Obama did it! There is hope....

Barack Obama addresses a campaign rally in Idaho in February 2008.
Excerpts from “The American Moment,” remarks to the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, April 23, 2007.

I believe that the single most important job of any President is to protect the American people. And I am equally convinced that doing that job effectively in the 21st century will require a new vision of American leadership and a new conception of our national security — a vision that draws from the lessons of the past, but is not bound by outdated thinking.

In today’s globalized world, the security of the American people is inextricably linked to the security of all people. When narco-trafficking and corruption threaten democracy in Latin America, it’s America’s problem too. When poor villagers in Indonesia have no choice but to send chickens to market infected with avian flu, it cannot be seen as a distant concern. When religious schools in Pakistan teach hatred to young children, our children are threatened as well.

Whether it’s global terrorism or pandemic disease, dramatic climate change or the proliferation of weapons of mass annihilation, the threats we face at the dawn of the 21st century can no longer be contained by borders and boundaries.

California needs the help from the Los Angeles Residents. Drought can be a big issue here in Los Angeles. We all need to take part in ensuring water stays available for us all. There are many things you can do to help save water. You can take shorter showers, report any water leaks, don't leave the faucet running and make sure your neighbor is not watering down his/her drive way.

It's easy to take for granted a resource that is abundantly available in our daily lives. But the ease with which we can access this vital commodity often obscures the reality that it is in fact a limited resource.

As a result of the drought declaration by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, many Californians will soon likely face mandatory conservation orders. In fact, many water districts and cities have already asked for voluntary measures.

March 13, 2008: In compliance with its procedural and statutory requirements, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) closed the expired California Solar Initiative (CSI) proceeding docket (R.06-03-004) and reopened the proceeding under docket number R.08-03-008.

This Order initiates a Rulemaking to continue the work from Rulemaking 06-03-004 related to policies, rules and implementation of the California Solar Initiative, the Self-Generation Incentive Program, and general issues relating to distributed generation.

A program by our wonderful city of Los Angeles to help push us to Go-Green! Get involved and find out ways you can make a difference in your city.

WHAT IS THE MILLION TREES L.A. INITIATIVE?

Mayor Villaraigosa is committed to making Los Angeles the largest, cleanest, and greenest city in the United States. The Million Trees L.A. (MTLA) Initiative will accomplish this through public-private partnerships that will plant one million trees throughout Los Angeles.

WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS WHEN IT SEEMS THERE ARE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS FOR THE CITY TO BE DOING?

It is important to enhance the natural environment. Planting and maintaining trees will help clean the air, clean up polluted urban runoff, help make streets and buildings cooler and provide an all-around more livable environment.

The city of Los Angeles is giving FREE Mulch away for your home and garden. Mulch protects the soil from erosion, reduces compaction from the impact of heavy rains, conserves moisture, reducing the need for frequent waterings, maintains a more even soil temperature, prevents weed growth, keeps fruits and vegetables clean.

It also keeps feet clean, allowing access to garden even when damp, and provides a "finished" look to the garden.

It's a wonderful program by the City of Los Angeles, Bureau of Sanitation.

Bring your own shovel, bag or pick-up.

Available at 6 Locations throughout L.A. County.

The nation's first "feebate" law. One-time registration fees of up to $2,500 would be levied on new gas guzzlers, such as Hummers, Dodge Vipers and Chevy Tahoes. Some cleaner sport utility vehicles, pickups and minivans would be exempt from any charge, while the Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra and other fuel-efficient cars would get hefty rebates.

The bill, AB 493, is among a raft of measures under consideration in the Legislature and, behind the scenes, by officials at California's powerful Air Resources Board, to press the auto industry to do its part to fight global warming.

"We put 1.8 million vehicles a year on the road in California," said Assemblyman Ira Ruskin (D-Redwood City), the bill's author. "We have to find ways to get more clean cars on the road and more dirty cars off. There's no time to waste if we're to avoid the catastrophes ahead from global warming.

Every day we are using resources and producing waste. We put a great deal of strain on the earth, so it's important for all of us to understand our impacts and learn what we can do to lessen them.

The average American household consumes over 100,000 gallons of water and generates over 22 tons of carbon dioxide each year.

The United States is responsible for 21% of carbon dioxide emissions, yet we have less than 5% of the world's population. We can and must reduce our environmental impact and slow global warming if we hope to have a promising future.

The City of Los Angeles provides eligible multifamily residential buildings with FREE recycling services by mid-summer. Multifamily residential properties participating in the program, will receive the following:

FREE ...

Get Active and start hiking! The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy is a leader in the improvement of our L.A. County. They offer great trails and locations that are a lot of fun. Places you can go by yourself, with the family and/or with friends. And don't forget to take care of the land and plant a tree!

The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy was established by the California State Legislature in 1980. Since that time, it has helped to preserve over 60,000 acres of parkland in both wilderness and urban settings, and improved more than 114 public recreational facilities throughout Southern California. Additionally, it has given grants to nonprofit organizations for educational and interpretation programs that have served hundreds of thousands of children and other park visitors.