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Protests against tar-sands pipelines heat up in U.S. and Canada

Protests against tar-sands pipelines heat up in U.S. and Canada

Anti-tar-sands protests escalated last week, aiming to block both the Keystone XL and the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipelines. In the U.S. and Canada, activists staged more than 50 actions — raucous marches, another sit-in outside the White House, and a full-on blockade of a refinery, altogether resulting in more than 50 arrests and at least one restraining order. There was even a light brigade in Tampa, Fla.!

And, marking a new front in the war, activists broadened their scope beyond oil and pipeline companies to include firms investing in tar-sands projects, like TD Bank, a major financier of Keystone. “We will demonstrate to companies bankrolling KXL that their investments are as toxic as the tar sands they want to pump through the pipeline,” the Tar Sands Blockade group said in a statement.

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Native American and First Nations leaders also made headlines last week by coming out strongly against tar-sands pipelines. From the Global Post:

Canadian and US indigenous leaders gathered in Ottawa on Wednesday in opposition to building pipelines to move Canadian tar sands oil across their traditional lands, citing environmental concerns.

Chiefs from 10 tribes delivered a message at a press conference: “Tar sands pipelines will not pass through (our) collective territories under any conditions or circumstances.”

They also pledged mutual support for one another in their respective court battles and “a long, hot summer” of protests against four Enbridge Northern Gateway, Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain, Trans Canada Keystone XL and Enbridge Line 9 pipelines.

Maybe you think more political pressure is what’s needed. Then join 350.org’s “rapid responder” Keystone webinar on Thursday to make plans for keeping the heat on President Obama, Secretary of State John Kerry, and key senators.

Or maybe you’d just like to tell the State Department how you personally feel about this tar-sands thing. You can submit comments on the department’s draft environmental impact statement for Keystone until April 14; check out the EIS and then email your thoughts to keystonecomments@state.gov. You won’t be able to see other people’s comments, though, because State doesn’t plan to make them public. For that, you’ll need a formal Freedom of Information Act request, a lot of patience, and maybe an account at the new FOIA Machine project.

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Protests against tar-sands pipelines heat up in U.S. and Canada

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GOP Sen. Wants to Require a Two-Thirds Majority for Gun Laws

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The Senate is expected to reject an assault weapons ban when it’s introduced as an amendment to a large gun control package next month. But Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) isn’t taking any chances. On Friday, the first-term conservative is planning on filing an amendment to the Senate budget resolution making it impossible for any gun control legislation to pass the Senate without a two-thirds majority—a standard currently reserved for the ratification of treaties. (That’s an even higher threshold than that imposed by filibusters, which can be broken with 60 votes.)

“If the Lee amendment is passed, the practical effect will be that gun control can never again pass the Senate,” the far-right Second Amendment group Gun Owners of America boasted in an email to members on Friday.

Lee’s amendment won’t pass. But the fact that Republicans would consider carving out an entirely new voting threshold just for gun control legislation tells you just how little ground they’re willing to concede, at least publicly, on this fight.

Here’s the amendment:

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GOP Sen. Wants to Require a Two-Thirds Majority for Gun Laws

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Do Your Bid For The Environment With These Green Energy Tips!

Most people have heard of green energy. However, they may not know how to implement it in their lives, in order to make the most of it. Here are some excellent ways for you to start introducing green energy into your home and make it a way of life, while you’re at it.

If you are planning to go green in your home, you may want to consider contacting your utility provider to learn about your options. They may have some great suggestions for you look into. If they do not have the options for you, they can direct you to where you can find them.

Most people don’t realize that besides using electrical appliances, keeping them plugged in can use large amounts of energy. To keep your costs down, remember to unplug items such as lamps, cell phone chargers, space heaters and even can openers. Plug them in just when you need to use them.

A good green energy tips for your home is to always wash your dishes in cold water unless they are oily. When using cold water, you are not using any electricity that you would normally use if the water was hot. Small things like this can really reduce the amount of energy your home uses each month.

