Monday, May 29, 2017

CALL TO ACTION: Save the Paris Agreement


PHONE CALLS: Call the White House (202-456-1111) and leave a comment telling Trump that you support the Paris Agreement and want the US to remain a participant.

TWEETS: Tweet Sheet is HERE.

EMAILS: Email the White House and Ivanka with the following message:

I am one of the 71% of Americans who support the Paris Climate Agreement and want the US to remain an active participant. Climate change is an issue that will affect all of us, rich and poor. I also believe that it is important for the US to remain in global pacts to keep our relationships with our allies and other countries strong. Please listen to the vast majority of Americans and keep the US in the Paris Agreement.

POSTCARDS: Send a postcard to Trump and a postcard to Ivanka at the following address. Your postcard should ask the recipient to keep the US in the Paris Climate Agreement. Add your own touch, draw a picture, share a personal plea.

The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington DC 20500 



Sunday, May 21, 2017

Talking Points for Bears Ears' Public Comments


Public comments on the review of a National Monument designation for Bears' Ears are due May 26, 2017. Comments on the 26 other monuments under review are due by July 10.

Flex Your Muscles! Submitting public comments is one of the most impactful actions an advocate can take.

Comments may be submitted by mail (postcard preferred due to security) or electronically.

POSTCARDS:

MAIL TO:
Monument Review, MS-1530
U.S. Department of the Interior
1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20240

*Mail ASAP to be considered for Bears' Ears.

* Please also send postcards to your Senators (addresses may be found HERE) and to your representative (addresses may be found HERE).

* If you are from Utah or are of native descent, please so state. Space is limited so say something like:

I support the national monument designation for Bears' Ears which is sacred native land. It includes cliff dwellings and many other historically significant sites. Please respect the tribes' and keep this land protected. 


ELECTRONIC PUBLIC COMMENT:

Please prepare your comment in a document where you can save it. Once it is complete, submit your comment HERE and please also email it to your Senators (contact info HERE) and to your representatives (contact info HERE).

WHAT TO SAY:
* These will focus on Bears Ears as we have additional time to prepare comments for the remaining 26 monuments.
* If you will not be able to submit another comment for the other monuments between May 26 and July 10, please make your comment more general and specifically mention any monuments to which you have a connection.
* Please REWORD as much of this as possible. The Department of the Interior looks for unique content.
* If you are from Utah or are of native descent, please include this in your comments.
* If you have visited Bears' Ears - or plan to, please include your experience in your comments.

I write to ask that the National Monument designation for Bears' Ears in Utah be respected. 

This land is of incredible cultural significance to the tribes. The region contains ancient cliff dwellings and over 100,000 cultural and archaeological sites. Prior to being designated as a National Monument, the area experienced vandalism of ancient petroglyphs and other archaeological artifacts. National Monument status will offer more protection to prevent these artifacts from being damaged or destroyed.

Further, a study conducted by the Center for American Progress found that Bears' Ears was on par with our national parks in terms of cultural and ecological significance. However the monument is in the 69th percentile for mineral resources and 54th percentile for oil and gas. This means that if Bears' Ears is stripped of its National Monument status, the important landscape will be vulnerable to development.  Development of this magical landscape - valued as part of our national heritage - would be a tragedy.

Finally, the economy would benefit from continuing to protect Bears' Ears as a National Monument. In the decade following Grand Staircase-Escalante being established as a National Monument, jobs in the counties surrounding the monument increased by 38%. Per capita income in the same counties rose by 30%. It is likely that this would occur with Bears' Ears as well given its popularity with outdoor enthusiasts and photographers. [IF YOU HAVE VISITED MONUMENTS OR NATIONAL PARKS, ADD A SENTENCE ABOUT THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF TOURISM AND HOW YOUR TOURIST DOLLARS MAY HAVE IMPACTED LOCAL COMMUNITIES].

For all of these reasons, I strongly believe that Bears' Ears should remain protected as a National Monument.  








Wednesday, May 17, 2017

CALL TO ACTION: Save the Endangered Species Act


Friday, May 19, is Endangered Species Day. Please celebrate biodiversity by asking your members of Congress to keep the Endangered Species Act strong and intact. There have been 24 pieces of legislation introduced in Congress this session that could weaken or undermine this critically important law.

