Tags >> politics
Dec 17
2009

Copenhagen Climate Conference

Posted by Bruce Robinson in water , waste , technology , Sonoma County , resources , research , protest , politics , policy , planning , nonprofit orgs , news , media , legislation , law enforcement , justice , journalism , international , Ideas , Green , government , go green , events , environment , economy , design , corporate responsibiliyt , conservation , Congress , climate change , carbon , California , business , alternative energy , activism

Bruce Robinson

Sonoma County’s delegation to the Copenhagen Climate Summit will be heading home with some ideas they hope to apply locally.

There was a considerable backlash when it was announced that Sonoma County was sending seven delegates to the Copenhagen conference. Tim Anderson, a spokesman for the Sonoma County Water Agency, says those concerns were understandable, but notes that nearly half of those travel expenses have been picked up by other agencies from outside the county. And he believes the trip will prove worthwhile to the county, over time.

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There was a considerable backlash when it was announced that Sonoma County was sending seven delegates to the Copenhagen conference. Tim Anderson, a spokesman for the Sonoma County Water Agency, says those concerns were understandable, but notes that nearly half of those travel expenses have been picked up by other agencies from outside the county. And he believes the trip will prove worthwhile to the county, over time.

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Anderson, who is also attending the Copenhagen conference, says that while he has not been directly affected by any of the numerous protests that have been staged in and around the Danish capital, it’s impossible not to be aware of them.

Rohnert Park city councilman Jake McKenzie is one of the local elected officials attending the Copenhagen conference. In this video clip, filmed earlier this week, he shares some of his ideas and inspirations from the event.

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Also attending is Sonoma County Supervisor Valerie Brown, who explains that her primary focus there is being an advocate for local governments.

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Dec 15
2009

Climate Change and Vineyards

Posted by Bruce Robinson in wine , weather , water , trees , Sonoma County , politics , planning , Ideas , Green , government , go green , farms , environment , climate change , chemicals , carbon , California , business , alternative energy , agriculture

Bruce Robinson

Global warming poses a real and serious threat to California’s wine industry, but vineyards throughout the state—and other agricultural lands—can also take steps to blunt the pace of climate change.

It is increasingly clear, says Ted Lemon (right) , co-owner of Littorai Wines in Sebastopol, that the dominant business model in American agriculture, needs to change.

Monoculture farming has not succeeded in feeding the world. Lemon observes, so a new approach is clearly needed.

 

The Littorai Winery is an informal demonstration site for the practical application of principals of agroecology. The Wine Institute of California has also intiated a proactive program in support of sustainable vineyard practicies, which you can read about here.

Dec 07
2009

Palestine

Posted by Bruce Robinson in war , volunteer , speaker , rights , protest , poverty , politics , peace , news , justice , international , government , events , education , activism

Bruce Robinson

News reports from the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip typically focus on clashes between Arab “militants” and the Israeli army. But when the dust clears, what is life there like for the Palestinian people?

Even for non-violent peace activists, simply being in the occupied Palestinian territories can be dangerous. Maggie Coulter offers two examples.

The military policies behind the Palestinian occupation are not unanimously supported by the Israeli populace, and Coulter reports that she found a number of local organizations there that are working to end or mitigate those policies.

 

 

 

 

 

Dec 01
2009

Project Censored Changes

Posted by Bruce Robinson in youth , war , research , protest , poverty , politics , policy , nonprofit orgs , news , media , justice , journalism , international , Ideas , government , finances , environment , education , author , activism

Bruce Robinson

The 2010 edition of Project Censored’s annual list of important but undercovered news stories is out as usual, while behind the scenes, there’s been a changing of the guard.

One measure of the growth that Project Censored has experienced over the past 33 years, Frymer offers, is the huge increase in the number of stories that are now being nominated for their consideration each year. So even the list of finalists is longer now.

It’s always hard to pick a favorite, but new Project Censored Director Ben Frymer (left) admits to a particular fondness for one of the current top 25 stories, in part because it came from an atypical source.

 In fact, he couldn’t pick just one. Frymer has some other favorites from the list, too.

You can see all 25 of this year's top stories on the Project Censored website, as well as review the lists from past years.

 

The book release party for the 2010 Project Censored publication will be held at the Santa Rosa Oddfellows Hall on Saturday, Dec. 5, beginning at 6 pm. see full details here.