CURRENT NEWSLETTER

Making products from recycled materials requires 1/3 less energy than producing them from scratch. Recycling all your newspapers every week can eliminate 250 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions per year. Recycling 6 glass bottles every week can eliminate 250 pounds of carbon dioxide per year.

Insulation saves 20-30 % of heating-related energy needs, reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Insulating your home can eliminate 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions per year.

Reduce waste: buy minimally packaged goods; choose reusable products over disposable ones; recycle. You will be able to eliminate about 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year if you cut down your garbage by 25%.

By sharing technologies, experience and resources we can hopefully lower the greenhouse gas emissions and reduce the threat of global climate change.

Use more renewable energy that does not emit any greenhouse gases such as solar and wind energy. We can also recycle material, insulate our homes, take public transport whenever possible and think about energy efficiency in the home.

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Genetically Modified Food

Several recent studies confirm fears that genetically modified (GM) foods damage human health. These studies were released as the World Trade Organization (WTO) moved toward upholding the ruling that the European Union has violated international trade rules by stopping importation of GM foods.

Research by the Russian Academy of Sciences released in December 2005 found that more than half of the offspring of rats fed GM soy died within the first three weeks of life, six times as many as those born to mothers fed on non-modified soy. Six times as many offspring fed GM soy were also severely underweight.
In November 2005, a private research institute in Australia, CSIRO Plant Industry, put a halt to further development of a GM pea cultivator when it was found to cause an immune response in laboratory mice.
In the summer of 2005, an Italian research team led by a cellular biologist at the University of Urbino published confirmation that absorption of GM soy by mice causes development of misshapen liver cells, as well as other cellular anomalies.
In May of 2005 the review of a highly confidential and controversial Monsanto report on test results of corn modified with Monsanto MON863 was published in The Independent/UK.

Dr. Arpad Pusztai, one of the few genuinely independent scientists specializing in plant genetics and animal feeding studies, was asked by the German authorities in the autumn of 2004 to examine Monsanto’s 1,139-page report on the feeding of MON863 to laboratory rats over a ninety-day period.

The study found “statistically significant” differences in kidney weights and certain blood parameters in the rats fed the GM corn as compared with the control groups. A number of scientists across Europe who saw the study (and heavily-censored summaries of it) expressed concerns about the health and safety implications if MON863 should ever enter the food chain. There was particular concern in France, where Professor Gilles-Eric Seralini of the University of Caen has been trying (without success) for almost eighteen months to obtain full disclosure of all documents relating to the MON863 study.

Dr. Pusztai was forced by the German authorities to sign a “declaration of secrecy” before he was allowed to see the Monsanto rat feeding study, on the grounds that the document is classified as “CBI” or “confidential business interest.” While Pusztai is still bound by the declaration of secrecy, Monsanto recently declared that it does not object to the widespread dissemination of the “Pusztai Report.”

Monsanto GM soy and corn are widely consumed by Americans at a time when the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization has concluded, “In several cases, GMO’s have been put on the market when safety issues are not clear.”

As GMO research is not encouraged by U.S. or European governments, the vast majority of toxicological studies are conducted by those companies producing and promoting consumption of GMO’s. With motive and authenticity of results suspect in corporate testing, independent scientific research into the effects of GM foods is attracting increasing attention.

Comment: In May 2006 the WTO upheld a ruling that European countries broke international trade rules by stopping importation of GM foods. The WTO verdict found that the EU has had an effective ban on biotech foods since 1998 and sided with the U.S., Canada, and Argentina in a decision that the moratorium was illegal under WTO rules.

This is #11 of the dozen most censored news stories of 2006.

Check www.GMWatch.org for more information.

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FDA Approves Food From Clones

On January 15, the FDA announced its final approval of meat and milk from cloned animals. OCA's action alerts on this issue last year generated tens of thousands of letters to the FDA, but the agency has not changed its mind. OCA's biggest concerns with this issue are the lack of proof regarding the safety of cloned food as well as issues relating to sustainability and animal welfare. On a sustainability level, a healthy population of any animal or plant requires genetic diversity to prevent an entire population falling to one disease outbreak, for example. In regards to animal welfare, the majority of cloned cattle and other animals are born with painful birth defects. The upside of this announcement is that it will likely be several years before any of these food products hit the market, due to high costs of cloning. In addition consumers can avoid food from cloned animals by purchasing certified organic foods, which ban cloned ingredients.

For more information see the OCA website: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_9699.cfm

Organic Bytes #126 1-18-08

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God’s Take on Lawns

Imagine a conversation The Creator might have had with St. Francis on the subject of lawns:

GOD: Hey St. Francis, you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on down there in Oregon? What happened to the dandelions, violets, thistle, and stuff I started eons ago? I had a perfect “no maintenance” garden plan. Those plants grow in any soil type, withstand drought, and multiply with abandon. The nectar from the long lasting blossoms attracts butterflies, honey bees, and flocks of song birds. I expected to see a vast garden of colors by now. But all I see are these green rectangles.

St. Francis: It’s the tribes that settled there, Lord. Suburbanites. They started calling your flowers “weeds” and went to great lengths to kill them and replace them with grass.

God: Grass? But it is so boring. It’s not colorful. It doesn’t attract butterflies, birds or bees - only grubs and sod worms. It’s temperamental with temperature. Do these Suburbanites really want all that grass to care for?

St. Francis; Apparently so, Lord. They go to great lengths to grow it and keep it green. They begin each spring by fertilizing grass and poisoning any other plant that crops up in the lawn.

