The Green Blog Network: 2015

COP21: Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Reveals 2 Global Reports

reprint of press release

posted by Paige Donner

COP21: Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger
will reveal two global reports

Nine Global Actions That Dramatically
Cut Carbon Emissions
Climate Finance Action Plan That
Shows How to Replicate These Successes
Around the World

Paris, 5 December 2015 - R20 Founder and
former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger,
Yale University, and the Stanley Foundation,
in collaboration with the R20 and USC
Schwarzenegger Institute, released
"Scaling Up: From Local to Global Climate Action."

This report confirms that sub-national
action on climate change is in many ways surpassing national
efforts in scope and ambition. The report uses case studies
from nine regions around the world to highlight initiatives that,
if adopted nationally, would contribute significantly to, or even
surpass, country-level mitigation goals.

The highlighted initiatives have the potential to raise
national ambition; spur additional mitigation, adaptation,
and climate financing; and inject an emphasis on
solutions-directed efforts into the public dialogue on climate change.

From California to Rajasthan, India, these case studies reveal a range
of local partnerships that exhibit strong climate leadership.

"I have always said that our states, provinces, and cities
are where the action is. We proved it in California and
many of our policies have been adopted by our federal
government. This report proves the value of sub-national
governments all over the world taking action and not
waiting for their national leaders or international
institutions to help us solve the world's most pressing
challenge - - climate change,"
declares Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

In concert with this report, the R20 and the USC
Schwarzenegger institute also released
"Climate Finance: A Status Report and Action Plan"
which gives tangible, concrete examples of how to expedite
the transition to a low-carbon economy based on proven
technologies and projects all over the world, such as
those described in "Scaling Up".

Drafted at the request of French
President Francois Hollande, who identified climate finance
as critical to the negotiations at COP21, the report offers a
comprehensive road map to effectively tackle climate
finance challenges. The report gives examples of
supportive governments in various regions around the
world (at the sub-national and national level); mature
low-carbon technologies; and substantial amounts of
capital, but also points out that intermediaries are
needed to align interests and develop projects.
The Report concludes by proposing concrete solutions
moving forward and will also serve as the basis for
implementation of climate finance solutions post COP21.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Founding Chair of the R20
and Chairman of the USC Schwarzenegger Institute,
will participate in a number of COP21 events to draw
attention to these two papers and continue his longstanding
commitment in addressing climate change and protecting
the environment. Schwarzenegger will highlight the
important role that sub-national leadership is providing
in reducing carbon emissions and will stress the need
to accelerate the action being created at the local level.

On Saturday December 5th, Schwarzenegger will give
a key note speech to the Inter-Parliamentary Union where he will formally announce the reports and will present copies to French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.

Two days later, on December 7th, Schwarzenegger will speak to the students and faculty of Sciences Po University about the long-term nature of the climate change challenge and the important role future generations of leaders will play in addressing it.

On December 8th Schwarzenegger will deliver remarks to the official UN negotiating body that is working to formally integrate subnational actions into the UNFCCC negotiations for the first time in history. He will highlight how much progress sub-nationals have made to support the reasoning for this new officially sanctioned approach.

###

About R20

R20 Regions of Climate Action is a non-profit organization
founded by Arnold Schwarzenegger and other global
leaders in cooperation with the United Nations.

Our mission is to help sub-national governments around
the world to develop and communicate low-carbon and
climate resilient economic development projects.
We do so by working in three primary aspects of
development: policy, technology, and finance.
www.regions20.org

About the USC Schwarzenegger Institute

The USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy is committed to advancing post-partisanship, where leaders put people over political parties and work together to find the best ideas and solutions to benefit the people they serve. The Institute seeks to influence public policy and public debate in finding solutions to the serious challenges we face.While the Institute engages on a variety of critical policy areas, a primary focus is climate change, which reflects Governor Schwarzenegger's leadership on the issue and it being one of the defining challenges of our generation.
www.schwarzeneggerinstitute.com

About the Stanley Foundation

The Stanley Foundation advances multilateral action to create fair, just, and lasting solutions to critical issues of peace and security. The foundation's work is built on a belief that greater international cooperation will improve global governance and enhance global citizenship. The organization values its Midwestern roots and family heritage as well as its role as a nonpartisan, private operating foundation. The Stanley Foundation does not make grants. www.stanleyfoundation.org.

