TRUTH ON EARTH: In Step with National Call to Service Day

President Obama Supporters Stir Up Social Conscience with Congruent Mission

By Lisette Brodey

On Monday, January 19th, as the nation prepared to inaugurate Barack Obama as the 44th president and celebrated the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, the American people joined together to honor the first National Call To Service Day, making an ongoing commitment to learn what we all can do every day to improve communities and country.

This kind of steadfast pledge to bettering the world is a daily staple for socially conscious progressive rock group, TRUTH ON EARTH (TOE), comprised of three teenage sisters, Serena, Kiley and Tess. Their commitment to reach out through their original music, to help all living creatures and the earth that we live on, drives them onward and upward each and every day.

"Truth on Earth is more than three young women making great music. It's a band with a powerful, life-affirming message -- a message that has never been more relevant than it is today. I applaud these creative artists for using their talents for something truly meaningful and for reaching out to the public when so many others are satisfied with the status quo." Mark Hawthorne, Animal Activist & Author of Striking at the Roots: A Practical Guide to Animal Activism

Inspired by Mohandas Ghandi, the Indian leader who taught the world that love and compassion can fuel strong social and political change without violence and terror, TOE has an unstoppable vigor and passion for making a real and lasting difference in the world. Just as the Dalai Lama speaks of the non-violent resolution by getting rid of fear, anger and hatred, this is what TOE believes can be achieved through the power of song. And just as Barack Obama’s candidacy for change began with a small grass roots effort, TOE is letting nothing stop them, either.

And yeah, those are some pretty big footprints to walk behind, but TOE is up for the challenge. In fact, they’ve made significant progress, ever since they began their journey after founding the band in early 2008 and then taking it on a 28 state RV tour to campaign for President Obama and his unlikely socially conscious candidacy.

Truth on Earth has a goal. Not a selfish "want to be rich and famous" goal but a "we want to make a difference" goal. Their mission is to raise awareness and put an end to some of the world's major problems so the world can be a place worth passing down to our children and our children's children… Erik Pierce, TOE Fan & Lead Guitarist for 'The Option'

If there is one common language that unites people, it is music. TOE, a 1970s-influenced rock group, is becoming a serious voice for positive change and more and more an integral part of the musical landscape: the social action genre.

While many famous voices have and/or continue to sing for the benefit of the earth and all creatures on it (Bono, Marvin Gaye, Arlo Guthrie, John Fogerty, Janis Joplin and so many more), TOE is bringing the social action genre to the forefront. Their mission is to fix the earth’s problems so that future generations will have a planet worth inheriting. And those aren’t just words; they’re really doing it. 70% of all profits are going to established charities that are out there making a real difference. Their songs aren’t just a blend of three beautiful voices singing and playing musical instruments; they are literally inspiring people of all ages to make a difference. Every downloaded song is “uploaded” to charity.

“Truth On Earth represents the next generation of activism. Young, inspired women that are bringing their voices to the issues that matter - and they're not afraid to say the tough things that need to be said. But they don't stop there. Rarely do you see a website that is as comprehensive as the one that Truth on Earth has built. Their "Take Action" section speaks volumes about how seriously these three take their message. This is a band that walks their talk.” Peter Buffet, Recording Artist, Composer & Philanthropist.

No other band is calling people to action the way that TOE is doing. On their web site,www.truthonearthband.com, each song is directly tied to a specific cause that has its own “Take Action” page. Even before the recent high-profile cyber bullying case received worldwide attention, Serena, Kiley & Tess had written and performed “Shot With A Bullet-less Gun,” bringing the unthinkable concealed crime to the forefront and giving victims their own personal anthem to fall back on for support. In addition to providing lyrics to this song on the site, this particular Take Action page offers solid information on how to prevent and handle cyber bullying, links to Cyber Safety sites, and vital statistics we all need to know. Other Take Action pages have videos, downloadable action plans, and so much more. TOE is seeing incredible chain reaction to their activism that has just naturally continued to progress.

