Author: owner

Hartford Green Forum on State Legislation
On February 5th, we attended a forum hosted by the Interreligious Eco-Justice Network (IREJN). This was part of an on-going series of community forums and other events educating citizens on environmental issues. Presenters spoke on the topics of Energy Efficiency Funding, Wind Power, Electric Vehicles, and Fracking Waste; with the common theme focusing on how we as citizens can get involved in the legislative process.
Fracking Waste Ban (SB 753: An Act Concerning the Statewide Ban on Fracking Waste). This bill has been raised and had a hearing in the Environment Committee. It hasn't been voted on yet, but the hearing went really well and Jen Siskind is anticipating that it will get voted out of committee and sent to the Senate. You can call your Senator and representative and ask them to co-sponsor the bill. If they have already co-sponsored the bill, call them and thank them for doing so.
Restoring Energy Efficiency Funds (HB 5030: An Act Restoring Energy Efficiency and Clean Energy Funds). This bill has been raised in the Finance, Revenue, and Bonding Committee. You can call the Finance co-chairs, Senator Fonfara and Rep. Rojas, and ask them to schedule a hearing. Then call your representative and senator and ask them to co-sponsor.
OFFSHORE WIND MANDATE (SB 6839: An Act Requiring the Commissioner of the Energy and Environmental Protection Agency to Set a Goal to Procure At Least 2000 MW of Electricity Derived from Wind Power Generated Offshore of the State). This bill has been raised in the Energy and Technology Committee. Call the Energy and Technology co-chairs, Senator Needleman and Rep. Arconti, and ask them to schedule a hearing. Then call your representative and senator and ask them to co-sponsor.

Keeping Water As a Public Trust
by Judy Allen

The doctrine of public trust is as old as the Magna Carta. At the founding of our country people realized that protection of water, land, and natural resources was essential for the health of their community. They established public trust laws to ensure these resources would be protected not only for themselves but for generations to come. It means no private entity can own natural resources for exploitation or profit.
Connecticut has created its first ever State Water Plan to guide the state in balancing the water needs for public health, environmental health and economic development. Citizens overwhelmingly wanted the plan to highlight CT’s law ensuring water as a public trust, the foundation upon which the plan is built.

Last year, our legislature failed to adopt this plan because State Water Utilities and business associations opposed the inclusion of public trust language. They want to leave the door open for control of water without state or environmental oversight. The plan has again been introduced into the legislature for adoption and will face the same opposition to the public trust language.
If you are a CT resident, reach out to your legislators, call them, write them, let them know that you want the State Water Plan to ensure no private interests can exploit our water for profit. Our plan should explicitly state that our water is held in public trust for the common good of all, now and for generations to come.

CREA: Center for Reflection, Education and Action
Hartford, CT

2019, Issue #1

Happy Birthday! 20 Years of Starting Points Newsletters!
2019 marks the 20th year of this newsletter, first published in the winter of 1999. It has long been our intention to bring issues to people’s attention, provide basic knowledge to get people started on understanding an issue and encourage people by sharing accomplishments which we and others in this work have achieved.
Many people have shared with us that the issues seem enormous and finding ways to get started in understanding and then working on an issue has been a major stumbling block. To help people get started, we have provided base information, to help you, our readers to grow in understanding an issue in its complexity and then have the basic foundation to go further in your reading and learning on your own.
To celebrate this milestone, the next few issues will include some reflection on past topics, how things have changed since then, what we’ve learned, and how they relate to our society in 2019. We are starting with topics about our most basic human need, water. What was startling was how many of these issues still remain in a variety of ways. For some, there has been definite progress, while for others more work remains. You can read this section on page 2. If you have specific issues you would like us to address in Starting Points, please let us know and we will do our best.
The challenge is twofold - How do we educate new folks so they can join in the work? This is especially true of young people who, with so much information available on their phones and computers, need guidance to the issues that are of importance to us all. There is the learning between the quick responses to fix a situation and/or working to prevent the situation from happening again, and understanding the root of why the problem exists in the first place.
The second challenge is how to handle the change in leadership in corporations, for example, where years of collaborative work with investors, the NGO communities, environmental and labor groups, etc. can simply disappear when new leadership takes over. The answers are not simple. Your thoughts and ideas are welcome.
“FOR ALL THAT HAS BEEN, THANKS. FOR ALL THAT WILL BE, YES”
- Dag Hammarskjold, Secretary General, United Nations, 1953-1961

