Archive for March 4th, 2011

Obama approves GMO Crops

04/03/2011

The Revolution will begin our food supply
Over the past 12 days, the Obama administration has unbelievably chosen to approve two biotech crops, Roundup Ready genetically modified (GMO) alfalfa and Roundup Ready genetically modified (GMO) sugar beets. Obama’s recent approval of them will allow them to be planted as early as this spring, despite widespread acknowledgment that these crops are certain to contaminate both conventional and organic farmers non-GMO crops. Their approval only benefits one company — Monsanto.

These decisions are a devastating blow to our democracy and the basic rights of farmers to choose how they want to grow food on their land and the rights of consumers who increasingly choose organic and sustainably grown food for its positive health and environmental impacts. Click here to join us in telling President Obama that it’s time to stand up to Monsanto and reject these GMO crops today.

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Posted in Conservation, Environment, Health, Holistic Living, Room For Improvement, Sustainable Living/Communities | Leave a Comment »

How Life Changes in a Second

04/03/2011

Although we weren’t downtown when the Christchurch earthquake hit, (we were there the day before) we are still recovering from the experience of being in our home 1km from the epicenter, and about 20 min from Christchurch. We’ve since relocated to the Wanaka/Queenstown area.

Dust rises as the Quake hits Christchurch

We hadn’t been in the Christchurch area more than a week or two. We had just unpacked after having arrived from the U.S. via a short trip to Australia for Christmas. But we were getting to know the city. We had gotten our library  and metro cards. Amanda had signed up for art classes in Lyttelton.

I thought I’d share this post, and….  Here is an interactive  look of  before and after satellite images of the hardest hit areas of this wonderful town. The Queenstown District Council had, at last count, recorded about 75,000 people having left Christchurch and come into the their region as either temporary or permanent residents.

"Christchurch Before and After" Scroll/Slider

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Posted in MSI News, New Zealand | 6 Comments »

A Long Lost Incan Noble?

04/03/2011

Why the discovery of the “Lord of Vilcabamba” changes everything
From: Andean Air Mail & PERUVIAN TIMES
By Paul Goulder

Inca Gable at Espiritu Pampa

It is worth examining the significance of the discovery of the tomb of a Wari noble at the Espiritu Pampa archaeological site, an “aristocrat” who has been named variously Lord Vilca, Huari, Wari and (here) Vilcabamba.   Journalists have a nose for the sensational, so it is not surprising that in Australia, for example, the Herald Sun should give significant coverage – as have newspapers around the world – to the discovery of a tomb thousands of miles away from Sydney, in the tropical cloud forest (ceja de selva) of Peru. The forest may be cloudy but with this find Peru’s history becomes that much clearer.
Read the rest of this story…

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Big Winters = Climate Change

04/03/2011

Extreme winter weather linked to climate change
By Deborah Zabarenko,
News Daily

Abandoned Cars, Chicago 2011

WASHINGTON, Mar. 1, 2011 (Reuters) — This winter’s heavy snowfalls and other extreme storms could well be related to increased moisture in the air due to global climate change, a panel of scientists said on Tuesday.

This extra moisture is likely to bring on extraordinary flooding with the onset of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, as deep snowpack melts and expected heavy rains add to seasonal run-off, the scientists said in a telephone briefing.

As the planet warms up, more water from the oceans is evaporated into the atmosphere, said Todd Sanford, a climate scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists. At the same time, because the atmosphere is warmer, it can hold onto more of the moisture that it takes in. Read the rest of this story…

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Posted in Climate Change | Leave a Comment »