Every day, the band themselves are inspired by the fans from different countries who visit their page. Fans cyber travel from the UK, Norway, Sweden, Australia, China, New Zealand, Canada, Dubai, Pakistan and many other countries. TOE are galvanized daily by the ripple effect they are creating and the uplifting, yet daunting, task of bringing community service to a worldwide level. The internet has created ways to make a difference that were simply not available in earlier decades, even with the most monumental of efforts.

I like nutrition, international studies, music, piano, hanging out with my friends, exercising. I think your band is fantastic, unique, and really talented. Almost every band today sounds the same, so it's great to hear something new and different. Also, what you strive for -your mission- is very important and your lyrics are honest, true, and inspiring. Rob, TOE Fan

In step with Barack Obama’s call to service, TOE wants to see positive change and service incorporated into everyone’s daily lives. Helping others is much more than an annual check to charity, a good deed during the holidays or a special project in school. While the aforementioned are far from being unimportant or unappreciated, paying it forward every day, in whatever way each individual can, is how TOE hopes that their efforts will help unite the solution makers in an unprecedented fashion, while letting people know that everyone can and should play an important role in the delivery of solutions to our planet.

TOE travels around the country to sing their music and put their message out there. They want people to know that there is no time to waste in finding solutions to the problems that plague both people and animals.

“I'm real impressed by all the stances you and your sisters take! You three are fantastic and an inspiration for all...and being a good band and singers will really help draw attention to some very important social causes. You Rock! Taking action on issues so many just ignore or are unaware of.” Mike, ASPCA member.

While the band was formed just about a year ago, they had been mixing philanthropy and music for many years: performing for children, singing at a variety of fundraisers and community events, and helping to raise money for the victims of 9/11. They are a close-knit family and their parents serve as their managers. Working together to help change the world is a natural extension of what they have always done as a family unit.

Perhaps the most amazing thing about Serena, Kiley and Tess is that they truly want to make a difference in this world and they are consistent in making sure that people know that their efforts are not about stardom for themselves, but all about carrying out their mission to make others a part of their vision and bring help, hope, and change where it is most needed.

“Well, we were at a concert recently when an older couple came up to us and said ‘we were losing hope with your generation thinking that you didn’t really have a handle on where the world was going or how to get things on track, but now having seen and heard you it has renewed our faith that things will end up just fine...’ ” Kiley, TOE

“Tess had just sung Some People, when this young woman came up to us. She said ‘I’m 21 years old. For a year now, I’ve been free of alcohol. Your songs are so inspiring that you’ve made me want to go out and help others with alcohol addiction… ’” Serena, TOE

.. ..

TRUTH ON EARTH is a tsunami of hope, awareness, action and change. Every day is an ever-evolving effort for Serena, Kiley and Tess. They are three human beings making a superhuman effort.

“Very cool. Really dig what u r about. Peace, luv & Gaia!” Woody Harrelson, Actor & Environmentalist.

“Thank you - you made my day! Bless you and your sisters! ”Ed Begley, Jr. Actor & Environmentalist.

Climate Change: Working Globally to Reduce Deforestation

Article courtesy of Nature Conservancy
By Karen Foerstel

Deforestation accounts for more carbon emissions than all the planes, trains and cars on Earth.

We must provide financial incentives for developing countries to protect, not destroy, their forests.

The Conservancy is working with local and international policy makers to develop these incentives.

The world’s forests are disappearing at an alarming rate. More than 37 million acres of forest — equal to the size of New York State — are destroyed each year.

Deforestation accounts for about 20 percent of all the climate-changing carbon emissions released into the atmosphere each year — more than from all the planes, trains and automobiles on Earth.

“While the debate on stopping climate change has focused on curbing emissions from the world’s industry and transportation sectors, forest protection is one of the most powerful and cost-effective tools we have to reduce global carbon emissions,” according to Bill Stanley, science lead for the Conservancy’s Climate Change Program.To that end, the Conservancy is helping lead the charge to develop the financial incentives and policy initiatives needed to protect forests and fight climate change.

