8.19.2010

392 ppm CO2 Currently World Wide

Dear Friends,

Sometimes 'climate change' can seem like an abstraction. That is, until you see it in action, as we have this summer in Pakistan, in the mountains of China, in Ladakh, and in the overheated peat bogs of central Russia.

This is all part of the reality we face in our current world of 392 ppm CO2. Our main work is to try and slow down the climate crisis before it gets worse--by getting to work on climate solutions that can get us back to 350.

But working to create a safe climate future doesn't mean we don't need to try and help the victims of the climate crisis along the way. When our comrades and colleagues issue a call for assistance, we do everything we can to respond.

The recent floods in Pakistan have displaced 20 million people, and nearly a fifth of the country is literally underwater. The scale of the suffering is difficult to fathom--and though relief efforts are underway, reports from the ground indicate that the response has been far too small and slow to provide the level of relief needed.

That's why we hope you'll take a moment to send some money off to the relief agencies and local groups dealing with the recent climate disasters:

www.350.org/disasters

All of the countries recently devastated by the floods, mudslides, and heatwaves were hugely active in the International Day of Climate Action last October 24 (check out the photos below) and they're all planning events for 10/10/10: the Global Work Party. It's both tragic and inspiring to see the pictures of a fifth of Pakistan underwater--and in those same areas see amazing events registered 10/10/10.

In the face of a changing climate, we hope you'll send some money to the victims of climate disasters--and that you'll keep working in your community to build this movement.

Many thanks,

Bill McKibben for the 350.org Team

P.S. We're sure you've seen the heart-wrenching images of Pakistanis underwater, Russians coping with fire, and the Chinese recovering from devastating mudslides. We thought you might like to see a more hopeful set of pictures from these countries:

Pakistan

Russia

China

You should join us on Facebook by becoming a fan of our page at facebook.com/350org and follow us on twitter by visiting twitter.com/350

To join our list (maybe a friend forwarded you this e-mail) visit www.350.org/signup

350.org needs your help! To support our work, donate securely online at 350.org/donate

Congress-Dirty Energy Money-US Politicians

No More Dirty Energy Money!

Congress' inability to pass meaningful energy and climate legislation is completely unacceptable.

Enough is enough. To break our nation's addiction to oil and coal, our Representatives will clearly have to break their addiction to dirty energy money.

No more oily Representatives. No more subsidies to these rich corporations as rewards for campaign contributions.

Our government should represent us, not the fossil fuel industry.

Use this tool to write your Representatives in Washington today and demand that they end their addiction to dirty energy money!

In order to address your message to the appropriate recipient, we need to identify where you are.
Please enter your zip/postal code:

To Find the Top Contributors and The Politicians who are receiving Political Pay-Offs use the following link: http://dirtyenergymoney.com/

--
Scott's Contracting
scottscontracting@gmail.com

Energy-policy analysis and congressional action

Legislative Contact Links- Stop Big Oil Bail Outs

Dear Scotts,

Thanks for asking Congress to end the bailouts to big oil. Can you help spread the word before it's too late by telling 5 friends?

If you are on Facebook, click here to post the petition to your Wall.

If you have a Twitter account, click here to automatically tweet:
OMG! We just gave $35 billion in tax breaks 2Big Oil, inclu #BP. Help get them repealed now! http://bit.ly/9LpuZZ #p2 #oilspill

You can also send the following e-mail to your friends and family. Spreading the word is critical, but please only pass this message along to those who know you -- spam hurts our campaign.

-------------------------------------------

Hey there,

You won't believe this: While reaping the largest profits in history and destroying the Gulf of Mexico, BP and other Big Oil companies have shaken more than $35 billion in special subsidies and tax breaks out of the U.S. taxpayer.

Surprised? I was.

That's why I just signed this petition telling Congress to end all tax breaks and subsidies for dirty fossil fuels and invest in green jobs and clean energy instead. Can you do the same thing?

http://www.stopbigoilbailouts.com/

Thanks!

-------------------------------------------

Thanks for all your work!

The team at
CREDO Mobile
Democracy for America
and TrueMajority / USAction

--
Scott's Contracting
scottscontracting@gmail.com
http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com
http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.com
scotty@stlouisrenewableenergy.com

Politics and Oil

Dear Scotts,

In mid-June, as 60,000 barrels of oil or more was spilling into the Gulf of Mexico daily, the U.S. Senate voted to preserve subsidies to the oil industry.

Then, as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency announced the planet had just come through the warmest decade, the warmest year, and the warmest April, May, and June on record, the Senate utterly failed to pass any energy, climate change, or even oil spill response legislation.*

Want to know why? You can start by going to CleanUptheSenate.com.

The website profiles 46 U.S. Senators - Democrat and Republican - who are allied with the oil industry. We're escalating our campaign to end oil and coal company campaign contributions, and after the last few months its clearly time.

Last week we launched DirtyEnergyMoney.com. We built this site to serve as a tool for the growing campaign to get dirty energy money out of politics. It's working. We're joined in this campaign by more than a dozen organizations representing millions of Americans.

Of course, we're also supported by all of you - and we need your help right now.

Right now, it's very important that you take action and help build the movement for a Separation of Oil and State. If you've already done that, or if you can do more, please read on.

Since the Gulf disaster began, the industry has been on the defensive. Now they've launched an all out PR blitz to keep Congress from regulating them, taking away their handouts, or even taxing them fairly.

They are organizing Astroturf rallies. They are covering the Capitol in cash and highly paid lobbyists wielding expensive studies predicting doom and gloom if "new taxes" are put on the oil industry.

When you hear them complain about "new taxes", know that what they mean is removing the taxpayer support they depend on to increase their already record level profits. Please join us in stopping these big oil bailouts.

