Greenspirational News: swine flu, madness, wind, tax breaks
Angela Bischoff
greenspi at web.ca
Fri May 8 10:21:29 EDT 2009
Greenspirational News
"If you wanted to create global pandemics, you'd build as many of
these factory farms as possible. That's why the development of swine
flu isn't a
surprise to those in the public health community. In 2003, the
American Public Health Association--the oldest and largest in world--
called for a moratorium of factory farming because they saw something
like this would happen. It may take something as serious as a
pandemic to make us realize the real cost of factory farming."
Dr. Michael Greger, Humane Society of the U.S
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Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room - Passionate Eye Sunday
Writer/director Alex Gibney tells the story of the notorious scandal
behind the crash of the energy company. more
Sunday May 10 at 10 pm ET/PT on CBC Newsworld
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Wind Power Installations Up 29 Percent in 2008
Global wind capacity increased an estimated 27,051 megawatts in 2008,
with cumulative installations up almost 29 percent. The United States
led in new installations, surpassing Germany to rank first in
cumulative capacity and electricity generation from wind.
This new Vital Signs Update provides data since 1980 on global and
national cumulative capacity in the top wind-producing countries and
sheds light on key financial trends in the sector.
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The Wholesale Sedation of America's Youth
Eight million kids today have been diagnosed with mental disorders,
and most receive some form of medication. Is this child abuse?
http://www.alternet.org/healthwellness/139796
While the sheer volume of psychotropics being prescribed for children
might, in and of itself, produce alarm, there has not been a
substantial backlash against drug use in large part because of the
widespread perception that "medically authorized" drugs must be safe.
Yet, there is considerable evidence that psychoactive drugs do not
take second place to other controlled pharmaceuticals in carrying
grave and substantial risks. All classes of psychoactive drugs are
associated with patient deaths, and each produces serious side
effects, some of which are life-threatening.
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EU passes ban on seal products
The European Parliament voted to ban imports of seal products today,
trying to force Canada to end its annual seal hunt, which animal
rights groups have criticized as barbaric.
The EU assembly overwhelmingly endorsed a bill that said commercial
seal hunting, notably in Canada, is “inherently inhumane.” The bill
still needs the backing of EU governments, but officials called that
a formality since national envoys had already endorsed the bill.
Canada's East Coast seal hunt is the largest of its kind in the
world, killing an average of 300,000 harp seals annually.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090505.wseal0505/
EmailBNStory/International/home
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Victory For Seals! The European Union Bans Trade in Seal Products
http://www.hsicanada.ca/wildlife/seals/seal_hunt_2009/
sealtradeban_victory.html
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Environmental groups and AFL release groundbreaking Green Jobs report
EDMONTON, Canada — More than 200,000 green jobs could easily be
created in Alberta if the government made renewable energy a
priority, says a new report by Greenpeace, Sierra Club Prairie
Chapter and the Alberta Federation of Labour.
The report, Green Jobs: It’s Time to Build Alberta’s Future, was
released at a news conference in Edmonton by the three groups. The
report suggests that transitioning to a green economy will breathe
new life into Alberta’s economy and help improve its environmental
track record, which has recently been criticized internationally.
The three groups joined forces to encourage the province to turn away
from unproven, expensive technologies like Carbon Capture and Storage
(CCS). Instead of investing $2 billion in taxpayer’s money in a false
solution like CCS, the Stelmach government should be focussing on
putting Albertan’s to work.
http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/recent/green-jobs-report
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Canada's greenhouse gas emissions soared to new high in 2007
At 26 per cent above 1990 levels, emissions in violation of Kyoto
Protocol pledge; rates far worse than in United States
The growth of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada soared at the
fastest pace on record in 2007 to reach a new high, indicating the
difficulties the country faces in trying to curb the release of
pollutants many scientists say are responsible for global warming.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.
20090428.wemissions0428/BNStory/Science/home
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Agri-biz at root of swine flu?
