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QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
THIS IS THE NEXT AMERICAN REVOLUTION
"We are at a stage in human history that is as monumental as changing from a hunter/gatherer society to an agricultural society and from an agricultural society to and industrial society. Where we’re headed now will be different because we have exhausted planetary space and human space for us to continue to look at things through the Cartesian measurement of material things. We need to face the way we used the world for our gains, pleasures, satisfactions. This is the way we evolve to a higher stage of humanity. And unless we want to live in terror for the rest of our lives, we need to change our view about acquiring things. We have the opportunity to take a great leap forward in these very challenging times. We need to change our institutions and ourselves. We need to seize opportunities. We need to launch our imaginations beyond the thinking of the past. We need to discern who we are and expand on our humanness and sacredness. That’s how we change the world, which happens because WE will be the change."

Dr. Grace Lee Boggs, 93, a long-time Detroit political and labor activist, author, and philosopher.
Source: /articles/article_13671.cfm

FAIR TRADE ALERT OF THE WEEK:
TELL STARBUCKS WE WANT FAIR TRADE, NOT GREENWASHING
Despite ten years of consumer pressure and small farmer pleading, Starbucks has stubbornly refused to increase their purchase of certified Fair Trade and Organic coffee to a respectable level. Although most Starbucks Customers (and many of their employees) believe the majority of Starbucks coffee is Fair Trade, to date, only 6% of Starbucks’ coffee is certified Fair Trade. High quality certified Fair Trade and Organic coffee is readily available and is a concrete way that large corporations like Starbucks can support small-scale organic and sustainable coffee farmers abroad. /old_articles/starbucks/index.cfm

1) Sign OCA’s 2008 petition to Starbucks demanding that all espresso drinks be both 100% certified Organic and Fair Trade.
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/642/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=1267

2) Make a toll-free call to Starbucks’ Customer Service Line and let them know how you feel!  (800) 235-2883. Click here for a sample script.
/old_articles/Sbux/callstarbucks.htm

3) Sound off on My Starbucks Idea, Starbucks’ public forum. We have an idea for you Starbucks, its called Fair Trade!
http://www.mystarbucksidea.com/

4) Break the Chains. Find an independently owned café near you!

http://delocator.net/index.php

The Organic Consumers Association has embarked on a new campaign to ensure

that all of our supporters are educated about the importance of voting,

registered to vote, and will show up to vote on election day in November. We

just found out that an impressive 87% of Organic Consumers nationwide are registered to vote! That’s great, but that means 13% of us aren’t! We need your help! If you’re not registered to vote yet, email alexis@organicconsumers.org, and we’ll hook you up with the forms and information you need. If you are registered to vote and you want to help others do the same, volunteer by sending an e-mail to alexis@organicconsumers.org.



Neither one of the 2004 major party platforms mentioned organic food or farming. Let’s see if we can change that.



Click here to weigh in on the 2008 Democratic Platform: http://backbonecampaign.org/page.cfm?id=139



Click here to weigh in on the 2008 Republican Platform: http://www.gopplatform2008.com/intro.aspx

ESSAY OF THE WEEK:
RONNIE CUMMINS – NETROOTS NATION AT THE CROSSROADS
"Millions of Americans, especially the ‘netroots,’ those drawing their information and inspiration from the open sources of the internet, are finally connecting the dots between the burning issues, moving beyond limited concerns to radical awareness. A politicized new majority is waking up to the fact that the proverbial "end" is near. We must move beyond "business as usual" and tepid reform. We must link together our burning issues, unite our heretofore-fragmented forces and communities into a qualitatively more powerful current, and press and confront the Fortune 500 and the nation’s thousands of elected public officials-before it’s too late…"
Read more: /articles/article_13588.cfm

OCA’S KELLOGG’S BOYCOTT BUILDING MOMENTUM:
STOP MONSANTO’S GE SUGAR!


Over the last two weeks, thousands of OCA supporters have taken action, signing-on to our Boycott of Kellogg’s and Morningstar Farms products, sending hundreds of letters to the editor to their local newspaper and making the news! /articles/article_13702.cfm.  Ready to take it to the next level? Download OCA’s new GE Sugar flier (/old_articles/ge/GEsugarLeaflet.pdf), Kellogg’s Boycott petition (/old_articles/ge/KelloggsPetition.pdf), and spread the word.  



Attention Natural Food Stores & Coops: Interested in getting involved in OCA’s Kellogg’s & Morningstar Farms boycott? Contact OCA coordinator Ryan Zinn ryan@organicconsumers.org 818-659-1030 for more information.

WEB FORUM TOPIC OF THE WEEK:
EPA DROPS VALUE OF AMERICAN LIFE
The Environmental Protection Agency has released new figures for what they consider the average American’s life is worth. The amount, which is used to determine if the costs related to implementing various environmental policies are worth the amount of human life those policies save, has dropped one million dollars in just the last five years. Frankly stated, you’re not worth nearly as much to the U.S. Government as you used to be. Is this method of cost analysis and comparison a valid way of determining which environmental regulations are worth implementing and which are too expensive? Talk about it in OCA’s blog or web forum: /old_articles/forum/index.php?showtopic=1783

WEB VIDEO OF THE WEEK:
Suburban Farming: An Idea Whose Time Has Come
Meet people who have turned their lawns into suburban farming operations. /articles/article_13698.cfm

Through the Organic Consumers Fund’s Grassroots Netroots Alliance project,

voters are pressing the politicians to support strict organic standards,

mandatory labels for genetically engineered food, and the conversion of U.S.

farmland to organic. Find out who’s answering the call in your state by

clicking here: /articles/article_13672.cfm



On the same page, you’ll find a listing of state campaigns for health, justice and sustainability in all 50 states.



Join state discussion groups in our forum: /old_articles/forum/index.php?showforum=52



Post events in your state on our community calendar: /old_articles/forum/index.php?act=calendar



Every day, we post news articles and alerts on the Organic Consumers Association state pages. In every issue of Organic Bytes, we highlight a few of the most urgent campaigns. This week, we’d like to draw your attention to the following…

SPECIAL

CA:
Protect California’s Farmers from Monsantos’ Harassment-Support California AB 541
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/642/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=25229

FL:
Residents’ campaign to stop a liquefied natural gas deep water port off the shore of Ft. Lauderdale. /old_articles/state/FL.cfm

KY:
Support HR 676, the United States Universal Health Insurance Act.
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/642/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=25207

MI:
Tell Your Representatives That You Want Clean Energy in Michigan Now
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/642/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=25208

MT: Tell your Representatives to Support Legislation Opposing New Coal Plants http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/642/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=25205

SD:
Tell Your Representatives to Support the Cheyenne River Valley Grasslands Heritage Wilderness Proposal
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/642/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=25195

UT:
Support Renewable and Clean Energy for Utah
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/642/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=25197

VT:
Vermont farmers’ campaign to maintain composting facilities that provide fertilizer for local organic farms. /old_articles/state/vt.cfm

VT:
Give All Vermonters Paid Sick Days
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/642/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=25191

Since we don’t have enough room to list the important news and campaigns from all 50 states here, so please click here to find your state: /articles/article_13672.cfm If you’d like to suggest a campaign for the OCA to take up, please click here: /old_articles/state/statecontribute.cfm