Bees, Bayer, and the Big Pharma Fakeout

Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) wiped out an estimated one-third of the U.S. honeybee population, and scientists are scrambling to find out why.  A good percentage, however, seem to be able to resist the lure of Bayer, the multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical company that is funding their research on viruses and fungus, but not on neonicotinoids, a class of pesticides manufactured by Bayer that many suspect is confusing bees and making them more susceptible to disease.  Here's an article that explains it all in detail, and how this important info was omitted from a front-page New York Times piece that ran last year about the breakthrough research that got everyone all excited. 

Then, in January, we learned that the U.S. Environmental Protection agency knew all along that this chemical was toxic to bees, but is allowing it to be produced and distributed anyway.  How's that for "protection"?   Their advice to growers?  "Read the labels."

Somehow, the idea of putting the planet’s growing systems at risk, so that Bayer can continue to do business irresponsibly is especially disturbing.  It’s not like the earth can choose to take a drug only after reading the studies and weighing the various risks and side effects.  We are currently experiencing a side effect that could have serious consequences on our farms and in our forests. It would be nice to see this conflict of interest exposed further in the mainstream media, and the use of this pesticide curtailed, as it has been in several European countries, until more facts are known.


There's a "buzz" about this film!

I'm looking forward to learning more on Sunday, July 17 at 2:00 pm, when "Queen of the Sun" will be shown at Fellowship of Reconciliation, 521 North Broadway, Nyack, NY. 

(This post has been re-written and re-posted.  It was originally written in Oct. 2010, but disappeared from my blog. )

End Nuclear Power in the Hudson Valley Now

The devastating events in Japan have renewed interest worldwide in the closing of nuclear power plants. Germany has taken action to close down 7 older plants, and China has halted approvals for new plants to be built.  We can only hope that the US will follow suit - nuclear power isn't safe or sustainable.

Indian Point, located just across the river in Westchester County, is the closest nuclear power plant to us here in Nyack, and it is, to say the least, rickety.  There have been problems with radioactive leaks,  malfunctioning rods, and storage concerns.  In fact,  a study revealed that of all the nuclear power plants nationwide, Indian Point is at greatest risk for earthquake damage, due to it's proximity to the Ramapo fault line.  In the meantime, the plant dumps warm water into the Hudson River, upsetting the ecosystem.  With 20 million people within a 50 mile radius of this plant, a full evacuation would be close to impossible. 

What you can do: (from the website CloseIndian Point.org)


Write a note to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and tell him why closing Indian Point is important to you. Ask him to use the power of his office to prevent the relicensing of the reactors at Indian Point. Use a note card and don't make a big deal out of formal terms of address or anything else. Just get something in the mail. This is something you can do with your kids. Write to: Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, Executive Chamber, State Capitol, Albany, New York, 12224. Or fax 518-474-1513.

Or write to Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman. Thank him for his “plan to work toward an energy future without the Indian Point nuclear power plant” in Westchester County. Ask him to continue to use the power of his office to prevent the relicensing of the reactors at Indian Point. The address is New York State Office of the Attorney General, The Capitol, Albany, New York, 12224. Or call him at 518- 474-7330. 

You might want to read this excellent article in the Huffington Post yesterday, "Too Cheap to Meter: Ten Myths about Nuclear Power" by Michael Rose.

Is there a nuclear power plant near you?

Bees, Bayer and the Big Pharma Fakeout

Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) wiped out an estimated one-third of the U.S. honeybee population, and scientists are scrambling to find out why.  A good percentage, however, seem to be able to resist the lure of Bayer, the multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical company that is funding their research on viruses and fungus, but not on neonicotinoids, a class of pesticides manufactured by Bayer that many suspect is confusing bees and making them more susceptible to disease.  Here's an article that explains it all in detail, and how this important info was omitted from a front-page New York Times piece that ran last year about the breakthrough research that got everyone all excited. 