The Real News Network
It's been 15 years since the North American Free Trade Agreement, and
while debate still rages over the wisdom of the arrangement, the
recent swine flu outbreak threatens to bring the pact under sharp
criticism. Mounting evidence is pointing to a US-owned industrial pig
farm as a likely source of the swine flu virus. The farm is one of
many factory farms that set up shop in Mexico after NAFTA rearranged
the laws to make such moves more profitable. Many experts have been
warning for years about the potential for a swine flu pandemic to
arise out of the conditions present in industrial pig farms.
http://therealnews.com/t/index.php?
option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=3632&updaterx=2009-
04-30+12:04:30
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Blame NAFTA for swine flu, experts say
Lax farming rules under free trade deal create breeding ground for
virus, environmentalists argue
MEXICO CITY–Sewage-filled lagoons at a pig farm in eastern Mexico – a
product of the North American free trade deal – are suspected of
creating ground zero conditions for swine flu in this country.
Environmentalists argue lax regulations in the factory farming that
boomed in Mexico right after the 1994 North American Free Trade
Agreement with Canada and the U.S. are making people sick – and not
just with swine flu.
http://www.healthzone.ca/health/article/627157
http://www.thestar.com/article/627157#
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Farming Pathogens
Disease in a world of our own making: http://
farmingpathogens.wordpress.com/
For an interview with Wallace on Democracy Now, see: http://
www.democracynow.org/2009/4/29/the_nafta_flu
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The Meatrix, an animated film about factory farming: http://
www.themeatrix.com, or on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=rEkc70ztOrc
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SWINE FLU: INVESTIGATE AND REGULATE
Evidence is emerging that traces swine flu to giant factory pig farms
that are dirty, dangerous, and inhumane.
Let's call on the United Nations World Health Organisation and the
Food and Agriculture Organisation to investigate and regulate these
farms to protect global health. Big agrobusiness will try to obstruct
any attempts at reform, so we need a massive outcry that health
authorities can't ignore.
Sign the petition: http://www.avaaz.org/en/swine_flu_pandemic/?
cl=225017617&v=3271
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The CANSEC War Fair:
Weapons Galore and Global Warfare
Canada's top war industries have their sights set on Ottawa and are
aiming to exhibit their wares at CANSEC 2009, Canada's largest
military arms bazaar, at Lansdowne Park, May 27-28.
More than 50 of these Canadian military export industries are linked
to the production of weapons systems that most people in this country
probably recognize as morally reprehensible and thoroughly
unCanadian, if not downright illegal.
Among the all-Canadian weapons exported by CANSEC 2009 exhibitors are:
* Anti-Personnel Cluster Bombs, Fragmentation Bombs and
Phosphorous Bombs
* Automatic Weapons, Semi-Automatic Weapons, Machine Guns and
Chain Guns
A new online report by the Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade (COAT)
reveals that CANSEC exhibitors are also engaged in the manufacture of
essential high-tech components embedded in weapons systems that
deliver the following:
* Nuclear Weapons
* Depleted Uranium Munitions
* Anti-Personnel Cluster Bombs
* Anti-Personnel Landmines
City of Ottawa to Host Canada's Biggest War Industry Bazaar May
27-28, 2009
Please join us in opposing CANSEC.
http://coat.ncf.ca/ARMX/cansec/CANSEC_campaign.htm
Find out more: Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade (COAT)
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Listening to Madness
Why some mentally ill patients are rejecting their medication and
making the case for 'mad pride.'
Newsweek
We don't want to be normal," Will Hall tells me. The 43-year-old has
been diagnosed as schizophrenic, and doctors have prescribed
antipsychotic medication for him. But Hall would rather value his
mentally extreme states than try to suppress them, so he doesn't take
his meds. Instead, he practices yoga and avoids coffee and sugar.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/195694
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Obama Proposes End to Oil, Gas, Nuclear Industry Tax Breaks
President Barack Obama wants to end $26 billion in oil and gas
industry tax breaks, calling them 'unjustifiable loopholes' in the
tax system that other companies do not get. Obama's proposed fiscal
2010 budget, details of which were released Thursday, also more
clearly spells out his intention to shut down a proposed nuclear
waste dump at Yucca Mountain in Nevada and calls for ending a
government subsidy that helps utilities license and plan for new
nuclear power plants.
http://www.truthout.org/050809L?n
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