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Petition Tag - save
61. Stop cockatoo culls in Potts Point 
Property owners in Potts Point have applied for permits from NSW National Parks and Wildlife to kill (cull) sulphur crested cockatoos in order to prevent damage to their buildings. Culling wild birds in urban areas is unnecessary, unethical, unsafe and inevitably fails to protect property.
It has been documented that previous culls of sulphur crested cockatoos in Potts Point and other parts of Sydney have not worked. There are many humane and much more effective alternatives to culling as a form of property protection.
These beautiful, intelligent, wild birds are beloved by many residents in our wonderful community. They add fun and an innocent wildness to our highly urbanised environment. Cockatoos are part of Sydney, and they have a right to co-exist peacefully with humans. It is our responsibility to adapt our built environments to the needs and habits of native wildlife.
62. Stop the Destruction of the Waterloo Moraine
Stop the destruction of agricultural land on the Waterloo moraine.
Taking a look at a zoning map of Waterloo from 2001, I noticed that a lot of the outlying land was zoned for agriculture. Right behind the Columbia Forest Court was a beautiful field that glowed a brilliant gold during the fall season. When I glanced at a more recent map from 2009, this same field was rezoned as land for development. For a decade this field had been owned by IBI, a development company that leased the property to farmers.
Up until the end of 2009, these farmers were growing their crops on their field, but last spring a sign in front of the forest that leads to the field announced City of Waterloo's plans to commence the construction of a trail, lighting and waterworks through the middle of the forest to provide a safe passage from the Columbia Forest Estates to the new “Vista Hills” development to be built on the field.
The field remained dormant until this spring, when bulldozers moved in and started to level it. In addition to IBI destroying the land, they are devastating an entire ecosystem, teeming with flora and fauna. Small animals such as groundhogs are being endangered or extirpated and moved to the nearby forest. This construction has damaged the existing ecosystem of the moraine, and there will be an imbalance of species in the forest, which can cause a lot of damage to the existing plants and animals.
A gaping hole in the forest has been cleared to make way for the new path and waterworks that is going to be constructed. The deforestation of ESPA 19 happened this month, in June, prior to a land bird monitoring report that was to be completed, and it occurred during the migratory bird breeding season.
My family and I would like you to help save the Waterloo Moraine that is being destroyed by developers such as IBI. The reason we are trying to protect this land is because it has a rich natural history: it was formed by glaciers thousands of years ago, and today is a rich supply of water for the residents of Waterloo. If you were dwelling near the construction site, would you want to watch the destruction of a valuable natural resource?
Please assist me in stopping this development by signing my petition, and you will be making a difference in our community for generations to come.
63. Save Meander Primary School
The state government are trying to close down the heart of this wonderful country town. The school has an excellent record in nation wide testing and offers lots of extra curricular activities.
The school is apart of a fantastic community which has a varied background. Everyone knows everyone by name and the kids thrive in this friendly learning environment.
The school has worked long and hard to find just the right formula for happy fun loving kids who are happy in there learning environment.
64. Save Goodwood Primary School
This action will ensure Goodwood and the surrounding community continues to evolve into a strong, stable and socially engaged region.
Goodwood should have an active voice in the future of our State by sustaining and building on the community’s strong values and pride by not centralising this educational service and not disengaging and fragmenting our community.
65. Save Franklin Primary School
Franklin Primary School has a proud and rich history. It is the pride of the Huon and has been around for 150 years. The school is highly respected and well known for its energetic, hard-working energetic students and teachers and its famous big tree.
It has received numerous grants to upgrade its library, administration office, main entrance and foyer. The upgraded area received the People's Choice Award in the 2011 Tasmanian Architecture Awards. It has also built a large shade area in line with with the schools sun smart policy and just recently installed new play equipment. The school has established a sail training program and it won a District (Hartz) Award in 2003 "in recognition of a successful volunteer partnership between the school, the Living Boat Trust and the community."
The school has had an ongoing relationship for many years with the local aged care facility where young and old get together regularly enriching both their lives.
Howden house was completed in 1795 and has had many owners throughout its many years. But in 1964 the Carnegie trust gave a grant of £12,000 to convert the house from offices into a community centre for the new town. But in recent years the house has lay unoccupied.
The House was bought by a company to develop the house into offices and housing. However the house has been left in awful state. The house is close to becoming beyond disrepair.
