home of the wildlife conservation environmental and freedom activist

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) needs your help.  Unless strong protective
measures are taken, the extinction of the vaquita may be only a decade
away.  A tiny, elusive, and little-known porpoise, the vaquita is
threatened because it lives in a limited geographic area, has a very
small population, and is sometimes drowned in the gill nets used to
catch fish and shrimp.

WWF is launching a campaign to call the world's attention to the
vaquita's plight and to convince the Mexican government to better
protect this highly endangered species.

PLEASE HELP US BY FOLLOWING THE SIMPLE STEPS BELOW TO SEND A FREE
MESSAGE URGING THE PRESIDENT OF MEXICO TO PROTECT THE VAQUITA.  

For more background, see the end of this message.

**********************TAKE ACTION NOW!****************

To send the message below, as is, to the president of Mexico, hit
"reply" to this email and then "send."  We will automatically send the
message for you.

However, we urge you to greatly increase your impact by adding your
own thoughts to your message.  Personalizing your message only takes a
minute; see below for details.

ADD YOUR OWN THOUGHTS AND INCREASE YOUR IMPACT  

Log in to your Personal Action Center
- http://takeaction.worldwildlife.org/login.asp - with your email
address and your password.  (If you have
forgotten your password, follow the instructions on the log-in page to
have a new password emailed to you.)

Once you are in your Personal Action Center, click on "Save a
Critically Endangered Porpoise" and follow the instructions for adding
your own thoughts to your message.  If you haven't visited the
Conservation Action Network Web site recently, you will notice that we
have made some changes to make it easier for you to take action and
make your voice heard.  If you have any questions or problems with
taking action, contact us at
actionquestions@takeaction.worldwildlife.org for help.

Please urge your friends and colleagues to help save the vaquita by
visiting the Conservation Action Network Web site at
http://takeaction.worldwildlife.org/

*********************LETTER TEXT******************

Dear President Fox:

I write to urge you to do all you can to save the critically
endangered vaquita which lives only within Mexican waters in the upper
Gulf of California.  The vaquita may become extinct within the next 10
years if strong protective measures are not taken immediately.

Scientists estimate that there are only several hundred vaquitas left.
Fishermen catch as many as 80 vaquitas each year as bycatch in gill
nets.  Because of the enormous threat that gill net fishing poses to
the vaquita, I urge you to use the authority of current Mexican law to
limit gill net fishing within the marine protected area that has been
set aside for the vaquita.

Every species plays an important role in the complex web of life; we
should do all we can to ensure the survival of the vaquita.

Sincerely,

Your name and address
will be inserted here

***********************END OF LETTER TEXT*********************

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

There is still much to be learned about the vaquita.  Also known as
the Gulf of California harbor porpoise, the vaquita was discovered in
1958 and is difficult to observe in the wild because of its elusive
behavior. When it surfaces to breathe, it exposes only a small part of
its smooth, dark back, which is difficult to distinguish from the dark
tone of the water.  Among its distinguishing features are thick,
prominent lips and dark coloration around the eyes, which give it an
almost cartoon-like appearance.

Vaquitas are threatened primarily by fishing activity in the gulf.  
They are taken by accident in gill nets set for sharks, rays, shrimp,
and other fish stocks.  In order to assure the survival of the
vaquita, biologists say bycatch of vaquita should be reduced to zero.
A complete ban on all gill nets may be the only measure that can even
come close to meeting this formidable challenge.  However, a ban is a
very controversial proposal that cannot be implemented unless it is
approved by the Mexican government and alternative livelihoods are
successfully developed for the fishermen who would lose their jobs.

Please act now to show Mexico's president that there is overwhelming
international support for protecting the vaquita.

Direct any questions about the WWF Conservation Action Network to
actionquestions@takeaction.worldwildlife.org
______________________________________________________________________
The Conservation Action Network is sponsored by World Wildlife Fund-
US.  Known worldwide by its panda logo, WWF is dedicated to
protecting the world's wildlife and the rich biological diversity
that we all need to survive.  The leading privately supported
international conservation organization in the world, WWF has
sponsored more than 2,000 projects in 116 countries and has more than
1 million members in the United States.  WWF calls on everyone --
government, industry, and individuals -- to take responsibility by
taking action to save our living planet.

World Wildlife Fund
1250 Twenty-fourth Street, NW
Washington, DC  20037
http://www.worldwildlife.org
http://takeaction.worldwildlife.org

News Release
Tuesday, February 19, 2002

More on the Mexican GM Maize Scandal

Unnatural Rejection?
The academic squabble over Nature magazine's peer-reviewed article is
anything but academic

More than 144 farmer and other Civil Society Organizations from 40
countries have signed a Joint Statement on the Mexican GM Maize Scandal
being released today.  The Statement comes on the eve of an
international science policy meeting in Los Banos, Philippines where a
global response to the scandal will be discussed.  The 144 organizations
are demanding that the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and
the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR)
work together with the Convention on Biological Diversity to halt the
contamination of the Mesoamerican Centre of Genetic Diversity for maize
– one of the world1s most important food crops.  News that genetically
modified (GM) maize was turning up in farmers' varieties first appeared
in Nature Biotechnology last September and was confirmed in November by
a peer-reviewed article in Nature.  According to the 170 signatories to
today's Joint Statement, the academic and industry attacks on the
findings of the Mexican Government and U.S. university researchers has
been orchestrated to keep the scandal from embarrassing the biotech
industry as it tries to lift the European, Brazilian, and Mexican
moratoria (de facto or otherwise) on genetically modified seeds or
foods.  If the Philippine meeting of the Genetic Resources Policy
Committee of the CGIAR does not act decisively and immediately to
protect farmers in Mesoamerica, civil society will take the issue
directly to the April meeting of the Biodiversity Convention in the
Hague, and the World Food Summit in Rome in June.

The full text of  the Joint Statement, and the complete list of 144
signatories,  can be  found at http://www.etcgroup.org

========================================
NRDC's EARTH ACTION:
The Bulletin for Environmental Activists

February 20, 2001
========================================

SPECIAL ALERT: Fax your senators *back at home* about next week's
energy/Arctic debate!

Take action NOW at
http://www.nrdcaction.org/index.asp?step=2&item=1089

Dear NRDC Earth Activist,

Congress is out on recess this week, but when the Senate returns on
Monday, it will begin working on a comprehensive energy bill that
could set the stage for the country's energy security for decades to
come. Among other things, senators will be deciding whether to bow to
pressure to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas
drilling, and whether to increase fuel economy standards for cars and
trucks. As these will be the two most important environmental votes
senators cast this year, we are asking you to send a message that will
be faxed to your senators *at their state offices* while they are home
this week during recess. (While members of Congress receive a fairly
steady stream of online messages at their Capitol Hill offices,
messages are rarely sent to their home offices in heavy volume; when
they are, they immediately garner the attention of key staff members.)

By now you're probably familiar with this issue and why it's so
critical:

** Drilling in the Arctic Refuge will *not* help our nation break its
dependence on foreign oil.
** The United States can never drill its way to oil independence.
** Drilling the Arctic Refuge today would not produce oil for 10
years, and even then, would yield only a six-month supply.  
** Fuel efficiency is cheaper, cleaner, and saves barrels of oil much
faster than drilling for oil in the Arctic Refuge.
** Raising vehicle fuel economy standards to 40 mpg over the next
decade would save 10 times the oil in the Arctic Refuge, eliminate
millions of tons of air pollution, and encourage automakers to use
existing technology for the national good.

Breaking our addiction to foreign oil will increase our national
security *and* protect our most treasured places; Congress has the
opportunity to do just that. Again, senators begin work on this
critical piece of legislation *next week,* so they need to hear from
you *this week.*

What to do:
Go to http://www.nrdcaction.org/index.asp?step=2&item=1089 TODAY and
send a message that will be faxed to your senators' state offices
while they are home this week on recess. (If you want to help even
more, forward this email to friends and family and ask them to fax
their senators, too.)

Thank you!

==================================================

To update your email address or other information, go to:
http://www.join.nrdcaction.org/profileeditor. To unsubscribe from
Earth Action, send an email message to earthaction@nrdcaction.org with
REMOVE in the subject line.

==========
About NRDC
==========

The Natural Resources Defense Council is a nonprofit environmental
organization with over 500,000 members nationwide and a staff of
scientists, attorneys and environmental experts. Our mission is to
protect the planet's wildlife and wild places and ensure a safe and
healthy environment for all living things.

For more information about NRDC or how to become a member of NRDC,
please contact us at:

Natural Resources Defense Council
40 West 20th Street
New York, NY 10011
212-727-4511 (voice) / 212-727-1773 (fax)
General email: nrdcinfo@nrdc.org
Earth Action email: nrdcaction@nrdc.org
http://www.nrdc.org

Also visit:
BioGems -- Saving Endangered Wild Places
A project of the Natural Resources Defense Council
http://www.savebiogems.org

TO: ACLU Action Network Members
FR: Jared Feuer, Internet Organizer
DT: February 20, 2002

With the Senate poised to finally vote on election reform legislation, provisions have been included that turn a well-intentioned bill into a potential source of futher discrimination and inequality.