About Yale University

Since its founding in 1701, Yale has been dedicated to expanding and sharing knowledge, inspiring innovation, and preserving cultural and scientific information for future generations.

Yale's reach is both local and international. It partners with its hometown of New Haven, Connecticut to strengthen the city's community and economy. And it engages with people and institutions across the globe in the quest to promote cultural understanding, improve the human condition, delve more deeply into the secrets of the universe, and train the next generation of world leaders. www.yale.edu

Eco.Luxury.Style – quarterly Sustainable Magazine

Green Blog Network * Greening Hollywood * Greening Beauty

Greening Paris * Greening Vancouver

Celebrate World Water Week With Us!

5 Water Purification Designs for Third World Countries

(Infographic courtesy of http://ufonline.ufl.edu/infographics/five-water-purification-designs/)

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 748 million people lack access to uncontaminated drinking water sources. Moreover, WHO estimates that 1.8 billion people use a fecally contaminated drinking water source, 2.5 billion lack access to improved sanitation facilities and more than 840,000 people die from water related diseases annually.

Contaminated water is the number one cause of death in developing countries, causing diseases such as cholera, hepatitis, typhoid fever, malaria, ascariasis, dengue fever and many other deadly illnesses. In fact, contaminated water is the number one public health concern globally based on its impact to society, according to the WHO. Fortunately, the WHO estimates that 10% of the global disease burden could be prevented with improved water supply and sanitation. In light of this, a number of innovations and technologies are providing growing solutions to this problem.

Eco.Luxury.Style - quarterly Sustainable Magazine

Green Blog Network * Greening Hollywood * Greening Beauty

Greening Paris * Greening Vancouver

Recycle, Reuse, Rejoice!

The Race for Water Odyssey in Guam For New Scientific Analyses

To read it in French, click here

Press Release for immediate distribution

July 13th, 2015 - Guam (USA)

The scientific teams of the Race for Water Odyssey in Guam for new analyses on plastic pollution in oceans

Leaving Honolulu on June 30, the Race for Water Odyssey has since travelled with the purpose of going to Guam (Mariana Islands) for a new scientific stopover. The simultaneous presence of two typhoons in the area has forced the crew to change its itinerary. Despite the absence of the navigation team in Guam, the planned stopover in this archipelago can still be conducted under good conditions. The R4WO scientific team arrived on the island yesterday and will deploy the protocol as initially planned.

The R4WO crew was forced to go off-route over these last few days because of the formation of tropical cyclones Chan-Hom and Nangka in the North-Western Pacific. This is more specifically the Nangka typhoon (ranked category 5 on a scale of 1 to 5) which has forced the crew of the R4WO to bypass the Mariana Archipelago. However, these necessary safety measures did not undermine the continuation of the expedition.

Tomorrow the shore crew will carry out beach samplings on three selected beaches on the Guam Island. On site up to July 18, the teams will also meet local stakeholders from the scientific and associative communities during a round table discussion on plastic pollution organised at Guam University.

Next stops: Tokyo and Shanghai

During this stopover in the Mariana Islands, the MOD70 Race for Water trimaran will continue its route towards the next stops of the expedition: Tokyo first of all, then Shanghai. In the two Asian megacities, the aim of the R4WO will be to exchange and raise awareness among local actors on the problem of plastic pollution in oceans.

Click here to follow the expedition live!

Click here for more information about the program in Guam!

About the Race for Water Odyssey (R4WO)

Initiated by the Race for Water foundation, the "Race for Water Odyssey" is a unique expedition that aims to draw up the first global assessment of plastic pollution in the ocean by visiting island beaches situated in the 5 trash vortexes. In less than 300 days, over 40,000 nautical miles will be traveled, punctuated by 11 scientific stopovers and 9 outreach stopovers, involving a total of 13 countries. The Race for Water Odyssey benefits from the support of ISAF, Duke University, Oregon State University, senseFly, Swisscom and Swissnex.