Sessions House is an historic building in Selsey, Sussex, England. It was tragically destroyed by fire and of importance not only historically but socially too in that it was a regarded as a 'jewel in the Crown' of Selseys High Street and as such featured on all chocolates, tea towels and the like as a tourist attraction.
The costs of restoration have meant it is not attractive to developers (other than to be knocked down and be yet another eyesore) and so it remained in ruin. I campaigned to keep this listed and managed to retain it's grade II listing with English Heritage.
No grants or public funding are available and I have invested everything I own (and some) to put this grand old lady back together. The rear development offsets some of the shortfall and saves the majority of the main house. I'm not asking for money, just your support so please help me and play your part in keeping our heritage alive. Thank you.
68. Save The Skate Parks in South Jersey
The skateboard and BMX riders in Southern, NJ have no legal places of their own to practice and ride. They are often ticketed and fined by the police because the parking lots and hand built sites that they practice in are not sanctioned by the city, county, or property owners, and are not safe places to play. The skate parks that were recently built are now being closed.
There are no legal facilities available for them other than the few parks that are still open. When people hop skate park fences they are charged with trespassing.
A BMX/skatepark provides a safe, fun family place to play. The cities have made baseball, basketball, tennis, and soccer facilities available for the children who have those interests. The skateboarders and BMX riders deserve the same consideration.
69. Save the HEC, Save youth's future
Recently in a shocking move, the present government approved the shredding of Higher Education Commission into pieces. This includes its devolution from a federal level to provincial.
This is disastrous for the future of Pakistan as it will lead to horrendous problems. It will lead to the same chaotic situation that exists in our schools. Formula-based funding will be replaced with political favoritism.
We cannot be bystanders as the HEC is shredded into pieces. (Excerpts from Dr Atta-Ur-Rahman’s Article)
Erskine has had a 3g Synthetic All Weather Pitch ( AWP )
for over 5 years. In those years the Community of Erskine,
Bishopton and Inchinnan have used the facility extensively
especially the Football Community who have rented the
surface from the Council for training and games.
We find it ASTONISHING! that after 5 years of renting the
facility at a cost of around £21,000 a year the Football
Community in the area has to go elsewhere for a suitable
surface to train and play on during the winter months.
Due to the Council's Pitch Strategy the new Park Mains
High School is to have a Sand Dressed AWP which the
Governing Body of Youth Football in Scotland ( SYFA ) has
declared not a PREFERRED SURFACE TO PLAY GAMES OR
TRAIN ON! The nearest 3g AWP to Erskine is Renfrew High
School so the kids of Erskine, Bishopton and Inchinnan will
have to travel to Renfrew at the least to train in winter on
a 3g surface.
Given the council has had an estimated £ 100,000 from
the Football Community in pitch rental over the 5 years we
find it DISGRACEFUL! that the needs of the Football
Community in Erskine, Bishopton and Inchinnan have
been overlooked in favour of Hockey.
Please sign our petition and join our campaign on facebook
under Save Erskine Football to provide Erskine, Bishopton
and Inchinnan with the 3g AWP that it deserves so that all
sports can be played on it.
71. Save The Odeon, North End, Portsmouth
Please sign to save the building and to keep the building and to preserve the heritage for generations to come.
it is One of the original Oscar Deutsch chain of Odeon Theatres. The Portsmouth Odeon opened on 14th December 1936 with Sydney Howard in "Chick". It was the largest and most expensive Andrew Mather designed Odeon of that year. Total seating was provided for 1,824, with 1,224 in stalls and 600 in balcony.
It has an impressive monolithic tower frontage in cream faience with vertical green bands and a roof of red Spanish tiles. The auditorium's ornate decoration included tall murals on side walls depicting film subjects.
A two week closure from 10th September 1960 for modernisation, including installation of 70mm with new wide screen and proscenium in front of original. Then began a glorious period through the 1960's of almost uninterrupted Roadshow presentations (with the Gaumont almost opposite taking the Rank first-run weekly release).
Tripling took place on 26th August 1973, with 573 seats in screen 1 (former balcony) and 132 in each of the mini-screens located in the rear stalls under the balcony. In 1990 a fourth screen was added in the former front stalls area and a new screen was installed in screen 1. Further refurbishment has taken place since then and the current seating is 1. 631, 2. 229, 3. 179, 4. 259.
72. Support BatteryBack & Save The Planet!
Did you know Australians use approximately 10,000 tonnes of domestic batteries each year? Almost all of these will end up in landfill and have the potential to contaminate soil and groundwater.
