Earth Day 2009 // Current

Northern Michigan EarthKeepers planted 12,000 trees in May 2009 across Upper Peninsula

Marquette, Michigan – During the first two weeks of May 2009, over 12,000 trees have been planted the interfaith Upper Peninsula EarthKeeper Team across a 400 miles area of northern Michigan and in Minocqua, Wisconsin thanks to volunteers at over 100 churches and temples.
The trees were planted near homes, camps, churchyards, schools, parks and many other places by thousands of volunteers from ten faith traditions.
Children of all ages helped make the project a success and underscored why its important to protect the environment - it's their future at stake.
The EarthKeepers handed out over 12,000 red pine and white spruce seedlings at over 100 churches and temples across northern Michigan.
This video details some of the planting, distribution and preparation for the 209 EarthKeeper Tree Project that started on Earth Day 2009 with the planting of a three-foot white spruce at Presque Isle Park along Lake Superior in Marquette, Michigan. Bishops and other EarthKeeper faith leaders blessed the tree as it was planted on a wooded hillside one day after a snowstorm.
In previous projects, the EarthKeeper Initiative has removed nearly 400 tons of hazardous waste from the environment - most of which was recycled - and involves the congregations of over 150 churches/temples from ten faith traditions in 50 communities, American Indian tribes, college students and other youth.
The EarthKeepers were founded in 1994 by Rev. Jon Magnuson, executive director of the non-profit Cedar Tree Institute in Marquette and Carl Lindquist, executive director of the Superior Watershed Partnership.
In 2004, the bishops and other faith leaders signed the original EarthKeeper Covenant - pledging to actively protect the environment and reach out to Native Americans. The religious communities include Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, Presbyterian, United Methodist Church, Unitarian Universalist, Baha'i, Jewish, Zen Buddhist and the Quakers.
The group teams with Native American tribes including the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC). Another major partner is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that sent representatives to the collections
From 2005-2007, the group of adults and youth held an annual EarthKeeper Clean Sweep each Earth Day during which over 20,000 northern Michigan residents turned in household hazardous waste at 20 free collections sites across a 400-mile area involving all corners of the pristine Upper Peninsula.
With a message of encouragement from their faith leaders, enthusiastic congregations turned out during three-hour collections:
In 2005, over 45 tons of pesticides, herbicides, lead-based paint, batteries and many other hazardous substances from northern Michigan homes was turned in by residents during the first clean sweep. Partners included landfills and local governments.
In 2006, over 320 tons of electronic waste was collected including computers, keyboards, hard drives, other computer related components, televisions and cell phones. Nine semi-trucks transported the vast majority of the electronics to a recycler in the Lower Peninsula.
In 2007, over one ton of pharmaceuticals was turned in including more than $500,000 in dangerous narcotics. Pharmacists and law enforcement agencies were among the clean sweep partners and staffed each of the collection sites as required by federal law. The drugs were properly disposed in high-tech EPA-approved incinerators.
In 2006, the faith leaders and the head of the KBIC tribe gathered for a news conference with college students to announce the creation of the Northern Michigan University EarthKeeper Student team. It was the first time these bishops and other faith leaders had been in the same room and many met for the first time.

http://www.upearthkeepers.org
http://www.superiorwatersheds.org
http://www.cedartreeinstitute.orgMarquette, Michigan – During the first two weeks of May 2009, over 12,000 trees have... more

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Earth Day 2009 Washington DC

A short on the Green Apple Festival held this year at the National Mall in Washington... more

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EarthKeepers Earth Day 2009: Planting the first of 12,000 trees across northern Michigan on May 3

