FEB 22, 2012 - Food giant Monsanto was found guilty of poisoning a famer by French courts in Lyon, the damages to be established by a panel of experts. The farmer, Paul Francois, developed neurological problems such as memory loss and headaches after being exposed to Monsanto's toxic "Lasso weedkiller" in 2004. Monsanto's Lasso weedkiller was banned in the EU and France in 2007. This also paves the way for legislation for the current toxic pesticide Monsanto uses, their "Roundup" pesticide formula. Read more at Reuters.com here.

(Photo credit Cyril Cavalie on Flickr)
 

Photo credit: 350.org

FEB 15, 2012 - Yesterday opponents of the Keystone XL Pipeline project led an Internet drive of grassroots activism and pressure with the goal of sending half a million messages to the US Senate in 24 hours. Over 30 organizations and businesses were involved, and it was wildly successful, with over 800,000 signatures and messages being delivered to the Senate. The Republicans in the Senate were attempting to straddle the transportation bill with an amendment that would reverse President Obama's decision to halt the project for more environmental impact studies. This led to an surge in online activism, quickly going viral and gaining steam. 350.org led the charge, starting with Bill McKibben on The Colbert Report on Monday night, to the founder of Twitter Evan Williams joining on. Read more on 350.org's website here, and check out Bill McKibben on The Colbert Report below.

FEB 8, 2012 - Activists in Baguio City, Philippines are using music and song, along with skits, to try and stop the "earth balling" of hundreds of trees that are threatened in a proposed development project. In their own version of "Occupy" they pay homage to the Occupy movement, as well as fight for their local issues, in this case preventing a mall from expanding and destroying trees. "Occupy SM" is what they call it, referring to the company that is going to dig up trees and attempt to transplant them, but  experts give only a 17% chance of the trees transplanted will not get transplant shock and die.

One of the musical acts Up Dharma Down sang Joni Mitchell, "They paved paradise, and put up a parking lot..." Watch a video of Armi Millare of Up Dharma Down at the Pine Trees of the World, Baguio City Event. Read more on GMANetwork.com here.
(Photo credit: Lian Buan)

I was arrested today for exercising my first amendment rights to freedom of the press on Capitol Hill. I was not expecting to be arrested for practicing journalism. Today's hearing in the House Energy and Environment subcommittee was called to examine EPAs findings that hydraulic fracturing fluids had contaminated groundwater in the town of Pavillion, Wyoming. I have a long history with the town of Pavillion and its residents who have maintained since 2008 that fracking has contaminated their water supply. I featured the stories of residents John Fenton, Louis Meeks and Jeff Locker in GASLAND and I have continued to document the catastrophic water contamination in Pavillion for the upcoming sequel GASLAND 2. It would seem that the Republican leadership was using this hearing to attack the three year Region 8 EPA investigation involving hundreds of samples and extensive water testing which ruled that Pavillion's groundwater was a health hazard, contaminated by benzene at 50x the safe level and numerous other contaminants associated with gas drilling. Most importantly, EPA stated in this case that fracking was the likely cause.

As a filmmaker and journalist I have covered hundreds of public hearings, including Congressional hearings. It is my understanding that public speech is allowed to be filmed. Congress should be no exception. No one on Capitol Hill should regard themselves exempt from the Constitution. The first amendment to the Constitution states explicitly "Congress shall make no law...that infringes on the Freedom of the Press". Which means that no subcommittee rule or regulation should prohibit a respectful journalist or citizen from recording a public hearing.

FEB 1, 2012 - Josh Fox, filmmaker of Gasland fame, and one who has been one of the leading voices against hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking", has been arrested at a House Subcommittee on Energy and Environment meeting. Apparently Republicans were against them being there, and charges of "disorderly conduct" are alleged from people in the room.

It is very rare for a high-profile journalst without official credentials to be asked to leave, and Republicans could have sent them to the front desk to sort it out and get credentials, but they had him and his crew arrested instead. Zach Carter has more at HuffPo here.

Marcellus Outreach Butler is a group that has been fighting hard to protect Pennsylvania's air and water from the harmful effects of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, where they inject hundreds of toxic chemicals to shatter shale when drilling for natural gas. Aquifers, rivers and streams get polluted, and animal and human health suffer. Many people's wells are rendered unusable after fracking was done near their property.

If you are in the Pittsburgh area, check out their 1st Anniversary "Fracktivist" Gathering on Saturday, February 4th, check out their website for more info. Later this year, MOB plans to ride to DC on bikes down the C&O Canal Park, and JTMP will be here to greet them and record the whole event, including a rally with musical performances. Check back for more information on that as it evolves.

Also, check out their Blog Site, Pennsylvania The Beautitful,  a site "devoted to the natural beaty and cultural wonders that are in and around small towns in Pennsylvania". And check out our "No Freaking Fracking" Facebook page and suppport the efforts to ban fracking.
 

JAN 18, 2012 - The Obama administration will reject the current permit from a Canadian firm to build an extension of the Keystone XL pipeline, on the grounds that it was going through a very sensitive area, Nebraska's Sandhills. Read more on WashPo.