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E-newsletter #836: Will Your Congressperson Ban Bioweapons Analysis?

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STOP WEAPONIZING PATHOGENS

Will Your Congressperson Ban “Achieve-of-Perform” Bioweapons Analysis?

 Again in November 2023, Congress took step one to stopping the subsequent pandemic.

“To guard towards man-made pandemics” the U.S. Home of Representatives included language in one among its appropriations payments that “prohibits any funding from going to EcoHealth Alliance, the Wuhan Institute of Virology, or any lab situated in Russia or China. The invoice additionally prohibits funding from getting used for any gain-of-function analysis, which was getting used on bat coronavirus previous to the COVID pandemic.”

Congress recessed for the vacations earlier than it completed its work. Inform your Congressperson to take motion earlier than the 2024 elections!

Ensure you get a response as to the place they stand. Should you don’t hear again inside per week, name them at (202) 224-3121.

Stop the next pandemic before it starts! Tell Congress to ban “gain-of-function” bioweapons research!

REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE

Girls Farmers Quantitatively Linked To Higher Group Properly-Being

By Eurasia Evaluation:

“Having extra girls in agriculture is related to higher neighborhood well-being, in response to researchers at Penn State and the College of Wisconsin-Madison. Their work is the primary to quantitatively assess this hyperlink, and their findings recommend that girls farmers method their operations in ways in which positively impression their communities.

The examine, printed in Utilized Economics Views and Coverage, revealed that U.S. counties with a better share of farms owned or operated by girls have increased charges of nonfarm entrepreneurship, longer life expectations and decrease poverty charges.

“We all know from earlier qualitative analysis that girls farmers are inclined to enter into farming for various causes than males and sometimes make selections with the higher good in thoughts,” mentioned Claudia Schmidt, assistant professor of promoting and native/regional meals methods at Penn State and the examine’s lead creator. “For instance, they try to satisfy a social want of their neighborhood or they prioritize environmental stewardship over earnings. Our examine is the primary to make use of quantitative analysis strategies to discover whether or not this idea of ‘civic agriculture’ really interprets to improved neighborhood well-being in locations with increased shares of girls farmers.”  

COMING CLEAN

Corporations Struggle To Hold Shoppers within the Darkish About Chemical substances in Cleaners

By Iris Myers (EWG):

“Through the chilly winter months chances are you’ll spend extra time inside than out. And chances are you’ll do extra cleansing, particularly as a result of it’s additionally the flu and Covid season.

However earlier than you attain for that spray cleaner, you need to know that substances in lots of family cleansing merchandise don’t simply kill germs, they could additionally hurt your well being.

And a brand new invoice in Congress might imply that merely checking product labels and firm web sites quickly received’t be sufficient to keep away from poisonous substances.

In October 2023, a invoice was launched in Congress on behalf of main family cleansing product producers – together with Reckitt, the producer of Lysol – that may deny People the correct to know what the poisonous chemical compounds are of their cleansing merchandise.

The trade invoice was launched by Rep. Larry Buschon (R-Ind.). Dubbed the Deny People the Proper to Know Act – or DARK Act – by shopper advocates, if handed, the regulation would create an limitless regulatory course of that may produce a far weaker chemical disclosure system.”

REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE

On-line Certificates Course on Regenerative Agriculture

Change into an authorized regenerative agriculture practitioner! South Seas College (SSU) and Regeneration Worldwide (RI) are providing 5-week on-line programs in 2024 and past.

Be a part of Regeneration Worldwide director Dr. Andre Leu in a course beginning February 26. These 5 periods will likely be 90 minutes every; Maximizing Photosynthesis, Floor Covers and Weed Administration, Soil well being and Diet, Utilizing Useful Biodiversity to Handle Pests and Illnesses, Making It Occur – Making use of the information.