We also hope that you can take the time to tell your Representatives exactly what you feel, directly. Right now, many groups are organizing rallies over the Congressional recess to pressure the Senate into action, and to demand they stop taking dirty energy money and start supporting an end to oil addiction, clean energy, and real action on climate change. Go to 350.org/shadow, and please consider organizing an event to greet your Senator.

Please join all of us today.

Peace,

Steve Kretzmann
Director, Oil Change International
Follow Oil Change on twitter!

PS - You can read daily dispatches and analysis of what's really going on in the Gulf - minus the industry spin, at our blog, Price of Oil.

* I shamelessly borrowed most of this paragraph from Bill McKibben. You should read his whole piece.

--
Scott's Contracting
scottscontracting@gmail.com
http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com
http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.com
scotty@stlouisrenewableenergy.com

8.18.2010

Repower America Bus Tour In St Louis

Attendee Name:	Scotts Contracting
Event Name:	The Job's Not Done Bus Tour - St Louis
Description:	Join Repower America and the Blue Green Alliance at the St Louis stop of our 17 state bus tour — in an American-made, biodiesel bus! — telling senators that THE JOB IS NOT DONE on climate change and clean energy. For questions or to RSVP, contact James at james.barnett@climateprotect.org.
Time:	Saturday, August 21, 2010 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM CDT
Host:	Vanessa Crawford
Location:	Sen. McCaskill's St Louis Office (Saint Louis, MO) 5850 Delmar Blvd, Ste. A Saint Louis, MO 63112

--
Scott's Contracting
scottscontracting@gmail.com
http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com
http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.com
scotty@stlouisrenewableenergy.com

Chinese Drywall-Warning Signals-Detection

Warning Signals
There are several problems caused by the Chinese drywall. How can a problem be detected? Look for these signs:

The drywall releases sulfur dioxide gas creating sulfuric acid. There is a smell like rotten eggs. Unfortunately, not all affected homes contain this odor.
Pitting faucets, appliances, and chrome or blackening of silver jewelry.
Look inside your electrical outlets and fuse box. If you have a soot-like blackening on the copper wires, they are being eaten away and could short circuit and create a fire.
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, cable boxes, televisions, and computers begin to fail, and light switches stop working.
Copper air conditioning coils pit, creating holes and releasing Freon gas into the homes.
Open the back of your air conditioner and inspect the coils and pipe leading out. If they are soot black rather than normal tarnished copper, you may have a problem. Call an air conditioning repairman to confirm.
Brass and other metal fittings in natural gas furnaces corrode. Look for possible leakage.
Inspect drywall for a "Made in China" label.
If any of the above are discovered, you should follow up with your builder, county or state health department, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and your insurance company.

Health Warnings
The health issue surrounding Chinese drywall is still open for debate and continuing research. According to Dr. David Krause, the lead toxicologist for the state of Florida, "We are currently testing Chinese-made drywall to determine if it is toxic and if it will be a long-term health problem." The testing determines what chemicals are in the drywall, gypsum, paper, and glue, and has been ongoing since October 2008.

However, Lennar Homes, the nation's second largest homebuilder, has been proactive. It has discovered the drywall in dozens of its homes and has hired Environ International to investigate buyers' complaints. Air sampling tests confirmed that sulfur compounds are inside many homes.

Lennar Homes has assumed the liability and is incurring the costs of moving buyers out of their homes, relocating them to rentals and gutting the homes. This includes removing all of the drywall, electrical wiring, appliances, metals, air conditioning systems, plumbing, insulation, and carpeting. They also remove all of the dust with a powerful HEPA vacuum air scrubber. Rebuilding a house and making it safe to live in takes four to six months with costs ranging from $50,000 to more than $100,000.

Health Issues

There are reports from owners who have purchased new homes containing Chinese drywall since 2004 that they are having health problems; several personal and class action lawsuits have been filed over health issues from Chinese drywall in state and federal courts.

The investigation is ongoing by consumer advocacy groups, county and state health departments, the consumer product safety commission, the EPA, and private toxicology labs representing owners, attorneys, and builders. During a Lee Building Industry Association conference in February 2009, Dr. Krause reported, "No health problems have been proven yet. Tests are ongoing and the results will be published in the future...on the hundreds of homes that have been inspected that contain the Chinese drywall." Only time and science will determine the existence of potential health problems caused by the drywall.

This author's advice is if you suspect you have Chinese drywall you should contact your insurance company immediately and put them on notice. This is for your future protection. Your policy may have a provision for paying a claim. You want to do this before the insurance company inserts a disclaimer in your policy. Michael Reitmann, Executive Vice President of the Lee Building Industry Association said, "Homeowners with concerns should contact their builder because, ultimately, the builder is responsible."

This is currently an emerging problem, only becoming public in Florida in December 2008. Not all areas of the country are aware of the potential problems the Chinese drywall may have created. Any homeowner who has had a home built or remodeled since 2001 should inspect it for the previously discussed warning signals. Real estate agents, appraisers, and home inspectors all should be aware of this potential challenge. If you find one of the warning signals, be prepared. Chinese drywall could be more costly to remediate than other historical challenges.

This story is reprinted with permission of Worldwide ERC® (July 2009 issue of MOBILITY). (Worldwide ERC® is the workforce mobility association for professionals who oversee, manage, or support U.S. domestic and international employee transfer.)

About the Author
Alvin L. Wagner, Jr., SCRP, SRA, Ft. Myers, Florida, is a retired relocation real estate appraiser and currently a consultant to A.L. Wagner Appraisal Group in Naperville, Illinois. He can be reached at (708) 825-6624, or ladwag@aol.com.