Commercialization of our National Parks

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From Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER).

The National Park Service is getting ready to adopt new policies that would dramatically increase the commercialization of our National Parks. Under the new plan, the Park Service would aggressively seek corporate sponsorship of park projects and facilities. In return for financial sponsorships, the plan will give corporate donors naming rights to park facilities (but not the parks themselves) and allow use of National Park symbols and personnel in advertising.

Please take a moment to tell the Park Service not to pollute our national treasures with advertising and corporate sponsorships. Comments should be sent to partnerships@nps.gov. Please act today – the deadline for comments is December 5.

NATIONAL PARKS TO SEEK CORPORATE SPONSORSHIPS — Corporate Funds Will Alter Park Landscapes and Sway Policies

Washington, DC — In a quiet but far-reaching change, the National Park Service is poised to adopt a new policy of aggressively seeking corporate sponsorship of park projects and facilities. In return for financial sponsorships, the plan will give corporate donors naming rights, use of National Park symbols and personnel in advertising and much greater influence over park managers, according to public comments filed today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER).

“This starts a slow motion commercialization of the national park system,” stated PEER Executive Director Jeff Ruch. “What will be allowed stops just short of licensing ads for ‘The Official Beer of Yosemite’ or ‘ Old Faithful, Brought to You by Viagara.’”

The Park Service has put forward a draft directive encouraging active pursuit of potential financial donors and repealing the agency’s current passive posture of merely accepting donations. Public comment on the plan closes this week. Interior Secretary Gale Norton has hailed the plan as an “exciting” new approach for broadening the funding base for national parks.

Park managers would be encouraged to offer packages that attract big corporate donors, including –

Liberalized naming rights for trails, benches, rooms and other facilities (but not parks themselves), as well as display of logos and slogans on park literature, computer screens, and plaques; Exclusive media advertising rights to the official NPS Arrowhead symbol, the term “Proud Partner” of the National Park Service and the use of uniformed park employees in ads; and Flexibility to negotiate customized recognition deals that “meet the needs of individual donors.”
The plan jettisons bans against accepting or soliciting donations from vendors, concessionaires, permittees and others doing business with a park. Alcohol, tobacco and even gambling companies would also be eligible park sponsors. The only up-front review of major gifts would be a subjective “totality of circumstances” test applied by top officials to determine whether the donation is “appropriate.”

The plan is designed so that private donations develop into a much more significant factor in overall park budgets, as well as high-profile capital projects and improvements. Currently, the Park Service raises an estimated $17 million from outside sources each year.

“This is a thinly disguised scheme to subject the public commons to corporate branding campaigns,” added Ruch, pointing to related effort by both the Bush administration and House Republicans to sell naming rights of certain park facilities, as well as some parks in their entirety. “Will anyplace be off-limits to the Nike swoosh or the McDonald’s arches?”

Read the PEER comments on the proposed donation solicitation policy

Compare the proposal with current restrictions

A SLAUGHTERHOUSE AND CONFINEMENTS WITH AMMONIA AND HYDROGEN SULFIDE COMING TO A LOCATION NEAR YOU

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Today a press conference was held in Moline, IL.  It was to notify the press that TWO PUBLIC MEETINGS WILL TAKE PLACE NEXT SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3RD.

 The meetings (ONE IN MOLINE AND ONE IN ELDRIDGE, IOWA) are to INFORM THE PUBLIC THAT A HOG SLAUGHTEHOUSE IS PROPOSED CLOSE TO BARSTOW, IL ON A FLOODPLAIN.  The site is on land that this year was annexed by the city of East Moline, IL.  

If the slaughterhouse is built, word is that 16,000 HOGS A DAY OR OVER 4,000,000 HOGS A YEAR…THAT'S RIGHT 4 MILLION… ARE EXPECTED TO BE KILLED.  THIS MEANS AN EXPLOSION OF HOG CONFINEMENTS IN EASTERN IOWA AND WESTERN ILLINOIS COUNTIES WILL FOLLOW.

THE PUTRID AIR THAT EMINATES FROM LARGE HOG CONFINEMENTS (ALSO KNOWN AS "FACTORY FARMS") CAUSES AN INCREASE IN ASTHMA RATES, DISORIENTATION, LOSS OF MEMORY, UNCONSCIOUSNESS, AND DEATH.  

THE IMPACTS DO NOT JUST AFFECT THE RURAL COMMUNITIES IN OUR COUNTIES, BUT MUST ALSO BE CONSIDERED BY MEDIUM AND LARGE URBAN AREAS SUCH AS THE METRO QUAD CITIES. Just last Wednesday while I was in Moline, the strong winds from the north (over 40 mph) brought the smell of manure from somewhere out there.

So, our ENVIRONMENTAL/SUSTAINABILITY/ENERGY group of the PROGRESSIVE ACTION FOR THE COMMON GOOD (PACG), thought it was time for more citizens to be informed.

The morning meeting on Saturday, December 3rd will be held in Moline, IL at Riverside United Methodist Life Center, 2420 41st St. from 10AM -12 Noon.