Dr. André Leu, is a practising farmer, the Worldwide Director of Regeneration Worldwide, and the Writer of Rising Life (2021), Poisoning Our Kids (2018), and The Myths of Protected Pesticides (2014). His work seems in Tv, magazines, universities, establishments, NGOs, and worldwide workshops, together with the United Nations. André and his spouse, Julia, personal and handle an natural tropical fruit farm in Daintree, Australia.

After completion, a Certificates will likely be awarded to contributors. A decreased value will likely be accessible to anybody on a restricted earnings desirous to take this course.

To use, submit your title, place or career, e-mail, mailing deal with, phone quantity, portrait photograph, and why you need to take this course to admin@SouthSeasUniversity.com.

Get details here

FOOD PRESERVATION

Salt, Microbes, Acid and Warmth in Meals Preservation

By American Society for Microbiology:

“In an period of grocery shops and residential fridges, it’s simple to lose sight of the truth that, for many of historical past, folks have been certain by the seasonality of meals. This actuality has lengthy offered humanity with a conundrum: the right way to preserve consuming after the harvest is over?

Strategies of meals preservation to handle lean seasons all through historical past have taken fascinating twists in response to area and tradition. There are the a lot beloved pungent cheeses of France, the tart sauerkraut of Germany (which really originated in China), miso paste in Japan, salted fish in Iceland and the cured meats of a number of cultures stretching into historical historical past, to call just some. Some strategies of preservation have sought to reduce microbe involvement by making meals hostile to microbial settlement, whereas others have embraced microbial life to make lots of the specialties we all know and love at present.

One lasting good thing about meals preservation is minimizing waste and conserving meals native. Whereas many individuals now not must eat domestically with the seasons, selecting to take action can scale back the fossil fuels that may have been used to move unseasonal produce. This will have a constructive impression on the carbon footprint of our eating regimen. Limiting meals waste additionally mitigates the waste of the water and different assets used to develop that meals. To not point out, anybody who has loved a glut of recent backyard tomatoes is aware of that homegrown meals is usually extra scrumptious than meals that was picked earlier than it was ripe to journey around the globe.”

Read about some time-tested ways to make food hostile to microbes while still keeping it edible to humans

MILLIONS AGAINST MONSANTO

Why Is Bayer Taking Glyphosate off the usConsumer Market?

Stacy Malkan, U.S. Proper to Know:

“Monsanto proprietor Bayer AG mentioned it could take away glyphosate-based herbicides from the U.S. shopper market by 2023 as a result of litigation. Greater than 100,000 individuals are suing Bayer alleging they developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma from publicity to the corporate’s glyphosate herbicides, resembling Roundup. We’re posting paperwork launched by way of discovery on our Monsanto Papers web page.

Glyphosate will nonetheless be utilized in giant portions in agriculture within the U.S. Reformulated variations of Roundup model herbicides with out glyphosate can even stay available on the market, however might comprise different chemical compounds of concern. For instance, one of many lively substances in “Roundup for Lawns” is dicamba, a chemical that may injury non-target vegetation and crops.

What well being issues are linked to glyphosate publicity? Most cancers

July 2023 examine in Chemosphere: Researchers from the College of California, Berkeley, performed a scientific assessment of mechanistic research on glyphosate and glyphosate-based formulations to judge them for the 10 key traits of most cancers hazard identification. Knowledge evaluation revealed “robust proof” for 5 of the important thing traits of carcinogenicity. An in-depth analyses of genotoxicity and endocrine disruption revealed “robust and constant constructive findings.” The researchers wrote, “Our findings strengthen the mechanistic proof that glyphosate is a possible human carcinogen and supply organic plausibility for beforehand reported most cancers associations in people, resembling non-Hodgkin lymphoma.”

Make Your State the First to Ban Monsanto’s Roundup Weedkiller

SUPPORT THE OCA & RI

The Method Ahead

 It’s simple to turn out to be discouraged about all these environmental toxins. A standard response to this new info is, “What does this must do with me? We’re all uncovered anyway. Can I even do something about it?” 