These new provisions include a photo ID requirment for first time voters.  Putting this condition on the right to vote would shut out a disproportionate number of racial and ethnic minority voters, much in the way that literacy tests and poll taxes did in the past.  

This requirement would also have a chilling effect on voter participation among young people, as most of America's 1.5 million undergraduates do not have a photo ID that displays a local address.  

Take Action!  The right to vote is fundamental, and it must not be contingent on a person's ability to produce one type of identification!  You can learn more about this issue and send a FREE FAX to your Members of Congress from our action alert at:

http://www.aclu.org/action/photo107.html

**********
Help Strengthen the ACLU's Voice in Congress...
Click Below to Become a Card-Carrying Member today!
http://www.aclu.org/action/joinaclu.html

Dear Members of Global Response's "Quick Response Network:"

Here's an update and a "thank you" from environmentalists working to protect
Russia's Samarga watershed.  Your letters helped win a critical 2-year
moratorium on logging! For more information on efforts to protect Russia's
forests, see www.pacificenvironment.org.

*****

Dear Global Response,

Thank you from Pacific Environment and all the Russian activists who
are working to protect Russia's taiga, its vast network of forests.
Thanks to Global Response's Quick Response Network, we were able to
generate hundreds of faxes last fall to protest a regional government
auction of logging rights in the 2-million acre roadless Samarga
watershed, part of Primorsky Region.

The Samarga watershed contains some of the last large areas of unprotected
wilderness in Russia's biodiverse Sikhote-Alin mountains. The Samarga is an important
refuge for wild Pacific salmon populations and is one of the last
strongholds for the rare Japanese cherry salmon. The Samarga provides
habitat to species including the Amur (Siberian) tiger and Himalayan black
bear.  The forests of the Samarga are also the traditional hunting and
fishing grounds for the Udege people - about 200 of whom live in the remote village
of Agzu, halfway up the Samarga watershed.

Thanks to pressure brought in part by Global Response's Quick Response
Network, the Russian timber company Terneiles announced a 2-year
moratorium on logging in the Samarga watershed.  This is an important
first step in finding alternatives that will guarantee environmental
conservation and protection of native rights in this area.

Work on the Samarga will continue, since a 2-year moratorium does not
guarantee protection.  Environmental groups are meeting in early March
in Vladivostok to help define further conservation strategies.  Thank
you for your support, and we look forward to working with you in the
future as we need your global support to help protect Russia's wild
nature!

For the taiga,

David Gordon
Pacific Environment

********************************
Paula Palmer, Executive Director
Global Response
P.O. Box 7490
Boulder CO 80306
USA
TEL: 303-444-0306
FAX: 303-449-9794
Email: paula@globalresponse.org
Website: www.globalresponse.org

Global Response empowers people of all ages, cultures, and nationalities to
protect the environment by creating partnerships for effective citizen
action.  At the request of indigenous peoples and grassroots organizations,
Global Response organizes international letter-writing campaigns to help
communities prevent environmental destruction.  Global Response involves
young people as well as adults in these campaigns, to develop in them the
skills for global citizen cooperation and earth stewardship.

You are having a positive effect.  The poultry industry is beginning
to reduce antibiotic use!

On February 18, 2002, Tyson Foods, the largest poultry producer in
the United States issued a press release saying "Tyson Food... has
chosen to discontinue its previously minimal use of the
fluoroquinolone class of antibiotics in the production of its broiler
chickens."

Fast food giant McDonald's also recently told its suppliers not to
use fluoroquinolones saying "Based on the science and some of the
concerns raised and its limited application, it was easy to
discontinue the use of it"

UCS applauds these decisions and now asks the other top poultry
producers, Perdue and Gold Kist, to take the same step and end the
use of fluoroquinolones in their poultry production.  Perdue and Gold
Kist, multi-million dollar companies producing 5.5 billion pounds of
chicken per year, should act responsibly and follow the example of
leaders like Tyson & McDonalds.

Your efforts to stop the overuse of antibiotics worked the first
time.  Now send your message to Perdue and Gold Kist CEOs, Jim Perdue
and John Bekkers urging them to join with Tyson and McDonald's and
stop treating poultry with fluroquinolone antibiotics.

To take action click on the following link:
http://www.ucsaction.org/index.asp?step=2&item=1108

Emails to: awa@alaska.net

In late February, the U.S. Senate will take up a sweeping energy bill.
Debate will rage over whether to allow oil drilling in the pristine
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, whether our country should shift more
toward nonpolluting renewable energy, and whether fuel efficiency
requirements should be increased for new cars, SUVs, and other light
trucks.  The outcomes will have enormous and long-lasting implications
for the health of our planet.  

The House has already passed an unacceptable energy bill.  The Senate
is your last chance to push for a sustainable national energy policy
more reliant on conservation and renewable energy.  Speak out now for
the caribou, penguins, coral reefs, estuaries, and other wildlife and
habitat that stand to suffer from the global warming, pollution, and
habitat destruction caused by our country's seemingly insatiable
demand for energy.

PLEASE FOLLOW THE SIMPLE STEPS BELOW TO SEND A FREE MESSAGE URGING
YOUR SENATORS TO SUPPORT A SUSTAINABLE ENERGY POLICY.  

**********************TAKE ACTION NOW!****************

To send the message below, as is, to your senators, hit "reply" to
this email and then "send."  We will fill in the names and addresses
and automatically send the messages for you.

However, we urge you to greatly increase your impact by adding your
own thoughts to your message.  Personalizing your message only takes a
minute; see below for details.

ADD YOUR OWN THOUGHTS AND INCREASE YOUR IMPACT  

Log in to your Personal Action Center -
http://takeaction.worldwildlife.org/login.asp - with your email
address (alerts@earthhopenetwork.net) and your password.  (If you have
forgotten your password, follow the instructions on the log-in page to
have a new password emailed to you.)

Once you are in your Personal Action Center, click on "Major Vote on
Energy Policy" and follow the instructions for adding your own
thoughts to your messages.  

Please urge all of your friends and colleagues to take this extremely
important action by visiting http://takeaction.worldwildlife.org/
today.

*********************LETTER TEXT******************

Dear (your senators' names will be inserted here):

When the full Senate considers national energy legislation, I urge you
to support our country's transition to a sustainable energy future and
the reduction of carbon dioxide pollution that causes global warming.

Specifically, I ask that you endorse:

*  keeping the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge safe from oil drilling

*  the strongest possible increase in fuel economy standards for new
cars, SUVs, and other light trucks

*  requiring that, by the year 2020, 20 percent of our energy come
from clean, renewable energy sources

*  increasing efficiency standards for new central air conditioners
and heat pumps by 30 percent above the current standard by 2006.  
Doing so would eliminate the need for nearly 150 power plants, save
consumers $12.6 billion, and reduce carbon emissions by 63.8 million
metric tons.

As a nation, we hold only 3 percent of the world's reserves of oil,
yet we consume almost 25 percent of the world's daily production.  As
long as this is the case, we will remain dependent on world oil
markets, and we will pay the world price for oil, whether it is
produced domestically or abroad.  The safest and fastest way to
increase our energy security is to improve the energy efficiency of
our cars, trucks, homes, factories, and offices, and to increase the
role of renewable non-petroleum sources of energy in our economy.  
Simply increasing production, at the expense of the wilderness areas
and wildlife we all cherish, will not buy America energy security --
in either the short or the long run.

America needs an energy policy that will do more than just give us
directions to the next filling station. We need a roadmap that takes
us forward, into the twenty-first century, not backwards to the 1950s.

Sincerely,

Your name and address
will be inserted here

***********************END OF LETTER TEXT*********************

______________________________________________________________________
Direct any questions about the WWF Conservation Action Network to
actionquestions@takeaction.worldwildlife.org
______________________________________________________________________
The Conservation Action Network is sponsored by World Wildlife Fund-
US.  Known worldwide by its panda logo, WWF is dedicated to
protecting the world's wildlife and the rich biological diversity
that we all need to survive.  The leading privately supported
international conservation organization in the world, WWF has
sponsored more than 2,000 projects in 116 countries and has more than
1 million members in the United States.  WWF calls on everyone --
government, industry, and individuals -- to take responsibility by
taking action to save our living planet.