Even more importantly, batteries are RECYCLABLE. They contain valuable components such as cadmium and zinc, which, if recovered, can be reused in different products and diverted from landfill.
BatteryBack was set up by Sustainability Victoria to gather battery waste-stream information for the Australian Battery Recycling Initiative (ABRI), who aims to develop an industry-wide, national level recycling programme for batteries funded voluntarily by the manufacturers themselves.
Battery recycling in Australia is not free – BatteryBack forwards on the collected batteries to the AusBatt Recycling service. AusBatt does not process enough batteries to fund their activities purely through the reclaimed materials as Australia is not a large enough supply. It is fiscally cheaper to produce batteries from virgin materials, however environmental and social costs are not considered and dumping used batteries in landfill is costing our environment dearly.
Batteryback is scheduled to terminate at the end of June 2011 (though you can still recycle your batteries through Battery World (http://recycling.batteryworld.com.au) and IKEA.) BatteryBack varies to other programs that recycle battery waste in that it aims to play a part in informing industry on the costs and operational requirements associated with running a take-back scheme. This is why it is vital we act to keep this programme going to support the ABRI in developing a national strategy to make battery recycling easily available to all Australians.
We believe, as the ABRI does, the costs involved in battery recycling should be covered by battery manufacturers. By asking manufacturers take environmental responsibility for their products we will be strengthening the most important part of the campaign for a national recycling model. If manufacturers do not believe people are concerned about battery recycling it is less likely they will voluntarily fund these programmes. It is by far the most powerful message we can send.
If manufacturers supported these measures, it would provide a sealed loop, protecting the environment and creating a higher initial battery cost, encouraging consumers to source out battery free alternatives or long-life, rechargeable battery electronics (for example, a camera that uses L-ion rather than 4 double a's).
Show your support by signing the petition below.
Learn more about the programmes here:
http://www.environment.gov.au/wastepolicy/consultation/submissions/pubs/058-abri.pdf
The ABRI's submission to the Waste Management Policy.
http://www.resourcesmart.vic.gov.au/for_households_3797.html
BatteryBack website hosted by ResourceSmart (a government website for Victorians containing information on how Victorians can minimise their impact on the planet).
http://www.ausbatt.com.au/
AussBatt Recycling are the company through which Sustainability Victoria processed the batteries collected through the BatteryBack programme.
http://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/www/html/1517-home-page.asp
Sustainability Victoria. Select the 'Find A Service' Tab to locate BatteryBack (take a minute to check out the other programmes they run too.)
73. Save Cayman / Save the North Sound
Save Cayman/Save the North Sound - Petition only for International Lovers of Cayman and Property Owners in Cayman who are not Residents or Eligible to Vote in Cayman Islands!
Dredging of the North Sound to allow mega-yachts, cruise ships and potentially oil tankers for an oil refinery.
(Published on January 21/11 - CNS) Bush said the channel was “absolutely necessary”. “I have high expectations that we will sign a memorandum of understanding in the near future in order to commence definitive work on these projects.” “I am not prepared to wait any longer. If this particular company wants to develop it, I am prepared to go with them.” “If I was still chairing my boards it would have been done by now”.
(Published on January 24/11 - CFP) Mr. Bush challenged anyone to show him scientific evidence why the channel shouldn’t be done. “I have high expectations that we will sign a memorandum of understanding in the near future, in order to commence definitive work on these projects”. “The country cannot - and I’m not prepared to - wait any longer,” he said.
(Published on January 26/11 - CITN) Premier the Honourable McKeeva Bush said last week he wants proof that dredging a channel would hurt North Sound. “Someone will need to show me scientifically why what I’m saying shouldn’t happen.”
(Published on February 28/11 - CFP) Mr. Bush had told the Legislative Assembly of the intent to build a channel through the North Sound in their sitting on Wednesday, 23 February.
(Premiers Statement of March 3/11) The immediate plan is to commission a comprehensive environmental impact study. The event of developing this channel will depend entirely on the environmental study. I want to assure you that this project will not go ahead if the environmental impact study says it will damage the North Sound.
