7th Environmental Documentary Series: What Lies Upstream - Water Pollution

The 7th Environmental Documentary Series starts this Wednesday, January 16, 7 pm, at Siena Heights University’s Adrian Campus, Science Building, Room 131. The timely feature given the water situation in Adrian is: What Lies Upstream, running time: 84 minutes, topics: water, pollution, toxic chemicals.

More details about the film can be found on the Documentary Series’ website:

http://sustainability.sienaheights.edu/environmental-documentaries.html

#YouthvGov Webinar: Juliana v. United States of America - A lawsuit being brought by 21 youth plaintiffs against the United States

From Wikipedia:
Juliana, et al. v. United States of America, et al. is a lawsuit filed in 2015 that is being brought by 21 youth plaintiffs against the United States and several of its executive branch positions and officers, also formerly including President Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama. The plaintiffs, represented by the non-profit organization Our Children's Trust, include Xiuhtezcatl Martinez, the members of Martinez's organization Earth Guardians, and on behalf of future generations represented by climatologist James Hansen. Some fossil fuel and industry groups were also initially named as defendants but were later dropped by a judge at their request.

The lawsuit asserts that the government violated the youths' rights by allowing activities that harmed the climate and sought the government to adopt methods for reducing carbon dioxide emissions. The lawsuit is at the leading edge of an area of environmental law referred to as "atmospheric trust litigation", a concept based on the public trust doctrine and international responsibility related to the government's control over natural resources in the interest of public benefit. While previous lawsuits in a similar vein have been dismissed by U.S. courts, Juliana v. United States gained attention in 2016 when U.S. District Court of Oregon Judge Ann Aiken upheld the idea that access to a clean environment was a fundamental right, allowing the case to proceed. Since then, the government has sought to dismiss the case for various concerns, which has delayed the case's hearing at the district court level. The trial is currently on hold pending disposition of the government's interlocutory appeals of certain pre-trial rulings by Judge Aiken.

Webinar details below


YouthvGov

Just a reminder that on January 9th and 10th our organizing team will host a short webinar for those interested in becoming Volunteer State Organizers. The webinar will provide updates on the Juliana case, specify how exactly volunteer organizers can further the #youthvgov campaign goals, and talk through next steps. Please join us on Wednesday, January 9th at 5pm (PST) or Thursday, January 10th at 12pm (PST) to learn more about Juliana v. United States and how you can get more involved in our efforts for meaningful climate action.*

Please take the time to read over our Organizing Toolkit before the webinar for important background information.

* Note: these webinars will be the same – attend whichever works better for your schedule.

January 9th Webinar:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/263616495

Phone: +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
Meeting ID: 263 616 495
International: find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/armGurtB7

January 10th Webinar:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/852337224

Phone: +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
Meeting ID: 852 337 224
International: find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/aojf9VcA

Your hard work and support up to this point has been invaluable. We look forward to working with all of you more closely in 2019!

Best,
The OCT Organizing Team

--
From the Organizers at Our Children's Trust
ourchildrenstrust.org
360-389-0460

Our mailing address is:
Our Children's Trust
P.O. Box 5181
Eugene, OREGON 97405

A guide to the 4th National Climate Assessment » Yale Climate Connections

The comprehensive report outlines how climate change could harm Americans.
As you most likely know, the 4th National Climate Assessment was released the day after Thanksgiving, and you’ve perhaps read at least a bit about it. Maybe you want to learn a little more – but aren’t sure where to start. Here are some ideas.

Texas National Guard soldiers aid residents in heavily flooded areas of Houston after Hurricane Harvey. Research indicates that climate change intensified Harvey’s floods. (Photo credit: Texas Army National Guard / 1st Lt. Zachary West)

A guide to the 4th National Climate Assessment » Yale Climate Connections

Extreme heatwave in Australia: catastrophic fire conditions as temperature records broken

120 F, 43.9 C

Marble Bar in WA reaches 49.3C as parts of SA and Victoria issued bushfire warning, and extreme weather forecast to continue into next week

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/dec/28/australia-heatwave-brings-catastrophic-fire-conditions-as-temperature-records-broken