World Wildlife Fund
1250 Twenty-fourth Street, NW
Washington, DC  20037
http://www.worldwildlife.org
http://takeaction.worldwildlife.org

SENATE DEBATE: Differing Visions of "energy security" to be argued

GAS MASKS IN YELLOWSTONE: Fumes from snowmobiles overpowering rangers

POLITICS AS USUAL: Damn the manatees, full speed ahead

GLOBAL WARMING: Scientists see changing wildlife patterns

SAVING WILDLIFE HABITAT: Senate farm bill boosts conservation spending

HOWLING NEWS: First wolf spotted in Washington state

SAVE POLAR BEARS FROM HARMFUL DRILLING

1. SENATE DEBATE: Differing Visions of "energy security" to be argued Several of the biggest environmental votes of this Congress are expected in the coming weeks as the Senate begins debate over national energy legislation. Last summer, the House passed environmentally destructive energy legislation that includes allowing oil drilling in the magnificent Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. In contrast, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle has introduced legislation that would reduce America's dependence on foreign oil by raising fuel efficiency standards for vehicles while protecting the Arctic refuge. Environmentalists are bracing for major amendments to open the refuge to drilling, block proposed mileage standards increases and further increase the use of renewable energy. Insiders say there could be several votes on whether to drill in the refuge. WHAT YOU CAN DO: Go to http://www.Savearcticrefuge.org to send a free e-mail urging your senators to protect America's greatest wildlife sanctuary and support a balanced energy plan that emphasizes new technologies and improved efficiencies. Check our Web site daily for updates on this important issue, and help spread the word about the threat to the refuge by forwarding this issue of DENlines to friends. 2. GAS MASKS IN YELLOWSTONE: Fumes from snowmobiles overpowering rangers At Yellowstone National Park, there are so many snowmobiles that rangers are wearing gas masks to ward off dizziness, headaches and nausea from the fumes. "It's a nightmare," one park employee told The Washington Post. "It's chaos. It's loud. It's smelly. It's dangerous." Knuckling under to pressure from the snowmobile manufacturers association, Interior Secretary Gale Norton is trying to overturn a proposal that would ban snowmobiles in the park by the winter of 2003-2004. Her plan would allow up to 1,300 snowmobiles to roar past Old Faithful and the rest of the park's natural wonders every day. Watch for e-mails on what you can do to protect Yellowstone and its wildlife from snowmobiles. And click here to see the Denlines cartoon: http://www.defenders.org/den/cartoons/snowmobiles.jpg 3. POLITICS AS USUAL: Damn the manatees, full speed ahead Secretary Norton ignored the objections of a supervisor in one of her own agencies when she decided to allow boat manufacturers to test WHAT YOU CAN DO: Legislation that would harm manatees is moving through the Florida Legislature. To learn how you can help, go to http://www.helpmanatees.org 4. GLOBAL WARMING: Scientists see changing wildlife patterns In a century, there could be no more Baltimore orioles in Baltimore. And in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, birds are returning from their winter migrations earlier in the spring -- just two examples from scientific studies that suggest global warming is already influencing wildlife behavior. The release of the studies by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change came as the Bush administration proposed voluntary targets for industry to slow the growth of global-warming emissions. The White House earlier rejected the international Kyoto Protocol that set mandatory limits on emissions. To learn more, go to http://www.defenders.org/wildlife/globalwarming/globalwarming.html 5. SAVING WILDLIFE HABITAT: Senate farm bill boosts conservation spending The farm bill passed by the Senate last week doubles spending for farmland conservation, providing far more money than the House version to help farmers safeguard clean water and wetlands and curb suburban sprawl. The Senate bill also tries to curtail pollution from massive industrial-scale livestock operations, while the House version gives billions of dollars in tax subsidies to these corporate-owned businesses. A Senate-House conference committee will try to reconcile the two versions of the farm bill, and Defenders of Wildlife is working to ensure conservation provisions make it into the law that Congress will eventually enact. To learn more, go to: http://www.familyfarmer.org 6. HOWLING NEWS: First wolf spotted in Washington state An endangered gray wolf has crossed the border of Idaho into Washington and could help establish the first pack in that state since http://www.savewolves.org 7. SAVE POLAR BEARS FROM HARMFUL DRILLING Oil lobbyists through massive political contributions are working furiously to pass legislation to open America's greatest wildlife sanctuary — the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge – to drilling. Scientists warn that such exploration will harm and even kill wildlife including the polar bears that den there. Please rush a donation today to help us stop this powerful special interest. For your contribution of $25 or more we'll also thank you with our plush polar bear toy. Go to http://www.defenders.org/arctic/donate.html to make your tax-deductible contribution. CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO DENLINES DENlines is a bi-weekly publication of Defenders of Wildlife, a leading national conservation organization recognized as one of the nation's most progressive advocates for wildlife and its habitat. It is known for its effective leadership on endangered species issues, particularly predators such as brown bears and gray wolves. Defenders also advocates new approaches to wildlife conservation that protect species before they become endangered. Founded in 1947, Defenders is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization with more than 400,000 members and supporters. Defenders of Wildlife 1101 14th Street, N.W. Suite 1400 Washington, DC 20005 Copyright Defenders of Wildlife 2002

Natural Resources Defense Council's

LEGISLATIVE WATCH

February 21, 2002

Contents:

1) Legislative Watch
2) About Our Bulletins/How to Subscribe & Unsubscribe
3) About NRDC/How to Contact Us

The information in this bulletin is also available on our website at
http://www.nrdc.org/legislation/legwatch.asp. The web version links to
the text of bills and congressional web pages. To take action on these
and other environmental issues, visit NRDC's Earth Action Center at
http://www.nrdc.org/action, where you can use our online activism
tools or subscribe to Earth Action, our biweekly activist bulletin.

1) LEGISLATIVE WATCH

This is a status report on congressional action on the environment. To
make new or updated sections easy to find, we've highlighted them
with:
= N O T E ! =

2/21/02

Campaign finance reform passed the House and will again be taken up by
the Senate as soon as Congress returns from recess next week. The
Senate will also return quickly to energy legislation, with crucial
votes on issues such as drilling for oil in the Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge, increasing vehicle fuel economy standards, and
creating incentives for promoting energy efficiency and renewable
energy.

...

Budget/Appropriations

On 2/4, the Bush administration presented its $2.13 trillion fiscal
year 2003 budget to Congress. This is the first step in the annual
funding process for federal agencies. As expected, the Bush budget
proposes significant cuts to core federal environmental programs in
order to pay for $35 billion in new homeland defense funding and the
largest increase in military spending in 20 years.

= N O T E ! =
See NRDC's analysis of the Bush budget.
http://www.nrdc.org/legislation/abudget03.asp

For a step-by-step guide to our annual odyssey through resolutions,
reconciliations and appropriations, see NRDC's budget process fact
sheet.
http://www.nrdc.org/legislation/fbudg.asp

...

Clean Air and Energy

= N O T E ! =
On 2/15, Senate majority leader Daschle (D-SD) introduced the
Democratic energy bill (S. 1766), and announced that he will bring it
to the floor the week of 2/25. Sen. Daschle's bill includes the
substantial increase in fuel economy standards proposed by Sen. Kerry
(D-MA) and Sen. Hollings (D-SC) (see below). The bill also would
require greater use of renewable fuels, more efficient air
conditioners and heat pumps, and increased use of corn-based ethanol
in gasoline. The Senate Finance Committee is planning to attach an
amendment for a $14.5 billion package of energy tax credits and
incentives for improving energy efficiency in vehicles, appliances,
and building materials, and increasing the use of solar, wind, and
other cleaner alternative energy sources. The tax package, however,
also includes large subsidies for the fossil fuels industries.

= N O T E ! =
Two legislative proposals would increase fuel economy. A bill
introduced by Sen. Kerry (D-MA) and Sen. Hollings (D-SC) (S. 1926),
and incorporated in Sen. Daschle's (D-SD) bill, would raise required
fuel economy standards for cars, SUVs and other light trucks to 35 mpg
by 2013. The first increment in 2005 would create savings of about one
million barrels of oil per day in 10 years. A similar bill, introduced
by Sen. McCain (R-AZ), would require SUVs to meet the same standards
as cars and would increase fuel economy standards to 36 mpg by 2016.
But due to a loophole in the bill, the fuel savings would actually be
substantially less.

Enron's collapse is affecting proposals to restructure the electricity
industry. The Senate Energy Committee is planning a hearing to explore
how to modify its electricity proposals in light of the Enron scandal.
The House Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee is planning to soon mark
up committee chair Rep. Barton's (R-TX) electricity bill, H.R. 3406.
Environmental groups support including an energy efficiency
requirement for utilities as part of any electricity bill.

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee expects to consider
S. 556, a bill co-authored by committee chair Sen. Jeffords (I-VT) and
Sen. Lieberman (D-CT), this spring. The bill seeks to reduce four
types of power plant emissions by imposing mandatory cuts in carbon
dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and mercury emissions. No
action has been taken on the House companion bill (H.R. 1256), which
was introduced on 3/27/01 by Rep. Waxman (D-CA) and Rep. Boehlert
(R-NY). The Bush administration opposes regulating carbon dioxide
emissions, arguing that the costs on the economy would be too high.
The administration has announced a proposal that would regulate only
three of the four worst power plant pollutants, reversing a Bush
campaign promise to regulate carbon dioxide, a key greenhouse gas that
contributes to global warming.  

