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  • 9 Massive US Companies Pledge To Go 100% Renewable

    9 Massive US Companies Pledge To Go 100% Renewable

    by Samantha Page Sep 23, 2015 9:43am

    CREDIT: Courtesy Walmart

    Workers install solar panels on a Walmart store. The company has pledged to use 100 percent renewable energy.

    Nine more giant corporations, including Nike and Walmart, pledged to transition to 100 percent renewable energy Wednesday. The announcement, made during Climate Week, is intended to show international governments that there is broad-based business support for going off fossil fuels in advance of the United Nations climate talks in December.

    Goldman Sachs, Johnson & Johnson, Proctor & Gamble, Salesforce, Starbucks, Steelcase, and Voya Financial also took the RE100 pledge, organized by the Climate Group, an international sustainability non-profit.

    “Research shows that the most ambitious companies have seen a 27 percent return on their low carbon investments,” Mark Kenber, CEO of the Climate Group, said in a statement. “Today these companies are signaling loud and clear to COP21 negotiators that forward-thinking businesses back renewables and want to see a strong climate deal in Paris.”

    Swiss bank UBS joined the pledge last week. In total, 36 companies have joined RE100 since it was launched at Climate Week last year.

    Some of the companies are also part of a White House initiative for sustainability investment announced in July. Those companies, which include Goldman Sachs and Walmart, will invest $140 billion in new low-carbon investment and build more than 1,600 megawatts (MW) of new renewable energy capacity.

    The RE100 goals are non-binding, but in the pledge companies agree to release information about their sustainability efforts. And some companies have set specific benchmarks. For instance, Goldman Sachs says it will use 100 percent renewable energy by 2020. Johnson & Johnson has set a goal of 2050. Nike seeks to transition by 2025, and Voya International by 2015.

    One company in Wednesday’s announcement, Steelcase, is already operating with 100 percent renewable electricity. Part of the goal of the RE100 initiative, though, is not just to change behavior for the companies involved, but also to draw attention to companies that are committed to renewable energy.

    “For Steelcase, joining RE100 is a reflection of our ongoing commitment to renewable energy,” Jim Keane, the company’s president and CEO said. “Our current investment in renewables equaling 100 percent of our global electricity use is an important part of our energy strategy.”

    Tags

  • The John James Newsletter 81

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    The John James Newsletter 81

