A daily series, Connect! Unite! Act! seeks to create face-to-face networks in each congressional district. Groups regularly socialize but also get out the vote, support candidates and engage in other local political actions that help our progressive movement grow and exert influence on the powers-that-be. Visit us every morning at 7:30 A.M. Pacific Time to see how you can get involved. The comment thread is fun and light-hearted, but we're serious about moving the progressive political agenda forward.
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Good morning Kogs and Kossacks in Dailykosland!
Let's start the working week with a Moral Monday.
Do you want to eat less plastic?
Plastics.
In a key scene from the classic movie, "The Graduate", the young man played by Dustin Hoffman is advised by a friend of his parents that there is a great future in plastics. And in 1967 when the movie was released, plastic products were the wave of the future and beginning to explode all over the place.
Now so many things are made out of plastic that it is hard to think of any commonly used item that does not use plastic. Looking around the room I see all kinds of things that were created by forcing melted plastic pellets into an injection mold: a comb, a bottle of cough syrup, a bottle of poultry seasoning, a fan, a heater, a trashcan, a zipper, a bag clip, a pen, a lamp, a piggy bank, a pencil sharpener, a deodorant container, some picture frames. When I was growing up, a lot of these things were made of metal. Spices came in glass jars, as did milk.
I have been an enthusiastic recycler of plastic containers, attempting to reduce the amount of plastic in landfills.
But what about the amount of plastic inside ME?
I was relatively late to finding out about the concerns being expressed about ingesting plastic. BPA became something to avoid, and then the BPA-free materials made from BPS were found to be harmful as well. I stopped using the face cleanser and the toothpaste with the plastic microbeads, but there is so much plastic around that I know I could never eliminate it completely from my life. (Do they still make toothbrushes without plastic bristles?)
I decided that I would take a first step of concentrating on the kind of plastic I am likely to ingest through food and drink sources.
I developed a catch all phrase to guide me: "Eat Less Plastic".
This meant no longer eating with plastic forks and spoons. It meant no more refilling plastic bottles with water in my refrigerator. It meant no more rubbermaid or tupperware food storage containers. It meant looking for soda, applesauce, mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, spices, and similar items packaged in glass.
It also meant buying glass water pitchers, metal ice trays, reusable/washable glass straws, glass food storage containers, wax paper in the microwave instead of cling wrap, glass glasses instead of plastic cups, and replacing my non-stick pans with ceramic cookware.
The biggest place left where I am "eating plastic" frequently is milk. I find myself wishing I could get milk delivery in bottles. But I can't afford it: the milk itself is more expensive, the delivery is expensive, and the bottles have a dollar deposit apiece. Besides, I have no place for drop off and pick up for the bottles since I live in an apartment.
The expense of doing this quickly started to look like a social justice issue. Can poor families afford an alternative to giving their babies sippy cups and bottles made of plastic, feeding them cereal for breakfast from a plastic bowl with a plastic spoon, letting them play with plastic toys that end up in their mouths, wrapping lunch sandwiches in plastic wrap, putting ice from plastic ice trays in plastic drink cups that they drink with plastic straws, and warming up the dinner left overs in plastic food storage containers?
Is avoiding plastic a marker of upper class privilege? Does it make a difference to your health if you are born with a silver spoon in your mouth instead of a plastic one? Would you pay more for an item in a non-plastic container? Does avoiding ingesting plastic mean anything to you?
Do you want to eat less plastic?
start up soundtrack
Let's Build Communities!
Our team is here to provide support and guidance to new and existing volunteer leaders of each regional and state group, helping them with recruiting, organizing and executing social and action events.
We invite you to join in this effort to build our community. There are many ways to pitch in.
If there isn't a group to join near you, please start one.
Instructions on HOW TO FORM A NEW DAILY KOS GROUP
List of All Existing Meatspace Groups
Where the Kogs Are: Index/Directory of the 130+ Localized Daily Kos Groups
THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY
by cooper888 ♥ for Sacramento Kossacks
We heard from navajo and Meteor Blades about the initiative by Daily Kos to have active Kossack groups in each of the state capitals. DK is looking for engaged Kossack's ready to roll up their sleeves and participate in many different types of activism/advocacy. For example, delivering petitions to the state capitol, participating in various protests, marches, rally's at the capitol, etc. As Meteor Blades pointed out this won't happen over night and is a long term strategy but I think if we all take the lead in our respective states we can make this dream happen sooner than DK leadership expects.
L-R: Front row: Sychotic1, tgypsy, tb92, trevizolga, Mrs. side pocket. Second row: Arundsdel (sp?), Laurel in CA, Kestrel, Meteor Blades. Third row: Kestrel's two friends, smileycreek, paradise50, Dave. Back row: Clif, Mr. Arundsdel, Neil, cooper888, side pocket, Left foot forward, got mooned & Nate
Please visit cooper888's diary for many MORE photos! Enjoy! You can still REC it. You can join Sacramento Kossacks by sending a Kosmail to cooper888.
by John Crapper ♥ for Seattle and Puget Sound Kossacks
On Saturday 10/4/14, the Seattle and Puget Sound Kossacks had the chance to have lunch with Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant.
...In 2012, Kshama ran as a Socialist Alternative candidate for WA State Legislature and surprised everyone by winning 29% of the vote. The momentum continued in her campaign for Seattle City Council where she boldly ran on a platform of fighting for a $15/hr minimum wage, rent control and taxing the super-rich to fund mass transit and education. In November she defeated a 16-year incumbent Democrat to become the first socialist elected in a major US city in decades.