NRDC has detailed an alternative energy policy that would provide a
secure energy future without destroying wilderness or rolling back
environmental safeguards in reports including Dangerous Addiction:
Ending America's Oil Dependence
(http://www.nrdc.org/air/transportation/oilsecurity/securityinx.asp)
and A Responsible Energy Policy for the 21st Century
(http://www.nrdc.org/air/energy/rep/repinx.asp).

...

Clean Water

= N O T E ! =
On 2/14, Sen. Jeffords (I-VT), chair of the Senate Environment and
Public Works Committee, and ranking member Sen. Smith (R-NH) released
the Water Investment Act, a five-year, $35 billion legislative package
that would modify the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act
and authorize significant increases in funding for cleaner water. Sen.
Jeffords plans to have the bill ready for floor debate before the July
4th recess. Environmental groups are working to ensure that the final
bill will include more funding to meet the nation's water quality
needs, including updating aging sewer plants and collection systems,
controlling contaminated stormwater, minimizing polluted runoff, and
remedying decaying and out-of-date drinking water infrastructure.
Environmentalists would also like to see additional incentives for
states to fund water quality projects that are good for the
environment, such as stream buffers, wetlands protection, stormwater
controls, and smart growth that prevents sprawling development.

On 2/7, the House Fisheries Conservation Subcommittee approved H.R.
3577, Rep. Gilchrest's (R-MD) bill to reauthorize a popular coastal
management grant program created by the Coastal Zone Management Act.
The bill includes funding for reducing polluted runoff in coastal
areas.

On 12/5, Sen. Feinstein (D-CA) and Sen. Boxer (D-CA) introduced a bill
(S. 1768) to reauthorize CALFED, an important federal and state
partnership in California that provides water for urban and
agricultural users, as well as for wildlife and habitat restoration.
The bill avoids many of the problems in the House version (H.R. 3208),
approved by the House Resources Committee on 11/7. Environmentalists
oppose H.R. 3208, which soon may be taken up on the House floor,
because it would allow the construction of new dams in California
without appropriate review, and could give agricultural water users
priority over the environment.

...

Lands

= N O T E ! =
On 2/13, the Senate approved final passage of Sen. Harkin's (D-IA)
farm bill (S. 1731) by a 58-40 vote; the bill will now go to
conference with the House bill (H.R. 2646). The Senate bill includes a
much needed boost in conservation funding and would also increase
habitat and wetlands conservation programs and help protect rural
lands from sprawling suburban development. In addition, the Senate
bill would provide more than $500 million for clean energy programs
that support wind power, biomass energy, fuel cells, and energy
efficiency improvements on farms. The bill attempts to correct some of
the problems in the House bill that would encourage logging on public
lands and subsidize pollution from giant factory farms. Sen. Wellstone
(D-MN) was able to obtain some limits on the use of conservation money
to subsidize the creation of animal waste pits, which degrade water
quality, on massive factory farms, but stronger protections were
rejected by the Senate after intense lobbying by dairy interests.

...

International Environmental Protections

On 12/6, after intense lobbying by the White House and House
Republican leaders, the House passed a trade authority bill, H.R.
3005. The bill, introduced by Rep. Thomas (R-CA) and approved by just
one vote, grants "fast track" authority to the president to negotiate
new trade agreements. Democratic leaders, as well as environmental,
consumer, social justice, and labor groups opposed the bill because it
fails to ensure adequate environmental and labor standards and could
undermine current protections. On 12/12, the Senate Finance Committee
approved a "fast track" trade bill similar to the House version, after
rejecting amendments to strengthen environmental and labor
protections. Senate floor action on the bill is expected soon.

...

For information on the environmental voting records of members of
Congress, see the League of Conservation Voter's National
Environmental Scorecards at http://www.lcv.org/scorecard/index.asp

...........

2) About Our Bulletins/How to Subscribe & Unsubscribe

NRDC distributes three bulletins by email. To subscribe to any or all
of them or to join our activist networks, go to
http://www.join.nrdcaction.org/subscribe.asp. If you already subscribe
and want to change your subscriptions or update your email address or
other information, go to http://www.join.nrdcaction.org/profileeditor
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EARTH ACTION is sent biweekly and calls out urgent environmental
issues requiring immediate action. To unsubscribe from Earth Action,
send an email message to earthaction@nrdcaction.org with REMOVE in the
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legwatch@nrdcaction.org with REMOVE in the subject line.

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...........

3) About NRDC/How to Contact Us

The Natural Resources Defense Council is a nonprofit environmental
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For more information about NRDC or how to become a member of NRDC,
please contact us at:

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General information: nrdcinfo@nrdc.org
Email subscription questions: nrdcaction@nrdc.org
http://www.nrdc.org

Also visit:
BioGems -- Saving Endangered Wild Places
A project of the Natural Resources Defense Council
http://www.savebiogems.org

To: All Activists

From: Mark Salvo, American Lands and Jacob Smith, Wildlands Center
for Preventing Roads

Subject: BLM Begins Massive 16-State Vegetation Treatment EIS

Scoping Comments Due March 29th, Public Meetings Scheduled

Acknowledging the poor condition of much of the agency's holdings, the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is planning to prepare an Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) that will broadly address ecosystem restoration
on millions of acres of BLM lands in the West.  The EIS will address the
spread of noxious weeds as well as restoration of native vegetation,
wildlife habitat, and watersheds.  The BLM has requested public scoping
comments for the EIS, which may be submitted in writing or at public
meetings to be hosted by the agency this winter at locations across the
country (see below).  This EIS is critically important, as innumerable
regional and local restoration projects will be developed and "tiered"
to this document.  This plan will consider treatments such as prescribed
fire, riparian restoration, restoration of native plant communities,
control of invasive species, fuels reduction and other prescriptions.

What's the concern?

Between 1985 and 1995, weeds increased on the public range from 4
million to 17 million acres.  The BLM estimates that weeds spread at a
rate of 4,600 acres per day on agency lands. The worst invader may be
cheatgrass, a flammable but fire-loving non-native that has taken over
nearly 25 million acres of public land in the Great Basin.  (These facts
cited in The Sagebrush Sea booklet, available at www.sagebrushsea.org).

Noxious weeds reduce biological diversity and threaten sensitive fish
and wildlife species. Flammable weeds can drastically alter natural fire
regimes, which may result in ecosystem collapse.  Weeds are present on
all landscape-types managed by the BLM, including Pacific Northwest
forests, Mojave Desert, Chihuahuan Desert, Sonoran Desert and the
Sagebrush Sea.  

Is there chance for mischief in this EIS?

Given past planning efforts, it is possible that the BLM will address
the symptoms of noxious weeds without considering the causes. Weeds are
usually spread by soil disturbance or stress on ecosystems from domestic
livestock grazing, road building, off-road vehicle use, logging, mining,
fire, and other activities. Weeds are also spread by deliberate planting
of invasive species either by state or federal agencies attempting to
"enhance" or "restore" areas (or by private citizens to beautify their
properties).  These uses and activities are permitted on public lands by
the BLM. However, conservationists are concerned that the agency will
propose expensive, invasive techniques to halt the spread of weeds
without also requiring reductions and restrictions in the activities
that cause weeds to spread in the first place. Such a plan would be
costly and destined for failure.  Conservationists are also concerned
that the BLM will use this process to encourage replacing noxious weeds
with other nonnative plants more palatable to livestock but unfriendly
to native ecosystem health.

Please Submit Your Comments

Scoping is the initial process of gathering input from interested
persons about how to draft an EIS. Your comments, whether written or
oral, are important to determine the eventual tone and substance of this
important planning document for restoration of BLM lands across the
west.  Following are suggested points for your letter or oral testimony.


· Due to the scope of this programmatic EIS, it should focus on
identifying weed location and restoration priorities, allowing landscape
and site specific analysis to determine restoration objectives and
methods. Restoration projects should have clearly defined restoration
objectives, require landscape and site specific assessments, and use
best available science.

· Motorized vehicle use (including motorized recreation, oil and gas
development, and other activities relying on motorized vehicles) and
livestock grazing are major factors causing the spread of invasive
species across BLM lands-a major threat to ecosystem health. Vehicles
and livestock transport seeds to areas not yet affected by noxious weeds
and facilitate establishment of weed species by disturbing soil.
Motorized vehicles should only be allowed on designated routes that have
undergone a thorough impact analysis and where the agency has sufficient
monitoring and enforcement resources to protect roaded areas from
misuse. Motorized vehicles and livestock should be prohibited in newly
burned areas, habitats that have not been invaded by noxious weeds, in
legislatively or administratively proposed wilderness areas, Wilderness
Study Areas, and important habitat for imperiled species when invading
plants have been identified as a threat to those species or habitat.

· The EIS must address strategies to prevent all of the causes of
noxious weed spread.  These strategies should include the use of
weed-free certified hay, weed-free certified fill for road repair,
weed-free certified seed for replanting and education and other
strategies for discouraging neighboring landowners from planting
invasive plant species.

