News Headlines
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Take Action: Corporations are not people! Money is not free speech!
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11,000+ Massachusetts Residents Call for a Fracking Ban
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United Church of Christ Goes Fossil Fuel Free!
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Who Owns Organic – Updated
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Be a Stormwater Advocate
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WRLF offers Saturdays at Sheep Hill and Beyond
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Berkshire Conservation District Annual Bulb Sale
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The Berkshire Conservation District Seeks to Fill Supervisor Board Position Immediately
Take Action: Corporations are not people! Money is not free speech!
BEAT sees this as one of the most important environmental issues of our time.
Back in May 2012, BEAT helped bring John Bonifaz from Free Speech for People, Pam Wilmot from Common Cause MA, and Mark Hays of Public Citizen to speak in Pittsfield about “Corporations are not People and Money is not Speech”. We helped with the petition drive and lobbying to get the Massachusetts legislature to call for an amendment to the US Constitution. Now there are 16 states that have called for a constitutional amendment.
We are working on getting legislation passed at the federal level.
Ask Massachusetts Senators to support a constitutional amendment to say Corporations are not people! Money is not free speech!
Senators Jon Tester (D-MT) and Tom Udall (D-NM) have introduced two historic bills to amend the US Constitution, overturning Citizens United and Buckley v. Valeo, respectively. Senator Tester’s “People’s Rights Amendment will make it clear that corporations don’t have constitutional rights, as if they were people. Senator Udall’s Political Equality amendment will allow us to eliminate the influence of big money in our political system. Please ask your US Senators to support both bills. Click here to take action: http://bit.ly/TesterUdall
11,000+ Massachusetts Residents Call for a Fracking Ban
from Environment Massachusetts
BEAT Note: Thank you to everyone who signed this petition that we circulated in the Berkshires!!!
More than 11,000 residents called on Beacon Hill to ban the dirty drilling process of fracking, in petitions presented by Environment Massachusetts and its allies at a statehouse news conference. The petitions show wide support for H.788, a bill introduced by Rep. Kocot (D-MA) and Rep. Provost (D-MA) to ban fracking and the processing of its toxic wastewater in the commonwealth.
“In states like Pennsylvania, we have already seen fracking contaminate drinking water and make nearby residents sick,” said John Rumpler, senior attorney for Environment Massachusetts. “Residents looking at this track record have one message for their legislators today: keep this dirty drilling out of Massachusetts.”
Local concern about fracking has grown since the U.S. Geological Survey identified shale gas deposits in the Pioneer Valley last December. Moreover, as New York mulls large-scale fracking next door, drilling operators could soon view Western Massachusetts as a convenient dumping ground for toxic fracking wastewater.
“In light of the threats to our environment and to our health, we cannot allow fracking—or its toxic waste—to come to Massachusetts,” said Rep. Provost, sponsor of H.788.
Bill H.788 would protect the commonwealth from both of these threats by both banning fracking and its wastewater. Last year, Vermont already enacted a similar law, and New Jersey legislators voted overwhelmingly for a ban on fracking waste (and citizens there are calling for an override of Gov. Chris Christie’s veto).
Laced with cancer-causing and even radioactive materials, fracking wastewater has contaminated drinking water sources from Pennsylvania to New Mexico. For Western Massachusetts, such threats are heightened by the fact that many communities in the Pioneer Valley rely on groundwater as their sole source of drinking water.
“The quantity and quality of our existing water supply is invaluable and irreplaceable,” declared Mayor Michael Tautznik of Easthampton. “Gambling our water against the known dangers of this dirty drilling is a loser’s proposition.” <MORE>
United Church of Christ Goes Fossil Fuel Free!
The United Church of Christ is the first nationwide religious institution to divest from fossil fuels! Last week at their annual convention in CA, they decided to align their investments with their values and commit to divestment from fossil fuels. Their leadership deserves great praise and celebration, and would not have been possible without 350MA Climate Hero Jim Antal, President of the Massachusetts Conference of the United Church of Christ.
Who Owns Organic – Updated
from Berkshire Organics Weekly Newsletter, July 9, 2013
The latest update of major corporate ownership and involvement in the organic food sector is now out. The chart graphically focuses on the organic brands with ties to the top 100 food processors in North America. Click here for a full size version of the chart.
Berkshire Organics has eliminated almost all of these brands from our shelves such as Muir Glen and Cascadian farms owned by General Mills and Knudsen owned by Smuckers. Our goal is to support small, independent companies not associated with corporate conglomerates.
There were a few changes that caught us by surprise. Coleman Chicken (Owned by Purdue) is being replaced with Tecumseh Farms’ Smart Chicken which is the only chicken producer in the country to offer a product line that is both certified organic and certified humane by Humane Farm Animal Care. Of course, we will also offer local chicken when available.