It’s simple to really feel like we’re helpless cogs in an enormous machine performed like puppets by an uncaring system. It’s simple to really feel like we will’t do something about it and that we must always settle for the state of affairs. Sadly, it is usually simple to take the mentality of “let the consultants repair it.”

 Nevertheless, the reality is that we will do one thing about it. It doesn’t take an MD to grasp the next easy precept. Useful drugs specialist Dr. Andrew Weil mentioned, “One of the best ways to detoxify is to cease placing poisonous issues into the physique and rely upon its personal mechanisms.”

We firmly imagine {that a} wholesome world is inside our attain. As shut because the knives and forks in our fingers, the soil beneath our toes, our computer systems and telephones to speak and mobilize, our wallets and buying energy, and our native public squares and voting cubicles. We’ve the ability to wage a peaceable, non-violent, however world altering revolution that’s regenerative, wholesome, equitable, and natural. However we should turn out to be greater than spectators. We should all take part in revitalizing our tradition, our politics, our meals and our well being. To defeat the highly effective forces of greed and evil, we should be a part of collectively, elevate our voices, and preserve our eyes on the prize: an natural and regenerative way forward for peace, freedom, and justice.

For these of you who can afford to take action, please give us a donation utilizing the hyperlinks beneath.

Make a tax-deductible donation to Organic Consumers Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit

Make a tax-deductible donation to Regeneration International, our international sister organization

Click here for more ways to support our work

COVID-19

US Scientists Proposed to Engineer Viruses With Options of SARS-CoV-2 in Wuhan

By Emily Kopp, U.S. Proper to Know:

“New paperwork describe experiments that might have generated the virus’ uncommon properties. They element the scientists’ curiosity in working with viruses exactly like SARS-CoV-2. (Picture credit score: Unspash)

American scientists deliberate to work with the Wuhan Institute of Virology to engineer novel coronaviruses with the options of SARS-CoV-2 the yr earlier than the virus emerged from that metropolis, in response to paperwork obtained by U.S. Proper to Know.

Whereas uncommon in nature, these options had been central to the esoteric analysis pursuits of the scientists working with the Wuhan lab, these paperwork present.

Scientists divided over the so-called “lab leak” and pure origin hypotheses have for years pored over the arcane language of a U.S.-China analysis proposal referred to as “DEFUSE” describing coronavirus engineering experiments.

The DEFUSE grant proposal was led by EcoHealth Alliance President Peter Daszak.

Now, drafts and notes uncovered via the Freedom of Data Act reveal recent particulars in regards to the meant analysis.”

Learn more: US Scientists Proposed To Make Viruses With Unique Features of SARS-CoV-2 in Wuhan

Stop Weaponizing Pathogens! Ban Gain-of-Function Biolabs!

SEWAGE SLUDGE

Microplastics from BioSolids (Marketed as Pure Fertilizer) Can Carry Harmful Pollution Into the Air

By Eurasia Evaluation:

“In keeping with estimates by the U.S. Environmental Safety Company, over 2 million dry metric tons of biosolids — roughly half of the entire quantity collected by wastewater remedy vegetation — are utilized to land every year. Consequently, microplastics in these biosolids have the prospect to reenter the atmosphere. As a result of the plastics may carry different pollution from the wastewater they originated from, they are often probably harmful when inhaled. So, Sanjay Mohanty and colleagues wished to analyze how wind may choose up and transport microplastic particles from biosolid-treated agricultural fields.

The crew analyzed airborne microplastics in wind-blown sediments that had been gathered throughout wind-tunnel experiments on two plots of biosolid-treated land in rural Washington state. The researchers found that these wind-blown sediments contained increased concentrations of microplastics than both the biosolids or the supply soil itself. This enrichment impact is attributable to the plastic particles being much less dense than soil minerals, resembling quartz, and fewer “sticky” — they’re not trapped as simply by moisture because the soil minerals are. Consequently, microplastics may be picked up by a breeze extra simply than soil minerals, and winds which may not be robust sufficient to kick up mud may nonetheless be introducing microplastics into the air.”  