EMAIL: Contact forms for Senators HERE, for your representatives HERE. Write, in your own words, why you want the Endangered Species Act to remain intact or copy and paste the following:

I am concerned by the 24 bills introduced in Congress this session which would weaken or repeal the Endangered Species Act. This law has saved countless species from extinction, including our national bird, the bald eagle. Further, it has a proven track record and process that should not be circumvented or short-circuited. We are in the midst of the sixth mass extinction and need to preserve the best tool available to us to slow down the loss of species. Please fight to keep this bedrock of our environmental protection strong. 

TWEET: Tweet sheet is HERE.

CALL: Find your Senators' phone numbers HERE and your Representative's phone numbers HEREIt is best to call one of the local offices, rather than the DC office. Tell the staff member who answers  that you want your legislator to oppose all efforts to weaken or repeal the Endangered Species Act. (** BONUS: save these numbers in your phone contacts to make it easier to call in the future)

FACEBOOK MESSAGES: Find your Senator's Facebook page HERE. Google your Representative's Facebook page. Leave a comment to an existing article saying the following:

I support the Endangered Species Act. Please oppose all efforts to weaken or repeal it. 

SIGN & SHARE THESE PETITIONS:

Endangered Species Coalition/Credo
EarthJustice
Change
Sierra Club
Wolf Conservation Center
Care2

INSTAGRAM: Follow us on Instagram and re-gram our posts. (@ecouprising2016)
TWITTER: Follow us on Twitter and re-tweet our posts. (@ecouprising2016)


Tuesday, May 16, 2017

TWEET SHEET: Save the Endangered Species Act!

If you have time, please tweet all. If you prefer to just tweet your members of Congress, Senators are grouped by state. A few states have more than one tweet (e.g., Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota). The only reps included are GOP representatives in swing districts. Please consider tweeting YOUR representative on this topic as well. 


1) "Modernizing" the Endangered Species Act would dramatically weaken it 🐻🐝🐳🐺 @SenBlumenthal @ChrisMurphyCT pic.twitter.com/NkrsKrojub

2) Endangered Species Act saved symbol of freedom from extinction. Don't weaken the ESA! @jiminhofe @SenatorLankford pic.twitter.com/ZTVvDBCY3o

3) The Endangered Species Act has proven track record. Pls keep it strong. @SenAlexander @SenBobCorker pic.twitter.com/yvon6WgxQY #SaveTheESA

4) In midst of extinction crisis, we must keep Endangered Species Act strong. @SenBobCasey @SenToomey pic.twitter.com/OlvMZ9XKWT #SaveTheESA

5) .@SenatorBurr @SenThomTillis Endangered Species Act saved our national bird. Oppose any efforts to weaken it. pic.twitter.com/GgOfno8SsL

6) Oppose bills to "modernize" or weaken the Endangered Species Act! 🐻🐝🐳 @SenJackReed @SenWhitehouse #SaveTheESA pic.twitter.com/pxE8GUdBSJ



7) The Endangered Species Act WORKS! Fight efforts to weaken or repeal it! @SenGillibrand @SenSchumer #SaveTheESA pic.twitter.com/m8d0vmuEKz

8) .@SenatorFischer @SenSasse Endangered Species Act saved our national bird. Oppose any efforts to weaken it. pic.twitter.com/ZTVvDBCY3o























25) .@SenatorRounds @SenJohnThune Endangered Species Act saved our national bird. Oppose any efforts to weaken it pic.twitter.com/ZTVvDBCY3o

26) .@SenKamalaHarris @SenFeinstein The Endangered Species Act has saved many species. Fight to keep it strong. pic.twitter.com/m8d0vmuEKz

27) Endangered Species Act has proven record of recovering species. Please save it! @SenatorIsakson @sendavidperdue pic.twitter.com/yvon6WgxQY
















40) Endangered Species Act saved national bird! Fight efforts to weaken it @RepPoliquin @RepMarthaRoby @RepDennisRoss pic.twitter.com/GgOfno8SsL







45) The Endangered Species Act has a proven track record. Fight bills to "modernize" it. @sensanders @SenatorLeahy pic.twitter.com/IrNebiP3d9















59) Endangered Species Act saved symbol of freedom from extinction. Save the ESA! @SenatorHeitkamp @SenJohnHoeven pic.twitter.com/GgOfno8SsL

60) Endangered Species Act saved symbol of freedom from extinction. Don't weaken the ESA! @SenCapito @Sen_JoeManchin pic.twitter.com/ZTVvDBCY3o