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    John James
    7:00 AM (1 hour ago)
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    The John James Newsletter 81
    26 September 2015
    Everyone’s a pacifist between wars. It’s like being a vegetarian between meals
    Colman McCarthy
    When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist 
    Helder Camara
    Atlantic Ocean excited to move into beautiful beachfront mansion soon
    A fable for our time.
    Putin’s Line in the Sand: No Regime Change in Syria
    Russia, Iran and Hezbollah are prepared to defend their ally Assad and stop Washington. Otherwise the US will have succeeded in destroying another sovereign nation and scattering its people across the Middle East and Europe.
    Does Putin Have a Plan for Syria?
    It’s not just support for Bashar al-Assad that’s driving Moscow’s growing intervention.
    Russian troops already engaged in battle against ISIS around Homs
    Contrary to the impression conveyed by Moscow that Russian troops in Syria are not engaged in combat and that none of the sophisticated arms deliveries were destined to the Syrian army.
    Listening to Bashar al-Assad
    I have to say that I am changing my tune.  Not only because there can be no doubt whatsoever that Assad and his military are currently the only force protecting the Syrian people from the medieval insanity and viciousness of Daesh, but because the man impresses me more and more.
    Tracking the inferno: where wildfires are hitting California and other states hardest
    Five “megafires”, an official term for fires that span more than 100,000 acres
    A Sense of Despair Is Sweeping Through Iraq
    Omar is one of a tidal wave of Iraqis trying to get out of Iraq as the war continues and insecurity grows worse. Kidnapping is rife in Baghdad, with victims ranging from three-year-old children to the deputy Minister of Justice. Eighteen Turkish construction workers were abducted by a Shia militia and moved to Basra without the government being able to do anything about it. In addition there are daily bombings by Isis which a multitude of government checkpoints fail to stop.
    Greece through the eyes of the homeless
    A homeless woman was given a camera and asked to document life on the streets of Athens.
    OPEC, Russia and the New World Order Emerging
    The OPEC oil-producing states, including Iran, through the skilful mediation of Russia, are carefully laying the foundations for a truly new world order. What is likely to emerge in the current extraordinary situation is a negotiated arrangement between Russia and the OPEC oil producers to devise a new ordering of world energy supply, independent of Anglo-American domination. The benefits are simply too great for all involved parties to ignore. It would provide Russia safe markets outside the Anglo-American current war zone, and the oil producing countries of the Middle East would join as central parties to the unfolding economic boom that is emerging out of new Economic Silk Road rail and sea port infrastructure projects.
    Prof. Peter Wadham’s discussion of the Arctic and his prediction for total ice loss quite soon
    You may be particularly interested in watching the dynamic changes to the jet scream at 10-12 minutes.
    Turkey’s Radicalizing Youth Dominates Escalating Conflict
    Politicized youth organizations on both ends of the political spectrum are becoming more vocal, violent and popular.
    35 Million migrants heading to Europe, says Hungary as it builds second fence
    It’s a delusion to call this situation a migration crisis; it is a massive migration of nations, with inexhaustible reserves.
    Russia’s Ultimate Lethal Weapon
    Glazyev is in favor of forcing Russian companies that have Western loans to default. Predictably, some sectors of US  went bonkers, stating with utmost certainty that “the Russian energy sector would not be able to find much financing without connections to the West.” Nonsense. Russian firms would easily find financing from Chinese, Japanese or South Korean sources.
    Russia’s False Hopes
    Russia  miscalculated that diplomacy could solve the crisis that Washington created in Ukraine and placed its hopes on the Minsk Agreement, which has no Western support whatsoever, neither in Kiev nor in Washington, London, and NATO. Russia can end the Ukraine crisis by simply accepting the requests of the former Russian territories to reunite with Russia. Once the breakaway republics are again part of Russia, the crisis is over. Ukraine is not going to attack Russia. Russia doesn’t end the crisis, because Russia thinks it would be provocative and upset Europe.
    India’s Russian-Made Sukhois Wipe the Floor With UK’s Eurofighters
    By humiliating the RAF in recent exercises in Britain Indian Air Force pilots flying Russian-made Sukhoi-30 fighters once again showed that its jets easily outgun and outrun any fourth generation western jet fighter
    TTIP Aims To Defang Local Rules Against Hazardous Chemicals
    New report finds that the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership poses a threat to state regulations against hazardous pesticides, products, and fracking chemicals
    The Hidden Meltdown of Greenland
    Greenland’s glaciers flowing into the ocean are grounded deeper below sea level than previously measured. This means that the warm ocean currents at depth can sweep across the glacier faces and erode them.
    Race against time to save the last white rhinos
    On World Rhino Day, the only northern white male left in the world is desperately trying to save his subspecies. and the last hope for saving his subspecies by impregnating his daughter or granddaughter.
     
    Smoke and Mirrors
    In London, the latest figures suggest air pollution now kills more people than smoking. Worldwide it causes more deaths than malaria and Aids together. This is the neglected health crisis of this age, that we seldom discuss or even acknowledge.
    Fossil fuel divestment booming, with $2.6trn in assets set to be dumped
    Since starting on the campuses of a few colleges in the US, this movement has struck a chord with people across the world who care about climate change, and convinced some of the largest and most influential institutions in the world to begin pulling their money out.
    9 Massive US Companies Pledge To Go 100% Renewable
    The announcement is intended to show international governments that there is broad-based business support for going off fossil fuels in advance of the UN climate talks in December. Goldman Sachs, Johnson & Johnson, Proctor & Gamble, Salesforce, Starbucks, Steelcase, and Voya Financial took the RE100 pledge, organized by the Climate Group.
    “Research shows that companies have seen a 27% return on their low carbon investments,”
    The Character Assassination of Jeremy Corbyn
    The mission of the media is simple: to kill him off before any serious policy debate can take place.
    Mexico’s ghost towns
    Guadalupe is one of a handful of towns in the 55-mile Juárez Valley, along the Rio Grande. The region was a hub of cotton production in its heyday. But these days, Guadalupe is a ghost town,
    Neo-fascist Greek party takes third place in wave of voter fury
    Golden Dawn wins 7% of election vote – 500,000 Greeks – behind Syriza and New Democracy

  • No business in abuse Shen – GetUp!

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    No business in abuse

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    Shen – GetUp!
    2:07 PM (22 minutes ago)
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    No Business In Abuse banner image

    ~~ Trigger warning: discussion of self-harm and sexual assault ~~

    NEVILLE,

    We’re in the papers again today,1,2 this time shining a light on the abuse inflicted on people imprisoned in Transfield’s camps.

    Digging around in reports about what’s going on in Manus and Nauru, we’ve found some truly horrifying statistics that had escaped public attention.

