The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s Top Five List of Nuclear Events in 2001

1. The US gives notice of withdrawal from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty.

2. US Boycotts the UN Conference to Advance the Entry Into Force of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.

3. US President George W. Bush pledges to reduce the US nuclear arsenal to between 1.700 and 2,200 strategic nuclear weapons over a period of ten years.  Russian President Vladimir Putin says that he will “respond in kind.”

4. The Ukraine destroys its last nuclear missile silo, fulfilling its pledge to give up the nuclear arsenal it inherited after the dissolution of the USSR.

5. Germany decides to phase out nuclear power by 2025.

www.wagingpeace.org/resources/

Bush administration’s nuclear policy termed “schizophrenic and dangerous"

The recent leak of classified sections of the Bush administration’s Nuclear Posture Review [NPR] shows that Bush’s nuclear policies are schizophrenic and dangerous. Twelve years after the end of the Cold War, Bush policies are pushing the world closer to the use of nuclear weapons,” said Kevin Martin, Executive Director for Peace Action.

The revelations in the L.A. Times show that under the NPR the President intends to produce a wide array of new nuclear weapons and to expand the conditions under which nuclear weapons would be used. Bush’s NPR is the first nuclear review to target non-nuclear nations and the first to list the nations Pentagon planners are slating for nuclear targeting. The nations listed are non-nuclear weapons nations, Iraq, Iran, North Korea, Libya and Syria and nuclear weapons powers China and Russia.

“On one hand, in the wake of the revelations, we have Condoleezza Rice

Family Environmental Activities

Now is the time to share with children the importance of caring for our environment. If we want quality environmental conditions to exist for our children’s children, now is the time to educate the upcoming generation in order to make this happen. The following are tips that can lead to discussions:

  • Reduce, reuse, recycle!

  • Recycle plastic and paper grocery bags.

  • Turn off unused lights.

  • Take your lunch in reusable containers to school and work.

  • Shower in less than 5 minutes to conserve water.

  • Write an essay about the importance of caring for the environment.

  • Make your own glass cleaner by mixing 1/8 cup vinegar and 1 cup water.

  • Start some seeds indoors for a garden.

  • Turn off the water while you brush your teeth.

  • Think of five ways you can produce less trash.

  • Donate used magazines to a nursing home or hospital waiting room.

  • Decorate and use empty cans to hold nails, pencils, paper clips, etc.

    • Go organic

    When it comes to buying fruits and vegetables that go easy on the earth, it’s hard to beat organic. But what does organic really mean?

  • “Organic” refers to an earth friendly way of farming and processing foods using no chemicals to control bugs or weeds.

  • Organic farming usually involves farming methods that help conserve soil and protect water supplies.

  • Many organic farmers also plant specific bushes and flowers to attract beneficial insects and ward off unwanted pests.

  • Milk and dairy products from cows that are not treated with hormones and antibiotics and are given organic feed are also considered organic.

    Look for organic foods at farmers markets, natural food stores, and an increasing number of supermarket chains and food catalogue companies. If your food store doesn’t yet carry organic food, ask the manager to explore the possibilities. You can also refer the manager to local organic farmers who would be eager to supply more.

    • Take a Moment for Peace

    100,000 monks celebrate Earth Day in Thailand. For Earth Day 2002, people around the world are joining together in a call for peace. Now more than ever, we need to come together as a global community to protect our common home. Through Moments of Peace on Earth Day, we seek to shift the world’s attention toward peace and the need for international cooperation. Moments of Peace will bridge religious and social differences and transcend national and ethnic borders.

    Ecological Footprint

    The Ecological Footprint measures human impact on nature. In order to live, people consume what nature offers. So, every one of us has an impact on our planet. This is not bad as long as we don’t take more from the Earth than it has to offer. Are we currently taking more than we should? The Ecological Footprint quantifies how much nature we consume. It shows how much productive land and water we occupy to produce the resources we consume and to take in the waste we make.

    Why It Matters

    Today, humanity’s Ecological Footprint is already over 30 percent larger than what the world can offer. This means we are overusing the planet and liquidating its ecological assets. Examples of our overuse include deforestation, collapsing fisheries, and the build-up of heat-trapping carbon in the atmosphere. At the same time, a significant percentage of the world’s people do not have enough resources to meet basic survival needs.

    fragments

         ancient trees standing
         so many leaves it seems….
         have fallen so early this year
    burning trees
    now fallen too
    returned to the earth
    preceded by millions
    in other places
    acres now barren
    cows are grazing
    where giants once stood
         normally when an animal
         takes another energy is exchanged
         understanding occurs….
    respect in both directions
    all those trees taken
    with such little regard
    strong reverberations
    have returned to call
    as the laws of physics
    in cosmic proportions
    unfolded right before
    disbelieving eyes
         so many leaves fallen
         so many trees
         so many clues….
         have fallen with them
    tears streaming down
    in disbelief then rage as the first two trees
    have been taken
    whole trees in fact
    with leaves still attached
    taken from our own forest
    by the hands of others
    our own callused hands
         once rough worn smooth
         from working so hard….
         in the forests of others.
    september.2001

    Fight terror: conserve

    Civilized people around the world are horrified by the 9/11/01 terror attacks and want to help. Reducing purchases of oil from Middle East regimes that support terror networks is a start. Park that gas-guzzling SUV, permanently. SUV’s suck. Literally. They use more gas. They emit more C02 (carbon dioxide) per mile into the Earth’s atmosphere than do smaller cars. Are you driving one? Why? Unless you regularly have kids and dogs with you in that SUV you are using it as a commuter vehicle which is selfish. Further, the U.S. is dependent on nearly 60% imports for its fuel, much of which is produced by countries which support Islamic terror groups. Because Bill Clinton needed to win states heavy with union autoworkers such as Ohio and Michigan in the ’92 and ’96 elections, you didn’t hear much about fuel-efficiency standards during his presidency. Sport Utility Vehicles became wildly popular and the auto industry got relaxed fuel-efficiency standards for SUVs. To find out the fuel efficiency of your vehicle, check out http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/findacar.htm.

    CO2 Emissions

    The sheer magnitude of U.S. CO2 emission levels alone illustrates the need to use more renewable energy sources

    Since a consensus within the scientific community on Global Warming may not be achieved for decades to come, a pragmatic approach for Policy Makers is not to address this issue in terms of either black or white (i.e., either Global Warming is occurring or it isn’t) but in terms of prudence.

    For example, almost 40% of carbon emissions originate from fossil fuels used to generate electricity but less than six tenths of 1 percent of grid electricity is produced from alternative energy sources. During 1995, energy related carbon emissions in the U.S. continued to rise for the fourth straight year. These 1995 levels are well above the level targeted in the current Administration’s Voluntary Climate Change Action Plan — To return U.S. CO2 emissions to their 1990 level by the year 2000. Also, According to the DOE, World emissions of carbon are expected to increase by 54 percent above 1990 levels by 2015.

    Americans: Energy hogs

    The United States is home to only 5% of the world’s population yet consumes 25% of its energy and emits 25% of greenhouse gases which cause Global Warming. Each American creates 45,000 lbs. of CO2 per year. Americans waste more energy than most nations use for all of their energy needs. Americans are ENERGY HOGS and we have no right to tell other nations how to conduct their energy policies until we change our wasteful ways, not export them. Americans who want to help the war effort can stop wasting energy.

    Pages

    Subscribe to Freepress.org RSS