Forty-six BP petrol station's in central London were shut down today and re-branded with signs announcing: 'Closed. Moving beyond petroleum' and featuring the new, 'oilier' BP logo.

It's time for BP to make a real move beyond petroleum and end their involvement in environmentally destructive oil sources like Arctic oil exploration, deepwater drilling and the Canadian tar sands.

Let's make it clear that the time to move towards clean, renewable energy is now.

Our activists are literally turning off the pumps at BP's stations to make it clear that the risks of exploiting dangerous oil sources are too high - as the Deepwater Horizon disaster has made clear. Join them in demanding an Energy [R]evolution now!

Here's to an energy revolution!

Everyone,
@Greenpeace International

posted by: Nancy Roberts

Indigenous people and trees are in peril due to illegally-logged mahogany destined for the floors and high-end furniture of American homes. Loggers are operating in the supposedly protected lands of uncontacted tribes deep in the Peruvian Amazon. A new report details how illegal mahogany loggers are flouting international law and endangering the livelihood and health of tribes that have little resistance to any diseases that may be brought by outsiders. Mahogany is an endangered tree protected by international law; 80% of Peru's mahogany exports go to the United States.

The Upper Amazon Conservancy states that until the US government takes a strong stand and rejects questionably-sourced Peruvian mahogany, trees and the tribes are at risk of disappearing. Loggers forced contact with the Murunuhua tribe in 1996; over 50% of them died in the ensuing years, mostly from respiratory infections. This video shows a tribe member who survived first contact:

The NGO Survival International estimates that there are 15 uncontacted tribes left in isolated areas of the Peruvian rainforest.

In March 2010 at an international meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), Peru was given six months to enact legislation to address the illegal mahogany trade. Repeated attempts to stem the flow to protect both the species and the indigenous people have failed and abuses are rampant. In June, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton greeted Peruvian President Garcia, saying, "The United States and Peru are working together to protect the environment, to move toward more sources of renewable independent energy to fuel the economy here in Peru." Let us hope that we do not put a short-sighted quest for economic progress ahead of the protection of endangered trees and endangered tribes.

Take Action
Write to the President of Peru, urging protection of uncontacted tribes and of their lands. A sample letter can be found here:
http://www.survivalinternational.org/actnow/writealetter/isolatedperu

from:Causes daily newsletter on Jul 14, 2009
http://www.care2.com/causes/environment/blog/illegal-mahogany-logging-en...

Posted By: Nathan Sloane
To: Members in STOP Water Fluoridation
No One is Surprized That Fluoride is a Toxic Waste
Source: Dental Health Magazine
http://worldental.org/nutrition/no-one-is-surprized-that-fluoride-is-a-t...

July 8th, 2010, By Dental Health Magazine Staff

Everyone knows that fluoride is added to our drinking water. They also add fluoride to our hatcheries, streams, lakes, oceans, and rivers. It should be viewed as toxic poison.

That’s what it is called when it’s a runoff from the aluminum industry or from a phosphate/fertilizer industry. However, when you drink it in city tap water, it’s known as fluoride. We are told that the fluoride in our water prevents dental cavities. The implication is that if you drink this water you will have no cavities.

In addition recent and older surveys clearly indicate that adding fluoride to drinking water to alleviate tooth decay is an idea that is based on a false premise. There is no proof whatsoever that fluoride prevents cavities primarily because it doesn’t work systematically, only topically. These various scientific studies were not even complete prior to fluoridation beginning in the US.

However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention consider the fluoridation of our water as one of the 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century.

The Environmental Protection Agency has changed its mind since its original recommendation not to exceed 4 ppm and has since adjusted its position about the addition of fluoride to our drinking water.
The EPA objects to the one size fits all approach to fluoride.

If one person drinks 10 glasses of fluoridated water to another person’s 1 glass, the first person is getting 10 times more of a dose then the second.

There are two types of natural fluorides that occur which are calcium fluoride and sodium fluoride. Some states seem to have a lot of natural fluoride, but the kids who drink this water get pitted brown spots on their teeth which are recognized as fluorosis.

