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Stop watching the News on T.V. filled with lies, propaganda, and made to make you feel helpless and afraid.
With all the negative news in the world, it's time to give you hope and inspiration. It's time to the weekly Good News!
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Sorry, I missed last week's "Good News" post, so this one is extra long, which is even more good news because what inspiration it is to see so much good going on in the world! ;)
GMO Labelling Laws Advance in Maine, Vermont, Connecticut!
GMO labeling bills recently cleared hurdles in Vermont, Maine and Connecticut. They still have a way to go before becoming law. But it’s a good sign that despite millions spent on lobbying, and despite threats of lawsuits against states that pass the GMO labeling laws, lawmakers are starting to take a stand.
On May 10, the Vermont House of Representatives passed H.112 by a vote of 99-42. The bill will be taken up by the Senate in January, 2014. On May 14, Maine’s L.D. 718 passed out of the Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee by a vote of 8-5. If passed, the law won’t go into effect until 2018, and then only after four of the nine northeastern states approve similar laws. And on May 21, the Connecticut Senate approved SB 802 by a vote of 35-1. The bill moves next to the Connecticut House.
Monsanto Surrenders: Ends All GMO Lobbying In Europe
Monsanto has officially give up its fight to spread genetically modified seeds and plants throughout Europe.
In a time when the power and political influence of Monsanto Co. seems nearly insurmountable, this is a huge victory for opponents of genetic engineering. For those in the U.S. and other countries where Monsanto’s stranglehold is palpable, it serves as a rally cry to keep up the good fight.
Portland, Ore. Voters Say ‘No’ to Fluoride in City Water
On Tuesday, May 21, voters in Portland, Ore. rejected a plan by city officials to fluoridate the city’s water, despite being outspent 3 – 1 by proponents of fluoridation. The anti-fluoridation campaign was launched last year after the City Council voted to add fluoride to the water supply, and citizens responded by gathering enough signatures to force a vote. Showing once again that when right, left, center, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian and Independents join forces for the common good, citizens can defeat corporate interests.
Montana Governor Vetos Bad Mining Bill
A heartfelt thank you to Montana's Governor Bullock, who recently took the hatchet to SB 347, a terrible bill that would have allowed mining companies to divert unlimited amounts of water from Montana rivers and streams.
Montana's nondegradation law keeps that in check by preventing dewatering over a certain numeric point. SB 347 would have chucked the numeric standards, and put in vague language that would make it difficult to protect Montana's famous trout streams and the downstream water rights holders who rely on that water.
Victory! Facebook Agrees to Combat Hate Speech Against Women
On Tuesday, after an onslaught of tweets and emails and facing a growing advertising boycott, Facebook agreed to do more to combat gender-based hate speech.
In a statement, Facebook admitted that its system for identifying and removing hate speech has been less than effective, and it has pledged to take some concrete steps.
The campaign elicited 60,000 tweets and 5,000 emails, and 15 companies pulled their ads from Facebook. This is truly an example of what we can do when we pull together.
Feds Postpone Plans to Delist Wolves Indefinitely
In a surprising turn of events, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced a delay in its plan to strip federal protection from nearly all gray wolves throughout the U.S. this week, but the plan could still move forward at any time.
Wolves aren't in the clear yet so it's important to keep the pressure on!
Wildlife Champions Stand Up to Stampede of Anti-Bison Bills
Just a few weeks ago, it looked like the effort to return wild bison to tribal lands would be stopped just as it was gaining ground. It looked like the dreams that culminated in the release of more than 60 bison from Yellowstone National Park last year on the Fort Peck Reservation would be killed.
The campaign to restore wild bison to the American prairies is still alive, thanks to the work by tribal and conservation leaders and the overwhelming public response. The National Wildlife Federation and more than 53,000 NWF members, activists, other sportsmen’s and conservation groups and wildlife advocates to defeat a barrage of anti-bison bills sponsored by Montana lawmakers.
Victory! Venues Cancel Piccadilly Circus Over Reports of Animal Abuse
At least two venues scheduled to host the Piccadilly Circus have canceled appearances after receiving information about the circus’s dismal record of animal abuse. Armed with information provided by In Defense of Animals, a New York advocacy group called Long Island Orchestrating for Nature (LION) and local activists in Bensalem, Pennsylvania provided venues with detailed histories of Piccadilly Circus’s egregious treatment of performing animals. Shows were promptly canceled at both of the venues.
Tarzan the Tar-Covered Cat is Saved by Good Samaritan
Last week, a young orange tabby got himself into a very sticky situation when he wandered into a construction site in Hyde Park, Massachusetts. The cat made his way into an area of thick tar and was coated in the black substance all the way up to his chest. Fortunately a Good Samaritan noticed the cat and was able to calmly capture him. The cat was brought to the MSPCA’s Angell Animal Medical Center in Jamaica Plain where veterinarians named him “Tarzan,” and gave him a shave to save him from toxicity.
Victory! Nevada Bans Breed Discrimination
Animal advocates and pit bull lovers are celebrating the news that Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval signed a bill that will ban breed specific legislation (BSL) in the state as of October 1, 2013.
Once it goes into effect, Assembly Bill 110 will prevent any governing body from enacting any type of laws or regulations that declare a dog dangerous or vicious based solely on a dog’s breed anywhere in Nevada, making it the 14th state to pass a law against BSL.
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