Femke Rosenbaum asked if I would let folks know that she will be leading a banner-making workshop tomorrow at 2 pm, in coordination with the drumming event at Prez. Hall. Watch for Clean Water Art Action Cape Cod (CWAACC = "QUACK!") puppets in the Independence Day parade, too. Herbicidal spraying remains on our agenda this summer since NStar does not take the concerns of the people of Cape Cod into consideration and refuses to use another method of vegetation control under the power lines.
I read in the New York Times yesterday, "A March 28 Gallup poll found Americans worry most about threats to clean water among nine major environmental issues. Clean water concerns outranked those of air pollution, species extinction and global warming, the poll found." Well, species extinction should be right up there as a worry, but I'm glad fellow Americans have focused in on the need for clean water, water without traces of toxic chemicals in it.
As summer 2011 starts in earnest with Independence Day weekend, the realization that the end of the NStar spraying moratorium is only six months away gnaws at my brain. (Have you signed the petition at Change.org yet? If not, please do.)
Yesterday I called Senator Wolf's office about the Safer Alternatives Bill, slated to go before the MA House and Senate July 12, and spoke with an aide who was not familiar with the legislation. I also called Rep. Peake's office and received two call-backs, one with word Rep. Peake supports this bill, and the second with the good news that she will be a co-sponsor. (Rep. Peake is one of 58 representatives to co-sponsor.)
The Safer Alternatives Bill would replace toxic chemicals with safer alternatives in every day products and also introduce a resolution calling on Congress to overhaul the main federal chemical safety law, the Toxics Substances Control Act of 1976 (TSCA)
I just checked the list of 20 senators and Dan Wolf is not on it.
Therefore, I will be calling Senator Wolf's office back on Tuesday to find out why his name did not make the list and suggest there's still time. To me, this bill is a no-brainer.
Please tell your friends, visiting from other parts of the state this summer, to get their representatives on board. The more we talk about toxic chemicals in our environment, the better chance we have of defeating corporate power that pushes this choice on a local population, determined to resist. For me, it's simple. Toxic chemicals do not belong in a sole-source aquifer, from which we get drinking water. Are you with me? Will you spread the word?
