earth – Page 28 – Citizens for Alternatives to Chemical Contamination

Chernobyl Photos On Display in Detroit

Posted on April 27, 2016 by earth

On this 30th anniversary of the onset of the Chernobyl nuclear catastrophe, the Alliance To Halt Fermi-3 (ATHF3), in association with the Swords Into Plowshares Peace Center and Gallery (33 East Adams, Detroit, MI) is proud to announce the opening of “Chernobyl + 30: Half-Lives, Half-Truths” by photojournalist Gabriela Bulisova. The display will begin on Friday, May 27th, 2016 from 6 PM until 9 PM and extend into Summer 2016.

Ms. Bulisova traveled to the region in the 2000’s and captured startling images of Chernobyl landscapes and the affected population. Her artist statement and captions, coupled with the photos, reflect the story not only of an environmental and human health disaster, but also of a monstrous event resulting in an enormous psychological toll on millions of people.

“Alliance To Halt Fermi-3 is profoundly grateful to the Swords Into Plowshares Peace Center and Gallery for giving us the opportunity to display Gabriela Bulisova’s extremely powerful work,” said Keith Gunter, Co-Chair of ATHF3. “This will be a tremendous opportunity for Detroiters to have a long look at what the after effects of a nuclear meltdown look like.”

Carol Izant, the Alliance’s other Co-Chair, added “This exhibit should give residents of this area reason to pause and think, since a partial meltdown occurred at Detroit Edison’s Fermi-1 reactor on October 5, 1966. We’ve already had our own close call.”

Admission to the exhibit will be free, and will include a display addressing the situation at Chernobyl as it stands three decades later. “Chernobyl + 30” will open simultaneously at the Gallery with another exhibit addressing the compelling issues surrounding drones.

One Trillion Tax Dollars for Nuclear War

Posted on April 22, 2016 by earth

While debate rages over domestic spending, the US government is quietly planning to blow $1,000,000,000,000 updating their ability to lay waste to all life on Earth.

[From the Arms Control Association (ACA)]
“Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert Work testified to the House Armed Services Committee on June 25, 2015 that “modernizing and sustaining” the nuclear arsenal will cost an average of $18 billion per year between 2021 and 2035 in FY 2016 dollars. When combined with the cost to sustain the current arsenal as the new systems are built, this will roughly double spending on nuclear weapons.”

The old models are just so.... 80's — The old models are bad enough

The Obama administration has requested massive increases for nuclear weapons programs. Current and proposed spending levels currently exceed what the administration originally claimed they would be.

In fact, president Obama’s FY 2016 request for nuclear weapons programs at the Energy Department is roughly $3.5 billion more than President Bush’s final budget request.

Thanks, Obama.

The update will include Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBMs), strategic bomber aircraft, modernized strategic delivery systems, refurbishing nuclear warheads, modernizing the production complex, and updating command and control systems. Pretty much everything you’d need to wipe small planet of all life, turning a once shimmering biosphere into a charred powdery remnant of human shame.

“The Air Force is planning to purchase 80-100 new, dual-capable long-range penetrating bombers that will replace the B-1 and B-52 bombers. Known as the LRS-B, the Pentagon estimates the average procurement unit cost per aircraft will be $511 million in 2010 dollars when procuring a 100 aircraft. The Obama administration asked for $1.2 billion for the program in FY 2016. The Air Force plans to spend $41.7 billion over the next ten years on research and development for the new bomber (in then-year dollars).” [ACA]

For all the details visit: the Arms Control Association

Keep reading:
“Hiroshima: Breaking the Silence” by Howard Zinn with an introduction by Yuki Tanaka

Nuclear Darkness: The Deadly Cost of a Nuclear War

Still Denying Climate Change? – opinion

Posted on March 31, 2016 by earth

As of today, those among us who still deny climate change are farther behind the curve than Fox News.

by Wes Raymond – CACC administrator

A recent study published by the journal Nature warns that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet could collapse, potentially raising sea levels by 30 feet as soon as 2100, and more than 50 feet over the next 500 years. The authors attribute ice collapse to warming caused by greenhouse gas emissions. For many of us, this information is filed under “things we’ve been trying to tell people about since 1986”, and the real story is how Fox News came out of left field and published an article about climate science that’s…. well… true.

Check it out here

Of course, a little ink is still wasted on ridiculous “skepticism”, but it’s relegated to a short paragraph all the way at the bottom. Progress? Maybe.

I fear as climate awareness grows, the absence of a debate turned media circus over climate will force the issue to the back burner in the election. (An election that is, of course, monopolizing everyone’s attention and energy.) Also, acceptance of a problem does not preclude actually doing something about a problem. American absurdism could keep the GHG tap on for quite some time if left to its own devices. It’s up to us to keep the reality of humanity’s relationship with the biosphere at the forefront of all discourse, political and otherwise.