Fukushima Nuclear Plant Continues to Leak Radioactive Water

Last week, Japan?s chief nuclear regulator announced that the Fukushima nuclear power plant, which had been damaged by an earthquake and tsunami 2 years ago, has been leaking contaminated water into the ocean ever since. ?Shunichi Tanaka, the head of the Nuclear Regulation Authority, said that neither his staff nor the plant?s operator knew exactly where the leaks were coming from, or how to stop them. Increasing amounts of radioactive cesium, tritium and strontium, which are known raise the risk of cancer in humans, have been detected in groundwater at the plant. Fukushima highlights the known fact that nuclear power is neither safe nor clean. There is no such thing as a “safe” dose of radiation. ?Click here to add your name to an urgent message to the President and your members of Congress, letting them know that you want this country to invest in technology that uses clean energy sources and to put an end to the millions of subsidies granted to dangerous nuclear power.

An Easy Way We Can All Protest the Keystone Pipeline

As pressure for construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline mounts, so does the need of making our opposition heard. The environmental hazards the pipeline poses are great, and that is why it is necessary that we collectively speak out on this issue. Since not everyone is familiar with the pipeline and the many problems surrounding it, stirring people’s curiosity into this issue is a great place to start. Raised in Nebraska,?Barbara Haws (featured in the video below), is familiar with the land the Keystone Pipeline will directly poison if constructed. Her cousins?Nebraska farmers?are so adamantly against the pipeline that ?they chained themselves to the White House fence in protest and were promptly arrested. Haws chose a simpler form of protest that she could include in her daily routine. If many of us began taking part in a similar act similar, our voices would be that much stronger.

Republicans Pass a House Version of Farm Bill that Eliminates SNAP Program Entirely

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a version of the?farm bill?that is nothing short of disastrous. The bill passed without the inclusion of the SNAP (food stamp) program, along with various forms of funding for other critical nutrition programs that support families, children, senior citizens and veterans. The vote was deeply divided down party lines. Not a single Democrat voted for the bill, while just?12 Republicans voted against it. Despite the complete elimination of funding used to feed hungry families, millions were granted towards insurance subsidies for wealthy farmers. With the future of nutrition programs uncertain, the next steps for the farm bill will be a conference between the House and Senate to determine a final, comprehensive bill. Pressure to come to an agreed bill with be high with less than 20 legislative days remaining before the current farm bill expires on September 30th. Please contact your congressmen and women to let them know that a fair farm bill is necessary. Major cuts to the food stamp program will negatively affect millions of Americans, while a complete elimination of SNAP would be devastating.