Joining with international policy makers, private businesses and indigenous communities, the Conservancy is helping develop plans for a global carbon credit market and other financial mechanisms that will:

• allow countries to generate income from protecting their forests rather then destroying them;
• build the financial support developing countries need to lower their emissions and stop deforestation;
• and make sure healthy forests not only combat climate change, but also provide the food, water and economic resources local people rely upon for survival.

Coming Together to Stop Climate Change
The fight against climate change cannot be won without the full participation of the entire world — including developing countries.

“Currently, international policy, including the Kyoto Protocol, does not recognize the protection of forests as a source for carbon emission reductions,” said Stanley.“While manufacturers in developed nations can win financial support for lowering their industrial carbon emissions, developing nations cannot receive credits for reducing heat-trapping gases from one of their biggest sources: deforestation.”

But The Conservancy is working with partners on the local, national and international level to take the bold action needed to change the economic forces that make deforestation one of the world’s leading causes of carbon emissions.

We support a system of financial incentives and carbon credit markets that would allow developing nations to: generate the funds needed to conserve forests, reduce emissions and protect biodiversity; improve local livelihoods; and join the international fight against climate change.

In the next few years, the developing world will produce more climate-changing emissions than all industrialized nations combined — with deforestation serving as the primary source of emissions in many of these countries.

In Indonesia, deforestation produces 80 percent of the country’s annual carbon emissions, placing it among the world’s top emitters alongside the United States and China.
“As these developing countries seek to gain economic footing by feeding the growing global demand for wood, biofuels and palm oil, they are finding they can make more money by cutting down their forests than from protecting them,” said Lex Hovani, forest carbon advisor for the Conservancy’s Indonesia Program. “The Nature Conservancy is working with local partners to reverse this trend.”

Leading the Fight Against Deforestation and Climate Change
For more than a decade, The Conservancy has been a global leader in forest carbon projects, working on the ground in six countries to reduce carbon emissions from deforestation.
The Conservancy’s Noel Kempff Mercado Climate Action Project in Bolivia is the world’s first project scientifically verified by a third party to lower carbon emissions and fight climate change by protecting healthy forests. The project, the largest of its kind in the world, is expected to prevent the emission of 5.8 million tons of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere over 30 years by avoiding logging and agricultural conversion of the land.

In Belize, the Conservancy’s Rio Bravo project is working with partners to conserve and sustainably manage more than 153,000 acres of biologically rich Maya forest. Along with stopping the emission of millions of tons of carbon dioxide over 40 years, the project will also help protect critical habitat for endangered black howler monkeys and jaguar.

And the Conservancy is now partnering with the Indonesian government and local communities to develop a massive forest carbon project on the island of Borneo that will conserve and sustainably manage 2.4 million acres of forest and reduce carbon emissions by some 5 million tons each year – the equivalent to removing 1 million cars from America’s highways. The project area is also home to one of the world’s largest populations of orangutans.

Along with its on-the-ground work, the Conservancy also has pledged $5 million to the World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility to help create the tools and incentives developing countries need to protect their forests and combat climate change. The Nature Conservancy is the only non-governmental organization to invest in this partnership.

And Conservancy staff is sitting down with world leaders to ensure that the next phase of the Kyoto Protocol will provide the financial incentives needed to make forest conservation a powerful tool against climate change.

At the current rate of destruction, tropical forests in the developing world will virtually disappear within 100 years, making it nearly impossible to alter the path of climate change. Action must be taken now to protect these forests and the world they help support.
Karen Foerstel is senior marketing and media manager for The Nature Conservancy covering issues related to climate change.

Our Oceans are Dying

This article refers to a LA Times article written in 2006 and, unfortunately, the ocean is only getting worse...check it out:

A very interesting Los Angeles Times article on the state of the oceans sounds like something out of a horror movie - fishermen come in contact with a spongy weed, only to break out into a painful rash that won't go away and literally peels your skin off. Get a drop in your mouth and your tongue swells so much you can't eat for a week. Scientists in labs can't be in the same room with it, the smell is so pungent. Only the problem is that this is for real and happening more and more often in coastal areas around the world. We are putting too much food into the oceans, scientists say, and now the oceans are reverting back to primeval seas of millions and even billions of years ago.

