“Code Pink” Alert
IF YOU’RE confused by all the terrorism alerts — green, yellow, orange and red — here’s a way to make it simple: Think Pink.
Pink, as in codepink.
The codepink alert signifies “danger to all the values of nurturing, caring and compassion” and has been the rallying cry for a self-described “women-initiated grassroots peace and social justice movement that seeks positive social change through proactive, creative protest and non-violent direct action.”
The group is perhaps best known for camping out in front of the White House for a four-month peace vigil while wearing shocking pink fleece jackets during the winter of 2003-2004. Since then it has sent delegations of women to Iraq to meet with Iraqi women, and “pink [lingerie] slips” to those it deems are not supporting policies in the best interests of the people, including members of Congress and Michael Powell of the Federal Communications Commission.
Its latest venture is a book that includes more than 70 essays from visionaries and activists, entitled Stop the Next War Now: Effective Responses to Violence and Terrorism, edited by Medea Benjamin and Jodie Evans, co-founders of codepink (Inner Ocean Publishing).
With a foreword by novelist Alice Walker, the book features an impressive cross section of writers and activists, including everyone from journalist Helen Thomas, the longtime dean of White House correspondents, and playwright Eva Ensler to Nobel Peace Prize winners, including environmentalist Wangari Maathai and anti-nuclear activist Dr. Helen Caldicott.
Each takes on the complex topics the group has taken to heart, such as ending poverty, international treaties and holding corporations accountable.
Chicago is one stop of the dozens on the ambitious book tour that will feature discussions.
If this sounds intriguing, you can meet the book’s co-editor and codepink co-founder, Jodie Evans, at 7:30 p.m. May 5 at Women & Children First Bookstore, 5233 N. Clark St. Pink attire optional.
For more information, visit www.codepink4peace.org or www.womenandchildrenfirst.com, or call 773-769-9299.
— Marla Donato
Clean energy creates jobs
LESS THAN one percent of Illinois’ energy is generated from renewable sources, with the majority of the electricity being supplied by fossil fuels and nuclear energy, according to Illinois Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-9th) and Ill. Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn. But the pair is committed to changing that.
The Congresswoman and state official have joined forces in support of measures that would bring more renewable energy sources to the state. Both pointed to a study that revealed that Illinois stands to gain jobs if it adopts clean-energy technologies. Both are pushing for passage of legislation on the federal and state levels that would mandate the use of renewable energy.
In mid May the Illinois Commerce Commission (icc) is expected to release an implementation plan that will include renewable energy minimums. Quinn headed a task force that made recommendations that were included in Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s initiative before the icc. Among other things, the governor’s plan calls for utilities to make sure that by 2012 up to 8 percent of the electricity distributed throughout the state is generated from renewable energy sources.
Schakowsky, who sits on the Energy and Commerce Committee, is in favor of a national renewable-energy standard that would require that 20 percent of energy generated nationwide come from clean-energy sources by the year 2020.
“This is a standard that would result in cleaner air, less pollution from power plants, a safer environment and lead to more jobs and greater economic growth for Illinois and our country,” said Schakowsky.
Both Schakowsky and Quinn said they were impressed by an Illinois Public Interest Research Group (pirg) report advocating the 20 percent national renewable energy standard. pirg’s report also recommended “shifting the amount it would cost Illinois to subsidize fossil fuels and nuclear power under last year’s federal energy proposals, $1.9 billion, toward renewable energy and energy efficiency.”
If the state adopted these two recommendations, according to the report, by 2020 it would result in the creation of 7,566 net jobs, increase wages by $162 million and save consumers $865 million on electricity bills.
In addition, this would reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants by 32 percent and increase the gross state product by an annual average of $75 million between 2005 and 2020.
For more information, visit www.BlackoutSolutions.org, or www.illinoispirg.org or call 312-364-0096. To obtain a copy of the report, send a $30 check or money order, payable to Illinois pirg Education Fund, to Illinois pirg Education Fund, 180 W. Washington, Suite 510, Chicago, Ill. 60602.
— Marla Donato
Fishy Findings
THE STATE and federal governments may have dropped the ball on regulating coal-burning power plants responsible for much of the mercury that plagues waterways and contaminates the food supply. But nutrition experts say that the benefits of eating fish are still too great to give up all seafood for fear that mercury might wind up on the dinner table. Instead, they are encouraging people to choose wisely.