About the Race for Water Foundation

Founded in Lausanne in 2010, the "Race for Water" Foundation's mission is to preserve our planet's most valuable resource: water. The foundation is an officially recognized non-profit organization seeking to implement concrete and sustainable actions, focusing on two main themes: protecting oceans and freshwater. "Race for Water" initiates projects aimed at raising awareness and taking concrete action on the ground. These actions are directed at four target audiences: economic players, political bodies, the scientific community, and the general public—with particular emphasis on future generations. "Race for Water" collaborates with organizations such as UNESCO, UNEP, IUCN, WWF, and WBCSD.

GREEN BLOG NETWORK

Seeing Green - New Book by Arch Institute Senior Advisor

Seeing Green—by Annabel Hertz

Annabel Hertz is senior advisor to the Arch Institute and, like Arcani, the novel's protagonist, she grew up in San Francisco and lives on avocados and espresso.

Compelled by the indigenous peoples at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, Arcani Kirsch, a recent graduate with Jewish-Hopi roots, leaves her west coast cocoon to join EnvironMentality, an international association of green-minded businesses in Washington, DC, committed to getting the Earth Treaty ratified. The first step is ensuring next US President attends a Ministerial meeting in Paris and Arcani spearheads a campaign to do just that. If only an ultranationalist professor had not plagiarized her work! Then there's the man who could derail her with his lustiness, the one that wants her to come to Christ, and the one she'd written off as dead, as well as an albatross of a sister to cope with. The path to Paris is indeed muddy. But Arcani plows ahead, trying to keep her vision true, her methods kosher, and her doting Aunt proud. En route to the Ministerial, she makes her mark in unexpected ways.

Described as a "timely, energetic and witty" story of a young woman on a mission to puncture the stasis of US environmental policy, Seeing Green pays homage to the DC scene, international---and office---politics, and idealism, providing "a refreshing contrast to the stale and polarized politics of our own time." The novel also explores the rocky and rewarding terrain of family and personal relationships from the perspective of a multicultural protagonist in "a felicitously fast-moving, tightly organized narrative."

Eco.Luxury.Style - quarterly Sustainable Magazine

Green Blog Network * Greening Hollywood * Greening Beauty

Greening Paris * Greening Vancouver

Recycle, Reuse, Rejoice!

Pope Francis' Encyclical on Climate Change

posted by Paige Donner

Read the full original text, in English (also French, Italian, Spanish, etc.) translation, HERE

Direct Link To Pope Francis' Encyclical - The Original Text Document

.... aint Francis of Assisi

10. I do not want to write this Encyclical without turning to that attractive and compelling figure, whose name I took as my guide and inspiration when I was elected Bishop of Rome. I believe that Saint Francis is the example par excellence of care for the vulnerable and of an integral ecology lived out joyfully and authentically. He is the patron saint of all who study and work in the area of ecology, and he is also much loved by non-Christians. He was particularly concerned for God's creation and for the poor and outcast. He loved, and was deeply loved for his joy, his generous self-giving, his openheartedness. He was a mystic and a pilgrim who lived in simplicity and in wonderful harmony with God, with others, with nature and with himself. He shows us just how inseparable the bond is between concern for nature, justice for the poor, commitment to society, and interior peace.

...

Eco.Luxury.Style – quarterly Sustainable Magazine

Green Blog Network * Greening Hollywood * Greening Beauty

Greening Paris * Greening Vancouver

Update on Santa Barbara County Oil Spill Recovery Efforts - Gov. Brown Issues Executive Order

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, June 5, 2015

Information & Questions Coordinated by

Oil Spill Joint Information Center

805-770-3682

Unified Command Website

www.refugioresponse.com

Governor Brown Issues Executive Order to Further Expedite Oil Spill Recovery Efforts in Santa Barbara County

SACRAMENTO - As federal, state, and local agencies continue working to minimize and mitigate the effects of last month's Santa Barbara County oil spill, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today issued an executive order to further expedite recovery efforts and help ensure the natural environment is restored, beaches are reopened and economic impacts are minimized.

