On June 4, citizens from across the state will storm the NC General Assembly and ask our legislators to protect and conserve our water resources. We are hoping to talk to every legislator about the need for strong water protections, and we need your help to do so.

We hope that you'll make plans to join us and other concerned citizens from around the state for the 8th Annual Clean Water Lobby Day* on Wednesday, June 4 in Raleigh! 

With your help, every legislator in NC will hear from a constituent in his/her district about the top water issues in 2008:
1) Ensuring strong protections for coastal waters,
2) Limiting negative impacts from development in the mountains, and
3) Conserving our limited water resources.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if on Clean Water Lobby Day every legislator was visited by a constituent concerned about our water resources? Please help us make sure this happens and click here to sign up to visit your representatives. And, make sure to tell us who represents you!

Let's send a message to our state legislators that the citizens of NC demand strong water protections!

*Clean Water Lobby Day is an event that the NC Watershed Alliance (a coalition of 20 organizations focused on water issues) hosts annually. Clean Water Lobby Day provides individuals from across North Carolina the chance to talk to their legislators about protecting and conserving our water resources.

May 12-16 is bike to work week in the Triangle. This year’s Bike to Work Week is part of the SmartCommute Challenge, a non-profit campaign that works towards cleaner air in the Triangle area. Anyone can participate in Bike to Work Week and there are no fees for any of the events going on around the Triangle.

On Friday, May 16th, the Capitol Ride is at 9 AM. Anyone can register for the event, which begins across from the Legislative Building in downtown Raleigh. Riders will ride 1.15 miles around the Capitol Building and down Fayetteville St. The ride will last about 15 minutes and the roads will be open to traffic during the ride. After the ride, riders can meet for Bike to Work Week Breakfast at the ride meet location.

We can all benefit from cleaner air!

Creek Stone Farms Premium Beef, a Kansas based company, won a case in a lower court granting them the right to test all of their slaughtered cows for mad cow disease. Now the Bush Administration has appealed the case to a federal court in the hopes of reversing the ruling and taking away the company’s right to test all of their cows.

Currently, the USDA only requires 1% of all slaughtered cows to be tested but it places no limit on what percentage can be tested. To meet demands from foreign countries, Creek Stone Farms wanted to test 100% of their cows. Larger beef manufacturing companies opposed this, fearing it would prompt consumers to demand that all of their cows be tested as well, which in turn would raise the production cost of their beef by a few cents a pound; a small price to pay for safer beef.

The USDA says that testing all cows would not necessarily lead to safer beef but would instead lead to a large consumer scare. The government also [apparently] believes that the consumer is not entitled to that sort of information.

Why the Bush Administration would try to limit voluntary testing that goes beyond the USDA’s requirements and ensures that only the safe, healthy beef is sold is open to interpretation.

Below is the second installment of a monthly blog series on Food and the Environment, courtesy of our friend Billie with Toxic Free North Carolina (see the first installment here). Stay tuned in future months for more on this series. If you have suggestions for future blog series topics or for blog ideas about Food and the Environment, please contact blog [at] ncconservationnetwork.org.

Headlines about the global crisis of increasing food prices are pretty staggering. Here in the US, food prices up as much as 20 or 25% for some staples have added insult to the injuries of record-breaking prices at the gas pump and the housing slump. Local food banks are reporting unprecedented jumps in their populations served over the past couple months. Meanwhile, in poorer nations overseas, where people spend a much larger portion of their incomes on food, and prices for some staple crops like rice have doubled or even tripled in price over the past several months, there have been riots and other evidence that the situation is becoming increasingly critical.

In the midst of this devastating silent tsunami, I ask you to consider some of the causes, many of which are environmental:

1. Climate change. Droughts, floods, and other unusual weather patterns across the globe have disrupted farming over the past few years and hurt local food supplies in many parts of the world. This has made people more dependent on imported food and driven up the price.
2. Gas prices. Food that is trucked, shipped and flown around the country or the globe is costing more to transport these days, with gas hitting new record prices all the time. This is hurting import-dependent developing countries most.
3. Increased meat consumption. It takes about seven or eight hundred calories of grain to make one hundred calories of meat. Consider the impacts on global grain prices of increasing meat consumption in populous countries like China and India, while American appetites for cheap and plentiful meat remains high as ever.
4. Fuel made from food. There has been a great push in the US and several other countries to put more ethanol in people's gas tanks to reduce tailpipe emissions. 20% of the American corn crop was used for biofuel in 2006, a number that has come up from the single digits in just a few years. This has driven up prices for corn, and prompted farmers to divert land from other food crops to corn (driving up prices on those crops), or from "conservation" (un-farmed land near water ways and other sensitive areas). Increasing corn production in turn is contributing to water pollution problems (think of the growing "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico, and the fact that an herbicide commonly used on corn has been shown to cause hermaphrodism in frogs).