Our On-Going Gratitude
There is no way to really explain how important your support has been following the loss of Sister Kathryn. The notes, phone calls, emails, donations, etc. have meant and continue to mean so much. Sometimes the work before us seems unsurmountable and a call or note comes from someone and I think, I know, the work can and will go on.
So thank you, gracias, merci anpil for the many ways in which you continue your support.

And yes, the Fair Trade work is continuing…. and we are working with our colleagues in the cooperatives in Guatemala and Haiti, etc. to develop new products, new designs. More on all this in the next Starting Points!

The Work to Be Fracking Waste Free Continues
For the past several years, CREA has been working with Jen Siskind of Food & Water Watch and various other organizations and individuals in the on-going work to keep fracking waste out of Connecticut. Because of the lack of a state wide CT ordinance, this work has been done, town by town, city by city. At the present time 55 towns have passed local laws with strong protections banning the transport of all gas and oil drilling wastes, including fracking wastes.
Sr. Ruth was among a group of representatives from various organizations who testified on February 4th at the CT State legislature regarding the need to pass Senate Bill 753. If passed, it would prevent the transport and use of fracking waste throughout the state. Patricia Wilson Pheanious, a long time CREA Board member and recently elected State Representative from the 53rd district representing Tolland, Ashford and Willington, CT, is a co-sponsor of the bill.
Why is this important? In states where the drilling occurs, huge amounts of oil and gas extraction wastes and byproducts from the process are inadequately treated and then disposed of at facilities often unable to adequately treat the toxic waste. In addition, some of the drilling waste substances are used as construction fill and the radioactive waste is used in products meant for road de-icing and dust control.
(continued on page 3)

“Believing that the earth is home to all, CREA facilitates analysis of human, social and economic policies
from the perspective of their effects on human lives, beginning with the lives of those who are poor.”
~CREA Mission Statement

CREA, Inc.
PO Box 2507
Hartford, CT
06146-2507

CREA: Center for Reflection, Education and Action, Inc.
is an independent 501(c)3 organization.
Executive Director: Ruth Rosenbaum, TC, PhD.