Marquette, MI - The bishops/leaders from northern Michigan's largest faith communities planted the first of 12,000 trees during an Earth Day ceremony on the shores of Lake Superior.
The Earth Day 2009 blessing of the trees ceremony was held on Presque Isle in Marquette.
Roman Catholic Diocese of Marquette Bishop Alexander Sample said all humans "are called to be steward's of God's creation and no matter what faith tradition we come from that responsibility lies with us."
The EarthKeeper movement is "focused on how the faith communities can work together to preserve this great gift that we have here in the Upper Peninsula” and its lakes, streams and forests, said Northern Great Lakes Synod Lutheran Bishop Thomas A. Skrenes.
UMC Marquette District Supt. Grant R. Lobb said "planting a tree is a gift for the next generation and beyond that."
The EarthKeeper team includes ten faith traditions ( Jewish, Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, Presbyterian, United Methodist Church (UMC), Unitarian Universalist (UU), Baha'i, Zen Buddist, Quakers) with over 150 participating churches/temples, the nonprofit Superior Watershed Partnership (SWP), the nonprofit Cedar Tree Institute (CTI), and the NMU EK Student Team.
Throughout the Great Lakes states, people and groups "are replicating the work that the EarthKeepers have done here," said Carl Lindquist, SWP executive director.
"This is very much a marvelous moment in the life of our work together as faith communities," said Rev. Jon Magnuson, CTI executive director and EarthKeepers co-founder.
The next day April 23, several faith leaders spoke about the project and protecting the environment to students at Northern Michigan University in the final of numerous "Sacred Planet" events on campus sponsored by the NMU EarthKeeper (NMU EK) Student Team.
On May 3, the 12,000 12-to-16-inch White Spruce and Red pine seedlings will be planted in all corners of the U.P. including at 100 churches and temples.
The trees were purchased or donated by the U.P. EarthKeeper team, SWP, Holli Forest Products, the Forestland Group, Plum Creek Timber Company and Meister's Greenhouses, said Carl Lindquist, SWP executive director.
From 2005-2007, over 15,000 U.P. residents turned in more than 360 tons of household hazardous waste at U.P. collection sites.
Some of the items were properly disposed but most was recycled including computers, cell phones, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, oil-based paint and vehicle batteries.
Last year the EarthKeepers provided a household energy conservation checklist that resulted in over 3 million pounds of carbon being reduced.
"The trees, in effect, will be planting us, said Reverend Tesshin Paul Lehmberg, head priest for the Marquette Zen Buddhist Temple Lake Superior Zendo and EarthKeeper Implementation Team co-chair.
Baha'is believe that "nature is to be respected and protected as a divine trust for which we all answerable," said Dr. Rodney H. Clarken, chair of the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Marquette.
Episcopal Diocese of Northern Michigan employees reflected on what the project would've meant to late Bishop James Kelsey, the first signer of the interfaith EarthKeeper Covenant, killed in a June 2007 traffic accident.
"He'd try to find a place for a tree in his own yard" plus at the Page Center and office, said Jane Cisluycis, EDNM Operations Coordinator.
Kelsey would be "pleased that the EarthKeepers are getting stronger and more people are getting involved," said Kathy Lenten, EDNM Ministry Support Team.
UU member Nancy Irish said "the image of people of all ages and faiths across the Upper Peninsula planting 12,000 trees in their respective sacred spaces is a most beautiful and fitting one."
Some groups and individuals have donated money to help the tree project including Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Western U.P. Chapter 30918 in Ironwood, Michigan.Marquette, MI - The bishops/leaders from northern Michigan's largest faith communities... more

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Michael Pollan: Growing your own

Michael Pollan, author of "The Omnivore's Dilemma" and "In Defense of Food" recently... more

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Save The Plastic Bag

EXPOSING THE ANTI-PLASTIC BAG
MISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN
An editorial in the London Times states:

"Many of those who have demonized plastic bags have enlisted scientific study to their cause. By exaggerating a grain of truth into a larger falsehood, they spread misinformation and abuse the trust of their unwitting audiences."

* As a result of misinformation, many people believe that plastic bags kill large numbers of sea mammals and seabirds. NOT TRUE. The London Times has exposed this as a myth based on a typographical error! The report on which the myth is based mentioned discarded nets, not plastic bags. (Click here.)

* As a result of misinformation, many people believe that plastic bags are made of oil. NOT TRUE. They are made of ethane which is a waste product from domestically produced natural gas. If the ethane is not used to make plastic bags, it will have to be burned off. (Click here.)