PREMIER'S OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE/NATIONAL BROADCAST https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NQk8uQeeMKtffyLwFE2wbyskONpvZdHrA46EcgFYPy8/edit?hl=en#
NORTH SOUND DEVELOPMENT MAPS (anonymously delivered to NS MLA)
https://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0AUvX_QQA956JZGR3NTVkOWJfMTFjbW5zdmdobg&hl=en
CHANNEL COULD SPELL DISASTER: NEWS ARTICLE
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CD89kZeQI8chR03M2IUvdfQkhyXGSEaI-I2kK3WPdis/edit?hl=en
RELEVANT PORTION OF CAYMAN ISLANDS (Dept of ENVIRONMENT) MARINE PARK REGULATIONS & CONSERVATION LAWS
https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B0vX_QQA956JNWE4NjdiN2ItZDM5ZC00YzgwLWEwN2YtMjgzODdjZmNmMTc0&hl=en
MANGROVES: PRESS ARTICLE
https://docs.google.com/document/d/14QraZ4AVR3z3hk_yRc-X4FX2ZN4tRoidrNHPifhydOE/edit?hl=en#
STORM SURGE INFORMATION> NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER (US)
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jHenIdYYsslAuZE3sHibGu7zuDe_bK4OklylL2AO1mA/edit?hl=en#
My eldest son Jack is Autistic. I was advised last year that a pet would be good for Jack to help with his Autism and bring him out of himself and help teach him to care for somebody else, to help give him a sense of responsibility.
After a lot of research in October last year We got small Shih-tzu puppy for him. At the time we were living in a 2 bedroomed first floor flat owned by Notting Hill Housing Group, we recently moved to a 3 bedroom house with a garden owned by Notting Hill Housing Group. I
have just received a letter saying we must get rid of our puppy or face being evicted, Whilst living in the first floor flat we were allowed to have an Alsatian for 7 years who sadly passed away 4 years ago. Since getting our puppy(Gino) my son has completely changed and come out of himself, He is due to start a mainstream secondary school in September which is something I couldn't have predicted a year ago.
To take away Gino will cause him such heartbreak and trauma it could set him right back.Gino has changed Jacks life in so many ways for the positive, please help my family.
75. Save The Arts! (Music, Theatre, Dance, etc.)
Our petition is stating that we want funds to go the arts, not just the sports.
At our school, funds are being taken out of the arts programs (Band, Show Choir, Art Classes) and being put into sports.
76. Help Save the Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine Mansion!
John A. Macdonald was the first prime minister of the Dominion of Canada, but that was the end of a story. It was his predecessors, Louis-Hippolyte La Fontaine and Robert Baldwin, who made self-government possible. In fact, La Fontaine was the first Prime Minister.
His contributions are commemorated in the place names of parks, towns, streets, bridges and even a tunnel, yet when our children learn Canadian history, they are taught that Canada began in 1867. Canada was born amid shoot-outs, riots and fires. La Fontaine and Baldwin had created a balanced, fair government and knew that the change to a democracy would be a difficult process for the old oligarchy of Tories and businessmen to accept.
Confederation, dominated by the old Tory elite making the same claims, helped to perpetuate an illusion that Canada began in 1867, but place names survive, waiting for us to wonder why they were chosen, and in the process, to rediscover our past and learn of the real struggles our ancestors endured in order to make Canada the first colony to secede from the British Empire in a civil manner – without war. (Source: Joseph Graham)
The building we are advocating for was once the home of Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine the great man who is mentioned above. This Victorian style mansion built in the 1830's is currently left to fall into ruin by the City of Montreal. Over the years there have been many people advocating for the building and yet nothing has been done. Something must be done to save the building.
http://www.journalmetro.com/montreal/article/758269--manifestation-pour-la-maison-sir-louis-hippolyte-la-fontaine
http://communities.canada.com/montrealgazette/blogs/metropolitannews/archive/2011/01/29/maison-louis-hippolyte-lafontaine-mansion-overdale-montreal-heritage.aspx
77. Free Hadi Abedi Bakhoda, a very ill political prisoner!
Hadi Abedi Bakhoda is a political prisoner of the 1980s on charges of supporting the main Iranian opposition People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). He was tortured and shot by the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), when arrested.
His spinal cord was damaged in such a way that he now cannot walk and is in a wheelchair since the incident. The shooting also damaged other organs including his kidneys and his bladder that had failed totally. Since then, he suffers from debilitating physical complications as a result of his injuries. Abedi Bakhoda's wife and Mehri Javan Mahjub (a former prisoner) were arrested and sent to Lakan Prison. His brother, Hormoz, was executed by the Iranian regime on similar charges.
