ECO RADIO KC ¤ WEEKLY ECOLOGICAL ISSUES RADIO SHOW
Tuesday, 8 December 2009, 12:00noon ¤ on Kansas City Community Radio
Listen at KKFI-FM 90.1, or on web-streaming at http://www.kkfi.org/
On this week's EcoRadio KC, host John Kurmann will be interviewing Gretchen Wieland of the Kansas City office of Repower America and Jill DeWitt of Audubon Missouri about the status of global climate negotiations and climate legislation in the U.S.
Stay tuned at 12:30 when the Bioneers radio series airs Restoring Life's Fabric: The Biological Bottom Line - Is the economy the most important thing? Canadian geneticist, author, and television producer David Suzuki says the economy is just a subset of ecology. Drawing on native wisdom and state-of-the-art science, he vividly demonstrates how we are the environment. By simply remembering that what we do to what surrounds us, we do to ourselves, he suggests how we can restore the fabric of the biosphere.
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THE STORY OF CAP & TRADE
The Story of Cap & Trade is the latest from Annie Leonard who brought us The Story of Stuff. It's a fast-paced, fact-filled look at the leading climate "solution" being discussed at Copenhagen and on Capitol Hill. The energy traders and Wall Street financiers created this "market solution" scheme with the same thinking that brought us previous market bubbles. Examining their thinking reveals that the "devil's in the details" in current cap and trade proposals: free permits to big polluters, fake offsets, permit loopholes and cheating, and distraction from what’s really required to tackle the climate crisis. If you’ve heard about cap and trade, but aren’t sure how it works (or who benefits), this is the film is for you. View it here The Story of Cap & Trade. The video also has a list of FAQ's on the instigators, the questioners, failed cap & trade examples, climate impacts and debt, and more.
Daphne Wysham of the Institute for Policy Studies goes into detail on how carbon offsets can be easily scammed. After all, this Carbon Stock Market would be dealing in the buying and selling of an invisible, unverifiable, entirely manmade commodity. Read her laundry list at Cap and Trade Should Go the Way of the Dodo.
In an article in Yes! Magazine, Annie Leonard explains how her initial interest in waste reduction became a comprehensive view of life-cycle-costs, cultural forces, and individual susceptibility to advertising manipulation - Annie Leonard on Life After Stuff. The Story of Stuff website has had 7.5 million viewings and an ongoing stream of gratitude.
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COPENHAGEN CLIMATE CONFERENCE ¤ AND CLIMATE JUSTICE
Tuesday-Friday, 7-18 December 2009
Copenhagen Denmark
Delegates convened on Monday to begin negotiations of a new climate treaty to replace the Kyoto Climate Protocol, due to expire in 2012 - UN Climate Change Conference - Copenhagen 2009.
One of the most hopeful issues, yet a big hurdle to surmount, is that of climate justice, namely the climate debt that is owed to poorer nations by industrial nations who created the problem over the past three hundred years. The planetary atmosphere is a commons, a huge ecological service available to all breathing creatures, but which has been usurped as industrial dumping ground for fossil fuel pollutants. Rich nations gained the benefits of this free service, but it is the poor nations who will suffer sooner and more severely.
According to Saleemul Huq of the International Institute for Environment & Development it's time the piper be paid. He argues that rich nations must not only reduce emissions to avoid future damage, but must also pay poor nations to cope with damages already being felt. The latest studies suggest that adaptation will need tens of billions of dollars annually. Also, the average global temperature has risen 0.7°C over the past 100 years, and will rise another 0.7°C in the next decade or two. Poor countries are calling for the maximum rise to be 1.5°C, which means slamming on the brakes now. These two stipulations would go a long way to achieving an effective treaty, but industrial nations don't care to swallow such a large pill.
Saleemul Huq explains much of this in an interview by Mark Hertsgaard in The Nation Magazine - The Global South Bloc, and even more in an interview by Amy Goodman on Democracy Now! - Climate Change and the Global South.
The planet is in a state of severe overshoot with greenhouse gases needing to be lowered quickly "if humanity wishes to preserve a planet similar to that on which civilization developed and to which life on Earth is adapted" - James Hansen.
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EPA ISSUES "FINAL" CO2 ENDANGERMENT FINDING
Monday, 7 December 2009
On 2 April 2007, in a ruling on "Massachusetts vs. the EPA", the Supreme Court decided that the EPA has the authority to regulate CO2 and other greenhouse gases. Ever since then, we've been waiting for the other shoe to drop.
