GMOs in CA-Mitt Romney- more

Dear Organic Consumer,
We are entering the home stretch of the most important food policy fight in your lifetime. Prop 37, the California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act, is a November 6 grassroots-powered, citizens’ ballot initiative that has huge implications for the future of food in this country.
This is a battle that pits the people – you, me, moms, dads, rich, poor, young, old - against fat-cat pesticide, biotech, and junk-food corporations who for years have shamelessly manipulated science, the political system, and the truth in order to rack up obscene profits at the expense of your health and safety.
This is a battle that has nothing to do with partisan politics. National polls show that 91% of Americans – republicans, democrats, independents, libertarians - want GMOs labeled.
This is a battle that began on the ground in California and has caught fire, garnering national and international media attention, drawing donors and volunteers from all 50 states.
This is a battle that we must win . . . if we are ever going to have what citizens in nearly 50 other countries already have: the basic right to know if our food contains pesticide-injected, bacteria and virus-laced genetically modified ingredients. Ingredients that, according to a growing number of scientists, are making us sick with everything from allergies and obesity, to cancer and organ failure.
In a few short weeks, early voting begins in California. By Nov. 6, this battle will have been won or lost.
If you eat food, this is your fight. If you haven’t joined in, now is the time.
You take the risks, Monsanto gets the benefits
Would you knowingly feed your family foods that are linked to cancer and organ failure? Absolutely not. Monsanto knows this. Monsanto knows that the FDA has given it a free ride for more than 15 years, allowing its bioengineers to concoct laboratory experiments using you as their lab rat. Between 75% - 80% of all non-organic processed foods contain GMOs. Unless those foods are labeled, you are most likely a human lab rat in a vast genetic experiment.
You take all the risks, Monsanto gets all the benefits.
Scientists point to a growing body of evidence to support claims that GMOs are linked to a host of health concerns. Why didn’t we know this 15 years ago? Because without labels, it’s impossible to trace specific health concerns to their food origins. The FDA conducts no pre-market safety testing on GMO foods, instead relying on Monsanto, DuPont, and Dow chemical to vouch for their safety.
Yes, believe it or not, the FDA allows the same companies that lied to us about the safety of DDT, Agent Orange, PCBs and bovine growth hormone to conduct their own dubious safety testing on GMOs, and then use those tests as ‘proof’ that GMOs are safe.

"Ronnie Cummins, Organic Consumers Association" ronniecummins@organicconsumers.org

Dear MARK,

Mitt Romney:

There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it. That that’s an entitlement. And the government should give it to them. And they will vote for this president no matter what…These are people who pay no income tax.

This statement is from video footage of a closed-door, $50,000 a plate fundraiser Mitt Romney held with some of his wealthy donors that Mother Jones released yesterday. This is what Mitt Romney thinks of you.

We NEED to keep him and his equally dangerous running mate Paul Ryan OUT of the White House and we need your help to do it. Please become one of the 2,687 newly renewed members we need on our side to STOP Romney-Ryan right now. Renew today.

As anticipated, President Obama’s convention bounce in the polls is slipping ... and no matter how many awkward stumbles Mitt Romney makes on the campaign trail, he’s being kept afloat by his Big Money backers and the literally hundreds of millions of dollars they will pour into swing states on his behalf in the final weeks of the election.

There’s no time to lose. We need to mobilize volunteers and voters in the key battleground states, which means we need your immediate renewed support to give us the resources to do it.

• In several battleground states, we’re mobilizing protest events and TV advertising timed with campaign appearances by Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan in those states -- including the debates.
• We plan to expand our field program to another key swing state Virginia, and put staff on the ground there as soon as possible.
• In Colorado, we’re fighting Citizens United with a poll-tested ballot initiative that could make the difference for Obama in the Electoral College.

Mitt Romney’s comments at that fundraiser show exactly what he’s saying about you behind your back ... and it ain’t pretty. Romney is dripping with contempt for everyday working Americans, people trying to pay their bills and put their kids through college, seniors on Social Security and Medicare, people trying to get an even break against the phenomenally powerful corporate forces arrayed against them every day.