* As a result of misinformation, many people believe that plastic bags are not recyclable. NOT TRUE. Special plastic bag recycling bins have been installed in large supermarkets and retail stores throughout California since 2007. Virtually all of the plastic bags deposited in those bins are actually recycled. (Click here.)

* As a result of misinformation, many people believe that plastic bags "clog up" landfills. NOT TRUE. According to the California Integrated Waste Management Board, plastic bags (including retail bags) use up only 0.4% of landfill space. (Click here.)

* As a result of misinformation, many people believe that it is a disadvantage that plastic bags do not decompose in landfills. NOT TRUE. Decomposing paper in landfills produces methane which is a greenhouse gas with 23 times the heat trapping power of CO2. (Click here.)

* As a result of misinformation, many people believe that paper bags are better for the environment than plastic bags. NOT TRUE. Paper bags result in 3.3 times more greenhouse gases than plastic bags and require much more fuel to transport. (Click here.)EXPOSING THE ANTI-PLASTIC BAG MISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN An editorial in the London... more

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The Limbaugh Wire for 04/22/2009

After cavorting with the enemy(he told right wing Terrorists he got their back!) My faverot Junky/punchbag spewed for earth day....

Happy Earth Day, everyone. We've been eagerly anticipating all the anti-environmentalist shenanigans Rush is sure to have in store for today, but still we find ourselves skeptical that he'll be able to top this. Also, as a coda to Rush's rant yesterday about how "liberals" like Obama think the Bill of Rights is "horrible," we'd like to point to the recent remarks of one of America's more influential jurists as he discussed the Bill of Rights: "Today there is much focus on our rights. Indeed, I think there is a proliferation of rights. I am often surprised by the virtual nobility that seems to be accorded those with grievances." And who was the radical left-liberal fanatic who said those words? Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.

Rush kicked off the show by announcing that it's "Open Line Friday!" on Wednesday, because Rush will be away tomorrow and Friday. Then he dubbed the culmination of Obama's "mythical" first 100 days as "finals week," adding that you have to say Obama is "failing" because Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinjad and Fidel Castro are "ripping Obama" despite his "worldwide tours" to get them on our side.

Then Rush had to tell us something -- he's heard a lot of people say that Obama's "flip-flop" on investigations of Bush officials sanctioning torture tactics was a result of pressure from the left wing of the Democratic Party. Rush said Obama wasn't buckling to anything, he's orchestrating all of this. Then Rush let Matt Drudge take over the program for a moment, asking if we'd heard that Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano had claimed that the 9-11 terrorists had entered the U.S through Canada, or if we'd read a piece in Canada's National Post asking "how U. S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano got her job."

Rush then moved on to Obama's "flip-flop" regarding investigations into former Bush administration officials, claiming that if Attorney General Eric Holder does pursue investigations, then the goal won't be to secure convictions but, rather, to "destroy" the Bush officials and "criminalize" policy decisions that the administration disagrees with. Rush said this could be the overreach everyone is waiting for. Rush went into the break seamlessly weaving together Obama's meeting with Jordan's King Abdullah, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs' "incompetence," the resignation of the White House communications director, the apparent suicide of Freddie Mac's CFO, and the Miss America pageant. Despite linking all those things together, he didn't really explain what they had in common. But he did promise that on the other side of the break he'd go through his "finals week" list of examples of Obama's "incompetent buffoonery."

After the break Rush finally acknowledged that it is Earth Day, and said he was celebrating by having all his cars driven, having his plane flown to Los Angeles and back, cranking up his air conditioning, eating "all kinds of beef," and will "personally" oversee the destruction of two acres of rainforest. Sorry, Rush. You'll have to do better than that to beat out Glenn Beck.

Then it was time for "finals week," which was simply a lengthy recitation of a "list" Rush put together "off the top of his head" of the many aspects of the nascent Obama administration that have stuck out to him. We're not going to bother repeating the whole list, because if you've listened to his show (or, better yet, read the Limbaugh Wire) for the past few weeks, you already know what was in there. We'll just give you a few phrases as a cross section of the whole rant: bowing to the Saudi king, apologizing for the U.S., tax cheats, bAfter cavorting with the enemy(he told right wing Terrorists he got their back!) My... more