But Dick Cheney refused to sign off on it, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce protested that such regulations would cripple our economy. However in June of 2008, it was revealed that the Office of Management & Budget determined that Regulating CO2 Is Worth $2 Trillion. Then on 17 April 2009, the long awaited Endangerment Finding was issued - EPA says global warming a health hazard, followed by two public hearings and a 60-day comment period. Quite a bit later, on 9 November 2009, Climate Biz reported - EPA Sends Final CO2 Endangerment Finding to Obama, followed by a 90-day period for the OMB to respond. All very odd, considering that just yesterday, EPA issues CO2 'endangerment finding', with much ballyhoo.
How many times can they issue a finding, and then not regulate greenhouse gases? Everyone has agreed for some years now, formally and economically, that the EPA has authority to regulate. But will they? Ever? Is today's "news" just another straw man?
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TRANSITION KANSAS CITY ¤ TOWARDS A POST-CARBON COMMUNITY
Tuesday, 8 December 2009, 7:00pm
KKFI-FM studio, 3901 Main St., Kansas City MO (NOTE NEW LOCATION)
The Kansas City Transition Initiative is addressing climate disruption and peak oil inflation at the local level, a relocalization effort similar to hundreds of others around the globe. The meeting agenda includes: two-day Transition Fair, viewing of short transition DVD's, Great Unleashing discussion, list of local collaborative groups.
The Transition movement was begun by Rob Hopkins in Great Britain Transition Towns, and in the U.S. is coordinated by Transition US based in Sebastapol CA. They help local initiatives with resources and publications, and they have 22 trainers traveling to conduct local training sessions. For more info, or to get on the Kansas City e-mail list, call (816)767-8873, or contact them at
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LAWRENCE SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD
Wednesday, 9 December 2009, 5:30pm
Recycling and Resource Recovery Annex, 320 N.E. Industrial Lane, Lawrence KS
The December agenda will include: plans for the January goal setting session, curb-side recycling pilot program report, election of officers, City staff report. The S.A.B. meets monthly to discuss any and all aspects of furthering sustainability policies and practices by the City of Lawrence government and private persons. The public is welcome. Minutes are finalized in about a month after each meeting http://www.lawrencerecycles.
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KANSAS CITY ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
Wednesday, 9 December 2009, 4:00-6:00pm
Mid America Regional Council, Rivergate Center 2nd floor, 600 Broadway, KC MO
The Environmental Management Commission promotes environmental awareness and resource efficiency to the City's leader and staff, to assist the progress of Kansas City toward sustainability. Members of the general public are encouraged to attend and observe meetings and to join and participate in its efforts. More information and the EMC April 2009 minutes are available at http://www.kcmo.org/manager.
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"WHAT WOULD JESUS BUY?" SCREENING ¤ FILMS FOR ACTION
Wednesday, 9 December 2009, 7:00pm
Liberty Hall. 644 Mass St., Lawrence KS
Since 1996, the Reverend Billy has been using street theater to preach that consumerism is overwhelming our lives as The Shopocalypse. He warns that corporations want us to have fulfillment mediated only through their products. He admonishes us to "back away from the product", resist the temptation to drive to the big box stores, and instead support local economies and holidays filled with caring and sharing.
He travels with his choir from the Church of Stop Shopping to chain stores, shopping malls, and big boxes, exorcising cash registers and credit cards, and debunking the assumptions that our current possessions are lame, and that only shiny-new will provide us with power, pride and status. View a video of Reverend Billy on Democracy Now! talking about "What Would Jesus Buy?", and view the trailer of What Would Jesus Buy? at Films For Action.
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KANSAS CLIMATE & WATER CONFERENCE
Wednesday-Thursday, 9-10 December 2009, 8:30am-3:30pm
Wednesday at: Sedgwick Co. Extension, 7001 W. 21st St. N., Wichita KS
Thursday at: K-State Univ. Ag. Research Cntr, 1232 240th Ave, Hays KS
Experts in water supply, energy, agriculture, and biology will focus on the changing climate and it's affects on water quality, supply, and flooding, and food security. Topics will include: long term climate cycles, municipal climate mitigation, flooding, crop and livestock impacts, and carbon capture. This conference is sponsored by the Kansas Water Office and the Center for Agricultural Resources & the Environment. More info and registration at: Kansas Water Issues Forum 2009
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12TH STREET HOMESTEAD ¤ OPEN HOUSE & NEW MEMBER ORIENTATION
Saturday, 12 December 2009, 1:00pm
1145 Pennsylvania St., Lawrence, KS 66044
The 12th Street Homestead is building and modeling a sustainable shared space in East Lawrence by converting an old mixed-use residential/commercial building into a demonstration home and community center. They are looking for people to join creating the space for compassionate intimacy, appropriate technologies, radical methods of intensive urban permaculture, sustainable personal relationships, pro-dignity and anti-oppression social justice organizing. They seek others to develop critical thinking and dialogue about the de-construction of gender, ethnicity, class, sexuality, age, documentation status, and other social identity markers.
