Climate Change

#ClimateForum2020 Schedule Update

We're just one week away from #ClimateForum! Yesterday we announced the schedule for the two days of questions with candidates and shortly we'll bring you information for how you can live stream the forum. We hope you've marked your calendars!

Thursday, September 19

10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Senator Michael Bennet

11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Andrew Yang

12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Marianne Williamson

1:45 – 2:45 p.m.
Senator Bernie Sanders

3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Former Representative John Delaney

4:15 – 5:15 p.m.
Representative Tim Ryan

5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Former Secretary Julián Castro

Friday, September 20

9:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Senator Cory Booker

10:15 – 11:15 a.m.
Governor Steve Bullock

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Mayor Pete Buttigieg

12:45 – 1:45 p.m.
Tom Steyer

2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Former Governor Bill Weld

 Water

PFAS Found in Drinking Water at 90 More Army Installations

Yesterday, the Department of Defense Task Force looking into the problem, found that the drinking water at an additional 90 current and former Army and Army National Guard installations nationwide is contaminated with the toxic fluorinated chemicals called PFAS, according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), which obtained the information via a Freedom of Information Act request.  The Army told Military Times that "despite the confirmed presence of PFAS in the drinking water, no one is taking in unsafe levels of the chemicals, because their filtered water complies with Environmental Protection Agency guidelines," but EWG argues that "even at low levels PFAS can increase risks of serious health problems."

Why This Matters:  As President Trump raids DoD's coffers to pay for the useless border wall, military families continue to be an afterthought.  And Congress can't find it in its heart or budget to pay to clean up these installations. The people who are keeping us safe and risking their lives to defend us and their families should not be exposed to toxins this way.  They deserve better.  But it gets worse. Even if the funding to clean up the PFAS mess on military bases makes it through Congress, the President has threatened to veto the bill if it includes a ban on the use of the chemicals by the military and requires that EPA regulate them as toxic substances.  Really.  According to the EWG,  low doses of PFAS chemicals have been linked to cancer, harm to the reproductive and immune systems, thyroid disease and other health problems.

What's the Objection?  Read more...

 Sustainability

 Energy

Interview With Nicole Marquis, Founder HipCityVeg

If you live in Philadelphia or Washington D.C. and have never tried plant-based restaurant HipCityVeg, what are you waiting for? We got a chance to check out HipCity's newest DC location in Dupont Circle and ask founder  Nicole Marquis some questions about what sets her restaurant apart and why even meat lovers can't get enough.

ODP: You’ve stated previously that you were a graduate student when you decided to drop out of school and start a vegan restaurant. What was so compelling about a plant-based diet that you felt so strongly to leave your career path and launch HipCity Veg?

NM:I was a Performing Arts major in grad school, working on theater presentations of Shakespeare and other classics. During that time, I developed a passion for and a sense of mission about the impact of our food choices on the environment, other animals and our health. I think it was my way of trying to find a more purposeful life.

ODP: Did you have a background in culinary arts? How did you develop the concept for the restaurant and the menu?

NM:I had worked as a server in restaurants since high school and later as a restaurant manager, but I don’t have any formal training as a chef. I love food and I guess I have a good idea of what flavors people crave. I worked with some outstanding chefs to create the exact flavor profile I was looking for. I would give them general ideas about the type of menu item I wanted and then do what seemed like countless tastings until we got what I was looking for.

Keep reading....

 Animals   

Animals Survive Dorian's Wrath - With A Little Help

Hurricane Dorian's ripple effects are still being felt - especially when it comes to the pets and wild animals that also found themselves in the path of the storm.  Our partner the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is on the ground in the Bahamas and working with other key stakeholders helping to save the pets of residents who had to be evacuated.  We also heard from our partners at the Saint Simons Land Trust who evacuated last week, that the one remaining sea turtle nest on St. Simons Island in Georgia made it through the storm and was not washed out.  And in another interesting story, the Navy reported yesterday that it had sortied its warships and aircraft, ordered mandatory evacuations for personnel -- and also for its sea mammal sentries.

Why This Matters:  Like all storms, Dorian was devastating for animals in addition to humans.  And they needed help too after the storm passed -- just another aspect of the relief effort that often is overlooked.  There are a certain few NGOs trained to respond to natural disasters, but in an increasingly storm-prone world, we will likely need more of this capacity going forward.  This is just another way that we must upgrade our storm preparedness as a nation.  

IFAW Creates DAR  Read more...

What You Can Do:  If you want to help IFAW and DAR help these animals, click here.

 Weather Politics