PHONE: 860-527-0455
E-MAIL: crea@crea.org
WEBSITE: www.crea.org

Topic	Past News	2019 Updates
Microplastic Water Pollution / 2018 / Issue #1	The US has the highest rate of microplastic contamination in the world. Invisible to the naked eye, microplastic can attract the same bacteria that is found in sewage and is known to absorb toxic chemicals. It ends up in rivers, oceans, then is eaten by marine life and eventually works its way up the food chain and into our bodies. This pollution was even found in many brands of bottled water.	Since 2017, we’ve collectively taken steps to reduce microplastic pollution. The Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015 went into effect last year. Another amendment, focused on the Great Lakes region, was also passed and signed into law. / What can you do at home? Stop using bottled water and consider a home filtration system, and recycle any plastic that you do use. More on this topic in future issues...
BpA in / Water Bottles / 2009 / Issue #2	We talked about the growing concern over Bisphenol A (BpA), a chemical compound suspected of being harmful to women and children, and particularly its use in baby bottles and disposable water bottles. BpA became a matter of debate, with the FDA banning its use in baby bottles, while the EPA said it wasn’t a health concern.	The industry made a change towards BpA-free plastics, and then found out some alternatives could be just as harmful. Meanwhile, consumers spent a lot of money on “BpA-free” bottles that were never properly tested. / The only guaranteed safe alternative is to use glass or stainless steel whenever possible.
Flint / Water / Crisis / 2018 / Issue #1	In 2014, officials in Flint, Michigan changed their water source without upgrading treatment plants to sufficiently handle the differences, exposing over 100,000 residents to unsafe drinking water. As a result, thousands of children registered high levels of lead during this time and 12 people died from the exposure. Many officials were charged with crimes ranging from misdemeanors to manslaughter from their handling of the crisis.	2017: The city stated the water was safe for consumption and stopped providing bottled water, even though many don’t believe the water is safe and lack trust in officials who are telling them so. And the city was still in the process of replacing lead pipes that carry the water to homes, schools and businesses. Citizens were encouraged to use filtration systems in areas where pipes are being replaced. So for Flint residents, the crisis is far from over. / 2019: In her first act as Michigan Governor, Gretchen Whitmer signed a directive requiring state employees to report any threat to public health, an action inspired by mistakes that led to the water crisis.
Water Privatization / 2002 / Issue # 2 & 3	Nestle was using millions of gallons of public water from the San Bernardino Forest to bottle and sell to consumers. According to an agreement with the California Water Board, they’re allowed to draw 8.5 million gallons each year but reportedly took more than 7 times that amount (59.5 million gallons). During the 2011-2014 droughts in California, Nestle increased their water use by 19%, enough to supply 2,200 families per year.	Nestle’s case was in court for years, their production halted in 2015 when challenged by citizens. In 2018, Nestle was granted a 3-year permit for water rights, which includes measures to protect the water supply. Still, Nestle pays less for public water than the public does. / Meanwhile, across the country, the city of Baltimore voted overwhelmingly in 2018 to ban the privatization of its water and sewer systems, in what supporters say is the first large US jurisdiction to take such a step.
Keystone XL / Pipeline / 2011 / Issue # 2-3	Since 2008, TransCanada has waged a tumultuous battle for the Keystone XL pipeline, to bring oil from Canada to the Gulf Coast. The pipeline was slated to go through thousands of properties and water sources, emitting millions of tons of carbon dioxide, not to mention the high potential for spills that contaminate land and water, creating costly cleanup. In 2015, expansion of the pipeline was rejected by Obama’s Administration after more than 6 years of review.	In 2017, Donald Trump signed a permit to continue the pipeline, despite an oil leak the previous year. / On Nov 8, 2018, a federal judge in Montana blocked construction of the pipeline, due to it failing to comply with federal environmental regulations. / In 2019, TransCanada, owner of the pipeline, reported a spill of 187 gallons in South Dakota - the number was in fact 90 times more, almost 17,000 gallons. Technology designed to detect leaks had failed.

Summary:
Billions of people still live without safe drinking water and/or access to adequate sanitation, and the costs to address outdated infrastructure continue to rise. Our main problem is not pollution itself, it’s that we as a society can’t agree on solutions. We allow laws to be changed with every election, under the influence of lobbyists, and we can sometimes be misinformed by sensationalistic and/or biased media. We can’t just ban every product which might have a negative effect without first understanding it, nor do we have to be afraid of environmental protections bankrupting companies who pollute. There are sensible policy routes we can take, and the health of our water won’t improve on its own while we get our act together.

Picture This…..
While finishing this newsletter centered around water topics and trying to think of photos to illustrate them, we suddenly found ourselves dealing with a huge hole that collapsed part of the street and sidewalk into CREA’s yard, due to a broken water pipe. It was only a minor inconvenience for us to have the water shut off for the day, but the problem affected the whole street and required construction crews, police, and others to work for days repairing the pipe and pavement.
While we don’t have any photos to show the effects of water pollution, or construction of pipelines, this one from right outside our front door is a reminder of the resources needed to provide us all with clean water. Picture what life would be like if you had to go more than a day or two without clean and/or hot water. Picture having a water supply that could make you sick and you couldn’t just go to the store and buy it.
That’s a reality for many people around the world, who walk miles for jugs of water, or even worse, have gotten used to living with extremely polluted and diseased water. We are fortunate that we still have the ability to take a hot shower or put a pot on to boil, and this couldn’t have happened at a more fitting time than when we’re talking about water.
Get involved with your water supply beyond turning on the tap and fight for it as a human right that can’t be polluted or privatized.