Then, in January, we learned that the U.S. Environmental Protection agency knew all along that this chemical was toxic to bees, but is allowing it to be produced and distributed anyway.  How's that for "protection"?   Their advice to growers?  "Read the labels." 

Somehow, the idea of putting the planet’s growing systems at risk, so that Bayer can continue to do business irresponsibly is especially disturbing.  It’s not like the earth can choose to take a drug only after reading the studies and weighing the various risks and side effects.  We are currently experiencing a side effect that could have serious consequences on our farms and in our forests. It would be nice to see this conflict of interest exposed further in the mainstream media, and the use of this pesticide curtailed, as it has been in several European countries, until more facts are known.


There's a "buzz" about this film!

 I'm looking forward to learning more on Sunday, July 17 at 2:00 pm, when "Queen of the Sun" will be shown at Fellowship of Reconciliation, 521 North Broadway, Nyack, NY. 

(This post has been re-written and re-posted.  It was originally written in Oct. 2010, but disappeared from my blog. )

In Memory of Howard Zinn

(photo by Joyce Culver)

Howard Zinn, author of The People's History of the United States was an extraordinary man who changed the way we look at history and spoke for the people who couldn't.  I had the honor of meeting him several times when he spoke at the 92nd St. Y.  Most recently, when my colleagues and I produced "Voices of a Young People's History of the United States," hosting actors who brought the words of some often-forgotten historical figures to life on stage.  You can hear his intro to the evening by clicking on the top photo of my sidebar.  The Y, in fact, hosted the first of over 60 performances of A People’s History of the United States in 2003- that performance featured Alice Walker, James Earl Jones, Marisa Tomei, Kurt Vonnegut, Danny Glover and many others and can be seen here.   Below, I've compiled a few favorite quotes.

The memory of oppressed people is one thing that cannot be taken away, and for such people, with such memories, revolt is always an inch below the surface.

We need to decide that we will not go to war, whatever reason is conjured up by the politicians or the media, because war in our time is always indiscriminate, a war against innocents, a war against children.

Dissent is the highest form of patriotism.

 Historically, the most terrible things - war, genocide, and slavery - have resulted not from disobedience, but from obedience.

What matters most is not who is sitting in the White House, but "who is sitting in" -- and who is marching outside the White House, pushing for change.

If we remember those times and places—and there are so many—where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction.

Growing Apart - from Monsanto

I'm not saying that I'll never grow another hybrid, but this year I’m putting a bit more thought into where my seeds come from and trying to grow more heirloom open-pollinated varieties. I'm trying to become more aware of where my seeds are bred, and put more energy into finding organically grown strains.

Lots of the seeds available from catalogs are brokered by bigger companies, which means that many catalogs are offering seeds bred by the giant industry leader Monsanto – and it’s not always apparent which one are when browsing some of the larger seed catalogs. In 1995 Monsanto bought Seminis, and now controls almost 3500 varieties and 40 percent of the US seed market, and the vegetables whose genetics they control are all over our supermarkets. Even Johnny’s Seeds, one of my favorite catalogs, offers a small percentage of seeds from Seminis.

Monsanto can afford to hire high-priced lobbyists that have been able to get legislation passed that makes it illegal for even home growers to save seeds. The film Food Inc does a wonderful job of documenting the way the company has bullied small farmers, and the frightening number of government operatives who are former Monsanto executives, or have other ties to the company.
Why should we let Monsanto or any other big corporation tell the backyard gardener or commercial farmer what seeds she can save? Before seeds were available commercially, anyone who wanted to grow anything did this. But Monsanto is making it harder and harder, narrowing their selection and engineering more and more varieties that resist replicating, and I don't think that's something we should support.

