Climate Change & Environment
Clean Green Action lists 2015 Projects
Clean Green Action (formerly known as Citizens for a Clean, Green & Welcoming Community) is beginniing its eighth year of working on projects that focus on sustainability and reducing our impact on the environment. In 2014 we continued to build on successes in previous years, and in 2015 we will maintain some past projects while adding some new projects.
Continuing projects include the following:
Choose to Reuse – This event, which is organized by different area townships (e.g. Rome, Grant, Grand Rapids, Saratoga, Seneca), allows people to drop off useful ...
NOT A DEMOCRAT . . . . A HUMBLE OPINION
As the dust settles on the November elections and the Democrats assess the damage, one thing seems increasingly clear. . . it is no longer clear at all just who or what is a Democrat. Given the apparent identity crisis, a process of elimination may be in order. . .
If you are not willing to openly fight the historic wealth inequality that has replaced democracy in America, you are not a Democrat.
If you are not publicly advocating the breakup of “too big to fail” Wall Street banks, you are not a Democrat.
If you do not rigorously support criminal prosecution ...
“Ask the Candidate” – Issue Specific Questions
The Middle Wisconsin Editorial Board is excited to share with its readers a compilation of issue specific candidate questions. We are hopeful that these questions can be utilized as a guide during a dialogue between citizens and candidates on some of the issues which face communities throughout the state of Wisconsin. We encourage anyone using these questions to relay back to us some of the answers given by candidates so we may publish them on our website.
The importance of an active citizenry is more important today than at any other period in our history. A ...
Choices for a Happy, Healthy Planet
After a bitterly cold winter, a pretty chilly spring and what seems to many of us here in Wisconsin a darn mild summer, global climate change may not be our most pressing concern. I, for one, find it easy to mistake my home for the whole world, so it came as a surprise to discover that globally 2014 ranks as the fourth hottest year on record, at least through the end of June, and that many scientists are betting we’ll end up breaking the all time record before the year is out. Globally, May and June were the hottest months since 1880 when we started keeping records....
Will Wisconsin Utilities Be Left in the Dark?
Solar power is a shining American success story. In 1954 the modern solar cell was developed by Bell Labs, and over the past 60 years as solar installations have grown, the prices have dropped dramatically - making solar affordable for more Americans. In fact, a solar electric system is installed an average of every 4 minutes in the U.S. today. Solar is popular close to home as well. According to a recent survey by UW Milwaukee, 68% of Wisconsin residents support using more renewable energy. Solar and renewable energy (while currently a small percentage of our energy ...
How Climate Changes Affect Wisconsin Agriculture
by Dan Dieterich
You’d think that global warming would be good for Wisconsin farmers, wouldn’t you?
After all, it means a longer growing season. In central and northwest Wisconsin, the growing season is already 20 days longer than it was in 1950. Global warming is also giving us warmer spring soil temperatures, less risk of frosts in late spring and early fall, and higher demand for food production. All of that’s good news for Wisconsin agriculture!
So, what’s the problem?
Our atmosphere is getting hotter, which is causing more droughts and wildfires. ...
An Open Letter To Dr. Susan Hedman – EPA Region 5 Administrator
Dr. Susan Hedman
EPA Region 5 Administrator
Environmental Protection Agency
77 West Jackson Boulevard
Chicago, IL 60604-3507
Dear Dr. Hedman:
In support of the formal request to you on May 27, 2014 from the Six Bands of the Anishinaabeg Territory Watersheds and Waters of Lake Superior: Bad River Band of Lake Superior, Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior, Lac du Flambeau Band, Lac Courtes Oreilles Band, St. Croix Band, Sokoagon Band I request that the Environmental Protection Agency initiate a public process under Section 404c of the Clean Water Act to protect ...
***Action Alert*** Bad River Tribe asks for Letters to the EPA
Send your letter now. And forward this message to others who are concerned about pollution of the Bad River watershed & Lake Superior.
Led by Bad River, six Ojibwe bands have asked the EPA to undertake a 404c process, which would allow them to preemptively stop proposed iron mining in the Penokee Hills because of the importance of the resources that it threatens.They need your help. This is a very simple “ask” but ...
Health, Global Warming & A Christmas Carol
Global warming will affect our health in ways you might not expect.
Because the air will be warmer, we’ll experience more frequent, more intense, and longer heat waves. As a result, many more people will suffer from heat stroke and related conditions, and some will die—especially children, the elderly, and poor people.
We’ll also have more droughts, which will make it harder to get water to drink and food to eat. That too will affect our health, as will the bigger and more intense wildfires that we’re just beginning to experience in the U.S.
Warmer air is ...
Pipeline Expansion: Their Gain – Our Risk
Enbridge Energy is expanding the capacity of its pipeline through Wisconsin. You may ask, “What is the big deal?” Pipelines run over the state and most of the country.
There are many good reasons to be concerned discussed by the Sierra Club, 350.Org, and the National Resources Defense Council. These include concerns over accidents, spills, higher risks associated with tar sands oil, lack of regulations, the poor safety record of Enbridge, and the threats to water resources in the state. Middle Wisconsin News highlighted some of these in the article The Dangers of ...