Branch One of the Revolutionary Court condemned Hadi Abedi-Bakhoda for two years imprisonment in 2009 (he then was transferred to the Lakan prison in Rasht in Nov 2009) even if he was not capable of imprisonment due because of his severe physical infirmities. The coroner's office, prison clinic and other health institutes confirmed this fact at the time and also demanded his release but the Intelligence Ministry and the Revolutionary Court have never paid attention to his conditions, therefore, he was transferred to prison.
Hadi Abedi-Bakhoda is sent to hospital only when his conditions become very critical, but ultimately because of his fragile health, they are forced to give him sick-leave.
According to Human Rights Activists in Iran, on Monday May 23, 2011, the Revolutionary Court of Rasht (Branch One) summoned Hadi Abedi-Bakhoda to notify him that the lash ruling against him would have been carried out despite his health conditions (his bladder was not functioning properly and he was suffering from a severe kidney disorder) and did not even consider the fact that he was in a wheelchair: he then received 51 lashes for the alleged crime of not reporting to the Lakan prison in Rasht on time when he was hospitalized during a sick-leave.
On 16 December 2010 the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) published a consultation document announcing the ‘modernisation’ of HM Coastguard.
The plan is to reduce the number of 24-hour Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres around the coast, from 18 to two - based in Portsmouth/Southampton and Aberdeen. Ten stations will close. Five will only operate during the day.
That includes Humber Coastguard, based in Bridlington and responsible for the east coast between the Humber and the Scottish border. Over a third of the incidents dealt with by Humber Coastguard in 2010 occurred during the hours of darkness.
79. Save Maryon Wilson Animal Care Centre
Maryon Wilson Park is on Thorntree Road Charlton, London, situated nearby to Maryon Park. The animal care centre is hugely popular with both locals and visitors to the area. It's an oasis of calm in a bustling area and should be saved for everyone!
Greenwich Council are seeking to offload the responsibility and costs of the animal centre in their budget cuts. Our petition aim is to convince the council that this is a mistake and is totally against the wishes of the local electorate.
The park serves many local schools and people travel from far & wide to visit. It is one of the distinguishing and defining features of the area - it's loss would be far-reaching, detrimental to the area and community.
A petition to stop Aberdeenshire Council from shutting down our pre-school groups.
The health board, supported by the leader of Argyll and Bute Council and the chair of the Hospice Trust, will this month ask its Cowal Plan Project Board to replace Cowal Hospice with an ‘information, support and therapy centre’.
The Hospice is Needed in the Cowal area for Pallitive Care. Cowal Hospice, which was opened by pubic subscription 13 years ago, should not be closed.
82. Save Our Trees!
Construction workers will be tearing down a beautiful landscape and replacing it with a strip mall. We want to vote against that. Famous minds once said:
"Our trees in our forests need protection to ensure that
those cut are replanted and cutting is done wisely."
-Catherine Pulsifer
"Clear cutting of our forests should be illegal, selective harvesting should be employed."
-Catherine Pulisfer
"People who will not sustain trees will soon live in a world that will not sustain people."
-Bryce Nelson
"The best friend of earth of man is the tree. When we use the tree respectfully and economically, we have one of the greatest resources on the earth."
-Frank Lloyd Wright
"The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit."
-Nelson Henderson
"Nothing is more beautiful than the loveliness of the woods before sunrise."
-George Washington Carver
"No shade tree? Blame not the sun, but yourself."
-Chinese Proverb
"I think that I shall never see, a billboard lovely as a tree. Perhaps, unless the billboards fall, I'll never see a tree at all."
-Ogden Nash
Shading us with its towering form in the summer, blanketing the road with colors and painting the sky yellow, orange, purple, brown and red in the fall, catching snow flakes with it's mighty branches in the winter, and crying along with the sky in the spring. These trees deserve more than just to be aimlessly chopped down.
83. Save In The Bin Short Film Festival
In The Bin Short Film Festival is one of the Gold Coast's and Australia's leading festival and cultural events. In The Bin and its founder Jed Cahill and his workers have educated, drove and screened through 11 years, over 800 films, over 600,00 km and over 500 festivals to date.
In The Bin is the pinnacle of cultural involvement and community participation in the league of Australian touring film education programs. The festival is well know, and well loved throughout the states of Australia, and has touched the communities of Australia from Tasmania to Broome; from Perth to Townsville, and just about everywhere in between. In The bin is a valued and loved event, cherished by thousands, please fight to keep us running!