61) Fight bills to weaken Endangered Species Act in midst of 6th mass extinction @RepBrianFitz @RepHolding SaveTheESA pic.twitter.com/ly6kKV9F3j


63) Endangered Species Act saved symbol of freedom from extinction. Don't weaken/repeal it @JeffFlake @SenJohnMcCain pic.twitter.com/ZTVvDBCY3o



Monday, May 8, 2017

Public Comments on EPA Repeal of Regulations


DUE: MAY 15, 2017

Trump and Pruitt are seeking to roll back many of our environmental regulations through an executive order which vaguely directs all agencies to examine the "burden"of their regulations. The EPA has opened up public comment on this topic.

Public comments are one of the most impactful actions you can take as an activist. Federal agencies are required, by law, to read and consider your public comment prior to changing agency rules. Therefore, even though it takes more time and some real thought to compose a public comment, it is worth it!

Compose your comment in a separate document and save it. Use the following talking points as inspiration, if needed. Please reword where possible and, where there are CAPS, please personalize the comment. Once you have completed your comment, submit it HERE.
  • While I appreciate the opportunity to submit a comment, the Agency's request for public comment is extremely vague. It is not even clear which regulations are at issue. To ensure meaningful public feedback, the Agency must re-issue its request and include a list of affected regulations. The Agency must also provide an extended deadline for public comment.  
  • Any repeal or change to rules and regulations can occur only after the Agency provides specific analysis of the health and environmental impact of such repeal or change. The rules and regulations currently in place were implements only after years of peer review studies, consultation with health experts and voluminous public comments. The same process should be used to unravel any of these rules or regulations. Further, the Agency must determine the social costs, health and environmental impact, and risks of specific repeals or changes. Such analysis must then be provided to the public for review and the opportunity to comment. 
  • It would be inappropriate to permit industries and companies to self-regulate. While we might all hope for the best, it is very likely that companies will not comply with rules or will only partially comply. The Agency must consider what impact self-regulation (complete with associated non-compliance and partial compliance) would have on human health and the environment. The subsequent analysis should then be provided to the public for review and the opportunity to comment on proposed self-regulation.
  • Coal-fired power plants are the number one source of water pollution in our country. Collectively, these plants dump billions of pounds of pollutants - including lead, arsenic and mercury - into our waterways. The Toxic Wastewater Protections Rule reduces the discharge of toxic pollutants into America’s waterways, resulting in cleaner drinking water, safer habitat for our fish and wildlife and a positive impact on human health. Repealing or postponing this rule would endanger families who live near coal-fired plants. It is well established that the pollutants at issue can cause problems with cognitive development in children. Fetuses and children are four to five times more sensitive to mercury, for instance, than adults because their nervous systems are still developing. AS A PARENT/GRANDPARENT/AUNT or UNCLE, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OUR DRINKING WATER. I or MY FAMILY HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY [NAME AN AILMENT OR ILLNESS] AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS RULE WOULD MAKE OUR WATER SAFER AND CLEANER AND THEREFORE OUR FAMILY HEALTHIER. 
  • Obama's Clean Water rule protects our streams and wetlands from pollution and impacts clean water for drinking, agriculture and forestry. Healthy wetlands reduce the risk of flooding and provide habitat to many endangered species. Further, this rule helps ensure that 1/3 of Americans have access to clean, safe drinking water. I LIVE NEAR A FLOOD ZONE AND RELY ON HEALTHY WETLANDS TO REDUCE MY PERSONAL RISK OF FLOODING. or AS A LOVER OF WILDLIFE or AS SOMEONE WHO FISHES, IT IS IMPORTANT TO ME THAT WE MAINTAIN SAFE HABITAT TO PROTECT OUR BIODIVERSITY. Finally, clean and safe drinking water is a basic human right. Unsafe drinking water can have wide-ranging health impacts, ranging from cancer to serious birth defects, and is simply not worth the risk. We ALL suffer when American communities do not have access to clean and safe drinking water.
Thank you to Indivisible East Bay and Sierra Club for inspiration on talking points. See more detailed talking points from Indivisible East Bay HERE. See more detailed, and very specific talking points from Indivisible Washington Environment Network HERE

AUTOMATED PUBLIC COMMENTS:These are set up like petitions from several environmental non-profits. You can complete your original public comment here and then submit through the following platforms as well:
Sierra Club
EarthJustice
Center for Biological Diversity 
Food & Water Watch
Climate Truth


Tuesday, May 2, 2017

CALL TO ACTION: Never Forget That the GOP Voted to Kill Baby Animals


Never lose your outrage over the Republican Senate's vote to allow the despicable practices set forth in House Joint Resolution 69. Because of this resolution, killing mother bears and their cubs, killing wolves during denning season, baiting grizzly bears to shoot at point blank range and more can not be permitted on National Wildlife Refuges in Alaska.

