief, we see a bill hijacked by special interest groups like the NRA who are reckless in their determination to get loaded guns into our national parks.

Within the next week, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives could be voting on this bill. Please tell your Senators and Representative that you’re fed up with political gamesmanship, and ask them to stop this dangerous rider from becoming law. Take action now!

Thank you!

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Hi all!!

The University of California, San Diego student organization: VEG (Vegetarian Environmentalist Group) is happy to present an online petition which aims to reduce the livestock industry via means of removal of governmental subsidies for livestock farmers as well as implementation of tax for livestock products for their detrimental external social burden on the environment. If you are still unfamiliar with the relationship between livestock production and the environment, I have listed the key facts below. Here is our petition link:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/2/livestock-production-reduction-for-the-environment


Please support us and help us spread the word! This is definitely an attempt at a baby toward in the right direction!
Thank you!

---UCSD VEG
http://ucsdveg.blogspot.com/

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: SUMMARY OF LIVESTOCK'S IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT

(SOURCE: 2006 UNITED NATIONS FAO REPORT, LIVESTOCK'S LONG SHADOW)
Our current livestock industry is responsible for emitting 37% of all human-induced Methane, 65% of all human-induced Nitrous Oxide, 9% of all human-induced Carbon Dioxide, and 64% of human-induced Ammonia. The Carbon Dioxide equivalent of livestock industry emissions is 18%, which is greater than all transportation combined (transportation CO2 equivalent is 12%). So, we need to decrease the livestock industry along with turning to alternative transportation systems (like biking!!). We cannot just pin global warming on one single source and go from there, all aspects need to adapt to the current climate crisis.

In addition to the greenhouse gas emissions, livestock current needs 36% of the world grain and 74% of the world soy to sustain its industry. If you think about it, this is not sustainable at all in the long run. It is definitely not an efficient usage of world crop supplies.

Now let’s talk water. Water is essential for survival. Did you know that California currently imports 100% of its clean water supply? Yes... and we are not increasing our world water supply. Yes, there are technologies being researched to desaltize the ocean waters, but think about the cost of that. It’s not a quick and easy solution. The best solution would be for everyone to be frugal. While major medias are telling us to conserve water during showers and toothbrushing, they are leaving out a major part of water usage.

According to the Stockholm International Water Institute, 20% of all world water supply goes to industries, 10% of all water goes to households, and 70% of all water goes to producing food. These statistics awaken a lot of people because if you think about how much water we use in industries and households (it’s A LOT), many folds more is going to agriculture. Now get this: within the agricultural business (which uses 70% of all our clean water), 1 POUND OF LETTUCE takes 23 gallons of water to produce, 1 POUND OF WHEAT takes 25 gallons of water, 1 POUND OF APPLES take 49 gallons of water, 1 POUND OF CHICKEN takes 815 gallons of water, 1 POUND OF PORK takes 1,630 gallons of water, and 1 POUND OF BEEF takes 5,214 gallons of water. (You can do some research online to see how to have defined these water usage values according to pounds) So now the question is, one plate of dinner will fill most of us up (some go for seconds, thirds, but anyways..). If you fill that one plate with meat, that’s 6000 gallons of water or more. If you fill that one plate up with rice and veggies (this can be tasty faux meat too!), it takes less than 100 gallons of water. Please, be frugal and responsible. Imagine a planet with no more water.

Here are just some additional costs of livestock production. Did you know that livestock farming land takes up 70% of all agricultural land, and 30% of world's ice-free terrestrial surface? Yup. And for the forest lovers (we should all love forests, they are the lungs of our planet), 70% of the Amazon rainforest is currently being occupied by pastures; feedcrops occupy a large sector of the remaining 30%.

Everyone talks about saving energy now with new bulbs, solar power, etc. Well why not talk about food, too. The livestock sector requires 16 times more fossil fuel energy than other sectors of agriculture. Moreover, livestock is increasingly being fed with grains and cereals that could have been consumed by humans, converting only up to 33% of its nutrients for our consumption.

Lastly (for my purposes), the U.S. livestock sector alone produces 900 million tons of manure annually. Immense lagoons used to store waste are known to heavily degrade the surrounding air and water, creating dead zones within our clean bodies of water. Besides harming our precious marine life, it’s nice to know that we are surrounded by 80% of water of this planet. So if our ocean dies, we probably don’t have much of a chance for survival either.

All in all, it’s good that we are more aware of global warming and finally (most people) recognize it as partially (if not mostly) human caused. Now, besides being frugal, using a reusable bag, riding a bike or taking the bus, changing lightbulbs, and saving shower time, please also change your diet. It really makes a huge impact, even though it seems like you’re just intaking a piece of meat, that piece of meat came from loads of environmental damage (as well as suffering!). Inaction is inexcusable. If you’re a non-vegetarian, go vegetarian. If you’re already a vegetarian, go vegan. If you’re already a vegan... go organic Of course, if you can go straight to organic vegan that is the best for the environment in terms of personal contribution. Be Veg, Be Green, Save the Planet. (doubtful? do

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Comment submitted, Susan!  Thank you for posting this update!  I wish they would delist all those in power in those states....Gov. Schweitzer and all the agencies that are supposed to 'help' the animals.  The only animals they help are themselves and the cattle!   Pathetic human beings they are!

P.S. I will cross post also!

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Signed and forwarded and I will cross post as well Susan!  Thank you!

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You beat me to it, Susan!   I was getting ready to post this article but saw that you just did.     Signed and emailed!

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Signed for the Mexican Wolves, Susan.  Thanks for posting!

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Thanks on the link Susan and thank you Sandy for signing everything.

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signed everything on this page and then some. Keep me posted so I can keep up and sign it all~~~

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Stories noted & signed where applicable!   Thanks Susan!

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Here is a petition & story created by my friend, Brenda; please note and sign if you haven't already done so and forward and cross post.  We need all the signatures we can get.  Thank you. 

http://www.care2.com/news/member/363754298/812777?saved=1

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