Explore, Enjoy and Protect the Planet
Sierra Club Currents - Support the 2% Solution! Quote of Note: "You kill people. There's no replacement downstate for Indian River." -- John Hughes, Delaware environment secretary, on the reasoning behind a state agreement with NRG Energy Inc. to curb emissions from the company's Indian River power plant. (1) Take Action: Support the 2% Solution! (2) Take Action: Fight Logging Road Subsidies (3) Lead: Protecting Kids from Toxic Toys (4) Clean Energy: Don’t Dim our Future (1) Take Action: Support the 2% Solution! By passing meaningful energy bills, the Senate and the House have taken the first steps towards a clean energy economy, reducing global warming pollution and cutting our dependence on oil. The next step is to pass a bill that will reduce carbon dioxide emissions 80% by 2050 -- a do-able 2% a year -- the level scientists say is necessary to avoid the worst effects of global warming. The Sanders-Boxer Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act would put us on a path to achieving this goal by putting a cap on carbon emission in addition to carbon regulation for vehicles and electric utilities. Urge your Representative to support the Sanders-Boxer Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act! (2) Take Action: Fight Logging Road Subsidies In June the House of Representatives took decisive action against more destructive, expensive logging subsidies- subsidies that cost taxpayers about $40 million each year. While the House voted overwhelmingly for wild forest protection, Alaska's senators are working hard to overturn the House vote and keep these flawed logging road schemes in place. We need Congress to stand firm and oppose logging road subsidies in the Tongass National Forest. Protect the Tongass, Fight Logging Subsidies! (3) Lead: Protecting Kids from Toxic Toys Mattel's recall of 9 million lead painted toys today -- the second in so many weeks, once again underscores the importance of establishing a proactive protection system that would identify lead contaminated products before they poison children. As a result of a Sierra Club settlement with the EPA and the Consumer Product Safety Commission the first steps toward creating this system are now being taken. Companies must now provide information beyond simply disclosing the source of the hazard. They must also provide information on where and how the lead got into the children’s product, including information on the factories that made the product. Learn more about the Sierra Club's efforts to fight toxic toys and find out how you can keep your kids safe. (4) Clean Energy: Don't Dim our Future Yesterday, the Sierra Club kicked off its campaign to pressure Senator Domenici (R-NM) to help pass a strong energy bill in the fall -- one that includes the fuel economy standard passed by the Senate and the Renewable Energy Standard (RES) passed by the House. In June, Senator Domenici single-handedly blocked the passage of a Renewable Energy Standard in the Senate, despite the enormous economic benefits that the measure would bring to his own state of New Mexico. This fall, however, Senator Domenici will have a second chance to do the right thing when Congress works in conference to craft a final energy bill. We are asking the senator to make the right choice and take a strong stand for a clean energy future. Learn more about the campaign and find out how you can help. |
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Currents is the Sierra Club's weekly e-mail update providing you with facts, stories, quotes, and "take action" features. |