Previous assumptions that the ocean would eventually break down anything we threw at it (oil spills, dumping garbage, not to mention stormwater runoff) are no longer holding true. Its the primitive life-forms - the algae, bacteria and jellyfish that are better able to handle our garbage and in fact thrive in this toxic soup. The article is a fascinating, no-holds-punch look at the current state of the oceans and also what it means for us.

What is Causing the Loss of Sea Life?
The overabundance of fertilizers (nitrogen) and fossil fuels that are dumped into the ocean every day, compounded with the overfishing and complete wipe out of all marine life predators to the bacteria have made conditions prime for bacteria and algae. Not only are algal blooms harmful to marine life, they are also toxic to humans in direct contact, as many cause rashes, burning eyes and stinging throats, not to mention make water bodies off limits to tourists and residents.
Scientists are now saying that "we are pushing the oceans back to the dawn of evolution, a half-billion years ago when the oceans were ruled by jellyfish and bacteria" and "the depletion of fish allows the lowest forms of life to run rampant." Of note, the time period when these jellyfish and algae were dominant, didn't have conditions that could sustain human life.

No Predators for Jellyfish
The jellyfish are also gumming up the works outside of the ocean, such as fishing nets, intake valves on boats as well as conveyor belts in factories. There are so many jellyfish in fact that many fisheries have given up their normal staples and are just harvesting jellyfish. Predators of jellyfish, like sea-turtles, are all but gone and 90% of the big fish have disappeared over the last 50 years as well due to overfishing. Coral reefs, the rainforests of the seas, are almost completely wiped out globally thanks to algal blooms from farm and sewage runoff and excess nitrogen.

A bacteria found in human intestines is even partially to blame for the coral loss, as every time we flush our toilets, it heads straight for the oceans. Scientists in Florida discovered this by literally knocking on residents doors, flushing a dye down the toilet, and within 3 hours they saw it popping up off the coast.

Wonder Weeds of the Ocean
The warming waters due to climate change also speed microbial growth. Some of the Lyngbya "weed" growing off the coast of Australia has been reported to grow at 100 meters per minute - literally a football-field sized area in an hour. Scientists in Australia are trying to figure out how to keep the runoff from getting into the water, but note that once the bacteria dies it can regenerate itself by releasing phosphorous and nitrogen. Sounds straight out of a horror movie, and also makes you wonder if we will soon be up against something that we might not be able to handle.

We forgot the basic rule of thumb, says scientist Jeremy Jackson, "Be careful what you dump in the swimming pool, and make sure the filter is working." This article is a look at just what exactly we are putting in our water and how it is affecting us. To read the full report and really do this issue justice, check out the Los Angeles Times.

Information courtesy of Treehugger.com

Meat-eating Warrants Same Scrutiny as Driving and Flying

Article by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 08.29.08
FOOD & HEALTH (food)

According the the WorldWatch Institute (and an old post of our own) livestock contribute 18% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, even higher than the GHG emissions from transportation. As part of this figure they produce 37% of methane, which has more than 20 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide. And if that weren’t enough to be concerned about, their manure emits nitrous oxide, 65% of world totals. WorldWatch also point out that in the United States, 70% of all anti-microbial drugs are now given to livestock.

Yet for all the welcoming news regarding decreased SUV sales, increased bicycle purchases and servicing, increased green home building, and so on, meat production, is on WorldWatch’s figures not declining. And in fact they see signs it is on the rise, with poultry, pig and beef production increasing between 2% and 4%. They dig out figures which indicate that globally about 56 billion animals are raised and slaughtered for food each year, the bulk of whom are ‘produced’ in factory farms.

WorldWatch’s statistically rich report by Brian Halweil concludes by quoting that much esteemed medical journal, The Lancet. It recommends that the industrial world chomp on 10% less meat to limit greenhouse gas emissions, whilst enhancing human health, going on to say, "For the world's higher-income populations, greenhouse-gas emissions from meat-eating warrant the same scrutiny as do those from driving and flying."