So what brands and products ARE affiliated with Monsanto? First of all, it’s not just seeds. It’s most of the pesticides, fertilzers, and herbicides, like Round Up in your garden center, so be wary of those too. Fedco, Stokes, Rupp, Osborne and Snow are among the other seed suppliers who are known to have ties to the company.  One way to find safer seeds is buy from smaller companies that specialize in heirloom seeds, and if you can find those locally and/or organically grown, even better. In the Gardengirl forums there is a list of a companies that have taken the "Safe Seed" pledge with links to their sites.   You can check for updates to the pledge at the Center for Responsible Geneitics here.

How can you find out what heirlooms and open pollinated varieties do best in your region? Talk to the growers at the farmers market. Network with other local growers through blogs or newsgroups. Join a community garden or gardening club and talk to the other members. We are all part of the experiment. Do your part and buy an experimental heirloom packet or two, save seed, pass it on, share your experience. Think of it as a community service to your fellow gardeners, and blab, blab, blab, about all your favorites! (You can start in the comments section!)

Why I'm Tweaking Mad at "Glee"

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about how much I love the TV show Glee, but the episode I saw last night on Hulu deflated my infatuation. In an effort to spur the Glee Club on to winning their sectionals competition, the crazy school nurse dispenses psuedoephedrine decongestants to each member of the club, resulting in shiny, happy, overenergetic and of course, terrific performances - with very lame consequences. Do they not know who their audience is? What could be more appealing to a listless exhausted teenager?

Surely they’re aware that psuedoephedrine is regulated now in many states because it can be made into crystal meth? And that crystal meth addiction is an epidemic? I imagine the pharmaceutical companies that manuafacture these over-the-counter drugs are absolutely delighted. They're sure to sell more of it and have even more money for hiring expensive lobbyists to deter Congress from passing any legislation that would hurt the psuedoephedrine (and consequently, meth) industries.

I should reveal that I myself am a psuedoephedrine user. I have it in my medicine cabinet right now – it’s part of my winter cold, asthma and allergy desperation arsenal. When I buy it I have to sign a log book with my name and address, and show ID, but it is, as a rule, not that hard to get – and neither are directions for how tinker with it to make meth. Honestly, I’m surprised that the stuff is still available over the counter considering how quickly they whisked ephedra dietary supplements and Ma huang tea, which contain the same active ingredients, off the market because of their propensity to cause irregular heartbeat, seizures, and stroke. It was finally taken out of children’s cold medicines after 54 deaths.

One hundred and fifty thousand people seek treatment for crystal meth addiction each year – it’s currently the one of the most popular, dangerous and addictive street drugs out there. It’s also available and cheap. Maybe I'm extra-sensitive now because I’m reading a heartbreaking book, Beautiful Boy by David Sheff, about how meth addiction affected one California family. I wouldn't leap to the conclusion that the use of psuedephedrine makes crystal meth use more attractive, but why take that risk with our teenagers? We have enough problems with this drug without Glee irresponsibly stoking the fire.

Wildlife and Climate Change (plus a giveaway!)

We've all seen pictures or video of polar bears desperate and stranded on melting ice floes in the arctic (so I won’t put up another heartbreaking photo) but the truth is that those images are just the tip of the (pardon the pun) iceberg.

In this map, provided by indymedia.org.au, you can clearly see the melting pattern.

Currently 20,000 species disappear each year and if extinciton continues at its current rate, more than HALF of all species on earth today will be extinct by the end of the 21st century.

California sea otter (c) Tania Larson

That means one species is responsible for the fate of millions of other species. According to one study, global warming will threaten 15 – 37 percent of terrestrial species by the year 2050. Javan rhino

Birds are often the first animals to react to climate change-- their health tells scientists important information about the water and air in their habitat. Sadly, of 10,000 species of birds alive today, 1,200 are threatened with extinction.
Hawaiian Crow

Some scientists have had government officials ask them to deny, minimize or discount evidence of human-induced global warming, but 84 percent believe it exists.
Iberian Lynx

Even a one degree change in average water temperature can trigger an overgrowth of fungus or parasites that threaten endangered wildlife.