Be a Stormwater Advocate
Please join us for unique training this summer and learn how to fix problems that harm your town’s water. This Stormwater Advocates Training (SWAT) offers a mix of stimulating workshops and fieldwork for people who want to help their communities reduce polluted runoff. Pre-registration is requested.
Communities are unaware that streets are pathways that convey hot, dirty, oily storm runoff into streams and ponds. These pollutants accumulate and cause the steady decline of urban and suburban waters.
Fortunately, there are effective and inexpensive practices to remedy stormwater problems. Expert speakers will present valuable guidance and participants will receive MWC assistance in selecting practices to achieve the most pollutant reduction for the least cost.
SWAT training is being offered at two locations: Central MA workshops on July 20 & 23 at the Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, 414 Massasoit Road, Worcester; and Western MA workshops on August 24 & 29 at the Unitarian Society, 220 Main Street, Northampton. The registration fee is $40 for two workshops, training materials and refreshments.
A detailed description is available online at www.commonwaters.org/events/be-a-stormwater-advocate. Please forward this notice to anyone who may be interested – all are welcome. For more information, please email bgy@commonwaters.org or phone 978-534-0379.
WRLF offers Saturdays at Sheep Hill and Beyond
Every Saturday this summer except July 20th the Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation is offering free nature programs for children and adults of all ages. On Saturdays from 10am-12pm a naturalist will be available for Drop-in Nature Discovery programs at Sheep Hill, 671 Cold Spring Road in Williamstown. Stop by to explore the meadow, identify trees and wildflowers, watch birds, catch frogs and tadpoles in the pond, and learn about stream ecology. Visit the new Dietze Interpretive Center to learn about the region’s geologic and cultural history and discover tools and relics of our agricultural heritage.
On the 2nd & 4th Saturdays of July and August from 1-4 pm, venture farther afield on a series of Interpretive Hikes. This series of mild to moderate nature hikes will explore the natural and cultural history of the diverse ecosystems protected by the Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation. On July 13th discover the northern hardwood forest at Berlin Road. Learn about plant and animal species of the rich woods and enjoy a beautiful waterfall vista. On July 27th explore the Fitch Memorial Woodlands just above Sheep Hill. Enjoy the coolness of hemlock groves, the fragrance of ferns, and a remarkable stand of old-growth maple trees. On August 10th hike up to Pine Cobble through a unique oak-pine forest to take in spectacular views from the 600-million-year-old gray Cheshire quartzite cliffs. On August 24th climb the Phelps trail to the Taconic ridge through an open meadow, a pine grove, and numerous glades of ferns flanked by century-old rock walls. All hikes are led by a naturalist guide, and the group will stop frequently to observe things. For those looking to get in shape, this hiking series begins with easier walks and builds in intensity to the 1300-foot climb up to the Taconic Crest. All hikes meet at Sheep Hill at 1pm and the group will carpool to the trailhead.
All WRLF programs will run rain or shine (unless weather is severe); no advanced registration is required, but interested participants are encouraged to call (413) 458-2494 for more information. Participants should dress for the weather and bring water, snacks, sunscreen, hats, and insect repellant. Old shoes that can get wet or muddy are recommended. Programs are appropriate for all ages, including families and adults. For more information, visit www.wrlf.org or “like” the Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation on Facebook.
Berkshire Conservation District Annual Bulb Sale
The Berkshire Conservation District Annual Bulb Sale fundraiser is in progress now through August 31st. Brochures are available in the lobby of the Conte Federal Building in Pittsfield, in various local businesses, and on online at www.berkshireconservation.org. The district sells a variety of high quality tulip, narcissus, crocus, and other flowering bulbs as a fundraiser to support conservation programming and scholarships. Orders will be available for pick up on Saturday, September 28th between 9am and 12pm at Lakeview Orchard in Lanesboro, or Monument Mountain Regional High School in Great Barrington. Please direct questions to Administrator Aimee V. Annichiarico by calling (413) 443-1776 ext. 102 or sending an email to aimee.annichiarico@ma.usda.gov. The Berkshire Conservation District is a tax-exempt local environmental organization in alliance with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.
The Berkshire Conservation District Seeks to Fill Supervisor Board Position Immediately
The Berkshire Conservation District is seeking to fill a supervisor position on the board immediately to fill in until November 2014 for someone who has recently resigned. We are seeking a motivated volunteer, dedicated to environmental education and community action. We would prefer someone who has strong ties to the agricultural community in Berkshire County. Must be able to attend monthly meetings every third Tuesday of the month at 4pm in Pittsfield (and occasional quarterly meetings around the state). Will have the opportunity to network with and collaborate with partner organizations such as Natural Resources Conservation Service, the State Commission for Soil, Water, and other Related Resources, the MA Association of Conservation Districts, Mass Wildlife, MDAR, and others on local conservation issues. Please call the office if you are interested: (413) 443-1776 ext. 102. Berkshire Conservation District is a non-profit, tax-exempt environmental agency.