The afternoon meeting the same day will be held in Eldridge, IA in Scott County in the Eldridge Public Library/First Amendment Room from 2 - 4PM.  

Speakers will be KAREN HUDSON AND TERRY SPENCE of GRACE (GLOBAL RESOURCE CENTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT).  They are part of a national organization that helps others who may not have the funding to educate others on the hazards of CAFO's (CONFINED ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS).

Come if you can and tell others about the meetings.  Get active in your county and keep track of what is going on.  As I said in an earlier article, once you step outside and are slapped in the face with the stench, it will be too late.

So check these web sites to gain further knowledge: www.farmweb.org
And www.thenation.com by searching for "Meatpacking" where you will find "The Shame of Meatpacking" by Karen Olsson and "Bad Meat" by Eric Schlosser.

Keep up the good work you all do in helping to CPR…CONSERVE/PARTICIPATE/RECYCLE

ALTA'S LEGISLATIVE WORKSHOP

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Saturday, November 19th saw about 30 folks assemble for informal, informative discussions with IOWA elected officials.  Our own DFQC's ALTA PRICE organized the event held at the Bettendorf Community Center.  It was a chance for concerned citizens in the area to speak in small groups to one elected official at a time.

Senator Frank Wood (D-Eldridge), Representatives Cindy Winckler (D-Davenport) and Ed Fallon (D-Des Moines/ gubernatorial candidate), as well as our own Ms. Elesha Gayman, former DEAN DELEGATE to Boston and candidate for House Representative were in attendance.  Representative Joe Hutter (R-Bettendorf) was also present. We divided into small groups and spent about ½ an hour at a time laying out our concerns on the need for adequate health care coverage, education matters, election reform, corporate reform, environmental hazards and other issues.

The first ½ hour saw Senator Wood listen to fair labor challenges while in another room, Rep. Winckler heard from attendees on their views to strengthen educational spending.

Later, Senator Wood listened as several of us in our group of about 10 voiced our dissatisfaction with the Master Matrix that is implemented by the Department Of Natural Resources.  It is a permit that has 44 questions that must be answered by anyone across the state wanting to build or expand a CAFO (Confined Animal Feeding Operation) above a certain number of animal units.

Many of us seated that day felt the Master Matrix is flawed and does really not give a county "local control".  It just gives each county's Board Of Supervisors the opportunity to be part of the permitting process if that Board has so agreed every January for the past 3 years to do so.  One of our messages to Senator Wood is that there needs to be discussion about this again.

Even though many legislatures are 'farmers', that term applies to numerous types of land/animal workers.  Many still are small to medium family farmers, while others are FACTORY RUN INDUSTRIAL ENTITIES that like to be under the wide umbrella of the term 'farmer'.  So, we would like to see consciousness raised regarding the impact on children's health from the excessive hydrogen sulfide and ammonia created by the CAFO's.  We would like to see that more is done to promote the use of methane produced by cattle lots, but not necessarily promoting large lots, though.  Jerry Neff, president of the Sierra Club suggested we envision a long-term plan for gradually segregating problem areas and searching for a better way to raise animals.  

We also talked about the bottle bill and that it needs to be revisited to include milk containers, water bottles, and other beverage holders. Some large grocery store chains and bottle distributors oppose a change unless it would be to do away with bottle deposit all together.

We will be following the progress of the Legislature after it convenes in early January.  This November get-together was well worth our time because it was OUR list of items directly given to the Senator and Representatives that we feel are imperative for consideration during the new year.

Don't forget:  CPR…CONSERVE/PARTICIPATE/RECYCLE

 Higher Expectations for Iowa’s Working Families - A Town Hall Meeting!

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A Town Hall Meeting for people concerned about good jobs, the environment, and a healthy future for their community

Tuesday, November 15
7:00-8:30 PM    
Waterloo Center for the Arts, 225 Commercial, Waterloo

We know that decisions made in Washington, DC, and Des Moines affect the pocketbooks of working families.  We also know that not enough of us connect the dots between public policies and our checkbooks, or believe that things can be different. 

Health care can be affordable.  Jobs can pay good wages.  Our communities can provide a safe environment for our children who want to stay and work here as adults.  Join us to learn more and to take action!

This event is part of Wal-Mart Watch Higher Expectations Week (Nov. 13-19) nationwide.

Guest Speakers
 - David Osterberg, Executive Director, Iowa Policy Project
 - Jonna Higgins, Executive Director, 1000 Friends of Iowa
 - Jim Jontz, President Emeritus, Americans for Democratic
Action

Sponsors
 - Wal-Mart Watch
 - Iowa Farmers Union
 - Iowans for Sensible Priorities
 - Immigrant Voices Project
 - Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement
 - League of Rural Voters
 - Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO
 - Working Families Win
 - Black Hawk Union Council, AFL-CIO
 - Americans for Democratic Action Education Fund
 - Iowa Citizen Action Network
 - SEIU Local 199
 - Iowa for Health Care
 - Iowa/Nebraska Primary Care Association

For more information, contact:  Dave Leshtz, Working Families Win, 319-621-4205

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SUMMIT II/PROGRESSIVE ACTION FOR THE COMMON GOOD

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It was a beautiful, late October Sunday afternoon not unlike many others, except for the gathering of the curious.