TAKE ACTION: Demand Your Right to Know About Toxic Sewage Sludge!

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANTS

Easy Kitchen Swaps to Cut back Your Publicity to Microplastics

By Laurel Leicht, HealthCentral:

“Regardless of in the event you’re tossing your empty milk jugs and detergent bottles within the recycling bin, plastics are accumulating around the globe—and turn out to be particularly unavoidable after they break down into miniscule bits referred to as microplastics. It boils all the way down to the truth that microplastics are made up of a cocktail of chemical compounds that, when absorbed into the physique, can disrupt its internal workings. These chemical compounds are referred to as endocrine-disrupting chemical compounds (EDCs) as a result of their adverse impression on our hormones. A latest Endocrine Society report cited “direct cause-and-effect hyperlinks between the poisonous chemical components in plastics and particular well being impacts to the endocrine system,” stating potential downstream situations resembling most cancers, diabetes, and reproductive problems that might outcome.

Right here, we take a fast have a look at what’s behind the rising concern with microplastics and provides professional recommendation on the right way to scale back them in your life—and neighborhood.

The domino impact begins like this: “Microplastics can enter the atmosphere in some ways, from litter to fibers emitted if you wash and dry artificial clothes,” says Hannah Lukasik, a microplastics researcher on the Desert Analysis Institute, a number one environmental analysis group situated in Reno, NV. “Then particles might run off into aquatic environments or enter the wastewater system, the place they are often collected into sludges and be utilized to the soil for agricultural functions.”

HEALTHY RAW MILK

Colorado Considers Permitting Gross sales of Uncooked Milk in Newest “Meals Freedom” Laws

Jennifer Brown, The Colorado Solar:

“Coloradans may purchase uncooked milk at farms, farmers markets and roadside stands — however not grocery shops — beneath laws geared toward giving customers the ability to decide on their very own meals.

The “meals freedom” invoice would open up direct gross sales of unpasteurized milk, or milk that hasn’t been heated to kill micro organism, from farmers to clients, however wouldn’t impression a artistic workaround that for many years has allowed individuals who need uncooked milk to get it by buying shares in a sheep, goat or cattle herd.

The one option to legally purchase uncooked milk on this state is to signal a invoice of sale to turn out to be half proprietor of a herd, a transaction that sometimes specifies that the dairy farmer will feed and milk the cows for you.

The herd-share association is authorized as a result of farmers are allowed to devour their very own merchandise.

However beneath a proposal that received a 7-Zero vote in its first Capitol listening to Thursday, dairy farmers may select to as an alternative open up uncooked milk gross sales at their farm, or drive their containers of milk to farmers markets and roadside stands and promote them to any clients who cease by.”

APPETITE FOR A CHANGE

Turning Down Meals Help for Kids Is Shockingly Callous

By Charles M. Blow, The Seattle Occasions:

“Final week I learn one thing that shocked me, even when it actually shouldn’t have: Fifteen states — all however one run by Republican governors — skipped the deadline to use for a brand new federally funded program that can present $120 per youngster for groceries through the summer season months to households of youngsters who already qualify free of charge or reduced-price lunch at college.

A few of these states have a few of the highest poverty charges within the nation, together with Mississippi, with the best price, and Louisiana, the place I grew up, with the second highest. When Louisiana rejected the lunch program, a Democrat was nonetheless the governor; on Jan. 8, a Republican took over.

In keeping with KFF, a nonprofit group centered on well being coverage, seven of these states — Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas and Wyoming — are amongst those who haven’t absolutely prolonged Medicaid to the poor beneath the Reasonably priced Care Act. Think about withholding funding for meals that may preserve kids wholesome, whereas denying folks medical care after they get sick.”

Read: SNAP to it, Congress — we need to address the obesity crisis now