On May 21, middle and high school teachers from 20 southern Lake Michigan communities, including the Calumet area, will be the first to participate in “Fish School,” a program designed by Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, University of Illinois and Purdue University, to pass the word about healthy fish consumption. The workshop will be held at Purdue University-Calumet.
“It is our hope that the students will then go back to their families and tell them what they learned about eating fish,” said Leslie Dorworth, aquatic ecology specialist with the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, a national program. “It is the best way to reach the families and at-risk populations.”
Many types of fish are vital sources of omega-3 fatty acids or fish oil, used by the body for energy and tissue development. Fish oil is essential for normal functioning eyes and brain.
The American Heart Association recommends adults eat at least two 6-ounce servings of fish each week.
Still, consumers, particularly pregnant or nursing mothers and children, need to be aware of the risks of mercury. This year the Illinois Fish Contaminant Monitoring Program issued a statewide advisory warning children under 15, pregnant women and women who could become pregnant to avoid eating predatory fish, which have the highest concentration of mercury in their tissue.
Predatory fish such as swordfish and shark are popular menu items at many high-end restaurants.
Last year the epa estimated that as many as 630,000 children are born each year in the United States with unsafe levels of mercury in their blood.
According to a report entitled American’s Children and the Environment, compiled by the epa in 2003, children whose mothers’ diets were comprised of large quantities of mercury-contaminated fish exhibited more frequent impairment to language, memory and attention skills. Particularly high mercury exposure can result in mental retardation and seizures.
Much of the information presented in “Fish School” will also be available in the brochure, “Contaminants in Fish and Seafood: A Guide to Safe Consumption.” For a copy of the brochure, call Susan White 217-333-9441 or e-mail. Visit www.iisgcp.org.
— Erin Meyer
Recycle Your Batteries and Keep the Lead Out
DON’T KNOW what to do with all those dead AA batteries? Feel guilty about dumping them into your kitchen garbage can? Well, you don’t have to now. Starting this spring, all the city’s libraries and Walgreen’s drugstore locations in Chicago have agreed to accept household batteries as part of a new recycling program.
“Through the city’s partnership with Walgreen’s and Chicago Public Library we have more than 200 convenient drop-off sites across the city,” said Al Sanchez, commissioner of the Department of Streets and Sanitation, which administers the city’s recycling program.
People can drop off alkaline, rechargeable and other types of common household batteries in receptacles at the designated locations while shopping or returning library books, Sanchez said.
Recycling batteries keeps lead and acid out of the waste stream, most of which winds up in landfills and eventually can contaminate the water supply.
The battery-recycling program involves the reprocessing and reuse of plastic, lead and other heavy metals and acid.
And while you’re in the mood to clean out your cupboards, you can take that spring cleaning fever outdoors on May 14 when Chicago is encouraging residents to hit the streets and beautify neighborhoods by picking up litter and trash. The city has promised to provide brooms, rakes, shovels and bags. The Spring Clean and Green Day is a 17-year-old initiative of Mayor Richard Daley.
For more information, visit www.cityofchicago.org, or call 311.
— Erin Meyer
Yoga May Aid Fertility
COUPLES STRUGGLING with fertility issues may do well to consider yoga and other natural methods to boost their chances and cope with the stress and anxiety of trying to conceive.
Pulling Down the Moon, 900 N. Kingsbury St., offers yoga classes, acupuncture, massage therapy and related workshops and seminars. Through a partnership with the Fertility Holistic Center of Illinois, the center offers its clients resources and support for going through the fertility process.
Although the process has not been scientifically proven, co-founder Tami Quinn said studies show that by increasing blood flow into the reproductive organs, a couple’s chances of reproducing are increased. She added that staying calm also helps.
Quinn co-founded Pulling Down the Moon with Beth Heller after going through fertility treatments and seeing the need for the support from such a facility. Both women eventually became pregnant.
“It has been our labor of love to help women going though this stressful time,” Quinn said.
The center has become so successful that plans are under way to open another location later this year.
For more information or to register for classes, visit www.pullingdownthemoon.com or call 312-829-0800.
— Belia Ortega