    In the Nauru detention camp there has been a “major or critical” incident of:

    • self-harm every four days
    • assault every five days
    • sexual assault every four months

    And this is according to Transfield’s own records.

    Under Transfield’s watch, violence and abuse are rampant – the human misery needs to end.

    Right now, there’s a five year contract on the table, and Transfield must decide whether to continue managing the detention camps on Manus and Nauru.

    Tell Transfield not to sign onto five more years of profiting from abuse:
    Click here to send an email.
    Click here to comment on their Facebook post.
    Click here to tweet.

    No company operates in a vacuum, and Transfield knows it. They’re supported by a network of stakeholders and investors that are underpinned by us – the Australian public. And this is where we come in: as the tide turns against Transfield, we need to show them just how many of us aren’t willing to stand by and watch as they make millions from human suffering. Together, we can prove to them that if they continue to profit from abuse, their entire business model will be at risk.

    The numbers we found only scratch the surface of the story. Behind them are men, women and children who face unprecedented horrors with no end in sight – a purgatory that on its own constitutes abuse. And while they suffer, Transfield rakes in millions.

    Transfield knows that they’re vulnerable in this moment, with almost-daily scrutiny in the media ahead of their decision on whether or not to renew their contract – and just weeks ahead of their AGM. If we flood their inboxes with emails making it clear the Australian public will not stand idly by and let them keep up their heartless profiteering, they’ll need to listen.

    Email Transfield here: www.getup.org.au/email-transfield
    Click here to comment on their Facebook post.
    Click here to tweet Transfield.

    Thank you for being part of this campaign. We’re already having an impact – now let’s make sure Transfield feels it.

    Shen, for the GetUp team


    References
    [1] ‘People in detention on Nauru try harm themselves every four days: Transfield response to Senate’, Sydney Morning Herald, 24 September 2015
    [2] ‘Transfield under fire over assaults, violence at Nauru’, The Australian, 25 September 2015

  • Antibiotics — tell everyone! Alex Wilks – Avaaz

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    Antibiotics — tell everyone!

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    Alex Wilks – Avaaz Unsubscribe
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    The European Parliament is about to discuss this, let’s make our call unmissable — forward this email and share on FACEBOOK and TWITTER.

    Cruel factory farms are pumping healthy animals full of antibiotics and creating dangerous drug-resistant superbugs that can kill us. But if we come together fast, we can get the EU to pass a law to protect animals and our health — then we’ll take this global. Sign now:

    SIGN THE PETITION
    Dear friends,

    Cruel factory farms are pumping healthy animals full of antibiotics so that they can produce more meat, faster and cheaper. This insane cruelty is also creating drug-resistant superbugs that can kill us!
     
    Several European countries have already drastically cut use of antibiotics, and now EU ministers are negotiating laws to do so across the continent.

    Reducing cruelty to animals while saving human lives is such a no-brainer that even McDonald’s said it’ll stop selling chicken reared with some antibiotics in the US. But the farm and pharma lobby is out in full force to stop the new EU laws.

    Ministers from across the EU meet tomorrow, and many have yet to make up their minds. Let’s build a million-strong call to outlaw the cruel and deadly abuse of antibiotics in factory farms, and deliver it to each of them. Once we win in Europe, we’ll take this around the world. Sign now, then share with everyone:

    https://secure.avaaz.org/en/antibiotics_factory_farms_rb_loc_/?bhPqncb&v=65215

    The World Health Organisation has issued stark warnings that superbugs may make antibiotics useless in combating infectious diseases like tuberculosis or pneumonia. Much of modern medicine depends on antibiotics, including cancer treatments, and surgery and a major report estimates that 10 million more people will die per year by 2050 if we don’t save antibiotics.

    Constant low doses of antibiotics breed superbugs. And though human misuse also contributes to this growing resistance, little is being done to reduce the massive amount of antibiotics given to livestock — two thirds of the volume of antibiotics in the EU and US!

    Denmark, Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands have shown it’s possible to produce meat with far less antibiotics, but with meat and bugs travelling across borders, we need to bring other countries on board.

    Many would like to shut down dangerous factory farms once and for all. These new EU laws will be a massive step towards improving animal welfare, and improving human health. But experts say the Ministers aren’t feeling any public pressure to act — we can change that right now.

    Sign the petition and spread the word — once we reach one million signers, Avaaz will run opinion polls, and work with champion countries to bring our petition right into the room before the EU votes:

    https://secure.avaaz.org/en/antibiotics_factory_farms_rb_loc_/?bhPqncb&v=65215

    Millions of Avaaz members have helped protect whales, factory farm chicks, and other animals. Now let’s come together again to protect the cornerstone of modern medicine and win this for animals and for all of us.

