by Alexis Baden-Mayer – Organic Consumers Association

The earth’s atmosphere is polluted with 390 ppm of CO2, well past the dangerous tipping point of 350 ppm.

If the world’s 12 billion acres of farms and pastures were transitioned to organic, we could pull 50 ppm of that carbon down from the atmosphere and store it safely in the soil.

Putting CO2 back where it belongs in the soil could mitigate greenhouse gas emissions at a rate of 6 billion tons of carbon per year.

Here’s how it works:

Compost, Not Chemicals

Synthetic fertilizers destroy soil life and release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Organic farming uses natural fertilizers to restore soil health and clean greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.

Forage, Not Factory Farms

Animals packed into factory farms generate oceans of greenhouse gas polluting waste. Animals that forage on pasture fertilize the soil with their waste and encourage the growth of deep-rooted perennial grasses that draw carbon down from the atmosphere.

Farmers’ Movements, Not Monsanto

The world’s 1.5 billion family farmers and 1 billion farm workers are the caretakers of the skills, knowledge and biodiversity needed to make the great transition from fossil-fuel fertilizers and factory farms to organic farming and ranching. But, their power will be lost if we can’t stop transnational corporations like Monsanto from genetically engineering their plants and animals, forcing them to buy expensive chemical pesticides and fertilizers, enslaving them with debt, pushing them off their land, and stealing their water.

Zero Waste, Zero Emissions

The number one issue for farmers — and the key to drawing carbon down from the atmosphere to slow climate change — is soil fertility. If farmers are going to switch from fossil fuel fertilizers to organic compost, compost has to be less expensive and in greater supply. Food scraps and yard waste make great compost, there’s tons of it, and it’s free. We just need to rescue it from the landfills, incinerators and power generators. We can do it ourselves and we can pass local laws to make composting mandatory.

Read More

“If the winner of the election were to be decided by the ads, we’d be ruled by GetUp” (Karl Quinn, Entertainment Editor, The Age).¹ Have you seen our latest election ad on climate change?

Dear Glenn,

In 2007 Australia held what was widely called “the world’s first climate change election.” We all know what happened – the Australian people demonstrated a powerful community consensus on taking strong action to reduce carbon pollution.

That’s why it is so surprising that what Labor announced yesterday involved no emissions trading scheme for at least 3 years, no promise to turn back rising pollution in the next 3 years and no price on pollution. Even the pledge to rid the country of dirty coal power depends on carbon capture and storage technology that may not exist for 20 or 30 years, if ever.

But Julia Gillard did say that she’s open to delivering more on climate change and with Tony Abbott’s climate policy in shambles we must take this opportunity to convince her to deliver more to reduce carbon pollution.

We’re running out of time to solve climate change and reduce our rising carbon pollution – and we can’t settle for policies that don’t even veer close to the kind of strong action the science demands. Now is the time to step up our climate change ad campaign:

http://www.getup.org.au/campaign/StopRisingPollution

We know that going to an election simply with yesterday’s weak climate announcement would be untenable. That’s why just minutes ago Julia Gillard announced another part of her plan: an incentive scheme to get old dirty cars off the road. We know the Government will be announcing their policy in stages, gauging the public reaction every step of the way.

This gives us an opportunity. These next 4 weeks offer us the most important moment we have to influence the climate policies of the major parties. We know they never listen to us, the people, as intently as they do during an election campaign.

A credible climate policy must include a price on carbon, real renewable energy investments and a nation building energy efficiency program. These are the most effective and efficient ways to drive back rising levels of pollution. The Coalition have ruled out a real response to climate change. The Labor party is still holding back. The Greens are keen, but they can’t make policy without the government of the day onside.

The word out of Canberra is that our popular climate ad has started to make an impact on the public and politicians. You can show Labor what a credible climate policy looks like by donating to get this ad on the air:

http://www.getup.org.au/campaign/StopRisingPollution

There is still time for Labor to take a serious climate policy to the election–one that stops the rise of carbon pollution in the next 3 years.

In these last few weeks before the election, let’s show them what climate leadership looks like.

Thank you for your commitment,
The GetUp Team

PS – After Kevin Rudd delayed action on climate change, his approval ratings plummeted and he lost the prime ministership. Julia Gillard has a chance to chart a new course–keep this ad on the air to show her the way.

¹ Karl Quinn (in online video clip), ‘Slogans, promises, furphies and sins: election gamesmanship in full spin’, The Age, 22 July 2010.

Last month, something remarkable occurred.

A US government panel stood up and pointed out the link between environmental toxins and cancer.

Wow… what were they thinking? (smirk & tongue firmly in cheek)

I have been saying this for years. How come it took so long for them to learn that the “earth is not flat?”

In a comprehensive, 240-page report, the President’s Cancer Panel declared that Americans are being “bombarded” with cancer-causing chemicals, and that “the true burden of environmentally induced cancers has been grossly underestimated.”

When a mainstream government entity breaks ranks with the traditional medical establishment to report that environment chemicals are threatening our health, it is a truly astonishing event – and a warning we should all heed.

While this report comes from a US government panel, environmental toxins are a global issue. And, according to the World Health Organization, deaths from cancer worldwide are projected to continue rising, to an estimated 12 million in 2030.

Download and read the whole report (PDF)

Executive Summary

Despite overall decreases in incidence and mortality, cancer continues to shatter and steal the lives of Americans. Approximately 41 percent of Americans will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives, and about 21 percent will die from cancer. The incidence of some cancers, including some most common among children, is increasing for unexplained reasons.

Public and governmental awareness of environmental influences on cancer risk and other health issues has increased substantially in recent years as scientific and health care communities, policymakers, and individuals strive to understand and ameliorate the causes and toll of human disease. A growing body of research documents myriad established and suspected environmental factors linked to genetic, immune, and endocrine dysfunction that can lead to cancer and other diseases.

Between September 2008 and January 2009, the President’s Cancer Panel (the Panel) convened four meetings to assess the state of environmental cancer research, policy, and programs addressing known and potential effects of environmental exposures on cancer. The Panel received testimony from 45 invited experts from academia, government, industry, the environmental and cancer advocacy communities, and the public.

This report summarizes the Panel’s findings and conclusions based on the testimony received and additional information gathering. The Panel’s recommendations delineate concrete actions that governments; industry; the research, health care, and advocacy communities; and individuals can take to reduce cancer risk related to environmental contaminants, excess radiation, and other harmful exposures.

Download and read the whole report (PDF)