· The EIS should address all plants considered by the best available
science to be invasive in ecosystems under BLM management, not merely
those officially designated as "noxious weeds".

· The EIS process should aim to reduce use of herbicides on BLM lands
and to explore the use of newer and less damaging herbicides.

· Restoration efforts should be directed specifically at recovering
natural ecological processes and establishing viable populations of
extirpated and sensitive native species, such as the sage grouse,
white-tailed prairie dog, black-footed ferret, Columbia spotted frog,
Washington ground squirrel, and desert yellowhead.  Only native seeds
should be used in restoration projects.

· Fire is a natural process that should be restored to many BLM lands.
Hazardous fuels reduction to protect lives and property should be
narrowly focused on the wildands-urban interface and not in the
backcountry.  Other treatments need to be done in the context of a
restoration assessment with clearly defined restoration objectives.  
Projects need to protect roadless areas, old growth, endangered species
habitat, riparian areas and other important areas of high ecological
integrity.  Fuels-reduction that includes road construction and
reconstruction, increases motorized vehicle, and livestock access may
actually cause more harm by spreading invasive species and increasing
the likelihood of fire starts. Prescribed burning must be done very
carefully so not to increase the spread of noxious weeds.  

· Road obliteration and revegetation is one of the most effective ways
of restoring ecosystems and controlling noxious weeds. Road obliteration
should be a major component of any BLM restoration plan.

Send your comments by March 29, 2002:

Mr. Brian Amme
Attn. BLM Vegetation EIS
Bureau of Land Management
P.O. Box 12000
Reno, Nevada
89520-0006
FAX:  775-861-6712
brian_amme@nv.blm.gov (note that the BLM e-mail system is not currently
working)

PUBLIC SCOPING MEETING SCHEDULE (Confirm with your state or local BLM
office):

Alaska - March 6, 3-6 PM, BLM Anchorage Field Office, 6881 Abbott Loop
Road, Anchorage, AK. (BLM Contact: Gene Terland, 907-271-3344).

California (2 meetings) - (1) February 5, 5-8 PM, Alturas Sacred Heart
Parish Hall, 507 East 4th Street, Alturas, CA. (2) February 26, 5-8PM,
Holiday Inn Select, 801 Truxton Avenue, Bakersfield, CA. (BLM Contacts:  
Jennifer Purvine, 530-233-7932 [Alturas], and Stephen Larson,
661-391-6099  [Bakersfield]).

Idaho (2 meetings) - (1) February 13, 6-9 PM, Vista Inn, 2645 Airport
Way, Boise, ID. (2) February 14, 6-9 PM, College of Southern Idaho,
Shields Bldg., Room 117, 315 Falls Avenue, Twin Falls, ID. (BLM
Contacts: Barry Rose, 208-373-4014 [Boise] and Eddie Guerrero,
208-736-2355 [Twin Falls]).

Montana (2 meetings) - January 29, 4-7 PM, Miles Community College Room
106, 2715 Dickinson, Miles City, MT. (2) February 11, 5-8 PM, U.S.
Forest Service Helena National Forest Headquarters, 2880 Skyway Drive,
Helena, MT. (BLM Contact: Jody Weil, 406-896-5258 [Miles City and
Helena]).

Nevada (2 meetings) - February 19, 4-7 PM, Bureau of Land Management,
Nevada State Office, 1340 Financial Blvd., Reno, NV. (2) February 21,
2-5 PM and 6-9 PM, Hilton Garden Inn Meeting Room, 3650 Idaho Street,
Elko, NV. (BLM Contacts: JoLynn Worley, 775-861-6515 [Reno] and Mike
Brown, 775-753-0200 [Elko]).

New Mexico - February 25, 6-9 PM, Holiday Inn Express, Neptune Room,
1100 North California, Socorro, NM. (BLM Contact: Margie Onstad,
505-838-1256).

Oregon - March 4, 6-9 PM, Days Inn City Center, 1414 SW 6th, Portland,
OR. (BLM Contact: Chris Strebig, 503-952-6003).


Washington State - February 28, 6-9 PM, Spokane Valley Library, 12004
East Main Avenue, Spokane, WA. (BLM Contact: Kathy Helm, 509-536-1252).

Washington, D.C. - March 12, 9 AM -12 Noon, Washington Plaza Hotel,
Franklin Room, 10 Thomas Circle (Massachusetts and 14th Street),
Washington, D.C. (BLM Contact: Sharon Wilson, 202-452-5130).


Steve Holmer
Campaign Coordinator
American Lands
726 7th Street SE
Washington, D.C. 20003
202/547-9105
202/547-9213 fax
mailto:wafcdc@americanlands.org
http://www.americanlands.org

In this Post :
1. Call/Fax/email Citi!  Don't Destroy the Peruvian Amazon!
2. Press Release : Emergency Week of Actions
3. MEDIA : One World.com "Citibank Targeted by Wave of Student Protests"
4. University of Chicago Campaign for Responsible Banking Update
5. Ecuador Update : Mindo Tree Sit celebrates 50 days!  Support Needed!

For more organizing resources or other support contact organize@ran.org
or call 415-398-4404/1-800-989-RAIN

For Background info Check out : http://www.ran.org and http://www.shiftpower.org

* * * * *
#1 EMERGENCY WEEK OF ACTION UPDATES!

We've been hearing exciting updates from around the country as people take
action against Citigroup's destructive practices.  From educational events,
informational tabling, guerilla theater and demonstrations to letter
writing, divestment and direct action, we're sending a strong message to the
World's Most Destructive bank that they need to clean up their act now!   If
your group did an action or event send a report and any electronic copies of
media coverage to organize@ran.org.  IMPORTANT - if you got media coverage
get a hard copy and send it into RAN (221 Pine St #500 SF CA 94103 ATTN :
Citi campaign) and we'll make sure that Citigroup gets a copy.

Let's conclude our week of actions with a bang by phoning, faxing and
emailing Citi to make sure they got the message :

Hands Off the Amazon!  Stop Funding the Deadly Camisea Project in Peru!

Global Warming and Fossil Fuel Addiction is Threatening the Whole Planet!

Citi Must Shift its Investments out of Fossil Fuels and Forest Destruction
and Towards Renewable Energy and Tree-Free Alternatives!


Citigroup is continuing to fund destruction around the world.  As the #1
funder of oil development Citi is responsible for the destruction of fragile
ecosystems, the displacement of indigenous peoples and accelerating the
global climate crisis.

Citi is the financial advisor to the infamous Camisea Gas project in the
Peruvian Amazon.  This project which is set to begin construction in the
coming months will devastate the Lower Urubamba River Valley.  This pristine
area has been cited by the Smithsonian Institute as one of the most
biological diverse ecosystems on the planet, a site of unparalleled
ecological significance which must be protected.  The region is also the
ancestral homeland of several virtually uncontacted indigenous communities
who continue to live in voluntary isolation.  If Gas development is brought
to the area as Citi plans both the native peoples and the local ecosystems
will be devastated.

The local communities as well as environmental, indigenous and human rights
groups are campaigning to stop this project and expose the illegal and
undemocratic methods by which the project is being pushed through the
permitting process.  This communities are fighting a life or death battle
for the future of their homelands and they need our help.

Not only will this project devastate the Peruvian Amazon it effects us all
by continuing our addiction to fossil fuels.  Global Warming is the
potentially
the biggest threat global civilization has ever faced so it time to take
some
action.  We can force Citi to break the fossil fuel chain of destruction by
shift their investments away from oil, gas and coal and towards clean
renewable energy.

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!

PHONE : Citigroup Credit Card Services Line 1-800-950-5114 (then punch #
repeatedly to get to a human without having to giving an account number)
PHONE : Investor Relations 1-888-250-3985 and dial 0 to reach a human
operator
FAX : 212-793-0059
EMAIL : investorrelations@citi.com

SPEAK YOUR MIND STRAIGHT TO CITI! - SAMPLE TALKING POINTS

I’m deeply concerned about Citigroup’s role in funding global warming and
deforestation. I’m particularly upset that Citigroup continues to invest in
destructive fossil fuel projects like the Camisea gas project in Peru which
is set to devastate an pristine rainforest that is home to several
indigenous peoples.  If Citigroup wants my business they need to shift
investments from destructive industries towards clean renewable energy and
other sustainable alternatives.

Until Citi takes action to stop destructive investments I will not be doing
business with your corporation and I will be urging all my friends and
neighbors to take similar action.

Thanks and have a great day!

OTHER TALKING POINTS :

Citi is  the largest funder of the oil and gas industry and the second
largest in mining and forest products.  These types of project, accelerate
global warming threaten fragile ecosystems and displace indigenous peoples
from their homelands. Why isn’t Citi phasing out investments in fossil
fuels?

Fossil fuels are the next tobacco of the investment community. The moral,
social and environmental cost of investing in fossil fuels is too high.
Citi should be sending a strong message to the oil industry by investing in
the transition to clean renewable energy sources rather than funding further
fossil fuel development.

