Page 38 RAIN September/October 1985 Ecodefense—Here is the book that has delighted the frustrated radical environmental activist and shocked the more conventional conservationist. But then, what else would one expect from the folks at Earth First!? Ecodefense contains "detailed, field-tested hints from experts" on tree spiking, trashing billboards, and "decommisioning" heavy equipment. Also included are devious suggestions like mailing heavily weighted business reply envelopes and other means of increasing the operating expenses of environmentally unconcerned corporations. Some people draw a line separating Ghandian non-violent disobedience from vandalism. But does the end justify the means? If an environmentally irresponsible company is destroying land, is it ethical to destroy the machinery of that land destruction? The main value of Ecodefense may lie in the ethical discussion it generates. Ecodefense: A Field Guide to Monkeywrenching, edited by Dave Foreman with Forward! by Ed Abby is available for $10 from: Earth First!, PO Box 5871, Tucson, AZ 85703. Agriculture's Scientific Symposia—Proceedings of the Institute for Alternative Agriculture's first two annual scientific symposia are now available. The first, "Alternative Agriculture: An Introduction and Overview" was held in Washington D.C. in March of 1984. The symposium focused on ways alternative agriculture systems benefit soil and water conservation, fish and wildlife resources, family farms, and international development. The second, "Proposed 1985 Farm Bill Changes: Taking the Bias Out of Farm Policy" reviews current U.S. farm policy and emphasized farm bill changes that would slow or even reverse the trend toward a production system heavily dependent on energy and chemical inputs. Copies of the proceedings are available at $6 each, postpaid, from: The Institute for Alternative Agriculture, 9200 Edmonston Road, Suite 117, Greenbelt, MD 20770; 301/441-8777. State Legislature References—Reference works on state governments are now available. One, entitled "State Elective Officials and the Legislatures 1985-86" is a directory of names, parties, addresses, and districts of state legislators throughout the country as of January, 1985. The other, "State Legislative Leadership, Committees and Staff 1985-86" gives the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of staff legislative leaders, committees, chairpersons, staff officers, and staff members. Each is available for $17.50 ($12.25 for state officials) from: The Council of State Governments, Iron Works Pike, PO Box 11910, Lexington, KY 40578. Bus It to the Trailhead—For those of you without a car, or who have had yours vandalized at the trail heads, the new addition of "How to Get to the Wilderness Without A Car" is for you. (The first edition was reviewed in RAIN IX:5, page 22.) This book tells how to reach national parks, wilderness areas, and other backcountry trailheads in 11 western states, British Columbia, Alberta, and the RUSH Yukon using scheduled public transportation. Included are scale maps and more information on hiking and ski touring trips from public transit terminals and 40 pages of appendices listing additional sources of information. This book is available for $9.95 plus $1 for postage from: Lee Cooper, Frosty Peak Books, PO Box 80584, Fairbanks, AK 99708. Colorful Recyclers—Earth Care Paper Company provides recycled stationary, notecards, envelopes, and computer paper in a variety of colors, weights, and sizes. Earth Care is the only company in the U.S. that sells small quantities of recycled paper through the mail (large volume buyers have access to recycled paper, but individuals, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations do not). For futher information contact: Carol and John Magee, Earth Care Paper Company, 325 Beech Lane, Harbor Springs, MI 49740; 616/526-7003. Charge It On the Sun—Now charge your AA, C, and D batteries with the sun! Solar Electric Engineering has introduced a full line of portable solar battery chargers. These chargers allow the user to charge two size C or D batteries at a time, or up to four AA. For more information contact: Solar Electric Engineering, . Inc., 405 East "D" Street, Petaluma, CA 94952. Wildlife on the Farm—The Office of Technology Assessment now offers workshop proceedings that discuss technologies that benefit both agricultural production and wildlife conservation. Results of these workshops show wildlife habitat management and agricultural production need not be mutually exclusive land uses. Copies of "Technologies to Benefit Agriculture and Wildlife" are available for $5 from U.S. Government Office, Superintendent of Documents, Washington, DC 20402, stock # 052-003-00996-0. Dig Deep—The Deep Bed Farming Society (DBFS) is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization committed to researching and promoting the Deep Bed System of horticulture. Its major objectives are: to promote small-scale, ecologically sound farming operations, and to help assure that farmers throughout the world are able to produce enough quality foods for all people while also receiving adequate financial return. For futher information, contact: The Deep Bed Farming Society, 629 Sixth Street, Las Animas, CO 81054; 303/456-2582. Labeling Law—For those of you who eat food, something interesting has happened in Oregon. Oregon Representative Dave Mc- Teague introduced the nation's first state Irradiated Food Retail Labeling Legislation, which passed on June 17. All food irradiated and sold in Oregon will now contain the following label: WARNING: This product has been irradiated with radioactive isotopes for purposes ofpreservation; the health effects are unknown. For more information, contact: Consumers United for Food Safety, 5215 South Dawson, Seattle, WA 98118. Grandmothers for Peace—Grandmothers for Peace share a fear that their grandchildren may be the last generation on earth. They call for the elimination of nuclear weapons throughout the world. Grandmothers for Peace invite all grandmothers, grandfathers, their families and friends to join their organization. For more information, contact: Grandmothers for Peace, 2708 Curtis Way, Sacramento, CA 95818. Peacemakers—Educators interested in trying to integrate the issues of nuclear war and the struggle for world peace into their classrooms have a new resource to draw upon. The Peace Education Project (PEP), which maintains a comprehensive library of materials on this subject, will be based in Santa Cruz County this year. Helene Oppenheimer, the national coordinator of the project, operates a mobile library of materials which concentrates on three main subject areas: global awareness, nuclear education, and non-violent conflict resolution. She and her husband Mark have traveled more than 70,000 miles through 37 states, bringing the library to schools across the country. The mobile library is possibly available for display in your community by contacting: Peace Education Project, PO Box 559, Felton, CA 95018, Seeds and Food Security—This is a report by Sahabet Alam Malaysia (Friends of the Earth Malaysia) on one aspect of the "Green Revolution" in Third World agriculture. The focus is on high-yield varieties of seeds (HYVs) and how the farmers in the Asia-Pacific region are responding to HYVs and their problems. The report also recommends suitable action for governments to ensure protection of seed heritage and to minimise the adverse effects of HYV introduction in these countries. Sahabet Alam Malaysia (SAM) is a grassroots, non-governmental organization involved with environmental protection and conservation of natural resources in Malaysia and the Asia-Pacific region. SAM publishes books and materials based on their work and research. For more information, contact: Sahabet Alam Malaysia, 37 Lorong Birch, PULAU, Pinang, Malaysia. Social Audit Manual—The co-operative sector's concern for social responsibility is reflected in the newest publication of the Cooperative Union of Canada, entitled Social Auditing: a Manual for Co-operative Organizations. The manual discusses the social responsibilities of cooperatives, provides a general description of the social audit process, and proposes a step-by-step approach to applying social auditing in a co-op. It describes a social audit as similar in some respects to a financial audit, but focusing on social rather than financial performance. Inquire about obtaining copies from: North American Students of Cooperation, PO Box 7715, Ann Arbor, MI 48107.
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