Whad'Ya Know? (Not much, you?) -- Hurry, tickets going fast!

March 6, 2009 (Fri. night 7pm)

Salem, Oregon - Thanks to our friends at Oregon Public Broadcasting, Whad'Ya Know? makes a break for the beautiful Northwest for a Friday night show at The Elsinore in Salem, Oregon. Tickets on sale RIGHT NOW! Call 503-375-3574 or go to the Elsinore Theater website.

Your Kids' & Grandkids' future if we don't act now: Hot and Hungry

Note that we're already at 385 ppmv and increasing at 1-2 ppmv per year, and increasing at an increasing rate.

Act now -- Support Transit (DeFazio-Nadler Amendment) in Stimulus bill

Please take action now to help secure increased funding for public transit.

We've just been informed that Congressmen Jerry Nadler (D-NY) and Peter DeFazio (D-OR) have introduced an amendment to the American Economic Recovery and Investment Act that will go to the floor for a vote tomorrow (Wednesday) afternoon. It would add $3 billion in additional funding for public transit above and beyond the $9.5 billion in the original economic recovery bill. This is our best chance to influence the outcome of the legislation.

Congress will consider and VOTE on this amendment in the next 18 hours. Please encourage your Representative to vote YES on this important amendment. (Click here for background information.)

Please act now! Call tonight or first thing tomorrow morning. Urge them to support the Nadler/DeFazio amendment, and don't forget to thank Rep. DeFazio, particularly if you live in his district!

First District -- Congressman David Wu -- (503) 326-2901
Second District -- Congressman Greg Walden -- (541) 389-4408
Third District -- Congressman Earl Blumenauer -- (503) 231-2300
Fourth District -- Congressman Peter DeFazio -- (541) 465-6732
Fifth District -- Congressman Kurt Schrader -- (503) 588-9100

Flood Water Issues in Salem: Battle Creek Flood Plain Management.

Are you interested in keeping Salem afloat? If water is your issue, then don't miss Flood Water Issues in Salem: Battle Creek Flood Plain Management.

There will be a discussion of the City of Salem property purchase for flood and storm water quality on Battle Creek. Find out what is possible on this property. With

* Peter Fernandez, Public Works Director, City of Salem,

* Nitin Joshi, Public Works Staff,

* Professor Susan Smith, Willamette University College of Law

"Ramifications of changing a Comprehensive Plan"

WHEN: Tuesday, Feb. 10, 6 PM to 8 PM
WHERE: Salem Public Library, Anderson Room (585 Liberty Street SE)

Sponsored by Friends of Battle Creek, a nonprofit organization concerned about the Battle Creek watershed.

CO2 is more like nuclear waste than acid rain

Have you insulated your house and slashed your driving?

Greenhouse gas levels currently expected by mid-century will produce devastating long-term droughts and a sea-level rise that will persist for 1,000 years regardless of how well the world curbs future emissions of carbon dioxide, an international team of scientists reported yesterday.

Top climate researchers from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Switzerland and France said their analysis shows that carbon dioxide will remain near peak levels in the atmosphere far longer than other greenhouse gases, which dissipate relatively quickly.

"I think you have to think about this stuff as more like nuclear waste than acid rain: The more we add, the worse off we'll be," NOAA senior scientist Susan Solomon told reporters in a conference call. "The more time that we take to make decisions about carbon dioxide, the more irreversible climate change we'll be locked into."

At the moment, carbon concentrations in the atmosphere stand at 385 parts per million. Many climate scientists and the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have set a goal of stabilizing atmospheric carbon at 450 ppm, but current projections put the world on track to hit 550 ppm by 2035, rising after that point by 4.5 percent a year.

Word

Awesome folks to check out

Thanks to a comment on the new year's chicken post, I just learned about a group dedicated to the kind of work that is already vital and that will be increasingly so in the coming hard times: Salem Locavores!

Friends of Straub: Free talk on Biomimicry, this Thursday 1/29

This Week!

2008-09 FSELC Lecture Series: Denise DeLuca

"Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature"

Thursday, January 29^th, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Loucks Auditorium, Salem Public Library, 585 Liberty Street SE, Salem

Free!

Solar cells that mimic leaves. Superglues from barnacles. Businesses that run like a redwood forest. Denise DeLuca will talk about the emerging science of biomimicry and give examples of technological and design innovations adapted from nature. A civil engineer, DeLuca is the Outreach Director for the Biomimicry Institute. Join us Thursday to hear about this fascinating topic.

More on RePowering Oregon

Especially easy for Salem area folks:

Implement Global Warming Solutions
RePower Oregon 2009 Campaign Rollout - Tuesday, January 27th

Join the diverse and growing coalition of Oregonians calling for immediate action on Global Warming. Attendees will include Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian, former Secretary of State Bill Bradbury, state legislators, and Oregonians from the business, faith, low-income, and environmental communities.

12-1, Press event in House Room 50. Stick around after the event to connect with campaign organizers and get involved.

3pm, Joint Committee for Environment and Natural Resources Legislative Hearing on Global Warming

RePower Oregon Lobby Day - Tuesday, February 10th

Take the opportunity to travel to Salem and learn how to most effectively lobby your legislator on fighting against global warming.

For more information contact Seth Moore at 503-278-1577.

Keizer Area Transit Advocates -- Step Up!

I just want to let you know so, that you could let others know, that I am not going for re-elect to the Transit Board this May for Keizer #2. [Districts map here.]

I encourage others that would like to help improve the transit service and its image to go for the position.

Anyone interested or have questions can contact me 503-949-1249 or Allan Pollack the Transit General Manager

Hersch Sangster