The Governor's order directs state agencies responsible for cleanup and restoration to take all necessary steps to issue emergency waivers and permits to facilitate the reopening of fishing, public access, and impacted beaches and waters, including Refugio State Beach and El Capitan State Beach, and waives the waiting period for unemployment insurance for those workers affected by the oil spill.

The Governor also directs the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Office of Spill Prevention and Response to continue working with other federal, state, and local agencies to clean up and mitigate the impacts of the oil spill and to hold the responsible parties accountable for environmental and fiscal damages.

The Governor's May 20, 2015 proclamation along with today's executive order advance a combined effort across federal, state and local agencies, tribal governments, local volunteers, conservation and environmental organizations, and citizens to deal with the effects of this substantial spill along an iconic stretch of California's remarkable coastline.

(Copy of executive order text below)

EXECUTIVE ORDER B-31-15

WHEREAS on May 20, 2015, I proclaimed a state of emergency to exist as a result of a pipeline rupture causing a significant release of oil and potentially other hazardous substances into the Pacific Ocean near Refugio State Beach located in Santa Barbara County; and

WHEREAS numerous state agencies and departments have been deployed to the impacted areas to respond to and mitigate the damage of the oil spill; and

WHEREAS those agencies and departments, joined by federal and local agencies and local volunteers, have worked tirelessly to contain the spill and to minimize and

mitigate its effects on the environment, fisheries, wildlife, and the local economy; and

WHEREAS notwithstanding the best efforts of the state, federal, and local agencies and many volunteers, the oil spill has had a tremendous impact on the environment, resulting in the loss of marine mammals, birds, and fish that will continue long into the future; and

WHEREAS Refugio State Beach and El Capitan State Beach have been closed due to the unsafe conditions created by the spill; and

WHEREAS fisheries are closed resulting in 138 square miles of ocean being closed to commercial fishing causing significant damage to this industry; and

WHEREAS local governments and businesses along the Santa Barbara County Coast will continue to suffer economic impacts from this oil spill; and

WHEREAS emergency operations are now focused on restoring the impacted areas, but expedited efforts are still needed to restore the environment, reopen the beaches, and minimize economic impacts; and

WHEREAS under the provisions of section 8558(b) of the California Government Code, I find that conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property continue to exist due to the oil spill in the County of Santa Barbara; and

WHEREAS under the provisions of section 8571 of the California Government Code, I find that strict compliance with the statutes specified in this order would prevent, hinder, or delay the mitigation of the effects of the oil spill.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, EDMUND G. BROWN JR., Governor of the State of California, in accordance with the authority vested in me by the Constitution and statutes of the State of California, and in particular, sections 8567 and 8571 of the California Government Code, do hereby issue the following orders to become effective immediately:

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT:

The provisions of the May 20, 2015 Proclamation declaring a State of Emergency remain in full force and effect, except as modified herein.
The Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Office of Spill Prevention and Response shall continue working with other federal, state, and local agencies to take appropriate actions to clean up and mitigate the impacts of the oil spill and to hold the responsible parties accountable for the cleanup and mitigation of the environmental and fiscal impacts of the oil spill.
The provisions of section 1253 of the Unemployment Insurance Code imposing a one-week waiting period for unemployment insurance applicants are waived as to all applicants who are unemployed as a direct result of the oil spill, who apply for unemployment insurance benefits during the time period beginning May 20, 2015 and ending on the close of business on November 20, 2015, and who are otherwise eligible for unemployment insurance benefits in California.
Because emergency efforts are now focused on restoration, paragraph 5 of the May 20, 2015 Proclamation, suspending chapter 7 of division 20 of the Public Resources Code, is hereby revoked. Subject to the primary authority of the Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Office of Spill Prevention and Response administrator for oil spill response under the Lempert-Keene-Seastrand Oil Spill Prevention and Response Act, and specifically sections 8670.5 and 8670.7 of the Government Code, all agencies, including the Coastal Commission pursuant to its authority under section 30600(e) of the Public Resources Code, with notice to and coordination with the administrator, shall take all necessary steps to issue on an emergency basis any necessary waivers or permits to facilitate the reopening of fishing, public access, and impacted beaches and waters, including Refugio State Beach and El Capitan State Beach.
Paragraph 8 of the May 20, 2015 Proclamation, suspending Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District Rule 326, is hereby revoked as it is no longer necessary for restoration efforts.

