NE Sierra Club September Newsletter

    National Geographic reveals critical information about our food supply!

America’s agricultural landscape is now 48 times more toxic to honeybees, and likely other insects, than it was 25 years ago, almost entirely due to widespread use of so-called neonicotinoid pesticides,according to a new study published in the journal PLOS One.

“This enormous rise in toxicity matches the sharp declines in bees, butterflies, and other pollinators aswell as birds, says scientist Kendra Klein, PhD.“This is the second Silent Spring.”

Nearly all of neonic use in the U.S. is for coating food seeds and some plants from garden centers.

According to the article, not only do bees, butterflies, and other insects pollinate one-third of all foodcrops, declining insect numbers can also have catastrophic ecological repercussions. Harvard entomologist E.O. Wilson has said that without insects the rest of life, including humanity, “would mostly disappear from the land.”

There is another way! Regenerative farming uses cover crops, no-till and other methods to increase onfarm biodiversity and soil health. The regenerative operations don’t have to worry about insect problems,said co-author Jonathan Lundgren, PhD, an agroecologist and Director of the ECDYSIS Foundation.

Purchase food from local farmers and let gardening centers know that you won’t purchase their plants ifthey’ve been coated with neonics!

Laurel Hopwood, NEO Agriculture Chair

For more information:

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/08/insect-apocalypse-under-way-toxicpesticides-agriculture/***

Global Climate Strikes

On September 20th, youth around the world are organizing Global Climate Strikes to demand the boldaction we need.The climate crisis is here and it’s urgent.

Now, students and youth are taking things into their own hands– and are looking for everyone, regardless of age, to get involved.

The Sierra Club has endorsed this fully youth-led mobilization. Young people from all over the world are collaborating in dozens of countries and hundreds of cities. It’s shaping up to become the biggestinternational day of climate action IN HISTORY.

It’s time for bold, ambitious action at the scale that science and justice demand. We have to grow ourmovement big enough to leave our elected officials no choice but to listen to us (instead of the political donations they get from big oil and gas corporations…) and to do what’s necessary to protect our climate.

Find the Climate Strike nearest you: Public Square or Youngstown

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 Stop SB 33

SB 33 is an Ohio bill modeled after similar laws around the country. It is part of an organized effort,supported by fossil fuel companies, to stifle non-violent protests against their policies. It is designed tointimidate protesters, significantly increasing criminal penalties against non-violent protesters, andallowing huge fines against organizations that are deemed to have helped these protesters. The bill haspassed in the Ohio Senate, and is now up for a vote in the Ohio House.

Please sign on to the on-line petition and to the letter to Governor DeWine opposing the bill.

The link for the on-line petition is:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfTjh1zr9T8ZzehnVImQaI3vdIgyFGM2GPjVaPKkiImeSBrg/viewform

The link for the letter to Governor DeWine is:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdddIsL9PuDMYuT0lbnicU_jN5vYKkgnNVjHq3mDl0zZKA_Q/viewform

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NEO Sierra Club Monthly Meeting – Wednesday, September 4, 2019, 6:30 pm, Brook Park library, 6155 Engle Rd, Brook Park 44142. Open to the public.

Freedom Demands Action: Stop SB33 – Thursday, September 19, 2019, 9 am – 3pm, Sheraton Hotel, 75 East State Street, Columbus.

Educate a Legislator Day. Meet with legislatorsto urge them to vote no on ALEC Bill SB33. This bill changes certain peaceful demonstrationsfrom misdemeanors to felonies with long prison sentences and high fines.

Here is the link for registration. https://forms.gle/9MndaymopD7ELipH6

Randy Cunningham will help to co-ordinate rides from Cleveland. Please contact Randy at 216-245-1073 and/or randino49@gmail.com

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