Kshama Sawant now chairs Seattle City Council's Energy Committee which covers Seattle City Light, alternative energy sources, energy policies and air pollution regulations.
bleeding blue videotaped the address and the Q&A session that followed:
Please visit John Crapper's diary for more details and photos of the event. You can still REC it. You can join Seattle and Puget Sound Kossacks by sending a Kosmail to John Crapper.
by randallt ♥ for DKos Asheville
The Dkos Ashevillites got together again to take a break from registering people to vote. A special thanks to Gordon20024, who drove in from Roanke, for providing all the food!
All the attendees went around the table and talked about what they're involved in at Daily Kos. Details about this on each attendee can be read at randallt's diary. Out-of-state special guests were Land of Enchantment and jnhobbs from Nashville! Love that kind of support!
Dkos Asheville is setting a great example of how to Connect, Unite and Act! Kudos to the whole group that is making this team strong!
Please visit randallt's diary for photos! Enjoy! You can still REC it. You can join DKos Asheville by sending a Kosmail to randallt.
by susans ♥ for Los Angeles Kossacks
At the monthly meeting of the Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners, SEIU, airport workers and Daily Kos (represented by susans and Joshua Bloxom) presented them with a 48,000 signature petition demanding safer working conditions. Also present were representatives of CLUE, Clergy & Laity United for Economic Justice, who submitted a letter of support to the board.
[...]
The SEIU organizers led a short rally outside of the building at One World Way after the meeting. SEIU represents people who do a lot of different jobs at LAX: they work in the terminals as wheelchair pushers, door openers, janitors, various other positions and on the ramp (outside). Some of them spoke at the rally, again in English and Spanish. They asked me to speak, something I was totally unprepared for. I briefly told them about DK and that I would be writing about the event and posting it online.
A special thank you to Josh, who took multiple trains up from Orange County to support airport workers and represent Daily Kos. It was great talking to you and I look forward to another opportunity to spend some time together.
Please visit
susans's diary for more details. You can still REC it. You can join
Los Angeles Kossacks by sending a Kosmail to
susans.
by Sara R ♥ for Koscadia
Koscadians got together one more time to Stamp Money Out of Politics
L-R: also mom of 5, loggersbrat, Quill, pdxteacher, J Orygun, KitRMP, HRM & Arenosa
Please visit Sara R's diary for more photos! Enjoy! You can still REC it. You can join Koscadia by sending a Kosmail to Sara R.
by mimi ♥ for New York City
Here's a great photo recap of all the Kossacks marching in NYC at the People's Climate March on September 21, 2014.
L-R: Raines and Tool holding the banner
L-R: ?, mole jr., Mrs. Mole333, boatsie, The Poet Deploreate, WarrenS, ? mole333 and kathny
Please visit mimi's diary for many MORE photos! Enjoy! You can still REC it. You can join New York City by sending a Kosmail to kathny.
Event Organizers! Please contact wink from Netrootsradio.com by KosMail to schedule airtime with them to live broadcast the date of your Event. Wink & Justice will then promote it on The After Show radio program!
Saturday, November 8th
Four Corners Kossacks Meet-up
TIME: 3:00 PM
LOCATION: Carver's Brewing Company
1022 Main Ave • Durango
ORGANIZER: Send Thinking Fella a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. Thinking Fella
2. nzanne
3.
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Maybees: |
Latest diary: Spiking the Ball or Crying in our Beer: Time will Tell. Announcing a Four Corners Kossacks Meet-up!
Saturday, November 8th
Seattle & Puget Sound Kossacks - Meet Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon
Representative Joe Fitzgibbon, 34th Legislative District, Deputy Majority Whip and Chair of the Washington State House of Representatives Environment Committee will be our next guest speaker sharing his thoughts and plans for Washington State and the Seattle Puget Sound Area.
Cost with Set Menu: $25.00 per person (includes non-alcoholic beverage, gratuity, tax and your choice of food from a limited-choice menu)
TIME: 12:30 PM - No seating after 1:00 PM
LOCATION: Pyramid Alehouse, Brewery & Restaurant
1201 First Avenue South • Seattle
ORGANIZER: Send John Crapper a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. John Crapper
2. John Crapper's SO
3. Cinnamon68
4. bleeding blue
5. momomia
6. Larissa W.
7. Ted
8. Heather
9. Marcee
10. Robin - Sierra Club
11. Mary - Seattle Environmental Activists
12. Weldon
13. Penny GC
14. TBoneAbollo
15. Piren
16. Eagle Keeper
17. Lefty Coaster
18. doingbusinessas
19. Nelson
20. Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon
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Maybees: |
Latest diary: Seattle & Puget Sound Kossacks - Meet Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon - Nov. 8th
Saturday, December 13th
SF Kossacks Holiday Party at Daily Kos HQ
The usual Pot Luck drill - sign-up list posted soon
TIME: 6:00 PM
LOCATION: Daily Kos HQ
Address given privately by kosmail • Berkeley
Near Ashby BART
ORGANIZER: Send navajo a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. Markos
2. Will Rockafellow
3. Susan Gardner
4. Meteor Blades
5. Faith Gardner & Roxie!
6. navajo
7. side pocket
8. Mrs. side pocket
9. smileycreek
10. paradise50
11. remembrance
12. Glen The Plumber
13. TLO
14. jakedog42
15. edrie
16. dharmasyd
17. catilinus
18. boatsie
19. liberated spaces
20. citisven
21. kimoconnor
22. susans
23. maggiejean
24. 714day
25. Steven Payne
26. scaboni
27. skywriter
28. jpmassar
29. jotter
30. aha aha
31. jeremybloom
32. norm
33. Lorikeet
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Maybees:
Thinking Fella
high uintas
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navajo maintains the above event list. Kosmail her if you have any diaries
about your event or if you have changes or additions.
EVERYONE is welcome, tell us what you're working on,
share your show and tell, vent, whatever you want.
This is an open thread. Nothing is off topic.