Today is Blog Action Day 2010. The topic is water.Thinking Globally
Almost a billion people on the planet live without access to safe drinking water. You can help change that. Click on the petition link on the right to support the UN's efforts to bring clean, safe water to millions. For $25, you can give clean water to one person for a lifetime. Or you can start our own fundraising campaign. Click here for more information.
Acting Locally
1. Come to our next branch public policy meeting on Tuesday, 10/26 at the Kingston Library, 55 Franklin Street. We'll meet in the 2nd Floor Craft Room (to the right of the Children's Library) and watch Blue Gold: World Water Wars (2008, 90 min.) at about 5:45 PM, then discuss it. This film is based on the book Blue Gold: The Fight to Stop the Corporate Theft of the World's Water by Maude Barlow and Tony Clarke.
"Wars of the future will be fought over water, as they are today over oil, as the source of all life enters the global marketplace and political arena. Corporate giants, private investors, and corrupt governments vie for control of our dwindling fresh water supply, prompting protests, lawsuits, and revolutions from citizens fighting for the right to survive. Past civilizations have collapsed from poor water management. Will ours too?"
Also recommended (we might watch at a later date): Flow (2007, 84 min.) "A look at the world's water crisis and how the causes of the depleting water supply is connected to pollution, human rights, and even politics."
Optional homework assignment:Read the Blue Gold book and share your thoughts during the post-film discussion
2. Just say no to fracking!
a. Watch GASLAND.
b. Submit written comments on NYS DEC's Draft Strategic Plan for State Forest Management by 10/29. Let's ask DEC to remove the entire Mineral Resources section (pages 225 to 242) from this document, and ask that our state forests never be leased to the gas industry. From page 231: "A significant amount of concern with hydraulic fracturing has been expressed both within and outside DEC due to the high volume of water used (up to eight million gallons per well)."
c. Support our neighbors in PA. Here's one way: attend the post-Election Day Rally to Stop Shale Gas Drilling on Wed., 11/3 in Pittsburgh. At noon, rallygoers will march across the Rachel Carson bridge to protest at the Developing Unconventional Gas (DUG) East conference. Check out the Water Management Workshop description: "Water use and disposal in the Marcellus shale is a huge issue of importance to operators, local citizens and regulators. From 2005 to 2009, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection issued more than 2,000 permits for new Marcellus wells—and the average frac can use 3- to 5 million gallons of water. Some 10% to 30% of that returns to the surface, to be treated or recycled."
d. Get informed at:
http://dontfrackwithny.com/
http://frackaction.com/
3. Get to know our greatest local body of water: the Hudson River (shown above). Go for a walk in a riverside park, dip your toes in, take a swim, go fish, indulge in a fall cruise, go sailing or kayaking, visit a lighthouse. Get involved with and/or donate to Clearwater, Riverkeeper, or another group of your choice.
The real bottom line: Love your mother. She is made up of 70% water, like our brains! Let's use them wisely, and do whatever it takes to protect mother earth's precious water and all of her natural resources — for all living beings, for we are all connected.
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