These photos demonstrate the infrastructure that goes into maintaining a reliable water supply.
▲ Above, the front yard of CREA House: City workers had to lower a steel support under the street and redirect traffic while they assessed and repaired the damage. Water was turned off on our street and others on Day 1, then turned back on and checked. The hole was temporarily filled, collapsed again on the 2nd night, and was filled again during a rainstorm until crews could permanently fix the problem.
The photo to the right, on Day 3, shows the process of street repairs needed to fix pipes, patch a massive hole, and return water flow to residents. ►

The Work to Be Fracking Waste Free Continues
(continued from page 1)
These products have created significant problems in other states. When examining a river near a waste treatment plant in Pennsylvania, experts discovered that the freshwater mussels are now radioactive. These fracking wastes contain other harmful chemicals besides radioactive radium, such as lead, strontium, barium, hexavalent chromium, benzene and more. They are known to cause cancers, birth defects, organ damage and many other serious health problems.
Companies want to make as much money from the oil and natural gas they are extracting and want to ship their dangerous byproducts to any place that will still allow them to get away with it. We know that private treatment plants are often in violation of regulations set by DEEP and The Clean Water Act. And the regulations that are in place are not keeping up with this booming industry. We hear about spills in the transportation of these deadly materials, treatment plants that are not properly set up to handle them, the fact that, even if the proper procedures are adhered to, when we put toxic chemicals on our roads and into the ground, that they will eventually enter our water.
With all of the information we have about fracking waste, taking a chance on the health, and possibly lives of our children and future generations by exposing ourselves to these dangerous chemicals, for the profit of a few, seems irrational and irresponsible, to say the least.

After Great Lakes region…., phasing out micro beads in personal care products.
Now we are faced with another serious danger with a push from the fracking industry to turn its byproducts into plastic. Investors see potential for greater profits by turning inexpensive fracking byproducts into petrochemicals and then into plastics. The environmental and health consequences are dramatically increasing with this disastrous union.

Re: BPA article, the name is Peter Gleick and the quote is from his book, "Bottled and Sold: The Story Behind Our Obsession with Bottled Water". He was on an NPR program which is probably where we found that info - if that's easier to reference.

Water Privatization (After the last sentence….)
During the 2011-2014 droughts in California, Nestle increased their water extraction by 19%, enough to supply 2,200 families per year.
Then on the Update side of that piece – 1st paragraph, after last sentence…Still, Nestle pays less for public water than the public does.
Then, after last sentence 2 end….”If water is treated as a commodity, it cannot adequately be protected for future generations.” – Food & Water Watch

Look up past articles for each water topic - we could either include a short summary of the article (no more than about 150 words maximum), and/or a quote from it.
What newsletter did we write about the Flint Water Crisis?
What are the “Water & Sanitation Issues” mentioned in Issue #3 of 2003? Summary and/or updates?
What is the Global Water Crisis mentioned in Issue #4 of 2003? Summary and/or updates?
This hotly debated topic has been around for, like, ever. Some experts argue that it’s detrimental to our health due to things like Bisphenol A, or BPA, a hazardous environmental toxin and endocrine disruptor that’s been shown to cause cancer. While others, like Peter Gleick, a scientist and expert on global water and climates issues, say bottled water is perfectly safe to drink. “There’s nothing wrong with bottled water from a health perspective,” he says. Elizabeth Royte, author of Bottlemania: How Water Went On Sale and Why We Bought It agrees, saying that, “There’s no evidence it’s bad for us.”
https://www.wellandgood.com/good-food/is-bottled-water-bad-for-you
https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92222327
The first article doesn’t quote any of the experts who argue against BPA. What are they saying? And who are Peter Gleick and Elizabeth Royte? The second link is an NPR interview with her.
Not sure what we can say about Water as a Human Right, in terms of showing a current update of the topic. But maybe we can include the original date(?) that the United Nations declared it, and use that section to mention related topics, such as changes to our Clean Water Act. (see quotes in boxes at the bottom of the chart page - these are just a few random quotes that stood out - feel free to add more.
“It’s a shell game,” she said. “As we get the word out to the public that BPA is dangerous, they substitute other chemicals that are different, but only slightly different.”
https://www.today.com/health/bottled-water-hot-plastic-may-leach-chemicals-some-experts-say-t132687