* * * * *
#2

For Immediate Release
February 19, 2002

CONTACT :
Patrick Reinsborough, Rainforest Action Network, 415-398-4404
Mark von Topel, PowerShift, 202-210-0979
Vanessa Pierce, Grinnell College 641-236-5898

Emergency Week of Action Calls for Protection of the Peruvian Amazon

Demonstrations Across the Country Spotlight Citigroup Investment in
Controversial Fossil Fuel Projects

San Francisco - Responding to a call for an emergency week of action,
student activists in 50 different cities across the country demonstrated at
Citibank (C) branches to protest the financial giant’s involvement in the
controversial Camisea gas project in the Peruvian Amazon. The week of action
is part of an ongoing campaign to pressure the world’s largest bank to ban
funding for environmentally destructive projects in endangered ecosystems.

European bank, ABN/Amro, instituted a landmark policy last October that
prohibits the financing of extractive industries and projects that destroy
old growth forests in a first major step toward shifting the world’s
financial sector toward ecological sustainability.  The policy addresses all
industries that destroy old growth forests, create large-scale forest fires
and devastate local communities.

“One of Europe’s largest banks has vowed to halt all projects that harm old
growth forests and Citi should be the first U.S. financial institution to
follow suit,” said Ilyse Hogue, global finance campaigner with Rainforest
Action Network.  “Instead of devastating communities and paving the Amazon,
Citi needs to catch up to modern values and meet the challenge set by the
European banks.”

Citi is the financial advisor of the Camisea Project, a drilling and
pipeline construction project that threatens Peru’s Lower Urubamba Region in
the Amazon, a biologically diverse area that is home to several indigenous
tribes living in voluntary isolation. According to a study by the
Smithsonian Institute, the Camisea Project will affect one of the world's
most biologically diverse regions.  Researchers found the region to be in
"nearly pristine condition," with virtually no evidence of significant human
impact. The Lower Urubamba Region is also the legally recognized territory
of three indigenous tribes, the Nahua and Nanti and the Machiguenga.

“Citi is bankrolling rainforest destruction, global warming and the
displacement of indigenous peoples,” said Vanessa Pierce, a student leader
at Grinnell College.  “The Camisea Project is one more example of its
complete lack of environmental and social standards.  Students are joining
together to say ‘Not with my money’ to the world’s most destructive bank.”

An initial Environmental Impact Assessment report found that the Camisea
project's socio-cultural impacts could include loss of food resources,
contamination of drinking water, loss or damage to archeological sites,
changes to existing economic activity, and the spread of disease. Shell and
Mobil, both original partners in Camisea, withdrew from the project after
investing more than $250 million.  The project has been on hold since 1998,
due in part to strong opposition from human rights, environmental, and
indigenous groups around the world.

Today’s event is part of an ongoing international campaign to transform the
funding practices of the corporate financial system.  The campaign targets
Citi specifically as the world’s  #1 funder of fossil fuel projects and
America’s largest investor in environmental destruction and social inequity.
Through lending, underwriting, mutual funds and funding government politics,
Citi profits off projects that destroy fragile ecosystems, accelerate global
warming and displace communities.  The campaign has included hundreds of
demonstrations, a boycott of Citibank credit cards and non-violent direct
actions.   As part of the campaign, RAN and PowerShift, in conjunction a
broad coalition of groups, are calling on Citi to lead the corporate
financial sector in ending destructive investments in fossil fuels and
deforestation.

“Citigroup is in a position to make solar power the most affordable energy
in America,” said Mark von Topel of PowerShift.  “By shifting its’
investments away from destructive fossil fuel projects like Camisea and
funding clean energy, Citi can take a stand against environmental
destruction and raise the bar by which all financial institutions are
measured.”

###

* * * * *
#3
Citibank Targeted by Wave of Student Protests
Tue Feb 19,12:39 PM ET

Alison Raphael,OneWorld US <http://www.oneworld.net/us/front.shtml>

One of the world's largest full-service banks will be targeted by protests
across the United States this week, as students urge their peers to dump
student loans and credit cards from Citibank which they accuse of investing
in environmentally-harmful projects.

Beginning Tuesday, Citibank branch offices will be the sites of
demonstrations, street theater, and deliveries of wood chips and frying
pans--symbolizing the destruction of rainforests and global warming--from
students at about 60 universities across the country.

Casey Sullivan of New York University says Tuesday's "Student Outrage"
action will focus on helping college-goers to switch their student loans to
other banks. "NYU is huge, and the school suggests Citibank for loans, so we
want to show them how much they stand to lose if they don't change their
practices," said Sullivan.

Students and environmental groups are trying to convince Citibank's parent
company, Citigroup, the largest U.S. financial network, to stop investing in
projects which help fuel climate change and start supporting environmentally
beneficial investments, such as solar financing.

Campaigners point to the group's Camisea Project, in Peru, which involves
construction of a gas pipeline through a remote part of the country's Amazon
region that would, activists say, threaten the survival of two indigenous
tribes and endanger 800 bird and tree species in one of the most
biologically diverse areas of the world.

Citing other, similar investments in Ecuador and India, the Rainforest
Action Network (RAN) charges that "Citigroup has rightfully earned a Triple
A credit rating as the world's most destructive and corrupting bank."
Mark Von Topel of Powershift, an environmental lobby group working with the
students, says that Citigroup should focus on the US$4 billion market for
solar energy instead of fossil fuels.

Powershift wants Citibank to include the extra costs of domestic solar
energy in mortgage packages, so that homeowners can absorb the expense
gradually as it is balanced out by longer-term savings. "This would make
solar power the cheapest and cleanest form of power overnight," said Von
Topel.

Although the technology which allows heating by solar energy adds US$15,000
to the cost of a home, it can save homeowners US$1,000 a year in energy
bills, and each solar-heated home will save the planet from 10,000 pounds a
year of carbon-dioxide emissions that contribute to global warming.

A statement published by Citigroup on its website says, "Citigroup analyzes
the potential environmental impacts of its business activities and takes
action to either reduce environmental risk or promote benefits."
The "Not with My Money, Citi" Campaign will culminate in further protests in
late April, according to RAN and Powershift.

* * * * *
#4
Campaign for Responsible Banking at the University of Chicago

Media Release
For Immediate Release February 19, 2002

Justin Rolfe-Redding, Campaign for Responsible Banking (773) 702-0405
justinrr@uchicago.edu <mailto:justinrr@uchicago.edu>,
Jason Kiely, National Training and Information Center, (312) 243-3038. at
jason@ntic-us.org
Patrick Reinsborough, Rainforest Action Network organize@ran.org, (415)
398-4404 x315

To speak with a representative from the University of Chicago Banking
Committee, contact Bill Michel at (773) 834-4875, w-michel@uchicago.edu

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO OVERULES STUDENT CONCERNS AND RENEWS CONTRACT WITH
CITIBANK

Chicago:- The Campaign for Responsible Banking learned today of the
University of Chicago's decision today to renew its financial services
contract with Citibank (C) despite student concern about Citi’s lack of
social and environmental standards.  Citibank's parent company, Citigroup,
has been dubbed "The World's Most Destructive Bank" by a coalition of human
rights, environmental and economic justice organizations aimed at curbing
the company’s predatory lending and environmentally harmful investments.

A petition signed by over six hundred and fifty members of the University
community called for the university to select another bank, citing student
concerns with Citibank’s track record in customer service.  Students also
lobbied for a banking partner that would better reflect the values of the
University of Chicago community.

"Today's decision continues an unfortunate tendency in our economy and
society to avoid examining the power financial institutions play in our
lives. Instead we should be making sure that companies go beyond the bottom
line and be held accountable for the social and environmental impacts of
their behavior," said Justin Rolfe-Redding, a political science major and
lead organizer of the Campaign.

Citigroup has been named the worst predatory lender in the country by the
Coalition for Responsible Banking.  A recently released report by the
National Training and Information Service shows that in the city of Chicago
the company engages in practices that target poor and minority residents for
loans that are often deceptively negotiated and designed to force the
borrowers into selling their homes.  The Rainforest Action Network has also
exposed Citigroup's key role in industrial projects around the world that
destroy  fragile rainforest habitat, contribute to global warming and
displace the indigenous peoples..

"Despite today's decision, students on this campus and across the country
will continue through credit card and employment boycotts to pressure
Citigroup to take responsibility for its destructive lending practices,"
said Diana Fox, a student and member of the Campaign.

The months of controversy leading up to the contract decision not only
attracted campus attention to Citigroup's actions, but drew notice from the
company itself.  The usually taciturn corporation sent representatives from
its headquarters to meet with students and administrators about their
concerns.  "Putting social and environmental issues on the radar screen of
the world's largest bank is in and of itself a significant victory,"
Rolfe-Redding said.