This Executive Order is not intended to, and does not, create any rights or benefits, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity, against the State of California, its agencies, departments, entities, officers, employees, or any other person.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this fifth day of June 2015.

EDMUND G. BROWN JR.

Governor of California

ATTEST:

ALEX PADILLA

Secretary of State

Cal OES is responsible for the coordination of overall state agency response to major disasters in support of local government. The agency is responsible for assuring the state's readiness to respond to and recover from all hazards - natural, man-made, war-caused emergencies and disasters - and for assisting local governments in their emergency preparedness, response, recovery, and hazard mitigation efforts.

# # #


California Emergency Management Agency \| 3650 Schriever Avenue \| State Emergency Operations Center \| Mather \| CA \| 95655 *Eco.Luxury.Style* – quarterly Sustainable Magazine Green Blog Network * Greening Hollywood * Greening Beauty Greening Paris * Greening Vancouver

Earth Day San Francisco - Events Lineup

"We both love nature and are proud to be a part of such a wonderful celebration of positive ideas."
- Gabriel and Dresden

"On this beautiful Earth Day 2015 let us take a grateful moment to be thankful to our beautiful mother earth, from which life is born and nurtured. Let us work harder and with more thought and compassion to take care of her and keep her safe and clean. Let us work to teach, inform, and kindly pass on ways in which we can conserve, preserve and care for the health of mother earth, which in turn is all our health, as well. Let us be more thoughtful that we are all one, unified here on our lovely mother earth, and that it is each and every one of our responsibilities to her and to one another to care for our amazing home! Let us strive to make each and every day a step in a more positive, healing and healthy direction for our spectacular home, the Earth, ourselves, and all that share our extraordinary home, Mother Earth! Happy Earth Day San Francisco! We love you Earth!"
- Love, peace and light, Forest Green

"For me, Earth Day is about raising awareness. There are so many great people and amazing movements working towards environmental/biological re-alignment and Earth Day is a time for those movements to grow and ideas to spread. It is a time to inform, ideate, and innovate."
- DJ Mike Teez

In Celebration of the 45th Anniversary of Earth Day, we are happy to present the Earth Day SF Street Fest!

Located in the heart of the most culturally rich neighborhood in the city, "The Mission," Earth Day SF unites Artists, Activists and Amazing Entertainers all dedicated to promoting the protection and preservation of our Beloved Mother Earth and all of her inhabitants. This one-of-a-kind event promises to be a robust celebration of everything "Green, Fun and Sustainable."

Join us on Saturday, April 18th from 10 am to 7 pm as we take to the streets and celebrate Earth Day San Francisco style.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

Join in the fun at Grove on the Road at Earth Day, where 22nd Street and Valencia Street meet!

Enjoy live, admission-free performances, interactive arts workshops for all ages, and celebrate Earth Day San Francisco and the 45th Anniversary of Earth Day

Performances:

Rupa & the April Fishes
5:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Bayonics
3:15 - 4:15 p.m.

Boca do Rio
1:30 - 2:30 p.m.

All-Ages Workshops:

Drumming with BoomShake! Music
2:30 – 3:15 p.m.

Brazilian Dance with Tika Morgan
12:00-1:00 p.m.

Instrument Exploration Station
12:00 - 5:00 p.m.

