Fwd: US Senate narrowly voted to drill in ANWR -- Still hope ...see video.

[Guest guest]

http://www.beingcaribou.com/slides/video.htm

Watch this short video clip of " Being Caribou " , and learn more about what can

still be done to save this wilderness, sign the auto-petition (took me 2

minutes!) and then possibly hold a screening???

see below...

Pass it on.

Paris

 

" Wildcanada.net " <postmaster wrote:

" Wildcanada.net " <postmaster

Bite Back Vegan Society Paris Harvey <bitebackvegan

Thu, 17 Mar 2005 22:56:39 GMT

US Senate narrowly voted to drill in ANWR -- but decision not done yet!

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 17, 2005

 

US Senate narrowly voted to drill in ANWR – but decision not done yet!

 

Yesterday, March 16th, the US Senate voted 51 to 49 to keep language in their

version of the US Budget to open Alaska's National Wildlife Refuge — and the

calving grounds of the Porcupine Caribou Herd — to drilling. Gail Norton, US

Secretary of the Interior, repeated her description of the Refuge as big, white

nothingness, also insisting drilling would be done with sensitivity. Senator Ted

Stevens told the Senate that Gwich'in people don’t live in the Refuge, so they

can’t know what will affect the caribou. Another Senator said this issue was

about jobs… All are outright lies.

 

This vote is a big blow, but by no means the end.

 

The US Budget is full of controversial language that must now be debated, agreed

upon, and passed by a conference of both Congress and the Senate.

 

Which means we still have a fighting chance.

 

The key is to get our top politicians to - in both face-to-face meetings with US

politicians and in both countries' media, take a stand for the international

agreement to jointly protect the Porcupine Caribou and their habitat.

 

Please take action now! Send a letter to the Canadian government, Yukon and NWT

governments, US Consul General and Canadian Ambassador to the US, and urge them

to take a strong stand for the Porcupine Caribou and the Gwich’in aboriginal

people who will be devastated by this decision.

 

You can also schedule a screening of Being Caribou in your living room, school,

library, or other community venue - and help spread understanding of what is at

stake in this issue.

 

Drilling in the refuge is not about America’s energy security or lowering gas

prices. It is about setting precedent. By unlocking the Refuge, the Bush

administration hopes to open the door for oil, gas and coal giants to invade the

last and best wild places.

 

But it is the international Porcupine Caribou Herd that will pay the price. The

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is a narrow piece of land, with the perfect

balance of food and protection from predators, that has provided the ideal

calving ground for the caribou herd for 27,000 years. This large mammal

migration is found nowhere else in North America.

 

We cannot let up. In fact, now is the perfect time for thousands of letters to

come pouring into our governments. Send your letter!

 

The Globe and Mail is running a poll today to see what Canadians and others

think about the US Senate vote on the Alaska wildlife refuge. Cast your vote and

check out the results.

 

 

 

Thank you for Arctic Action Day!

 

Campaigns to protect wild species and places are challenging, and sometimes, it

feels like they are getting harder and harder. What is important in our

struggle, though, is to remember to celebrate our successes, as well as to keep

fighting.

 

We are happy to report that the mass screenings of Being Caribou on March 12th

were a great success. To date, approximately 2,700 public screenings and at

least 300,000 people across Canada and the US have seen the film and been

motivated to take action on this issue.

 

Education about the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is critical. In order to

take action, people must understand the issue and learn about what is at stake.

In light of the recent Senate vote, and the continued pressure that is needed to

get the Budget rejected, the Being Caribou project has decided to turn Arctic

Action Day into Arctic Action 2005.

 

If you have not seen the film Being Caribou, and would like to show a living

room or public screening, please visit www.beingcaribou.com or contact

erica (you won’t be alone!).

 

 

 

 

 

This battle is not over – take action now!

 

Arctic Action Day a success. Screenings continue – show the film.

If you appreciate these opportunities to take action please make a donation.

 

 

 

Please consider a donation to help protect the Porcupine Caribou Herd

 

Wildcanada.net has been working closely with the Being Caribou project since

early 2003 when Karsten and Leanne set off on their epic journey to join the

Porcupine Caribou Herd on their annual migration. These two Canadians, as you

may have seen in their film, crossed 1500km of tundra on foot, from caribou

wintering grounds near Old Crow, Yukon to the calving grounds in the Arctic

National Wildlife Refuge, and back again. Their trip was to examine just what is

at stake with US plans to drill for oil in the refuge, and is a creative and

unique campaign to raise awareness about one of our most precious and threatened

places.

 

Maintaining the Being Caribou action centre and sending action alerts is a way

that Wildcanada.net continues to support the campaign to protect the Porcupine

Caribou Herd and our northern landscapes. If you appreciate being kept informed,

and value the opportunities we present to take action on this issue, please

consider making a donation to Wildcanada.net. We cannot keep up these efforts

without individual donations from people like you. Thank you!

 

All images copyright Wildcanada.net and Being Caribou

This Action Alert is provided as a service of Wildcanada.netIf you can't read

this HTML message, go to: http://www.wildcanada.net/documents/aa-213.asp

 

Ms. Paris Harvey bitebackvegan 925 788 8296 (PST)

Discarded pigs who died in transit.