###

* * * * *
#5
MINDO TREE SIT CELEBRATES 50TH DAY OF BLOCKING ECUADOR’S OCP PIPELINE

ACTIVISTS NEED YOUR SUPPORT!!!

Contrary to what those within the Ecuadorian government, WestLB, and the OCP
Consortium claim, the pipeline project's schedule, funding, route, and the
very notion of its inevitability have met with new challenges and steadfast
resistance this week, which have thrown the project into unprecedented
crisis and an uncertain future.  The pipeline controversy has escalated both
within Ecuador and internationally in recent days, and OCP finds itself
under fire from all sides.

On the ground in Ecuador, the Sucumbios province is on strike over OCP
consortium salaries.   The Ministry of the Environment is calling for new
environmental studies to examine the geological stability of the Guarumos
region, where the Mindo tree sit is celebrating its 50th day.  This comes on
the heels of a recent worker strike in Esmeraldas over salaries and
benefits.  And the World Bank, in addition to an earlier critical letter
sent to the OCP Consortium and the German government last December, took the
unusual step of writing an opinion piece in El Comercio-the country's
largest national newspaper-- to express their 'profound concern' over the
environmental impacts of the project and to distance itself from comments by
OCP that the project complies with its standards.  Mindo tree sitters also
appear to finally have persuaded editors at the pro-pipeline El Comercio to
cover their action in an accurate, objective, and timely manner - a
significant gain in the battle for Ecuadorian public opinion.

In Germany, a committee of the Parliament of NWR held another session
yesterday on WestLB's loan to the OCP Consortium and the environmental
impacts of the project.  The European Political Commission and One World
Committee, with the help of the Social Democratic, Christian Democratic, and
Green Parties, decided that the NWR government should exercise its influence
with WestLB to open a dialogue with critical stakeholders affected by the
OCP.

Meanwhile, representatives of Greenpeace Germany have been in the country
touring the entire 300 mile pipeline route, and just returned from the Mindo
cloud forest region.  The results an analysis of their site visit will be
announced at a press conference in Quito tomorrow, and one upon their return
to Germany next week.  Greenpeace is leading a divestment/boycott campaign
of  WestLB, and is now being joined by groups in Italy, where the National
Labor  Bank has come under fire for its role as one of 16 banks to which
WestLB has  syndicated the loan.  Groups in Italy have also begun to target
Agip for its  participation in the OCP Consortium and reckless operations in
the  Ecuadorian Amazon.

But the success of the resistance, particularly that of the Mindo tree sit
where local people are taking significant personal risk by placing their
bodies on the line to defend the pristine cloudforest, is dependent upon
support from concern citizens from around the world.  The tree sit is the
physical bottleneck to the OCP project and is in dire need of funds to
provide food and equipment for climbers and a base camp of roughly twenty
permanent forest defenders.

TO DONATE: As a 501 c 3 non-profit organization, Amazon Watch wires all
donations directly to the Ecuador - without any deductions.  To donate
online, go to www.amazonwatch.org, or send a check Marked: Mindo Action to:
Amazon Watch 115 S.Topanga Canyon Blvd. Suite E Topanga Ca., 90290

The Union of Concerned Scientists is pleased to announce that our
supporters have yet again initiated ground-breaking change -- this
time in the poultry industry.  Just 24 hours after we asked
supporters to take the action urging Gold Kist and Perdue to stop
using Cipro-like antibiotics in their chicken production, Gold Kist
announced its plans to stop using fluoroquinolones.  Their press
release is included in this email.

UCS applauds Gold Kist's decision but is concerned that Perdue still
refuses to act.  Perdue, a $2.7 billion company who produces 2.4
billion pounds of chicken per year, must take responsibility and
follow the lead of other top producers.  Please join our other
supporters and send a message to urge Perdue to stop using Cipro-like
antibiotics in its chicken production.

Visit http://www.ucsaction.org/index.asp?step=2&item=1108 to take
action now.

Your voice can make a difference.

****************

News Release: February 21, 2002

GOLD KIST INC.
ATLANTA, GA 30301
CONTACT:  Paul Brower (770) 393-5312

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

GOLD KIST STOPS FLUOROQUINOLONE USE IN BROILER CHICKEN PRODUCTION

Atlanta, GA, Feb. 21, 2002
Gold Kist Inc., the nation's second largest chicken processor, today
announced that it had discontinued its rare use of fluoroquinolone
antibiotics in the production of broiler chickens.

President and Chief Executive Officer John Bekkers said
fluoroquinolones had been used for therapeutic purposes in less than
two-tenths of one percent of the number of broiler chickens it
produced since July 2001.

"While science has shown no conclusive proof of any adverse
connection between the use of fluoroquinolones in chickens and
antibiotic resistance in humans, we are taking this action to assure
our customers and consumers that Gold Kist Farms brand chicken is
free of fluoroquinolones," Bekkers said.

Positive Energy v2.7
February 18 - 24, 2002

Yes folks, it's time for this week's Greenpeace Clean Energy
Now! Campaign's good news update - "POSITIVE ENERGY!"

+++ LOS ANGELES AND BERKELY STUDENTS UNITE IN DEMANDS FOR
25% SOLAR +++

On Wednesday February 20th, the LA Community College
District committee on Accreditation and Planning passed yet
another motion supporting green buildings for the $1.2
billion Proposition A construction and renovation projects.
Not only is the committee recommending to the full Board to
set high LEED "certified" and "silver" green building
standards but now all renovated buildings should beat the
national building codes by 20% and exceed California's
Title 24 standard by 10%. While the district is attempting
to green the entire "Proposition A" re-building project for
their nine campuses, they still have not set a solar
standard. Over the next two months, the committee will be
finalizing their decision, so please TAKE ACTION today and
urge them to use 25% solar power for all their nice new
green buildings.

Los Angeles is not alone in the greening of their campuses.
Clean Energy Now! has joined University of California at
Berkeley student groups and Professor Dan Kammen to
encourage the university administration to complete an
environmental audit, reduce campus greenhouse gas emissions,
and install solar on all new buildings on the Berkeley
campus and at the new UC Campus Merced. This coming Monday,
February 25th at 10am in the ASUC Senate Chambers, located
on the first floor of Eshlman Hall there will be a press
conference. If you are around please join the Berkeley Solar
Bears to bring on the sun!

Take action and tell the LA Board of Trustees to go solar:
http://www.cleanenergynow.org/bin/actioncenter.pl

For more information about the UC Berkeley campaign, call
Kristin Casper, Clean Energy NOW! Campaigner at
(415) 297 5621 mobile or Alisa Arnett, Greenpeace media
(415) 407-9293

+++ CALIFORNIANS WANT CLEAN ENERGY NOW! +++

A recent poll taken by the Energy Foundation reveals that
Californians strongly support the doubling of renewable
energy supply and reducing greenhouse gases as path to
energy security and economic growth, rather than rely on
development of oil and natural gas.  Seven in ten
Californians believe that investments in conservation and
energy efficiency programs will help the State's economy and
developing renewable energy sources is more important than
building more dirty fossil fool plants! In addition, the
survey demonstrated that more than 80% of Californians
support doubling the State's renewable energy supply from
10% of current energy production to 20% by the year 2010.  
Will voters endorse Governor Gray Davis in his bid for
reelection if he continues to lead the state towards a
fossil fuel future? Let's hope not!

To read more about the Energy Foundation's findings, go to:
www.ef.org/downloads.

+++ LABOR AND ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERS UNITE CALLLING FOR
DRAMATIC ACTION ON GLOBAL WARMING +++

An unprecedented coalition of the leaders of some of the
nation's largest labor unions and environmental groups came
together Wednesday calling for dramatic action to combat
global warming while protecting economic security for
workers and the economy. At a press conference on Wednesday,
February 20th in Washington, D.C., the coalition embraced a
study released by the Economic Policy Institute and the
Center for a Sustainable Economy that sets forth a feasible
plan to achieve a worker-friendly clean energy plan. The
event brought together the United Steelworkers of America,
Service Employees International Union, Union of Concerned
Scientists, Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY), the Sierra Club,
and UNITE to release a joint statement pledging to end the
alleged conflict between the environment and jobs and will
work to develop effective public policy to present to
Congress. To read the report, go to:
http://www.sustainableeconomy.org/index.htm

To learn more about approaches to climate protection that
benefit working people and their unions, go to:
www.bluegreenalliance.net.

The "Positive Energy" newsletter and our website,
http://www.cleanenergynow.org, will give you good news about
ways to achieve clean air, climate justice and renewable
energy solutions to our ongoing energy crisis.  

Want to do more?  Become a Greenpeace Member!
http://www.greenpeaceusa.org/join2/cen.htm

EarthNet News
... a project of the Center for Environmental Citizenship
http://www.envirocitizen.org

----------------------------------------------------------------------
February 22, 2002  
----------------------------------------------------------------------

This week we're focusing on what non-government folks
can do to get us off our oil addiction. Read about
Ford's attempts at being green and encourage them to
be better. And find out what you can do about your
energy consumption in our new section YOU DO. Plus,
take a look at some of the cool green stuff that happened
this week in our Glimmers of Hope.