PLANET DANCE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
22nd and Mission Street stage

10:00 AM Welcome to Earth Day SF 2015
DJ Mike Teez

11:55 AM Earth Day Message

12:00 PM People Power Band

12:45 PM Guest Speakers
Mona Lisa Wallace, Esq., Civil and Environmental Rights Activist
Valerie Ibarra, Radio Host and Producer of Women's Magazine
Pam Larry, Northern CA Director of Label GMO's
Monica Lopez, March Against Monsanto
Stacy Malkan, Co-Founder of Campaign for Safe Cosmetics

1 PM Eco Fashion Show presented by Shirin Hashem

1:30 PM Guest Speaker
Smita Paul, Founder of Indigo Handloom

1:40 PM Janaka Selekta featuring live tabla player Amit U Sharma

2:30 PM DJ Jimmy Bell vs. Ka'Nete

3:20 PM NON PROFIT SPOTLIGHT:
Leila Salazar-Lopez, Executive Director of Amazon Watch
Jess Dervin-Ackerman, Conservation Program Manager of Sierra Club SF
Maureen Perron, Co-Founder of Save Our Planet

3:45 PM KEYNOTE SPEAKER: John C. Roulac, Founder and CEO of Nutiva
"The Solution Under Our Feet: How Regenerative Organic Agriculture Can Save the Planet"
Friends of the Urban Forest "Most Greenified Neighborhood" Award

4:00 PM Forest Green v. Mixtress Shazaam

5:00 PM Gabriel and Dresden

6:00 PM Cellspace Procession
Closing Remarks
DJ Mike Teez

Official Earth Day SF Pre and Post Events
dine out for earth

Thanks for the support Rock the Earth, Bicycle Day, Opel Productions, Plur Alliance, Kandi Love, and CELLspace!

We'll be raffling off 2 VIP tickets to Bicycle Day and
2 General Admission tickets to Opel's event at Public Works at the Planet Dance stage

Thanks to our over 35 Fantastic Earth Friendly Exhibitors, Green Team, Media Partners, and all the love received across the Bay Area.

Last but not least, a very special thank you goes out to
Earth Day SF 2015 Sponsors --

UNITED ECO SKIES
KEVITA
KIND SNACKS
ENERGY UPGRADE CALIFORNIA
smart car
PEOPLE POWER
SPARE THE AIR
SIERRA NEVADA
DOMENICO WINERY

Earth Day SF is so grateful to have your support of this year's event and can't wait to celebrate with you!

Earth Day SF 2015 Logo

Green Blog Network * Greening Hollywood *

Greening Beauty * Greening Paris * Greening Vancouver

Race For Water Reaches The Bermudas

(posted from Press Release)

To read in French go to Greening Paris

The "Race for Water Odyssey" reaches the Bermudas and continues its scientific analyses

The Race for Water Odyssey (R4WO) arrived today in Bermuda, the second witness island of the expedition. The crew will stay on the British Archipelago for 6 days in order to collect scientific data, enabling an initial global assessment of ocean pollution caused by plastic waste.

After 7 days of turbulent navigation from the Azores due to the passing of a very lively weather front, the R4WO drew up, this Wednesday April 1st, in Hamilton. Present in Bermuda until April 5th, the expedition team will analyze the waste littering 6 strictly-selected beaches of the archipelago. In order to obtain comparable data, these analyses will be carried out according to the same scientific protocol as the one deployed in the Azores, working with local associations such as "Keep Bermuda Beautiful". In addition, visits of the "MOD70 Race for Water" trimaran will be organized for the public. During this stopover, the R4WO benefits from the support of the Fairmont Hamilton Princess Hotel.

Next stop: New York

The R4WO will finish its crossing of the Atlantic by then setting off for New York, next stage in its world tour. In the megalopolis, several events will be organized to raise awareness and to draw the public's attention to the problem of plastic waste in oceans. The R4WO will have the honour, amongst others, to talk about this crucial theme during a plenary session organized at the UN headquarters in collaboration with the UNEP.

About Race for Water Odyssey (R4WO)

Green Blog Network * Greening Hollywood *

Greening Beauty * Greening Paris * Greening Vancouver

The Green Blog Network