Sunday, October 31, 2010

Non-partisan voter guides for the general elections

Friends and fellow citizens,

Tuesday is general election day, please remember to vote as participation is a fundament of our democracy.

Equally important is to cast a well-informed vote as the outcomes of these elections impact generations to come.

Environment is a key part to many candidate platforms, and the following non-partisan guides may help you to better discern what their current positions are.

League of Women Voters:
Part I
http://www.lwvmi.org/documents/LWV2010p17-32REV_001.pdf
Part II
http://www.lwvmi.org/documents/LWV2010p1-16.pdf

League of Conservation Voters:
Brief guide:
http://michiganlcv.org/sites/default/files/Snyder%20&%20Bernero%20Brief%20Chart.pdf
Detailed guide:
http://michiganlcv.org/sites/default/files/MLCV-Full-Gubernatorial-Comparison-Chart-final-jk.pdf

Please also note that the gubernatorial candidates have differing stances on new coal plants, fossil fuel (especially natural gas) exploration, and nuclear energy in Michigan.  As many of us have learned through our studies or from experience, these factors do have a legacy of negative environmental, social, and economic consequences which merit careful consideration.

Have a safe and Happy Halloween!

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Global+Local=GLOCAL! 10/10 Global Work Party happening in Dearborn!

The Dearborn Sierra Club Cool Cities Group, Dearborn/Dearborn Heights League of Women Voters, Student Environmental Association (SEA), and Fordson High School Environmental Club are getting ready for 350.org's  international "Global Work Party" day this Sunday 10/10 2:00-4:00 at the University of Michigan-Dearborn Environmental Interpretive Center (4901 Evergreen Road, Dearborn MI 48128) and you're invited to join us for the event!


You can join us for a low-carbon walk through the Henry Ford Estate Grounds/Natural Area to the community organic gardens, cider and donuts from Apple Charlie's, a discussion on environmentalism, trade tips with other cool citizens on energy conservation, sustainable food options, gourd painting (perfect for Halloween preparations!), you even can plant some wild mountain mint collected by the SEA to take home.

What's even more exciting is that over 7,000 events like this are going to happen world wide on the same day (but none are quite the same as our adventure in the making!).  Perhaps "glocal" would be a good way to describe this kind of event.  It's a coordinated local activity with global impacts--a conjugation of the phrase "think global, act local"... Global+Local=Glocal.

All of these events revolve around themes of community building, climate change action, and enjoying what you're doing in the process.  You can find out more and RSVP at 350.org .  Of course, you can just stop by and join us too.

People of all ages are welcome, unfortunately pets are not because the walk goes through a research area at the University.