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GLOBAL CLIMATE CAMPAIGN DAY OF ACTION
Saturday, 12 December 2009
Scheduled to coincide with the UN Climate Change Conference - Copenhagen 2009 taking place from 7-18 December, the intent is for synchronized demonstrations around the world, in as many places as possible, to call on world leaders to take urgent action on climate change. They call for a just solution to climate disruption, in which the industrialized nations responsible for the lion's share of CO2 already in the atmosphere undertake the greatest measures to lower CO2 levels. This will be the third year for a Climate Day of Action, and info and national contacts can be found at Global Climate Campaign.
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SUSTAINABILITY ACTION NETWORK - MONTHLY MEETING
Sunday, 13 December 2009, 4:00pm
location TBA, Lawrence KS
S.A.N. advocates and organizes societal scale action to address sustainability issues, in our personal lives, and through public policy changes. We encourage everyone to "be the change you want to see" by becoming active in furthering local sustainability.
The S.A.N. meeting agenda will include:
- plans for Transition Kaw Valley presentations
- Lawrence bicycle plans for 2010
- Lawrence Peak Oil Plan, suggestions for input
- plans for the S.A.N. annual meeting
- fundraising for equipment and supplies; etc.
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LAWRENCE HOLIDAY TREE RECYCLING PICK UP DAYS
Mondays, 28 December 2009, 4 January 2010, 11 January 2010; 6:00am
After Christmas, please place your live-cut tree at the curb or alley for collection on one of the above Mondays. The trees will be used for wildlife habitat. Please remove all artificial items including tinsel, lights, and tree stand.
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GREAT PLAINS VEGETABLE GROWERS CONFERENCE
Thursday-Saturday, 7-9 January 2010, 8:00am-4:30pm
Missouri Western State University, St. Joseph MO
This annual conference will have a variety of workshops and speakers. For more info and to register go to http://extension.missouri.edu/
The SUSTAINABILITY ACTION NETWORK, Inc. is a Kansas not-for-profit organization. DONATIONS ARE APPRECIATED, and checks can be mailed to P.O.Box 1064, Lawrence KS 66044. Our mission is to advocate and organize societal scale action to address sustainability issues. The triple crises of Energy-Ecology-Economy are building so rapidly that large scale action is needed immediately and methodically to overcome institutional barriers and advance public policy that preserves ecological sustainability. Our focus is to build a relocalized economy-ecology in concert with the Transition Town movement occurring in many other communities. To join the Sustainability Action Network please contact us at
Our current projects include:
1) Transition Kaw Valley - initiating transition to a relocalized post-carbon economy, and municipal level Peak Oil response planning.
2) Kaw Permaculture Collaborative - developing skills and resources for poly-cropping sustainable food production.
3) Energy Conservation & Renewables - advancing a green economy through decentralized technologies and regulations, for conservation and renewable energy.
4) Land Consortium - organizing interested stakeholders to acquire prime farmland in the urban fringe for land-based economic development and regional food security.
5) Water Rights and Watersheds - protecting the water commons, the source of all life, from privatization and contamination, and restoring our watersheds.
6) Electric & Human Powered Vehicles - promoting neighborhood electric vehicles and utility tricycles, including infrastructure and pro-active regulations.
7) Weekly Sustainability Announcements - informing and encouraging others to become active in the Sustainability Action Network, or other action driven groups.
8) Collaboration with sister organizations - such as: The Light Center eco-village; Kaw Valley Food System farm-based economic development; Citizens for Responsible Planning; Films for Action; Kansas River Valley Growers fighting for local water rights; national efforts by the Sustainable Energy Network; KC Metro groups like the Kansas City Food Circle and the All Species Project, etc.
We welcome suggestions for items to be included. Please send items to
To subscribe to this list, please send an e-mail to
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