Jeff Corwin's new book 100 Heartbeats: The Race to Save the Earth's Most Endangered Species has lots more info about our ecosystem crisis. As he points out, some species have been saved by just a handful of dedicated people.

AND NOW THE GIVEAWAY: An autographed copy of this book will go to a commentor picked at random -deadline will be midnight on Saturday night, Oct. 17.

Today's post is part of Blog Action Day -this year raising awareness about climate change.

Tchotchke Challenge - Letter J

J = Jewel Box

This note from my great grandmother explains how the jewel box came to be mine:

I’ve written about Elva before on this blog – she was my great-great aunt who traveled the world with her husband seeking out artifacts for the Smithsonian and kept a diary in the early 1900s.

The design on the box depicts a woman relaxing in a garden while cherubs cavort around her (hmmmm......) But why is she holding a stick?!

There are some old relics in here – odds and ends that have been passed down from my ancestors. John Beatty (known in our family as “John Junior”) was my grandmother’s brother, a young lieutenant who died in training. I never met him, but I have a beautiful letter that her wrote to his fiancé somewhere. Here is his razor, his I.D. bracelet, some pocket watches, a compass and protractor. There’s also a packet of Elva’s letters in here.
An excerpt from one of them that she wrote to her mother:

Sunday Afternoon, Dec. 12, '09
Delhi

My dear Mother:
At last I have seen a spot like one I had always pictured to myself but never expected to realize -- Columbo on the Island of Ceylon. It seemed to me it must surely be the prettiest spot on earth.
My only day offshore for an age and I began to feel pains right after luncheon and by the time I had reached our destination was too sick to take any notice of it but Mack got a room for me where I lay on a couch at a big open air window where the sea waves washed up and crabs crawled back into the water after each wave and by the time they had eaten a beautiful supper of fresh lobster the stars began to peep out over the sea and I was all over my pains. We got into our rickshas again and started our seven mile trip to the boad landing. Crickets chirped, frogs sang and there were many noises of nature I did not recognize. The roads were busy all around and I sat silent most of the way. I thought of you a great deal and wished that you might be taking the same drive. If I had not seen but this one spot in my whole trip I would think it all worthwhle.

Ceylon is now Sri Lanka. I found this photo of Columbo which is the place that Elva wrote about.

My Sri Lankan friend Vasanthi went to Washington DC this weekend with her family. They’re hoping to convince the UN and our government to help relief workers get access to the displaced Tamil people who were forced to leave their homes during the recent civil war. There are currently about 280,000 homeless – many of them are hungry and need medical attention. 230,000 are currently living in temporary camps and 50,000 in transition. It's surprising that so little of this is being regularly reported on in the mainstream press. Apparently, it is much more urgent to know that Jon and Kate (plus 8!) might get divorced.

See more tchotchke! Here and here!

10 Things I Learned About Ecological Intelligence

Psychologist Dan Goleman (“Emotional Intelligence”) and Stonyfield Farm Yogurt CEO Gary Hirshberg got together at the Y this past week to talk about new ways to think about being green -- focusing mostly on businesses and consumers. Below are a few things I learned from their talk, but you can read more in their new books, “Ecological Intelligence: How Knowing the Hidden Impacts of What We Buy Can Change Everything,” and “Stirring It Up: How to Make Money and Save the World.”

1) Walmart is progressive. Apple? Not so much. A lot is changing ecologically in the corporate world – businesses are starting to realize the consumer demand for responsible, green products – and respond to it. I’ve been boycotting Walmart since seeing “The High Cost of Low Price” a few years ago, so I was surprised to learn that Walmart is actually very high on the list of top companies that are changing their policies to become more green – and pressuring their suppliers to do the same. Apple, which has a very progressive image, is not at all green.

2) The goal is to “eat the cup”. Recycling is at the wrong end of the green chain. Rather than focusing on recycling waste, we need to think about producing less of it, which means buying less. The negative impact of what we buy usually overshadows any green activities that we do post consumption. Demand less packaging, greener (compostable, even edible!) packaging and more options to buy in bulk.