The fluoride that is produced by the aluminum industry has been graciously offered to a desperate cavity ridden public for the prevention of cavities. However, it does much more than that.

It frequently produces unwanted side effects such as stripes, white spots, or pitted brown spots on the teeth. Regardless if they are spots of white or brown or white stripes, they all indicate fluorosis which is a sign of toxicity and the damage is considered permanent.

In the wake of the ongoing catastrophe of the Gulf oil spill, lots of people have been asking us how they can reduce their oil consumption in their daily lives. Here's our top ten:

1. Carpool, cycle or use public transport to go to work.

2. Choose when possible products packaged without plastic and recycle or re-use containers.

3. Buy organic fruits and vegetables (fertilisers and pesticides are based on oil more often than not).

4. Buy beauty products (shampoo, soap, make-up) based on natural ingredients, not oil.

5. Choose when possible locally produced products (less transport involved).

6. Buy clothes made out of organic cotton or hemp - not from oil derivatives.

7. Use non-disposable items in picnics and summer festivals.

8. Quit bottled water.

9. Fly less.

10. Demand that your government encourage renewable energy instead of oil.

(11. Register at our new website and add to this list, then forward it to a friend.)

-Juliette

News media in East Central Illinois have been following the case of Andrew L. Thomas, a youth minister and track coach in Rossville, Illinois who’s been charged with the rape of 16-year-old boy he was mentoring.

“Andrew Thomas made his first appearance in court today. He’s been the youth minister at Rossville Church of Christ for three years, according to court records. Prosecutors say he had sex with a 16 year old boy he was mentoring. They say it happened over the last few months. The victim came forward to police. Thomas was arrested last night. If convicted, Thomas faces up to 15 years in prison. His friends, family, and church community are standing behind him. Prosecutors say more charges could be filed. They are investigating whether he may have child pornography on his computer.”

While these accusations against a Christian clergyman seem sadly pedestrian in an age of massive abuse scandals, this case draws special attention for our community. For while Thomas was allegedly abusing young boys, he was also leading an anti-Pagan crusade in order to drive Witch School out of Rossville, Illinois.

“Andy Thomas, youth minister at the Rossville Church of Christ, said residents had a spiritual responsibility to drive the witches out. If they didn’t, he said, young people were in danger of being pulled off the Christian path …”

The bitter irony of a man trying to protect “young people” from Witches while allegedly abusing them hasn’t escaped the folks at Witch School (since relocated to Salem, Massachusetts), who have released a statement concerning the matter.

“Pastor Andy Thomas, which claimed superior rights has now been arrested for Criminal Sexual Assault against a minor, and will face trial for them. He is alleged to have had sexual encounter with a 16 year old boy under his mentorship, and is under investigation for child pornography. He is still innocent until proven guilty, these are serious charges that question the intentions and his moral standing in the community. Our heart goes out to his alleged victim and there families, as this must be very difficult to deal with. We feel for the Rossville community, which trusted this man to give them clear spiritual advise, and instead betrayed them, in this case with their own children. In truth, he abused their trust as well, when he led them in vigorous protest against Witch School, which had never once involved in any activity to harm the community. Pastor Andy Thomas worked hard to assure the community and the nation knew how awful it was that Witch School was, while he was the individual who was bringing real harm to the community.”

You can see further reactions from Witch School at Rev. Don’s Vlog.

While his church community claims to be standing behind him, one has to wonder how many in Rossville are now questioning the past actions of this pastor, and if his obsession with driving out the “harmful” Witches wasn’t an externalization of the same deep seated psychosis that allegedly drove him to abuse children. Did he believe that by driving out the “other” he could also drive out the same demons that haunted him? Or was his religious zeal all a smokescreen for a deep-seated abusive nature? In any case, no matter what the ultimate outcome, this Witch-hunter has fallen.

http://www.feedblitz.com/t2.asp?/11887/10284592/3721339/http://www.comme...