So, what can we do? A few ideas —

• Eat local. May and June are some of the lushest, most productive months on farms and NC. Take advantage by hitting your local farmers market or local foods grocer—you'll find prices on locally produced foods relatively stable, and you'll be helping to ease the pressure on the global commodity market and stabilize food prices for people who don't have other options. Better yet: grow your own. Can't beat free! Also, please keep an eye out for opportunities to get local foods in more places in your community: Local food purchasing policies for cafeterias in your favorite school, childcare center, or workplace? Farm-to-school, office, or church programs? We're here to help!

• Eat less meat. Consider a quality-over-quantity approach to eating meat and other animal products like eggs and dairy. Try eating less of them, and when you do eat them, focus on local and sustainable options, which are often more nutritious and tastier! It'll be better for you, better for our environment, and better for our global food economy.

• Share. There are lots of organizations working to fight hunger, both domestically and overseas, which you might consider supporting this year. One tip - the national "Stamp Out Hunger" food drive is coming up this Saturday, May 10th. The National Association of Letter Carriers has teamed up with food banks across the country to pick up your food donations from your mailbox this coming Saturday. Please consider making a gift - in our area, your gifts will be handled by the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina, which distributes food to many smaller providers across our region.

In the long term, more of us need to recognize that our economic decisions, as individuals and as nations, are having a serious impact on the global environment and on the welfare of our neighbors on this planet. Our global food economy is seriously broken, and we need to fix it. We as a society, and the governments who are working for us, must heed the lesson of this crisis by making long-term investments in *real* energy efficiency, and agricultural practices that are truly sustainable in the environmental, social and economic senses of the word.

So, my dear readers, please keep on eating local, voting your heart, and speaking your mind!

This past weekend, I was all set to go on a camping adventure in Blowing Rock, NC. I had my bags packed full of granola bars, water, bread, peanut butter...you know, all the good trail stuff. I even had bought a brand new bright green sleeping bag that I was so excited to roll out (excuse the pun). But, alas, I came down with something and ended up calling quits to the camping—and opted for staying in a "real bed" instead.

However, in a surge of the Advil-induced feel-goods on the following day, I decided to go check out Grandfather Mountain—a place I had never been to. At first, I was dismayed by the $14 per person entrance fee, but after actually entering the park, I was very pleasantly surprised at not only the beauty of the area, but the multitude of things to do once inside the park.

There is of course the famous mile-high bridge with a fabulous view of the surrounding mountains; many well-kept hiking trails; picnic areas; a restaurant; and a small museum where I learned about Grandfather Mountain's history, the endangered and rare plant and animal species that live there, and the gems that are formed within the rock itself. Perhaps most surprisingly, the park even featured several different "environmental habitats" for otters, deer, bald and golden eagles (which, frankly, scare the crud out of me), cougars, and even bears that did tricks for food! From the Grandfather Mountain website:

Environmental habitats are large enclosures that allow visitors to see animals in natural settings. Unlike the exhibits found in city zoos which bring in plants and boulders to recreate an appropriate setting, these enclosures were built around the animals' actual native habitat.

Best of all, I spent a lovely day (despite the funk my body was fighting off) enjoying the sights, sounds, and smells of a beautiful wildlife sanctuary and nature preserve. Plus, it's nice to know that my money went toward the support of such a breath-taking, natural wonder, instead of to some gi-normous movie production company....

From MetaFilter, one of my favorite blogs, comes this list of 50 ways to help the planet.  Not only are there some great 'new' ideas, but the icons are fantastic, too.

And, you can get all of the logos together on an American Apparel tee-shirt.  Check out a close up at left.  Looks like a great gift for the green friend in your life.

Have you seen the cute ads that Gov Mike Easley has put out recently, which showcase children noting how individuals can conserve water in their homes? Well, check out this N&O Editorial Cartoon response.

They sure do make a good point.

[This blog entry has been cross posted from Toxic Free North Carolina's weblog, Fair Ground, where it was originally posted by Fawn.]

A Task Force convened earlier this year by Governor Mike Easley to address pesticide exposure hazards in agriculture has sent its recommendations to the Governor (read the press release). The report contains some good ideas and some welcome changes, to be sure, but misses the chance to bring much-needed basic workplace protections to farmworkers who face the threat of pesticide exposure on the job.