--Zachariah Silk, EarthNet Editor  
mailto:earthnet@envirocitizen.org

----------------------------------------------------------------------
CONTENT
----------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Corporate Corner: It's Not Easy Being Green
2. Quote of the Week
3. You Do: Save Your Energy
4. Glimmer of Hope I: Bush v. GE
5. Glimmer of Hope II: Sowing Votes
6. Jobs, Conferences and Gatherings
7. Activist Phone Book & EarthNet News Info  

----------------------------------------------------------------------
CORPORATE CORNER
----------------------------------------------------------------------

IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN, MR. FORD

Bill Ford -- as chairman and CEO of Ford Motor Company
-- presides over one of the largest corporations in
the world. And he's said over and over again he recognizes
that he is in a position to make a lot of positive
changes for the Earth. In fact, he's been shaking stuff
up in Detroit for some time with his green ways --
he withdrew from the Global Climate Coalition (an industry
front group designed to thwart proactive climate change
policy) and has made Ford's plants some of the cleanest
and most resource efficient in the industry.

Then again, he's also responsible for the 11mpg Ford
Excursion and other behemoths that slurp away our nation's
energy security and cough up enough greenhouse gas
pollutants to choke any hope of stabilizing climate
change. As more SUVs enter the market, the average
fuel economy of the U.S. new-car fleet declines --
and this year hit its lowest point since 1980.  

Next month Congress will consider legislation to merge
the two fuel economy standards and increase the new
standard to 40 mpg over the next decade. This increase
would save more oil than we receive from Persian Gulf
imports, offshore drilling in California, and potential
deposits in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge combined.
It will also save car owners between $3000 and $5000
over the life of their vehicles.  

The main obstacle is the Big Three American automakers.
General Motors, Daimler-Chrysler and Ford are reaching
into their deep pockets and lobbying the Bush Administration
and Congress to reject needed fuel economy standards.
It's time for Bill Ford to demonstrate his commitment
to the Earth by breaking ranks from GM and Daimler-Chrysler
and clearing the way for Congress to enact vital improvements
in the standards.

TAKE ACTION NOW:
http://actionnetwork.org/ct/5dqAAaF1juFn/FORD
Tell Ford to stay green in the energy debate

PASS EARTHNET TO A FRIEND:
http://actionnetwork.org/ct/5pqAAaF1juFi/PASS_ME_ON

FOR MORE INFO:
**Interview with Bill Ford
http://actionnetwork.org/ct/g7qAAaF1juFP/FORD-INTERVIEW

----------------------------------------------------------------------
QUOTE OF THE WEEK  
----------------------------------------------------------------------

I think that cars today are almost the exact equivalent
of the great Gothic cathedrals: I mean the supreme
creation of an era, conceived with passion by unknown
artists, and consumed in image if not in usage by a
whole population which appropriates them as a purely
magical object.

-- Roland Barthes, French Writer

----------------------------------------------------------------------
YOU DO
----------------------------------------------------------------------

SAVE YOUR ENERGY

Ever get the feeling that if you want something done
right you've got to do it yourself. Well, you're not
the only one. EarthNet is helping Greenpeace and a
broad coalition of groups to build broad-based public
support to conserve energy and develop clean energy
sources. It's called the Green Ribbon Pledge to conserve
energy for a secure future. The theory is as we encourage
individuals to be more energy efficient we'll raise
awareness about the need to end everyone's dangerous
dependence on fossil fuels.  

And the greatest thing is this isn't about what those
old-boys networks are cooking up in Washington, DC.
This is about what you can do today to make a difference.
You see, the emphasis of the Green Ribbon Pledge is
on the power of individual action to create change.
By taking the pledge, you voice your commitment to
energy conservation and help spread the word.

Take the Green Ribbon Pledge and find out what your
annual energy savings will be.
http://actionnetwork.org/ct/gpqAAaF1juFQ/GREEN_PLEDGE


----------------------------------------------------------------------
GLIMMER OF HOPE I
----------------------------------------------------------------------

BUSH v. GE

Sourced from Grist Magazine http://www.gristmagazine.com

In an encouraging move, the Bush administration asked
a judge to dismiss General Electric's lawsuit challenging
the Superfund toxic waste cleanup law. Companies have
repeatedly faced multi-million dollar cleanup costs
-- which by the way is to cleanup waste they produced
-- because of the 1980 law. So companies have been
fighting it for years in the courts stating that the
Superfund law leads to more legal tangles than environmental
improvements.

Following in this grand tradition, GE filed suit last
November just before the U.S. EPA announced that GE
must cough up an estimated $500 million for their
hazardous chemical spills into the Hudson River. Groping
for loopholes and hiding places, GE filed suit arguing
that the Superfund law violates due process by granting
federal regulators unlimited authority to order expansive
cleanups with no timely review. Bush's Justice Department
is on the case and has said that GE does not have standing
for a broad based attack on the law. You read that
right -- the Bush Administration is fighting a large
corporate polluter and forcing them to clean up their
own mess.

FOR MORE INFO:
**San Francisco Chronicle Article, 19 Feb 2002
http://actionnetwork.org/ct/bdqAAaF1juFY/SF_ARTICLE

TAKE ACTION:
http://actionnetwork.org/ct/b1qAAaF1juFR/SUPERFUND
Go to Grist Magazine's Do Good page to stand up for
Superfund.

PASS EARTHNET TO A FRIEND:
http://actionnetwork.org/ct/5pqAAaF1juFi/PASS_ME_ON

----------------------------------------------------------------------
GLIMMER OF HOPE II
----------------------------------------------------------------------

SOWING VOTES

What's good for farm states and the environment? Why,
ethanol of course. At least according to Senate Majority
Leader Tom Daschle (D-South Dakota) it is. Daschle
wrote a provision in the Democratic energy bill that
requires gasoline refiners to triple the use of corn-based
ethanol by 2010 while phasing out MTBE -- ethanol's
sketchier brother. Both of these additives reduce smog
by making gas burn rather cleanly, but MTBE has been
found to contaminate ground water. Daschle and other
farm state senators -- who stand to benefit politically
from the ethanol provision -- are giving the upper
hand to the environment in addition to raising a ruckus
among oil company bigwigs. Lobbyists and oil executives
anxiously suggested that in exchange for compliance
with the MTBE phase-out other restrictions and regulations
become more lax. Environmentalists say forget it. When's
the last time you said, "Sure, I'll drive the speed
limit if you get rid of those pesky stop signs..."

FOR MORE INFO:
**Washington Post Article, 19 Feb 2002
http://actionnetwork.org/ct/b7qAAaF1juFT/WP_ARTICLE

TAKE ACTION:
http://actionnetwork.org/ct/57qAAaF1juF8/ENERGY
Tell your Senator you want a clean, green energy plan.

PASS EARTHNET TO A FRIEND:
http://actionnetwork.org/ct/5pqAAaF1juFi/PASS_ME_ON

----------------------------------------------------------------------
JOBS AND INTERNSHIPS  
----------------------------------------------------------------------

These are a sampling of the over 200 environmental
and activist jobs and internships listed at http://www.envirocitizen.org/enet/jobs/index.asp

Job Title: Community Organizer
Organization: Northern Plains Resource Council
Location: Billings, MT
http://actionnetwork.org/ct/gdqAAaF1juFp/33

Job Title: Planned Giving Officer
Organization: World Wildlife Fund
Location: Washington, DC
http://actionnetwork.org/ct/g1qAAaF1juF0/22

Job Title: Media Director
Organization: Save Our Wild Salmon
Location: Seattle, WA
http://actionnetwork.org/ct/tpqAAaF1juFl/11

----------------------------------------------------------------------
CONFERENCES, GATHERINGS AND VIEWINGS  
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Lots more events listed at http://www.envirocitizen.org/enet/events/index.asp

WHAT: Latino Political Training
WHERE: Estes Park, CO
WHEN: 3/1/02
FOR MORE INFO:
http://actionnetwork.org/ct/t1qAAaF1juFk/1

WHAT: Conference on Trade, Sustainability and Global
Governance
WHERE: New York, NY
WHEN: 3/2/02
FOR MORE INFO:
http://actionnetwork.org/ct/tdqAAaF1juF9/2

WHAT: CERES 2002 Conference
WHERE: Washington, DC
WHEN: 3/17/02 - 3/19/02
FOR MORE INFO:
http://actionnetwork.org/ct/t7qAAaF1juFo/3

----------------------------------------------------------------------
ACTIVIST PHONE BOOK  
----------------------------------------------------------------------

U.S. Capitol Switchboard: 202.224.3121  
White House Comment Line: 202.456.1111  

White House Address: 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington,
DC 20500  
Senate Address: US Senate, Washington, DC 20510  
House Address: US House of Representatives, Washington,
DC 20515  

----------------------------------------------------------------------

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