    With hope,

    Alex, Allison, Laila, Alice, Antonia, Alaphia, Ricken and the rest of the Avaaz team

    MORE INFORMATION

    Food, farming and antibiotics: a health challenge for business (The Guardian)
    http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/food-farming-antibiotics-health-challenge-business

    How Cheap Meat Practices Beef Up Superbugs Like MRSA (ABC News)
    http://abcnews.go.com/Health/moms-doctors-aim-mrsa-superbugs/story?id=16352562

    Why antibiotic resistance must be tackled at the farm, too (EurActiv)
    http://www.euractiv.com/sections/health-consumers/why-antibiotic-resistance-must-be-tackled-farm-too…

    Antibiotic resistance now ‘global threat’, WHO warns (BBC)
    http://www.bbc.com/news/health-27204988

    KFC faces pressure after McDonald’s says no antibiotics in chicken (Reuters)
    http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/12/us-usa-antibiotics-yum-insight-idUSKBN0M80B720150312

    Antibiotics – Antimicrobial Resistance Briefing (CIWF)
    http://www.ciwf.org.uk/research/human-health/antibiotics-briefing-antimicrobial-resistance/

  • Real change takes time Kelly O’Shanassy, ACF

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    Real change takes time

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    Kelly O’Shanassy, ACF Unsubscribe
    5:24 PM (1 hour ago)
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    INGA, you might be surprised by the survey results that came in today.

    When we asked a sample of Australians, 87% of people agreed: “We all share a responsibility to live in a way that embraces life and protects our clean air, water, rivers, forests, oceans and wildlife.”

    Poll after poll shows that no matter who they vote for, a solid majority of Australians want a government with a plan to protect nature.

    However, governments have listened to the polluters, not the people. A handful of people who run big polluting companies are not taking responsibility for their part in destroying life. With a new Prime Minister comes a new opportunity to change this.

    But it will take more than broad community agreement – we need deep community engagement too.

    Will you please give $35 or more for our long-term plan to activate community and grow people power? We need to raise $90,000 by September 30 to fund the next phase of this work.

    People care – but are not always sure how to make a difference. When people get connected, active, visible and organised, community power grows. The only way to make sure this happens is conversation by conversation, team by team, network by network.

    When Michael, ACF’s new community organiser in eastern Melbourne, held his first community conversation training, two people showed up: Karena and Paul. They ate awful gherkin sandwiches and talked about what to do next.

    It was awkward.

    But instead of moping back to the office, Michael asked Karena and Paul for advice. They said next time they could invite friends. Their friends knew the Landcare group and the deputy Mayor. They decided to put up posters and get up at 6.30am on a freezing Saturday morning for a market stall.

    Fifteen people came to the next meeting. This time, Michael brought spanakopita.

    Then last week, they ran a movie screening and 72 people turned up. They made plans to invite their networks to the People’s Climate March in November to ask our new Prime Minister to lead boldly to cut pollution. This is how change happens. This is how community power grows.

    Your generous donation today means we can scale up this vital work.

    If you’ve ever had a kookaburra raid your bush BBQ, surfed a bitterly-cold back beach in winter or drank forest filtered water from a city tap, chances are you can do that because a community cared enough to speak out for that patch of bush, that beach or the forest on the Range.

    Our task is to reweave the skills, connections and power of our communities so we can hold all political parties true to their duty of care.

    It’s the energy of the community that will make this possible.

    Please donate now.

    Thank you,

    Kelly

  • Our plan for Start-ups BILL SHORTEN LABOR
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    Our plan for Start-ups

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    Bill Shorten Unsubscribe
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    The latest politics update from the Australian Labor Party | Unsubscribe
    .
    Neville —

    You and I know how important higher education is to the future – 2 in every 3 jobs in Australia will require a university degree.

    Higher education is not only important for individuals to improve their prospects in life, it benefits our whole society and drives our economy.

    That’s why I’m announcing today that a Shorten Labor Government will create a HELP funded ‘Start-Up Year’ for final year students and recent graduates.

    2,000 students each year who want to establish a start-up business will be able to develop their idea at university. These students will be supported with mentoring, business skills and capital. You can read more about the policy here.

    This means that under a Labor Government aspiring entrepreneurs can undertake an extra year of university and won’t have to pay it back until they earn more than $53,000 a year.

    Australia needs to embrace the opportunities that digital disruption brings to our economy – supporting and encouraging Australian start-ups is crucial to making sure we’re securing the jobs of today and the jobs of tomorrow.

    Thanks for standing with me on this,

    Bill