Within the report's recommendations you'll find budget requests for several of the agencies that were represented on the Task Force, ideas for the expansion of many voluntary and educational programs, and very little reform. Only one of the recommendations brought by farmworker advocates, a provision that would outlaw retaliation against workers who report workplace safety problems, was adopted by the Task Force.

The Task Force faced several challenges in its structure, including the absence of any farmworker representatives. Because the recommendations were made by consensus, any Task Force member was able to prevent recommendations from going forward. One Task Force member in particular, Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Troxler, was extremely effective in preventing the Task Force from taking up several of the reform measures they discussed.

There were some key issues exposed by the Ag-Mart case that the Task Force chose to put off for future study:

• Keep workers' names confidential when they report workplace safety problems.
• Require growers to keep records of compliance with Worker Protection Standards by recording when workers are sent back into the fields after spraying.
• Increase minimal pesticide fines and remove the standard of "willful" violations.

Panelists also recommended solutions including: require crop-specific pesticide safety training; redesign pesticide labels and ensure that they are also provided in Spanish; encourage the use of organic farming, Integrated Pest Management and less-toxic alternatives; improve regulations of pesticide drift; require adequate showers and telephones in employer-provided farmworker housing; screen workers regularly for health impacts; increase the number of bilingual pesticide inspectors, and many others. None of these were mentioned in the final report to the Governor.

Whether Governor Easley and the NC Legislature can look beyond the limitations of this report remains to be seen. But they will have to if they intend to fix the problems that Ag-Mart has so painfully pointed out.

You can download the report (PDF, 232 KB) by clicking this link.

Looks like Nalgene finally got the hint--consumers don't want to purchase products made with the toxicant bisphenol A. (Click here for more on this issue). Thus, they're going to stop making their bottles with the controversial polycarbonate plastic. It's an amazing true story of consumers letting the producers know that environmental health hazards are real and a priority for many people. It reminds me of the days when CFC's were phased out from aerosol cans. Ah. Memories.

Looking for a way to lower those greenhouse gasses?  How about biking, walking, or riding the bus?  I'm trying to take advantage of the nice weather and ride my bike to work a few times a week.

If you live in the Triangle, and need more motivation (and possibly prizes!), check out the SmartCommute Challenge, coordinated by the Triangle Transit Authority. From their website:

The SmartCommute Challenge is an annual non-profit public service campaign that works to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality in the Triangle.

From April 15 through May 30, any employee or college student who commutes to work or campus in Wake, Durham, or Orange County can participate. To enter the Challenge, make your online pledge that at least once before May 30 you will carpool, vanpool, bike or walk, ride the bus, or telework (work from home).

Everyone who takes the Challenge will be entered into a drawing to win one of several prizes, including a free vacation for two!

Join me, and 3,722 others, and take the pledge today!

Come check out our resident drought expert, Grady McCallie, at Saturday's Planet Earth Celebration in Raleigh. Grady will be giving a talk called "Learning from the Drought: Moving to Sustainable Water Use".

Sponsored by our friends at Burt's Bees and hosted by the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, the event also includes speakers, live music, a puppet show, and a green bazaar. Click here for more info.

Grady's presentation begins at noon in the NC Museum of History. The NC Conservation Network will also be hosting an informational booth, so please stop by and say hello.

Got plans for the weekend yet?

I hear the weather is forecasted to be beautiful! And, if you don't have your own garden to work in, I highly recommend checking out the 13th Annual Piedmont Farm Tour. Or even better, volunteer for the event.

The Piedmont Farm Tour is an annual tour for local farms in the Piedmont area of NC. And, the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association is asking for volunteer help on one or both days of the tour: Saturday, April 19 from 12-6:15pm and Sunday, April 20 from 12-6:15pm.

Check out these great perks for volunteering:

• Get a FREE Farm Tour T-shirt to show your support of local farms!

• Get a FREE Farm Tour button for you & a car full of your friends and family to attend the tour for free on the day you aren't volunteering.

• Get a HALF price ticket to Shakori Hills.

• Have a great time getting to know a farmer while supporting CFSA.

For more information or to volunteer, email Logan Yonavjak, Volunteer Coordinator. 

For more information on the Piedmont Farm Tour, click here.

Join the NC Conservation Network on the Take Action Tour to learn how a changing climate can impact North Carolina, hear about ways our decision-makers can address these problems, and discover ways you can help influence our leaders to make wise choices.

