BY BROOKE ROBERTSHAW & KATE ROGERS GESSERT
Good News!
Undercovered #45. More stories not in
the mainstream press.
T
he Earth Charter is the best blueprint
we know of for a future. Launched
in 2000, it outlines “principles for
building a just, sustainable, and peaceful
global society” — a Universal Declaration of
Human Rights that includes nature as well as
people. Thousands of NGOs and cities
throughout the world have endorsed the char-
ter and work to implement its principles. Two
succinct, lyrical pages are divided into four
sections: respect and care for the community
of life; ecological integrity; social and eco-
nomic justice; democracy, nonviolence, and
peace (earthcharter.org).
• Though the U.S. has refused to sign the
Kyoto Treaty, mayors of 136 U.S. cities, in-
cluding Eugene, Corvallis, Portland, Seattle,
L.A., and New York, have pledged their cities
will meet or exceed Kyoto’s seven percent re-
duction from 1990 greenhouse-gas emission
levels by 2012 (kyotousa.org).
E X T R A O R D I N A RY T H I N G S F O R E X T R A O R D I N A RY K I D S !
• Volunteers near Big Sur counted 338
mother-calf pairs of gray whales swimming
north from Mexico, down from last year’s
impressive 455 pairs but far better than the 87
pairs counted in 2001. Scientists theorize that
fluctuations in Bering Sea food supplies im-
pact whale pregnancies (learner.org).
• Researchers in Singapore have invented
a system to allow people to stroke chickens
over the Internet, a breakthrough that may
lead to long-distance hugs and dance lessons,
allergic owners caressing furry pets remotely,
and zoo visitors patting lions (Wired News).
• Women employees of a New Jersey sex-
toy store sent three dozen vibrators to Iraqi
women. One of the Americans wrote, “The
sisterhood of women is stronger than politics
... stronger than any doctrine or rhetoric. It
unites us all, and through this bond we can
find peace. Enjoy this gift, my faraway sister”
(harpersweekly.org).
Researchers in Singapore have invented a system to allow
people to stroke chickens over the Internet, a breakthrough
that may lead to long-distance hugs and dance lessons.
• Following passage of the repressive
Real I.D. Act, senators and representatives in-
troduced a compassionate, comprehensive
immigration bill, strongly supported by both
parties in Congress and by immigrant rights
groups. The Secure America and Orderly
Immigration Act would allow people who
have been living and working in the U.S. and
their families to earn permanent legal status
over time, and it would create fair legal chan-
nels for foreign workers to come to the U.S. It
would also help foreign relatives trapped in
visa backlogs to be united with their U.S.
families (La Raza).
• This spring the pioneer sea otter has re-
turned to Simpson Reef; Elakha Alliance is
supporting DNA studies of otter bones in
Oregon middens, searching for a genetic
match to reintroduce to our coast. Since 1907,
when the last Oregon sea otter was killed for
its $900 pelt, kelp forests along our coast
have been gobbled by sea urchins, otters’ fa-
vorite food. Without the kelp, beaches have
eroded and fisheries declined (ecotrust.org).
• In northern Iraq, 800 families are learn-
ing construction skills by rebuilding their de-
stroyed homes, schools, and water systems
with technical support from Counterpart
International (goodnewsexchange.org).
• Working with courageous Iraqi doctors
and volunteers, International Peace Angels
delivers humanitarian aid and medical sup-
plies to women and children in war-torn areas
of Iraq (internationalpeaceangels.org).
• On May 26, Rep. Woolsey introduced an
amendment to the $491-billion Pentagon
budget, calling on President Bush to make a
plan to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq.
Although Woolsey’s amendment lost 300 to
128, five Republican representatives and
two-thirds of Democrats, including Rep.
DeFazio, voted for it. Woolsey’s separate
House bill also calling for withdrawal has 30
co-sponsors, not yet including Rep. DeFazio
(Pacifica Radio).
bambini
• The Climate Stewardship and Innovation
Act, recently re-introduced in the U.S. Senate,
would cap greenhouse gas emissions and in-
crease funding for renewable energy and en-
ergy-efficient vehicle research. Although the
bill also includes funding for nuclear power, it
is the best current legislative path to fight
global warming (Environmental Defense).
• Millions of painted lady butterflies have
arrived in Oregon from California deserts,
where record rains and lush growth have led
to what could be the biggest butterfly migra-
tion of modern times (U.C. Davis).
• A Hunan restaurant has introduced
abalone dishes simmered in human breast
milk, so customers can “experience maternal
love” while dining (BBC).
• Berkeley recently adopted a Zero Waste
Goal for 2020, joining San Francisco, Seattle,
and other cities in the U.S., Australia, and
New Zealand in coupling resource recovery
with industrial redesign to end waste (ecolo-
gycenter.org).
• Ethiopia held its third-ever national elec-
tion May 15. Despite reports of fraud and ha-
rassment, and long lines at polling sites, it
was peaceful. Election officials estimated
turnout at 90 percent of registered voters
(AllAfrica.com).
• China has ended the use of naked
women as sushi platters in restaurants (BBC).
• The Gay Lesbian Straight Education
Network celebrated its tenth anniversary of
working to make schools safe for LGBTQ
students. Today 3,000 U.S. schools have
Gay-Straight Alliances (tolerance.org).
• Elephant-human conflicts in Africa and
Asia have been soothed by the efforts of the
Elephant Pepper Development Trust. Chili
peppers, a new cash crop, keep elephants out
of farmers’ crops (elephantpepper.org).
• Scottish scientists have developed a new
fuel cell that uses sunlight to break down pol-
lutants in water while simultaneously pro-
ducing electricity (Scotsman).
ew
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Thursday, June 2 - Sunday, June 5
NOW OPEN 7 DAYS! • 205 W. 5th • 485-1222 • MON-SAT 10-5:30 • SUN 11-5
12th Annual “KLCC in Bloom” Garden Tour
From Humble Roots . . .
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Sunday, June 26
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
$10 in advance • $13 day of tour
For ticket information
www.klcc.org
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JUNE 2, 2005 13