We were not able to stop this resolution from passing but we can work to make sure that similar rules are not permitted on other National Wildlife Refuges by continuing to shame those Senators who voted for this law.

If your Senator is a Republican, he or she voted for this atrocity. (Georgia Senator Isakson did not vote).

CALL, EMAIL, RESISTBOT YOUR GOP SENATORS: 

Contact information for all Senators is HERE. Let him or her know how you feel or simply use the following script:

I will never forget that you voted to allow inhumane killing of animals on our national wildlife refuges in Alaska. I vote and will make sure to keep this in mind during the next election.

TWEET SHEET FOR ALL GOP SENATORS: HERE


NEVER FORGET! GOP Voted to Allow Hunting of Baby Animals



1) What kind of people think hunting baby animals is okay? Ur Senators ARKANSAS! .@SenTomCotton @JohnBoozman #HJR69 pic.twitter.com/pLLKaCT4xR

2) .@marcorubio doesn't want press about Mar-A-Lago meetings or his vote to allow hunting of baby animals #HRJ69 pic.twitter.com/pLLKaCT4xR

3) .@sendavidperdue hides from constituents, maybe bc he does stuff like vote to okay hunting of baby animals #HRJ69 pic.twitter.com/pLLKaCT4xR


4) Wonder what kind of person thinks hunting baby animals in refuges is ok? Your Senator, Colorado! .@SenCoryGardner pic.twitter.com/LNuTVFJ8ku

5) Where is the decency, WISCONSIN? .@SenRonJohnson voted to allow killing of baby 🐻🐺 on Alaskan refuges. #HJR69 pic.twitter.com/XwfSJxbieH

6) .@SenatorRisch @MikeCrapo lack common decency; voted to allow hunting of baby animals in refuges #HRJ69 πŸ»πŸΊπŸ’” pic.twitter.com/pLLKaCT4xR



7) .@SenatorCollins ≠ no moderate! Voted to allow killing baby bears and wolves in national wildlife refuges. #HJR69 pic.twitter.com/IP4aIdc80i

8) .@SenatorFischer @SenSasse broke NEBRASKA's πŸ’”! They voted to allow hunting of baby animals on wildlife refuges. pic.twitter.com/pLLKaCT4xR

9) No Carolina, you are better than ur Senators; voted to permit hunting of baby animals @SenThomTillis @SenatorBurr pic.twitter.com/pLLKaCT4xR



10) .@lisamurkowski pushed #HJR69 thru Congress to allow killing of cubs, wolf pups, hibernating bears. NEVER FORGET! pic.twitter.com/DsdgkBiHLI

11) SOUTH CAROLINA, .@SenatorTimScott has no ❤️! Voted to allow hunting of mother bears and cubs on refuges. πŸ»πŸ’”πŸ»πŸ’”pic.twitter.com/j1qKfx8Fps

12) NEVER FORGET! .@SenDanSullivan pushed bill thru Congress to allow killing baby animals in wildlife refuges 😑😑 pic.twitter.com/7lNF0WeLGb


13) NEVADA, What is wrong with .@SenDeanHeller?! Voted to allow hunting of mama bears and cubs. Seriously! #HJR69 pic.twitter.com/OGFjGYVbml

14) What was .@SenJohnHoeven thinking?! Voted to allow killing of baby animals on wildlife refuges! #HJR69 πŸ»πŸ’”πŸΊπŸ˜’ pic.twitter.com/pLLKaCT4xR

15) Come on, OKLAHOMA! Are u really ok with hunting baby animals? Ur senators are. @jiminhofe @SenatorLankford #HJR69 pic.twitter.com/pLLKaCT4xR

16) I know PENNSYLVANIA isn't okay with this! @SenToomey voted to allow hunting of baby animals on refuges. 😑 #HJR69 pic.twitter.com/pLLKaCT4xR