And this scrutiny maybe indeed be happening. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Mark Tracy, owner of the organic vegan cafe The Forest, in Brisbane, Queenland, had noticed a change in attitudes among his customer base. He said that most still became vegetarians because of animal cruelty, but "the cost to the environment is now a close second".

In their Greenhome project, the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) suggest that removing just one 150-gram serve of beef a week would culminate in a saving of 10,000 litres of water and 300 kilograms of greenhouse gases. (That’s 5oz, 2,642 gallons and 660 lb for our non-metric brethren.) Possibly those figures are so high because Aussies chow down on an average 110kg (243 lbs) of meat yearly.

All of which is certainly (what’s that old cliche?) food for thought.

This article can be found on Treehugger.com

The Hidden Costs of Water

While you may include washing dishes and showering in your water usage, you may be leaving out one of the biggest sources of water: FOOD. According to an article in the Guardian (UK), the average person consumes 4,645 liters of water a day in the UK (less than 150 liters come from household usage, such as watering the garden, dishes, etc...)

Check out a photo essay on the hidden costs of water, click here.

Below is the amount of water used to make each food or drink:

Beef: 15,500 liters of water per kilogram
Lamb: 6,100 liters of water per kilogram
Pork: 4,800 liters of water per kilogram
Chicken: 3,900 liters of water per kilogram

Cheese: 5,000 liters of water per kilogram
Rice: 3,400 liters of water per kilogram
Sugar: 1,500 liters of water per kilogram
Wheat: 1,300 liters of water per kilogram

Coffee: 140 liters of water for one 125ml cup
Tea: 30 liters of water for one 250ml cup
Wine: 120 liters of water for one 125ml glass


When experts are estimating that 1/3 of the world will face a water shortage by 2025, it's time to start thinking about your food choices.

In the UK, the average meat-eater consumes 5,000 liters of water a day and the average vegetarian consumes 3,000 liters of water. Switching to a vegetarian diet can save over 730,000 liters of water every year (192,000 gallons of water!).

Ocean Pollution: Everything Else

Pollution in the ocean is a major problem that is affecting the ocean and the rest of the Earth, too. Pollution in the ocean directly affects ocean organisms and indirectly affects human health and resources. Oil spills, toxic wastes, and dumping of other harmful materials are all major sources of pollution in the ocean.

Garbage Dumping
Most of the waste that has been dumped into the ocean in the early 1990’s is still there today. One main cause of garbage dumping occurs when sewage pipes share their space with storm water drains. Rainfall causes the sewage pipes to overflow and the sewage waste mixes with the storm water drain, which flows into another water source such as a lake or river. After that, the garbage pollutes the ocean, kills plants and animals in the water (for example, the plastic rings that are around pop cans can get around an animal’s neck, causing it to suffocate), and makes the water dirty.

Wastewater
Wastewater is run-off from rainwater and usually ends up in rivers, lakes, and oceans. In order to reduce the amount of wastewater, we need to make sure that the water that ends up in the ocean is clean. A lot of people don’t realize that this same pollution is going into the ocean every day and all the small amounts add up to a major problem.

Cars
Cars pollute the ocean a lot. Whenever a car gets driven, you may have noticed a lot of smoke that is coming out from the back of the car. This smoke doesn’t go directly into the ocean. It endsup being in acid rain. Acid rain is pollution mixed with regular rain, and when acid rain gets into the ocean, it pollutes the waters and kills many fish over a period of time. Cars are big pollution source. If pollution from cars cannot be stopped or at least cut down, then pretty soon the amount of fish and other creatures in the ocean will decrease.