84. Keep our pet shop Animal Tracks open
Do do a very stupid rule Animal Tracks are to be evicted from their shop on North Seaton Industrial Estate, Ashington, Northumberland, United Kinkgdom.
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/home.php?sk=group_116973955031835&ap=1
Animal Tracks is a wonderful business with very friendly and helpful staff and parking is free, plentiful and close to the shop. It is perfect for customers particularly the elderly, infirm and disabled. I myself am still recovering from cancer treatment and have to buy bulky items for my pets. Particularly sand and filter equipment for the turtles (see the picture section of the group), I like to buy in bulk because of cost savings but would not be able to if the parking was not so convenient.
There is also a nice bakery on the estate which means going to the pet shop is a little outing followed by a picnic lunch.
The variety of animals on view at Animal Tracks is amazing and make it a pleasure to visit. If it was stuck on a high street with limited or no parking this would no longer be the case.
I believe from talking to the owners that they received money in grants from Wansbeck Council and Go Wansbeck. What a waste of public money if they are force to move (or close) especially in this economic climate.
Surely all planning consents etc were passed BEFORE any grants were awarded, and if they were given in error then the council should just bit the bullet and learn from experience rather than damage a successful small business.
The rates etc are much higher in the area the council want to move them so to survive Animal Tracks would have to lose staff and even then the move could put them out of business.
This is a very important shop, many a pet store has fallen under economic strain over the years - DO NO LET US LOSE THIS ONE. PLEASE JOIN and SUPPORT US.
Membership lists will be used as a protest to the council.
Many Thanks.
85. Save the homeland of Aristotle
The “Save from mines the homeland of Aristotle and the gateway to the Holy Mountain” campaign calls for citizens all over the world to raise their voice in condemnation against the development of mining activities and the installation of gold extraction heavy industry, chemical byproducts and toxic waste ponds in the holy land of the philosopher Aristotle, which is the natural gate to the monastic community of the Holy mountain.
In this unique environment, the Greek government has allocated 317000 acres of land to mining companies that aim to transform a highly valued ecological paradise to a huge mining center. Their target is to create numerous surface and underground mines, set up a sulfuric acid chemical plant, dig for gold, silver, copper and other metals and use an ancient forest ecosystem to place their toxic waste ponds.
If we allow this to happen, the result will be a non-reversible, of the first magnitude ecological and cultural disaster of the area with our forests and rivers full of toxic waste, our sea contaminated with heavy metals and the air we breathe fouled by hazardous airborne particle dust while enormous reserves of water will be drained.
People from the four corners of the globe that have suffered the consequences of gold mining in their lands have the following advice to offer: “The only solution to deal with the consequences of gold mining is to stop it once and for all”.
86. Protect Norfolk's Care Services
Please sign this Norfolk-wide public petition today for the protection of crucial social services. Some are facing potentially devastating cuts of 50% and others, such as the Sensory Support Unit, could almost be withdrawn completely.
The petition’s aim is three-fold: maintain prevention services, maintain the Sensory Support Service, and maintain care for those with 'substantial' needs.
Services under threat include: home care for people who have an inability to carry out the majority of personal care or domestic routines; Specialist Support Workers who make it possible for sensory impaired people to live independently and access public and community services; grants to voluntary organisations who provide supportive services such as day care; assistive technology for the elderly and disabled; and Homeshield, a service which flags up potential problems at an early stage.
As numerous studies have shown, preventative services save money and resources in the long run by preventing deterioration in the health of the elderly and vulnerable. For example, Swifts & Night Owls is a call out service, used to prevent the need for hospital admissions. Cutting the budget to this service will mean that far greater financial strain will be placed on the NHS, a bill that will inevitably be picked up by the taxpayer.
Cutting support for people with substantial needs is against government advice, which also points out that it tends to lead to a longer term rise in the demand for social services as people's needs become critical as a result of not receiving earlier care. The council have indicated they may not make this particular cut this after all, but it’s important to keep up the pressure so they stick to their word.
There may be ways to save the threatened services – for instance, the Sensory Support Unit could be operated as a shared service with other authorities. However, the cuts are coming so deep and fast, that a nationally recognised service such as this is not being given the chance to find a way to continue. This is surely scandalous.
Please give your support today by signing our petition. Thank you!