3) Soil replacement is key. Did you know that there is 50% less topsoil available for growing now than there was when America was discovered? The soil is being depleted -- use of nitrogen fertilizers creates runoff that kills off the estuaries and hurts the ecosystem. Practices like burning sugar cane fields put carbon into the air and wipe out organisms that contribute to soil fertility. Agribusiness needs to come up with inventive organic ways to build up soil without chemical fertilizers.

4) There are more obese people than simply overweight. Our nation has moved from being mostly overweight with a few obese people, to being mostly obese with a few who are overweight. 64% fall into one of these categories, the highest percentage ever. The way food is marketed in our country has had a big impact on this statistic.

5) We need to re-think waste and the myth of “away” (a neighboring state?) where we send it. Stonyfield farm created an anaerobic waste treatment plant that produces a gas that helps power their manufacturing. Although it was expensive to build, it ended up saving them half a million dollars a year.

6) Toxins are everywhere. Dan shocked us with the fact that a typical baby is born with 287 toxins, half of them being known carcinogens. This number has almost doubled in the last decade. Companies like Ikea are demanding formaldehyde and flame-retardant free materials. (But I still can’t find my daughter a flame retardant free cotton nightgown in any of the 167 stores in my local mall!) Many toxic chemicals that would no longer be approved are still in use because policy has ‘grandfathered’ them in.

7) We can find better choices at every price point. The green, organic products aren’t always the most expensive. Organic sugar is beginning to match white sugar in price because there is increased consumer demand and responsible business practices have proved themselves cost effective. Websites like goodguide.org can help you find a better product, whatever your budget.

8) Local is not always greener. Gary talked about an organic powdered milk from New Zealand that was obtained from grass fed cattle. A typical product has hundreds of industrial steps that impact the environment in some way. Consumers should demand that companies be more transparent about these steps and the carbon footprint of each of them.

9) The U.S. & China need to get together. Together, we create 42 percent of the world’s CO-2. A carbon tax isn’’t politically viable, but some kind of incentives for businesses should be put in place. China isn’t likely to sign on to any emission reduction targets unless the U.S. follows suit.

10) Nature inspires efficient design. Gary talked about how engineers, architects and designers can look to nature for ideas on how to design green buildings and products. Termite mounds have inspired efficient temperature regulation systems in buildings. Trains and planes are sometimes made like a bird’s beak to cut down on wind resistance. Molllusks take carbon out of the atmosphere to form their shells. How can we use this idea to our advantage?

Above all, the talk emphasized that as consumers, we need to investigate. It’s always good to research your purchases, but even better to avoid making them in the first place. When you do need to buy, here are some places to start:

Goodguide - ratings of natural, green and healthy products
Skindeep - cosmetics safety reviews and database
Climate Counts - vote for responsible companies with your dollars
Caring Consumer - find cruelty-free companies and products

Pete Seeger's Turning 90!

What do

Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews, Eddie Vedder, John Mellencamp, Juanes, Ani DiFranco, Arlo Guthrie, Bela Fleck, Ben Bridwell, Ben Harper, Billy Bragg, Billy Nershi, Bruce Cockburn, Emmylou Harris, Joan Baez, Keller Williams, Kris Kristofferson, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Michael Franti, Patterson Hood, Preservation Hall Jazz Band with Del McCoury, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, Richie Havens, Steve Earle, Taj Mahal, Tom Morello, Warren Haynes, Abigail Washburn & The Sparrow Quartet, Bernice Johnson Reagon, Dar Williams, Guy Davis, Jay Ungar & Molly Mason, Kate & Anna McGarrigle, Larry Long, Mike & Ruthy, Native American Indian Cultural Alliance, NYC Labor Chorus, Scarlet Moore, Silvio Rodriguez, Tao Rodriguez-Seeger, Tom Chapin, Tom Paxton, Tommy Sands, Tony Trischka, and Toshi Reagon

have in common?