Consider opting for a solar hot water heating system. If you must use hot water to run your dishwasher or do your laundry, a solar hot water system can benefit you. If you live in an area where freezing is not a concern, a direct circulation system will be perfect for you.

Think about giving green gifts for presents when you need to buy people gifts. If you are going to a house warming, give them a case of CFL bulbs for their new home or buy your friends reusable stainless steel water bottles. Even if you do not have gifts to give, think about buying them for yourself.

Do not turn down the thermometer when you are trying to cool off your house faster. The air conditioner works at the same speed either way. Set the thermometer for a comfortable level and wait patiently. You will save money in the long run because you will not be spending extra money on excessive cooling.

If environmental concerns are top of mind for you, try replacing your current hot water equipment with a solar hot water device. Depending on your needs, you may reqne only when you have a full load. Washing a few articles of clothing is just wasting energy.

Set your computer so that it goes to sleep when you are not using it for more than 10-15 minutes at any given time. While most people believe that screensavers save energy they do not, and should not be used as an alternative to placing your computer in a sleeping state.

Don’t use your dishwasher until you have a full load. Make sure your dishwasher is full before using it, hecause it takes the same amount of water and energy to wash a full load as it does half a load. Use the shortest cycle possible, if you can, turn the dishwasher off prior to the drying cycle, opening the door. This allows the dishes to air dry.

After reading this article, you should have a very good idea of how to start making green energy a real part of your life. Take the tips laid out here and start using them to make your home and your life greener. Conserve energy and save yourself money by living the green way.

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Green Energy Advice Everyone Should Know About

Maintaining green energy in the home does not have to be difficult, and has numerous benefits for you and your family! Simply by installing a programmable thermostat or turning off the lights when you leave a room can help. Read this article for more tips on how to use green energy!

If you are still using a more traditional source of energy, invest in a programmable thermostat. This will let you pre-set your temperatures for both day and night times. This leads to savings in both money and energy as during the night many people allow their homes to cool down via the natural decrease in temperature.

Try setting the air conditioning to run just one degree Celsius warmer during the summer and one degree Celsius cooler during the winter. You will not even notice this difference in temperature, and you’ll save a lot of money and energy. In addition, the amount of carbon being used will decrease by around 14%.

Turn your computer off when you are not using it. This includes anything connected to the computer, such as the printer. When these are on, even if in hibernate mode, they are drawing electricity. When you are done browsing or working, turn off the computer and turn off the strip plug to save electrical energy.

Consider hiring an energy consultant to do an evaluation of your home, prior to investing any time or money on green energy projects that may not be viable long term. A knowledgeable energy professional will be able to tell you which green technologies are most suitable to your home and the land it is on. Failure to know this information in advance may result in future disappointments and considerable financial losses.

Are you still using oil heat? You could switch to a greener solution without replacing your furnace. Find a qualified technician to inspect your system and make sure you can switch to a biofuel. Biofuels are non-toxic, degradable and renewable sources of energy that you will be able to re-use.

Don’t throw away that coffee grinds- use them to fertilize your plants. Coffee grinds are rich in nitrogen so these make great, healthy plant food. Using coffee grinds as fertilizer keeps them out of the landfill, makes it unnecessary for you to purchase and use chemical plant food, and make your plants grow nicely, adding oxygen to the atmosphere.

Switch plates and outlets are a necessary evil when it comes to holes that may cause energy or heat loss. That said, you can reduce the amount of energy lost through such openings by installing foam gaskets behind their face plates and then by sealing their edges with a quick application of caulk.

Take advantage of the sun by installing solar panels on your roof. These panels will harvest the energy from the sun and convert it into usable power for your home. Most energy companies will purchase any excess power that is created. You will discover at the least, a reduction in your power bill each month.

Whatever your reasons for wanting to go green, stick with them! Saving money is in everyone’s interest, as is working for a cleaner environment. Hopefully, you have learned enough from this article to begin putting green energy to work in your home, to see significant savings and feel better about the impact you have on the environment very soon.

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