PFAS - an Extremely Dangerous Class of Chemicals in Michigan

From Merit Laboratories:
The number of sites with PFAS contamination in Michigan continues to grow.  The MDEQ has compiled a listing of these PFAS sites along with a map  that have been identified as having PFAS levels that are potentially impacting human health and the environment .  The sites, which are found at locations throughout Michigan, include:

Adams Plating (Lansing)
Alpena Combat Readiness Center (Alpena)
Alpena Hide and Leather (Alpena)
Ann Arbor Municipal Water Treatment Plant (Ann Arbor)
Belmont: House Street and Herrington Avenue (Rockford)
Camp Grayling Air Airfield (Grayling)
Central Sanitary Landfill (Pierson)
Coldwater Landfill (Flint)
Clinton River (Mt. Clemens)
Colbath Road (Oscoda)
Defense Fuel Supply Point (Escanaba)
Grayling Municipal Wells (Grayling)
Huron Shores Regional Water Authority (Tawas)
K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base (Gwinn)
Lake St. Clair (Mt. Clemens)
Lapeer Plating (Lapeer)
Lapeer Wastewater Treatment Plant (Lapeer)
Loud Drive (Oscoda)
McDonald Store Fire, F-41 (Oscoda)
Oscoda Area Schools, River Road (Oscoda)
Pine Lake Street Gas Tanker Spill/M-60 (Howard Township)
Plainfield Township Water Treatment Plant (Plainfield)
RACER Plants 2, 3, and 6 (Lansing)
Roosevelt Refinery (Mt. Pleasant)
State Disposal Facility (Plainfield)
Van Etten Lake (Oscoda)
Whispering Pines MHC (Oscoda)
Wolverine Tannery (Rockford)
Wurtsmith Air Force Base (Oscoda)

Michigan PFAS Sites

PFAS compounds have been used in the manufacturing of carpet, clothing, shoes, cookware, packaging, oil and water repellents, furniture, take-out food containers, and many additional products. PFAS chemicals are persistent and bioaccumulate. Persistent means they do not break down in the environment and bioaccumulate refers to the process of building up over time in the blood and organs.


Photo: MLive | Garret Ellison

https://pfasproject.com/2018/11/03/updated-all-known-pfas-sites-in-michigan/

Blocked report drops PFAS safety level into single digits
https://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/06/atsdr_pfas_toxprofiles_study.html

In rare move, DEQ staff urge veto on weakened cleanup law

In rare move, DEQ staff urge veto on weakened cleanup law

LANSING, MI — Eighty-two staff members at the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality have taken the highly rare step of publicly opposing lame duck legislation they say would only benefit polluters at the expense of citizens, and which has “no basis in the protection of health and the environment.”


Young's Environmental workers clean up a Wolverine World Wide dumpsite on MDOT property off House Street in Belmont on Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017. Barrels containing tannery waste and animal hides were removed from the property. (Neil Blake | MLive)

https://www.mlive.com/news/2018/12/in-rare-move-deq-staff-urge-veto-on-weakened-cleanup-law.html

Drawdown

The most important book of our times:

Project Drawdown is the most comprehensive plan ever proposed to reverse global warming. We did not make or devise the plan—the plan exists and is being implemented worldwide. It has been difficult to envision this possibility because the focus is overwhelmingly on the impacts of climate change. We gathered a qualified and diverse group of researchers from around the world to identify, research, and model the 100 most substantive, existing solutions to address climate change. What was uncovered is a path forward that can roll back global greenhouse gas emissions within thirty years. The research revealed that humanity has the means and techniques at hand. Nothing new needs to be invented, yet many more solutions are coming due to purposeful human ingenuity. The solutions we modeled are in place and in action. Humanity’s task is to accelerate the knowledge and growth of what is possible as soon as possible.

Drawdown is a message grounded in science; it also is a testament to the growing stream of humanity who understands the enormity of the challenge we face, and is willing to devote their lives to a future of kindness, security, and regeneration. The young girl here is from the Borana Oromo people, who reside in the Nakuprat-Gotu Community Conservancy in northern Kenya. Her picture has been our talisman, calling us daily to the work that we do.

The solutions are available for download in Excel tables and PDF: https://www.drawdown.org/solutions-summary-by-rank


The homepage is Drawdown

The entire book is available for the bargain price of  under US$ 15.00:

https://www.amazon.com/Drawdown-Comprehensive-Proposed-Reverse-Warming-dp-0143130447/dp/0143130447/