They’re all performing on May 3 at Madison Square Garden for Pete Seeger’s birthday concert! Even better, it’s a SING-A-LONG!

Tickets are on sale – if you have an AmEx card, you can get tickets here today. ( If you get tickets in section 314 on the very far side in the back, you’ll be sitting by me! )

Proceeds will benefit Clearwater.org, an organization largely responsible for raising awareness of the healthy and beauty of the Hudson River.
Pete has worked tirelessly for this organization, so lets support him by supporting them, and honor his life of activism and the many gifts he has given us through his music.

10 Things I Learned from Richard Louv

Richard Louv is the author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder. We carpooled over to Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville to hear him as this year’s Longfellow Lecturer. Louv is also the chairman of the Children and Nature network and co-chair fo the National Forum on Children and Nature. He’s passionate about connecting kids to the outside world, and giving parents and educators the tools to help. Below are some highlights from his talk.

1) We are hardwired to need nature – if we don’t get it, we suffer. Symptoms of ADD get better when patients are exposed to nature. Nature has a calming effect. It’s not surprising that kids who take recess behave better in class, however, many schools are dropping recess and taking away recess as punishment.

2) Today's kids may have a lower life expectancy than their parents due to childhood obesity and diabetes. Studies show that the greener a neighborhood, the lower the risk of obesity, regardless of population density.

3) Children who take part in activities in outdoor classrooms do better on standardized tests. This has proven true in our own school: our principal reported that unlike many schools in our area, there is no racial gap in standardized science test scores, and feels it is due to outdoor classroom participation.

4) When one child falls out of a tree, you don’t cut down the whole forest. Hard to believe, but our school has a “don’t run on the wood chips” rule that is apparently not unusual. Parents often cite fear of injury or liability as a reason to forbid outdoor activities.
5) Bringing children outdoors is an issue that crosses racial, religious, political and professional boundaries. Evangelical Christians and far-left liberals are just as likely to feel strongly about this issue.

6) The amount of time people spend outside is decreasing. National Park attendance has decreased since the mid-80’s and when they do go, people only wander and average of ¼ mile away from their cars. As Louv states “Parents need to do more than play Animal Planet videos in their mini-vans on the way to soccer practice.” Governor Quinn of IL is to be commended for re-opening state parks in that state.

7) Most people have a special place in the outdoors or experience with nature that is dear to them that they love to talk about. Louv spoke about congressional hearings that he has taken part in that were derailed as lawmakers each had to relate a personal story of their own childhood delight in nature.



8) Builders and developers are getting on board. Louv has been invited to speak at conferences for builders and developers and has found that more creativity is being used to create green spaces in planned communities.


9) You don’t have to be an expert. One brave parent in the audience mentioned her hesitation to lead a nature hike. “Then,” she said, “I realized that I don’t have to be an expert.” I think lots of parents (and maybe some educators too), might feel they don’t have the necessary tools to supervise a foray into nature. Admit that you don’t know what kind of bug, bush or flower you’re admiring and look them up together in guide books later. Draw pictures of birds and compare to photos on the web. Use the experience to teach children how to research and study natural elements around them.


10) Kids need a mission to create as well as “fix”. One of the most valuable things I took away from this lecture is the notion that we can’t inspire kids by constantly giving them the impression that the earth is doomed and dying. Yes, there is global warming and pollution, litter and diminishing natural resources. Guilt and pounding in this message day after day without showing them what they can build and create to make the world better won’t inspire enthusiasm.

Links:
Richard Louv's website
The Children and Nature Network
FreeRange Kids
Playborhood
Kids Unplugged
Keep Rockland Beautiful
Other posts of interest:Wiffle Ball Wishes
Last Child Without a Gun
No Child Left Inside: Rants and Raves

Decorations

I wish so too!