No, it was not a herd of Guernsey's bobbing across a field to see who had walked up to their fence, but the second gathering of humans from Eastern IOWA and Western Illinois interested in making a positive contribution to their communities.

The campus at Augustana College in Rock Island, IL was awash in vibrant oranges, yellows, and reds as folks entered to sign up for their favorite workshop.  They could choose from Education Reform, Effective Lobbying, Protecting Our Environment/Hog Confinements (my personal favorite), Combating Hunger, Predatory Lending, Rapid Response/Effective Response to Media Coverage, Wake-Up Wal-Mart Campaign, or 5 others.

As attendants munched on cheese cubes, mini-muffins, and coffee they were called into the main auditorium to take their seats.  I had set up my "classroom" in one of the basement areas.  There, with the help of a highly competent assistant and good friend, Monica Kurth, a large map of IOWA was taped to the board. (It took two of us you know.)  On it, I had marked in green, the 13 counties that have chosen this year NOT to be part of the MASTER MATRIX process.

This means that (in no particular order) CLAYTON, IOWA, WASHINGTON, LEE, WAPELLO, MAHASKA, MARSHALL, WARREN, DECATUR, FREEMONT, SHELBY, WOODBURY, AND PLYMOUTH COUNTIES CHOSE TO OPT OUT of having any input when a construction permit is applied for a new or expanding CAFO (Confined Animal Feeding Operation).  Monica and I also placed about the room environmental magazines, local pollution photos, and a bibliography of some of the best sustainable living books, telephone numbers, and web-sites.

We then made our way up to Wallenberg Auditorium and I took my place on the stage as to ready myself to introduce our keynote speaker DAVID OSTERBERG.  After Cathy Bolckom's opening remarks regarding our reason for forming a progressive group and our intentions, I introduced David and was concluding when, all of a sudden, I broke into song.  I don't know what overcame me, but there I was, singing in front of over 200 people.

I had never sung in front of a group of ANY number of people before, so I was quite taken back when this song just came out…(Sung to the tune of "Oh, What A Beautiful Morning" from "OKLAHOMA")…I call it "ODE TO THE EPA"…With my thanks to Rodgers and Hammerstein.

"There's a brown, stinky haze on the meadow. There's a brown, stinky haze on the meadow.  Particulates flying in/out of my nose, And taking a deep breath could blow out my toes.

"Oh, What a breathtaking morning, My asthma gets worse every day, Mercury levels are rising, 'Cause big money's slashed EPA.

"We're bound and determined to change things, By building a livable world, Where justice prevails with good fortune, Joining Peace and Clean Air, Flags unfurled!"

Well, it went over pretty well.  Actually, several weeks before, I had been trying to think of some kind of joke to tell about David during the introduction.  But sometimes it's difficult to chuckle with those pesky environmentalists, you know how serious they are.  Anyway, while driving to work one day and mulling this over, all of a sudden it came to me, and I had to write it down.  But, I just couldn't finish it.  So I asked help of my friend Dick Fallow.  He not only plays instruments by ear as I do, but he also writes songs.  So, we practiced with Dick playing the accordion and there we were, together in front of many, many, many, many people, singing and playing and having a good time.

We hoped they all liked it.  From the laughter and applause, it sounded as though they did.  More later about the rest of the summit.

And don't forget now, CPR…CONSERVE/PARTICPATE/RECYCLE

Worried Parents Turning to Organic Food 

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by Libby Quaid, CommonDreams.org

Erin O'Neal has two daughters and a fridge stocked with organic cheese, milk, fruits and vegetables in her Annapolis, Md., home. She is among the increasing number of parents who buy organic to keep their children's diets free of food grown with pesticides, hormones, antibiotics or genetic engineering.

"The pesticide issue just scares me — it wigs me out to think about the amount of chemicals that might be going into my kid," said O'Neal, 36.

Since last year, sales of organic baby food have jumped nearly 18 percent, double the overall growth of organic food sales, according to the marketing information company ACNielsen.

As demand has risen, organic food for children has popped up at more than just natural food stores.

For example, Earth's Best baby food, a mainstay in Whole Foods and Wild Oats markets, just reached a national distribution deal with Toys R Us and Babies R Us. Gerber is selling organic baby food under its Tender Harvest label. Stonyfield Farm's YoBaby yogurt can be found in supermarkets everywhere.

The concern about children is that they are more vulnerable to toxins in their diets, said Alan Greene, a pediatrician in northern California. As children grow rapidly, their brains and organs are forming and they eat more for their size than do grown-ups, Greene said.

"Pound for pound, they get higher concentrations of pesticides than adults do," said Greene, who promotes organic food in his books and on his Web site, http://www.drgreene.com
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