{ A Healthy Planet }
Welcome to the Co-op's A Healthy Planet resource page. Listed below are links for organizations that you can contact regarding various issues on the local, national and global level. These are links that People's Co-op feels are of significance to those of us who value healthy food and a healthy environment, and are in keeping with our Mission, Vision and Values.
The first five links will lead you directly to your elected government officials. You can use these links to email your opinions and concerns to Congressional Representatives and Senators, along with the Governor and President.
www.contactingthecongress.org - Congressional Representative and Senator email links
gov.ca.gov - CA Governor website
www.sandiego.gov/citycouncil - Map of City Council districts and Council Member email links
www.sandiego.gov/mayor - San Diego Mayor's homepage
www.whitehouse.gov/contact - President and Vice President email links
www.firstgov.com - Official government portal site with numerous links to agencies and email addresses
www.activistsandiego.org - Activist San Diego has listings of local Activist and Social Justice events and updates.
One of the most pressing issues that Californian's are currently facing is the threat of genetically engineered, also known as genetically modified, foods and fibers. An urgent call to action is being requested of those of us who honor the earth and our food supply. Please read the following update and make your voice heard through the email links provided to your Congressional Representatives. There are three agencies primarily responsible for regulating biotechnology (the industry responsible for genetic engineering) in the United States; The U.S. Department of Agriculture www.usda.gov, The Environmental Protection Agency www.epa.gov, and The Food and Drug Administration www.fda.gov. Talk about this important issue among your family, friends, co-workers and neighbors, and watch for updated information coupled with calls to action in the Co-op newsletter. Together we can make a difference.
Californian's for GE-free Agriculture (CGEFA) is a coalition of sustainable farming, environmental and consumer organizations and individuals united to prevent genetically engineered agriculture in California . They encourage and support farmers in their rejection of transgenic crops in our state. Their members include California Certified Organic Farming, Center for Food Safety, Community Alliance with Family Farmers , Ecological Farming Association, Genetic Engineering Action Network, Greenpeace, Organic Consumers Association and the Pesticide Action Network. To find out more about CGEFA, how you can get involved or to make a donation, please contact them at CGEFA c/o CAFF PO Box 363 Davis CA 95617 or 415.981.6205 ext 393.
Surfrider Foundation
The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit environmental organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world's oceans, waves and beaches for all people, through conservation, activism, research and education. The following link is to the San Diego chapter. www.surfridersd.org
GreenpeaceUSA
GreenpeaceUSA is a leading independent campaigning organization that uses peaceful direct action and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and to promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. www.greenpeace.org/usa
Organic Consumers Association
The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) is an online and grassroots non-profit 501(c)3 public interest organization campaigning for health, justice, and sustainability. The OCA deals with crucial issues of food safety, industrial agriculture, genetic engineering, children's health, corporate accountability, Fair Trade, environmental sustainability and other key topics. www.organicconsumers.org
Union of Concerned Scientists
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) is the leading science-based nonprofit working for a healthy environment and a safer world. UCS combines independent scientific research and citizen action to develop innovative, practical solutions and to secure responsible changes in government policy, corporate practices, and consumer choices. What began as a collaboration between students and faculty members at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1969 is now an alliance of more than 250,000 citizens and scientists. www.ucsusa.org
Envirolink
Envirolink, the online environmental community, is a nonprofit organization providing access to thousands of online environmental resources from agriculture to wildlife. For more information on going local, click on resource links such as energy, environmental economics, sustainable business and sustainable living. www.envirolink.org
San Diego Roots
Sustainable Food Project The San Diego Roots Sustainable Food Project was formed to strengthen the local food movement in the San Diego region and to create a sustainable urban-rural partnership that brings healthy local food to our communities and sustains the working landscapes and people that feed us. www.sandiegoroots.org
Earth Save
Earth Save has a mission to help people make food choices that promote health, reduce health care costs, and provide greater health independence through a plant-based diet. www.earthsave.org
North American Vegetarian Society
The North American Vegetarian Society is a non-profit tax-exempt educational organization whose mission is, in part, to inform the public about how vegetarianism benefits humans, other animals and our shared earth. www.navs-online.org
National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA)
For nearly one hundred years, NCBA's mission has remained the same: To develop, advance and protect cooperative business. The vision of NCBA demonstrates that cooperatives are a better business model for providing domestic and global social and economic progress. www.ncba.coop
Consciousness and Knowledge: Achieving Peace, Prosperity and Life-Support Sustainability A free publication by Jim Bell, Ecological Designer. Download the free ebook
From genetically engineered corn to genetically engineered fish, consumers have a right to know what they are eating. To learn more about genetically engineered foods and fibers visit our Genetically Engineeered Crops page. You can also find current news regarding genetically engineered crops by reading the Co-op's monthly newsletter.