God: The spring rains and warm weather must make the grass grow really fast. That must make the Suburbanites happy.

St. Francis: Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little, they cut it -- sometimes twice a week.

God: They cut it? Do they then bail it like hay?

St. Francis: Not Exactly, Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in bags.

God: They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?

St. Francis: No Sir. Just the opposite. They pay to throw it away!

God: Now let me get this straight. They fertilize grass so when it does grow, they cut it off, and pay to throw it away?

St. Francis: Yes, sir.

God: These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut back on the rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth and saves them a lot of work.

St. Francis: You are not going to believe this Lord. When the grass stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay more money to water it so they can continue to mow it and pay to get rid of it.

God: What nonsense! At least they kept some of the trees. That was a sheer stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees grow leaves in the spring to provide beauty and shade in the summer. In the autumn leaves fall to the ground and form a natural blanket to keep moisture in the soil and protect the trees and bushes. Plus, as they rot, the leaves form compost to enhance the soil. It’s a natural circle of life.

St. Francis: You had better sit down, Lord. The Suburbanites have drawn a new circle. As soon as the leaves fall, they rake them into great piles and pay to have them hauled away. Or, worse yet, they burn the leaves and pollute the air which all of the creatures you created breathe in order to sustain life.

God: No! What do they do to protect the shrub and tree roots in the winter and to keep the soil moist and loose?

St. Francis: After getting rid of the leaves, they go out and buy something which they call mulch. They haul it home and spread it around in place of the leaves.

God: And where do they get this mulch?

St. Francis: They cut down trees and grind them up to make the mulch.

God: Enough! I don’t want to think about this anymore. Sister Catherine, you’re in charge of the arts. What movie have you scheduled for us tonight?

Sister Catherine: “Dumb and Dumber,” Lord. It’s a real stupid movie about...

God: Never mind, I think I just heard the whole story from St. Francis.

This poignant piece of humor was found in the 9-03 issue of Sustainability Communicator published by the lzaak Walton League, with modifications. It was published in this newsletter in the spring of 2004.

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19 Compost Bins for Sale

Waste Management has 19 Earth Machine compost bins left over from the sale Klamath Sustainable Communities held a few years ago. Bins, turners and pails may be purchased at 1812 Greensprings Drive. Call 884-6114 for information. They are closed from 11:30 to 12:30.

Price of a bin is $35, turners $13 and pails $6

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Benefits of Composting

Improves soil health and fertility
Reduces materials going to land fills and reduces methane gases
Adding compost to soil reduces wind and water erosion by increasing the availability of water and nutrients to plants resulting in rapid, strong plant growth
Improves soil porosity
Improves water-holding capacity resulting in reduced dependency on watering
Inhibits incidence of plant diseases

Information from U.S. EPA and Composting Council of Canada

Local governments bear the responsibility for seeing that solid waste is collected and processed; home composting reduces the amount of materials that must be collected, transported and disposed or otherwise processed. A minimum of 650 lbs. of kitchen and yard waste can be diverted per year per household. Home composting is the most cost effective waste management option available.

Diverting more than 500 lbs of household organic matter from the waste stream each year converts to real dollars saved in collection and disposal costs as these expenses are avoided when residents compost at home. Return on investment can be realized within years. There seems to be a good financial reason for urban Klamath Falls to promote back yard composting.

If 3,000 Klamath households started composting, given our tipping fee of $60.50 per ton, collection and disposal cost savings in five years would be $292,500. This is according to a savings calculator which is found in the municipal section of the Earth Machine website.

www.earthmachine.com

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Klamath Sustainable Communities Annual Meeting

May 19 – 6:15 PM Sugar Pine Cafe

RSVP with Leslie Lowe 882-6509, inharmony46@charter.net

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Meat You Eat is Cranking Up the Heat

The United Nations has sent tremors through the livestock industry with a new report that states, "The livestock sector emerges as one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global." The report shows that livestock production accounts for more greenhouse gases than automobiles. For every calorie of meat consumed, at least ten calories of fossil fuels were required to produce that meat. Animal agriculture takes up 70% of all agricultural land, and 30% of the total land surface of the planet. Today, 70% of "slash-and-burned" Amazon rainforest is used for pastureland, and feed crops cover much of the remainder. The ultimate ramifications of the report suggest that the average American can do more to reduce global warming emissions by adjusting their meat eating habits than by switching to driving the most fuel efficient car currently on the market. Negative environmental impacts can be greatly reduced by reducing (or eliminating) meat consumption and buying locally grown and sustainably produced meats, dairy and animal products.
Learn more: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_3853.cfm

OCA 1-25 Organic Bytes

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Receive KSC Newsletters via Email

This newsletter is now available electronically. To receive it paper free, send an email to Dwight at oh_otter@charter.net and we will send it to you via the internet.

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Ink Cartridge Reuse – Cell Phones Too

KSC is working with a different business for ink cartridge returns. They also take cell phones and want three items in each bag. They do not take what they call “tanks” which are cartridges without metal strips to connect the cartridge electronically to the printer. Bag dispensers are at the following locations: the County Library on Klamath Avenue, City Admin., 500 Klamath; County Government Center, 305 Main; 409 Pine; Nightfire Natural Foods and the Paper Owl bookstore at OIT. Income from your returns helps cover the cost of this newsletter.

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Don’t Forget!

Klamath Sustainable Communities Annual Meeting

May 19 – 6:15 PM Sugar Pine Cafe

RSVP with Leslie Lowe 882-6509, inharmony46@charter.net

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