87. Plataforma para la defensa de la Isla de Mallorca
We need your support to save what little is left of nature in a small island. Mallorca in the Balearic Islands, is constantly threatened by private and incoherent initiatives. We have the highest amount of cars per family groups -3 per family- receive 19 million tourists per year.
We are not altogether 1 million inhabitants. Now they want to build an enormous car racing circuit in one of the last agricultural and natural plains of this territory. Please support!
88. Save America's Wild Mustangs/Burros & Horses from Slaughter
The US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is spending 1,000's of taxpayer dollars to remove the wild mustangs and burros from public land set into land in 1971 to protect them.
Currently 39,000 are in govt holding pens. Many end up going to auctions which US laws are not enforced that allows 'kill buyers' to buy as many horses as they want and then transport to Canada or Mexico for slaughter and human consumption in countries such as; Belgium, Japan, France and a few others.
If laws were enforced, the kill buyers would only be permitted to buy ONE horse at an auction. The BLM runs mustang herds by helicoptors for miles, separating families, killing many foals on the way and mares and stallions. Americans want the roundups to end, immediately but falls on deaf ears. The mustangs the BLM is returning to the range are sterilized and mares on birth control unable to reproduce. In 2011 the BLM plans to roundup another 11,000 to 14,000.
Please Stop the BLM Roundups Immediately and Save America's wild horses/burros and enforce the US laws at auctions to stop kill buyers, pass H.R. 503. HR 503 will make it illegal to transport horses across into Canada & Mexico.
89. Save Ne Obliviscaris! (In support of Benjamin Baret's Australian visa appeal)
In November 2010, after more than a year waiting for a response from the Department of Immigration, Australia, Ne Obliviscaris received word that their lead guitarists application for a 'Distinguished Talent' (subclass 124) visa had been denied, putting the future of the band in doubt.
Under Australian migration law, a visa cannot be granted unless the applicant meets the legal requirements that are specified in the Act and the Regulations. The Department of Immigration decided that in their opinion Benjamin Baret does not meet the legal requirements in clause 124.211 in Schedule 2 of the Regulations. We strongly disagree with this decision.
The relevant section of clause 124.211 states:
"(2) The applicant:
(a) has an internationally recognised record of exceptional and outstanding achievement in one of the following areas:
(i) a profession;
(ii) a sport;
(iii) the arts;
(iv) academia and research; and
(b) is still prominent in this area; and
(c) would be an asset to the Australian community; and
(d) would have no difficulty obtaining employment, or in becoming established independently, in Australia in the area."
The reasons given for the refusal of his visa application included that
• “A metal guitarist with internationally recognized records could be expected to have collaborated with renowned metal bands such as Metallica, Iron Maiden or Disturbed. There is no evidence in the application that it is the case.”
• “There is also no evidence that Benjamin Baret has won any international awards by being a guitarist or a musician in general.”
To proclaim that bands such as Iron Maiden & Metallica, two of the biggest metal bands in history, are the standard by which one defines “exceptional and outstanding achievement” is something we feel to be completely unreasonable. Further more, to use the fact that Benjamin has not won any international awards for a genre of music such as metal in which awards scarcely exist, we also feel is unreasonable. We strongly feel that these reasons for refusal show a clear lack of understanding of the music industry and in particular the worldwide metal scene and Ne Obliviscaris’ current and future place within it.
In addition to this petition, the band will also be providing the Migration Review Tribunal with significant additional support material to prove that Benjamin Baret meets the relevant criteria.
Please show your support for this cause by signing this petition and helping to ensure a future for Benjamin Baret in Australia, and for Ne Obliviscaris in general.
Lake Ontario is one of the five interconnected Great Lakes, providing most of the drinking water for Canadians, and Americans. Despite its importance, being one of the few bodies of fresh water readily available, it is being misused and severely polluted.
Many are under the misapprehension that the sewage system is well monitored and that Lake Ontario is being used at a healthy and consistent rate. On the contrary, the water systems being utilized are not extremely reliable and are dumping a lot of waste and chemicals into the body of water. In fact, after the industrial revolution, Lake Ontario has gotten filthier and filthier that in the 21st Century, the change can actually be observed by the naked eye.
Lately, people have been fishing out garbage bags as well as toxic chemicals, the CBC even questioning whether or not Lake Ontario was always this polluted. If and increase in pollution continues, or remains at the current level, Lake Ontario will soon become unusable.