Click on the city below for more details on the tour:

April 26th 1:00pm - 3:00pm Winston-Salem

May 3rd 1:00pm - 3:00pm Wilmington

May 17th 1:00pm - 3:00pm Charlotte  

May 31st 1:00pm - 3:00pm Asheville

June 7th 3:00pm - 5:00pm Manteo  

June 14th 2:00pm - 4:00pm Raleigh

For more information on the tour or to become a local partner, please email Veronica Butcher at veronica[at]ncconservationnetwork.org. 

I'm sure most folks have heard by now that in a surprising turn of events, North Carolina's exceptional drought (and projected drought through the summer of 2008) seems to be easing up a bit on us. Hooray!

Mandatory restrictions are lightening up throughout the state, and more and more voluntary restrictions are taking their place. But what does this all mean?

I ran across a series of articles addressing the recent changes in the drought situation that I thought I'd pass along. The major points: water conservation methods should be observed at all times since water is a finite resource, water rates throughout the state may be increasing as the demand for water becomes higher and the quantity does not, and maybe it's time to look into using stormwater and/or wastewater for non-potable use.

• Get used to it: In Charlotte, the days of limitless, inexpensive water are over

• NC water users learn benefits of conservation (editorial)

• State planners urge water conservation

• Some water limits loosened after rains: Officials warn that conservation efforts will still be necessary
• Asheville lifts water conservation measure
  

If you haven't already, take action to let your decision-makers know that North Carolina needs year-round wise water-management practices. And be sure to let us know (by commenting below) how the recent changes have affected your communities.

Remember that the deadline to register or change your party affiliation is this Friday, April 11. If you need to register for the first time or simply update your voter registration because you've moved, now is the time! Some good links for you:

• Download and print out the voter registration form for North Carolina: http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/content.aspx?id=48
  
• You must mail the voter registration form to your county board of elections: http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/content.aspx?id=13 by Friday April 11th.
• If you’re not sure on the status of your registration, check here: http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/VoterLookup.aspx?Feature=voterreg

Over 100 people attended the NC Conservation Network's 8th Annual Retreat last weekend! And, we can confidently say that fun was had by all at the event. Just check out our pictures.

Frank Warren, Greene County Citizens for Responsible Growth & Al Capehart, NC Rails to Trails cheers to a great 2008 Annual Retreat!

Billie Karel, Toxic Free NC; Lexie Danner, Elkland Art Center; Kelly McCoy, Todd Preservation Community Organization, Inc.; & Cindy Ball, Elkland Art Center found time to socialize during our Networking Reception.

Folks who attended told us that the most valuable part of the Annual Retreat was getting to meet so many other individuals and organizations working on environmental issues from across the state. And, we're glad that they did; because we know that a strong network means more environmental victories in NC!

Thanks to all who attended and presented at this year's event. And, we look forward to seeing everyone at the 9th Annual Retreat in 2009.

Now that our Annual Retreat is over, I'm back to my regular blog posts! I wanted to let folks know about a new page on our website that focuses on transportation issues. The page includes a recap of the last major transportation reforms in North Carolina, information about our current situation, what's on the horizon for the remainder of 2008 and 2009, as well as links for more information. Also, learn more about NC TRAM and the five principles that we think should guide NC in building a new transportation future.

While you're there, send an email to your legislator in support of a new sustainable vision for transportation in North Carolina!

Just when I thought I'd heard it all, from Treehugger.com a DIY (do-it-yourself) kit to turn urine into fertilizer:

What role do our bodies play in larger ecosystems? That's the question asked by drinkpeedrinkpeedrinkpee, a project and installation that opens at Eyebeam in New York City today. The installation features a large scale physical diagram that shows the role our bodies play in the water cycle, and DIY kits for using your pee as plant fertilizer will be available.

Only for the true DIY'er.

Thought I'd share an editorial in today's News & Observer, reflecting on the most recent developments in the Ag-Mart case (see The Tip of the Injustice Iceberg, Ag-Mart Part II, and It's Not Over Till It's Over).

Yesterday I actually went to meeting of the Governor's Task Force on Pesticides, in support of pesticide safety for farmworkers. Activists in the community are urging this Task Force to require employers to keep accurate pesticide records, ensure the anonymity of workers who wish to file a complaint against their employers, require employers to provide phones and adequate showers for workers' safety, and increase the fine of pesticide violations, as triggered by the Ag-Mart case.

We'll keep you posted as the saga continues...