Agricultural Pollution
Chemical pesticides, chemical substances used to kill harmful animals or insects, and fertilizers, chemical or natural substances put on the land to make crops grow better, are another source of pollution. When it rains, the pesticides and fertilizers get taken off of the plants and end up in our oceans, killing ocean plants and animals. They are used by animal and agricultural farms, plantations, industries (especially illegal ones), and believe it or not, our very own gardens. A way to decrease the amount of pesticides and fertilizers polluting rivers, lakes, and oceans is by buying organic products, which are grown with only natural pesticides and fertilizers.

Chemical detergents, batteries, plastics, and sewage are all produced by homes and everyday human activity. Every day humans create and use these things, and every day, people are creating a risk to the plants and animals that live in the oceans and lakes by doing things like driving without carpooling and making sure batteries are not leaking. Some ways that you can protect the oceans are by recycling plastics, disposing of batteries properly, using rechargeable batteries instead of regular batteries, using less water, carpooling, and recycling.

Organic Sunscreens - it's time to make the change!

Even people who use sunscreen habitually might not be getting adequate protection. Out of nearly 1,000 sunscreens scrutinized by the Environmental Working Group last year, researchers say that only 15 percent provide adequate sun protection and present minimal health risks.

The nonprofit organization, whose researchers have been examining the safety of cosmetics and personal-care products since 2004, added sunscreens to its Skin Deep database last year. The site, http://cosmeticdatabase.com, includes findings on more than 25,000 products and 7,000 ingredients. The majority of sunscreens don't protect against ultraviolet A (UVA) rays, says Jane Houlihan, vice president of research of EWG. Ultraviolet B (UVB) protection is measured in SPF, but manufacturers are not yet required by the Food and Drug Administration to divulge levels of UVA protection. Both types of rays can lead to skin cancer and skin damage.

A recent report by the CDC also found that 95 percent of Americans have oxybenzone, an ingredient found in sunscreens, in their bloodstream. The chemical is linked to cell damage, allergies and hormone disruption. Users can search the Skin Deep sunscreen database for the highest- and lowest-rated sunscreens or search by brand name. A scale rates each sunscreen as a low, moderate or high health hazard as well as effective, moderately effective or not effective sun protection.

Many Popular Sunscreens Contain Harmful Chemicals
In all, 84 percent of the 831 sunscreens EWG tested did not pass health and environmental muster. Many contained potentially harmful chemicals such as Benzophenone, homosalate and octyl methoxycinnamate (also called octinoxate), which are known to mimic naturally occurring hormones and can throw the body’s systems out of whack. Some also contained Padimate-0 and parsol 1789 (also known as avobenzone), which are suspected of causing DNA damage when exposed to sunlight. Furthermore, EWG found that more than half the sunscreens on the market make questionable product claims about longevity, water resistance and UV protection.

Sunscreen can also harm the environment:

The sunscreen that you dutifully slather on before a swim on the beach may be protecting your body—but a new study finds that the chemicals are also killing coral reefs worldwide.

Four commonly found sunscreen ingredients can awaken dormant viruses in the symbiotic algae called zooxanthellae that live inside reef-building coral species.

The chemicals cause the viruses to replicate until their algae hosts explode, spilling viruses into the surrounding seawater, where they can infect neighboring coral communities.

Zooxanthellae provide coral with food energy through photosynthesis and contribute to the organisms' vibrant color. Without them, the coral "bleaches"—turns white—and dies.

The researchers estimate that 4,000 to 6,000 metric tons of sunscreen wash off swimmers annually in oceans worldwide, and that up to 10 percent of coral reefs are threatened by sunscreen-induced bleaching.


Safer Sunscreens are Now Available
The good news is that many companies are now introducing safer sunscreens crafted from plant- and mineral-based ingredients and without chemical additives. Some of the best, according to Skin Deep, are:

Mexitan Organic Sunscreen
Alba Botanica Sun’s Fragrance-Free Mineral Sunscreen
Avalon Baby’s Sunscreen SPF 18
Badger’s SPF 30 Sunscreen
Burt’s Bees’ Chemical-Free Sunscreen SPF 15
California Baby’s SPF 30
Juice Beauty’s Green Apple SPF 15 Moisturizer, and
Kabana’s Green Screen SPF 15.