17) .@SenDeanHeller isn't fighting for Nevada. He's voting to allow hunting of baby animals in refuges. Srsly! #HJR69 pic.twitter.com/PNkHT3c1u5

18) SOUTH DAKOTA, your senators LITERALLY voted to allow hunting of baby animals @SenatorRounds @SenJohnThune #HJR69 pic.twitter.com/pLLKaCT4xR

19) Srsly thought you were better than this TENNESSEE? @SenBobCorker @SenAlexander voted to ok hunting of baby bears! pic.twitter.com/pLLKaCT4xR

20) .@SenAngusKing caucuses with Dems - except when it comes to bills about killing baby animals! Voted YES on HJR69! pic.twitter.com/QgVnLMsQwR


21) Never forget! .@SenAngusKing voted to allow killing of mother bears and cubs, wolf families on Wildlife Refuges. pic.twitter.com/VZZYiDL6CD

22) .@SenToddYoung, you broke Indiana's πŸ’”! Voters will remember vote to allow hunting of baby animals #HRJ69 🐻🐺 pic.twitter.com/pLLKaCT4xR

23) COLORADO, never forget that .@SenCoryGardner voted to allow folks to hunt moms and bear cubs in wildlife refuge. pic.twitter.com/wLexHwG6N6

24) .@SenJohnMcCain voted to allow killing cubs, wolf families in wildlife refuges! What WILL he stand up for? #HJR69 pic.twitter.com/jtleBU05hy


25) What kind of person thinks ok to hunt baby bears in wildlife refuges? Your Senator, OHIO! @senrobportman #HJR69 pic.twitter.com/H0iDRnLFRY

26) .@RoyBlunt voted to allow hunting of baby bears & wolves on refuges. MISSOURI you are better than this! πŸ’ͺ🐻🐺 pic.twitter.com/XwfSJxbieH

27) Come on MONTANA! Why? .@SteveDaines voted to allow hunting of baby bears & wolves on Alaska refuges #HJR69 πŸ’”πŸ»πŸΊ pic.twitter.com/XwfSJxbieH


28) .@JeffFlake has no ❤️! Pushed thru bill for hunting of baby bears on refuges. What's up with that ARIZONA? #HJR69 pic.twitter.com/tnvf9Uuzkv

29) LOUISIANA, ur Senators have no ❤️! @BillCassidy @JohnKennedyLA voted to allow hunting baby animals. #HJR69 πŸ’”πŸ˜’πŸ» pic.twitter.com/XwfSJxbieH

30) .@senjohnbarrasso @SenatorEnzi voted for unethical hunting practices to be used on national refuges in AK. #HJR69 pic.twitter.com/XwfSJxbieH


31) πŸ’”πŸ’”πŸ’” .@SenCapito voted to allow hunting baby animals on wildlife refuges. How is that okay!? 🐻🐺 #HJR69 #Shame pic.twitter.com/dybh3INFIQ

32) KANSAS has ❤️. Too bad ur Senators don't! @SenPatRoberts @JerryMoran voted to ok killing of baby animals! #HJR69 pic.twitter.com/XwfSJxbieH

33) KENTUCKY has ❤️. Too bad ur Senators don't! @SenateMajLdr @RandPaul voted to ok killing of baby animals! #HJR69 pic.twitter.com/XwfSJxbieH




35) Lone Star State > Broken Heart State after @JohnCornyn @SenTedCruz voted to ok hunting of baby bears πŸ’”πŸ» #HJR69 pic.twitter.com/XwfSJxbieH

36) .@SenOrrinHatch @SenMikeLee are against baby bears AND #BearsEars! Voted to ok hunting of baby bears πŸ’”πŸ» #HJR69 pic.twitter.com/XwfSJxbieH


37) ARKANSAS, .@SenatorStrange, @SenShelby think hunting baby animals on refuges is cool! What say you? #HJR69 πŸ»πŸΊπŸ’” pic.twitter.com/XwfSJxbieH

38) Whaaattt! @SenatorWicker @SenThadCochran think hunting baby animals is just fine? Voted YES for #HJR69. 😒🐻🐺 pic.twitter.com/XwfSJxbieH

39) Is IOWA okay with hunting baby animals on refuges? Cuz ur Senators are @SenJoniErnst @ChuckGrassley #HJR69 πŸ»πŸΊπŸ’” pic.twitter.com/XwfSJxbieH