by Denise [courtesy of Blog for America]

In honor of Earth Month, join me in the Nature Conservancy's effort to plant one billion trees to restore the South American rainforest. 

by Jo*in*Vermont [courtesy of Blog for America]

> the many sacrifices made by we mere humans, here on earth, to make a better life for others.

> the actions that emulate the message of Jesus, rather than the oft-empty words used to praise him

> the good virtues of our candidates and their hopes for our country

> the nearing of the end of the Bush regime

What are you contemplating today?

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Pedro Nava
Member, California State Assembly

Today only 140 free-flying California condors exist on this earth. They are the largest living thing flying over North America. You can still see a few of them near Hopper Mountain in Ventura County and in parts of Big Sur. Ten thousand years ago, soaring on their 9 foot wingspan, they once flew over saber toothed cats and woolly mammoths. Their range was all across America. We have spent millions of dollars in restoration efforts and much energy but still the condor remains in jeopardy.

Unless we eliminate the number one threat to the free-flying California condor, lead ammunition, someday the only place you will see this magnificent bird is on the face of our California quarter.

Condors are scavengers. They only eat dead things. The remaining wild condors eat the lead left in the remains of animals that have been shot with lead bullets. Most of the time, the lead bullets don’t remain intact, they shatter into tiny shards. Condors mistake the minute amounts of lead for calcium-rich bone fragments they require.

The resulting lead poisoning then induces a slow and agonizing death. The condor’s digestive system is paralyzed and they can die of starvation, become disoriented, collide with power lines, electrocute themselves or drown.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Despite his right-wing wack job politics, State Sen. Tom McClintock has always been a media darling. Most reporters think he's smart and principled. But this lastest rambling -- a near-endorsement of Fred Thompson for President -- has got to make you wonder what planet McClintock really is on.
 
In it, he talks about how "Reagan bombed in his first debate with Dukakis." Oh really? Earth to Tom: Reagan didn't debate Dukakis.
 
Read it for yourself:

Notes On California: Could This Be The One...
Sen. Tom McClintock

I haven’t been the least bit enthusiastic about a Republican presidential nominee since Ronald Reagan ran for re-election in 1984 -- and that’s a long time to go without that lov’n feeling. I’ve tried dating around the current crop of candidates, but it’s been one disappointing evening after another: the most articulate are the least principled, while the most principled have been the least articulate.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Assemblymember Mark Leno

Over the last 50 years, chemicals have come to play a role in all aspects of our lives. They make our clothes brighter, keep insects out of our fruits and vegetables and protect us from fires. But they come at a cost. Many of us assume that the chemicals in the products sold to us have gone through testing to ensure their safety. In fact, only a small number of the 80,000 chemicals registered with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have been tested for harmful effects. Each of us have some degree of chemical contamination in our bodies, and scientists are only now learning how they can have a profound affect on our health and the Earth.

This year, I have authored Assembly Bill 706 which will ban the use of two classes of toxic fire retardants— brominated and chlorinated fire retardants—in upholstered furniture and bedding products such as pillows, comforters and mattresses.