This is an ugly, ugly portrait that has been revealed, not only of Mitt Romney, but also of the wealthy interests who are responding positively to this behind-closed-doors spiel by funding his campaign.

Help us fight back against Romney-Ryan and the dangerous direction in which they plan to take America.

Mitt Romney’s vision is NOT the American Way. Stand with us now.

Sincerely,

Michael Keegan, President

P.S. In addition to his disdainful comments about half of all Americans, yesterday’s video footage also shows Romney speaking out against workers’ rights, saying, “I wish we weren’t unionized.” And ridiculously blaming the closeness of this election on the fact that he’s not Latino saying that he would have an easier time winning had his Mexican-born father been born to Latinos instead of white parents, as if his being white had actually held him back his whole life!

"Michael Keegan, People For the American Way" alerts@pfaw.org

Shine On

Ditch the Chemicals and Make Your Own Cleaners

| Jennifer Santisi |

© Thinkstock

As the number of household cleaning products has increased, so have the amount of unsafe chemical combinations in our window cleaners, oven cleaners, bathtub scrubbers and wood shiners.  Most products on the market today feature paragraph-long ingredient lists, including artificial colors and fragrances and harsh cleansing agents like bleach, ammonia and acids. Synthetic cleaners contribute to indoor air pollution by giving off fumes that can irritate eyes, skin and lungs. Children and pets are particularly at risk for these harmful effects. Some products also contain unnecessary antibacterial agents which have been shown to promote the growth of antibacterial resistant organisms. Fortunately, synthetic cleaners are based on natural ingredients and can be easily replicated. By using these natural formulas, you can create your own cleaning solutions that are just as effective, but less toxic and less expensive.
A caveat: Try these solutions on a small area first since not all surfaces may react the same way.
The Bathroom
The bathroom tends to attract the most toxic scrubbing agents to combat mold, mildew and soap scum. There are a number of natural ingredients that can have the same effect as bleach and ammonia, but without the toxic fumes and residue left behind. Lemons have similar properties to bleach, and can be used to dissolve soap scum and hard water deposits.  To combat soap scum or stains on tile, cut a lemon in half and dip it into a bowl of kosher salt, then start scrubbing the tile.
The slightly acidic nature of white vinegar makes it effective at dissolving grease, soap scum and lime deposits from smooth surfaces in the kitchen and bathroom. You can apply concentrated lemon juice and vinegar in a spray bottle if you’re working on a particularly large surface area. Mix 1 tablespoon of vinegar and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice per quart of water. Vinegar solutions also work to disinfect surfaces, such as toilet bowls.
To get the effect of a creamy soft scrubber for tile, mix half a cup of baking soda into a bowl with enough liquid detergent to mimic the texture of cake frosting. Scoop the mixture onto a sponge and wash the tile surface. Baking soda not only deodorizes, but also acts as a cleaning and brightening abrasive that rivals traditional powdered cleansers. Baking soda solutions also leave no gritty residue. To save your baking soda solution for later use, add 1 teaspoon of vegetable glycerin so the solution doesn’t dry out and store it in a sealed glass container. 
The Kitchen
Kitchen appliances, especially ovens, get scrubbed down with abrasive cleansers that can leave gritty residue and cause skin and eye irritation. To remove stains or clean the inside of a messy oven, allow a baking soda and water paste to set for several minutes before rinsing; to boost the abrasive action for tougher cleaning jobs, add kosher salt to the paste.
To knock out germs without the added antibiotic solutions, mix 2 cups of water, 3 tablespoons of liquid soap and 20 to 30 drops of tea tree oil. Spray or rub on countertops and other kitchen surfaces, and do not rinse after it’s wiped away. Tea tree oil solutions can also be used in the bathroom to combat mold and mildew on tile, shower curtains or ceilings.
Glass Surfaces
An effective window cleaner can be made by mixing ¼- ½ teaspoon of liquid detergent, 2 tablespoons of vinegar and 2 cups of water in a spray bottle. The soap in this recipe cuts the wax residue from the commercial brands you may have used in the past. Wiping glass surfaces with newspaper rather than a paper towel eliminates streaking. If you do not like the strong smell of vinegar, you can substitute it with undiluted lemon juice or club soda.
Wood Surfaces
White vinegar is a gentle enough solution to use on wooden surfaces, especially wood floors. Mix 1/4 to 1/2 cup of vinegar with warm water in a bucket or spray bottle. To produce added shine, blend 1 cup of olive oil and 1/2 cup of lemon juice in a spray bottle, mist onto a soft cloth and polish the wood. Polishing with olive oil moisturizes wood and creates a shine; lemon juice cleans the surface and leaves behind a fresh scent. For a less oily formula, mix ¼ cup white vinegar with a few drops of oil. Olive oil should not be used on hardwood floors.
Fabrics and Carpets
Baking soda is the most natural deodorizer, and can be applied to carpets and fabrics to freshen them prior to vacuuming. Sodium borate, or borax, has a long history as a nontoxic powdered laundry booster. Remove stains from fabrics before washing by rubbing a paste of dishwasher detergent and sodium borate into the fabric and rinsing. Hydrogen peroxide works well to fizz away perspiration stains on white fabrics. Keep a spray bottle filled with a peroxide and water mixture near the washing machine; spray spots and rinse with clean water before starting the machine. If you need to safely remove stains from colored fabrics, try club soda or diluted vinegar instead. 
JENNIFER SANTISI is a science and environmental writer in Washington, D.C.

