Save the Grand Canyon from Plastic Bottles
What can you buy with $13 million? If you're Coca-Cola, you can buy enough influence with the National Parks Service to cancel plans to make the
Grand Canyon more environmentally friendly.
Plastic water bottles are the biggest single source of garbage in America's most iconic national park. So the National Parks Service had a plan:
ban the sale of plastic water bottles in the Grand Canyon and invest in refillable water stations instead.
The park was just weeks from implementing the ban -- and then Coca Cola stepped in.
According to the New York Times, Coca Cola -- which has donated $13 million to national parks -- asked the National Park Service to not ban
the sale of plastic water bottles. Incredibly, the head of the National Parks Service bowed to Coke, and cancelled the Grand Canyon's bottle ban.
If this appalls you then read about and sign this change.org petition:
www.change.org/petitions/director-national-park-service-save-the-grand-canyon-from-coca-cola-ban-plastic-bottles-in-the-park
For two years, a hard-won moratorium on mining has protected the Canyon, but the ban is now set to expire. If the federal government doesn't renew it, a "Uranium Rush" of mining would permanently scar the face of this unique and priceless land, devastate local communities, and endanger water supplies for millions who live nearby.
During the Bush years, Uranium prices soared -- and the mining industry rushed to stake mining claims on the federal land where the Grand Canyon sits. Over 1,100 mining claims have already been filed within 5 miles of the Grand Canyon. To mine uranium, companies rip up huge tracts of land to extract radioactive material -- before processing it for use in weapons and nuclear power plants.
The sheer destruction of the mines led the Havasupai Indians, who live in the canyon itself, and all tribal governments in northern Arizona to ban uranium mining on all their lands. Such opposition, paired with widespread public pressure, helped persuade the Obama administration to put in place the temporary ban shortly after it took office.
But now the mining moratorium his running out -- Uranium extraction is more lucrative than ever, and the pressure coming from the powerful mining lobby is intense. Lobbyists are right now pushing the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to open the floodgates for mines, but a 20 year ban is on the table. A public outcry helped secure the embargo last time and if enough of us raise the alarm again we could ensure the Canyon is mine free -- this time for decades.
Only a massive wave of national pressure can keep the Grand Canyon off-limits to destructive uranium mining.The deadline for public comment is April 4th -- Let’s flood the public consultation with messages to save the Grand Canyon Help make the public's voice impossible to ignore -- send a message here:
www.avaaz.org/en/mines_in_the_grand_canyon/?vl
America's national park system is one of our greatest progressive legacies. But it's always been a battle to protect it -- with lobbyists for private profiteering building strength. This week, one of the most beloved icons of our natural heritage is on the line. Let's unite around a vision of our nation that preserves its beauty for our children, their children, and all the generations to come.
More information
The New York Times: The Grand Canyon Uranium Rush
www.nytimes.com/2011/03/08/opinion/08tue4.html
Treehugger: Uranium “Yellow Monster” Threatens Grand Canyon www.treehugger.com/files/2009/04/uranium-yellow-monster-threatens-grand-canyon.php
Uranium Mining 101 earthworksaction.org/publications.cfm?pubID=501
Report:Grand Canyon Threatened by Approval of Uranium Mining Activities www.ewg.org/reports/grandcanyon
Dave Coleman alerted me to a trashy situation on the lower Russian River so
in mid-February Bob Clemens, Carl Inglin and I paddled down the river to see for ourselves what was there.
Unbelievable! At the backside of the Korbel property there was 150 yards worth of trash along, in
and on the bank (including, in one area, a strange brown foam at the waters edge), with plastic in
the trees/bushes all the way down to Guerneville. I have never seen anything this bad before.
Bob and I took photos which we passed along to Don McEnhill, the Russian River Keeper. Here are
three to give you an idea what is there. Don reported that the Water Board had been notified and
that a DFG complaint has been filed on which the DA's office should be taking action.
Message from Marin Canoe and Kayak Club:
A couple of years ago at our[Marin Canoe & Kayak Club]annual dinner, Keven Lundy
of the Drakes Bay Oyster Farm gave us a presentation about the farm's operations
and its problems with the National Park Service. The farm is within Pt Reyes National
Seashore and the Park Service - apparently feeling that its mission is to "restore
Park lands to "wilderness" - would like to terminate the farm's permit when it expires.
The Park Service has been caught doctoring data on problems it has claimed the farm
causes - which make the NPS look bad. While there is no clear "best" answer to this question,
many of us feel that the cattle farms on Pt Reyes are much more of a problem to us
and the environment. And the Oyster Farm is unquestionably a wonderful example of locally
focused sustainable agriculture. Many kayakers launch from the Oyster Farm and consider
the operation a nice, scenic addition to the area.
If you are interested there is a movement to save the oyster farm. You can watch a
video about it and sign a petition by going to
//www.oystergate.org