http://www.emagazine.com/magazine/shine-on/

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3. Show Your Fridge Some Love
Save 4%

The refrigerator is one of the biggest energy-users in your home, and if it was built before 1993, it's a huge energy hog. Clean the coils of your fridge every six months to keep it running efficiently, and take up unused space with jugs of water, which hold in the cold. Eliminate a second refrigerator, if you have one.

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http://www.greenamerica.org/pubs/greenamerican/articles/NovDec2010/10Ways.cfm

Mark -

Michele Bachmann is vulnerable.

A poll released last week found she's clinging to just a two point lead in her district, with independent voters swinging massively away from her campaign over the last few weeks.

Bachmann is one of the figure heads of Tea Party extremism. If she is vulnerable, then so are Tea Party extremists like her all over the country.

It all comes down to the strength of grassroots voter contact operations in these final weeks.

Chip in $5 to power our grassroots campaigns against Michele Bachmann and the Tea Party Ten.

Believe it or not, a lot of folks are just now paying attention to the elections. And from Joe Walsh and Mitt Romney's false and offensive statements about people being dependent on government, to Todd Akin's attacks on women, to continued Tea Party attacks on Medicare and Medicaid, there's a whole lot to dislike about the Tea Party.

....

"Becky Bond, CREDO Action" act@credoaction.com

Mark Jesus-

Mark Jesus, now’s the time to take action to save the Arctic. Join the millions who have already taken action to save the Arctic and add your name to our petition calling for a global sanctuary in the high Arctic.

Shell just announced that it was stopping its Arctic drilling program for 2012!

It’s great news and a strong reminder of the power that people have when they come together around a single idea.

Shell was set to kickstart the Arctic oil rush. The company had already invested seven years and about $5,000,000,000 to make it happen. But thanks to Mother Nature, its own incompetence and the millions of people who have taken action to save the Arctic, Shell's plans have been put on hold until next year.

This is our opportunity to make sure Shell doesn’t get a second chance next year and to save the Arctic once and for all. Mark Jesus, now’s the time to take action.

Join the millions who have already taken action to save the Arctic and add your name to our petition calling for a global sanctuary in the high Arctic.

The importance of this moment can’t be overestimated. Other major oil companies are now questioning the logic of Arctic drilling. Only a few days ago, the Norwegian company Statoil said it was going to wait and see how Shell’s plan goes before moving forward with its own in the Arctic.

Shell has made it pretty clear that Arctic oil drilling is an expensive and risky mistake.

This is a huge day for our campaign to save the Arctic. We should take a minute and celebrate what we have accomplished together. But the fight isn’t over. There is still work to do if we want to permanently protect the Arctic from Big Oil and climate change.

"Dan Howells, Greenpeace" <webmaster@greenpeaceusa.org>