Monday 22 April 2013
Letter # 51
Dear President Obama,
Roses are red, violets are blue
I say NO to the Keystone XL Pipeline and you should too !
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Too busy for a better letter.
(on florence paper)
Tuesday 23 April 2013
Letter # 52
Dear President Obama,
I’m cooking today for friends – roast chicken and mushroom risotto. I so love sharing a meal with friends and family around a table, exchanging stories, smiles, laughter. but when my kids are 80, what will that world be like ? I’m worried that we are changing the climate too fast and will create tremendous disruptions and havoc. Please stop the Keystone XL pipeline. We don’t need it and it’s bad for the environment.
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Cook
Wed 24 April 2013
Letter #53Â Â
written on a postcard:
Henri Matisse, The Terrace, 1904. Isa. Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston
Dear President Obama,
I’m so disappointed that I have written so many letters and not gotten a reply ! Please say NO to the Keystone XL Pipeline and please get someone to reply at least once.
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Common courtesy practicant
Thurs 25 April, 2013
Letter # 54
Dear President Obama,
Of course there should be political disclosure requirements for corporations. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/25/opinion/corporate-donations-and-the-securities-and-exchange-commission.html
Corporations want to be like people if it lets them speak, but then they don’t want to be like people about disclosure. You can’t have it both ways. and why so much sudden lobbying ? Clearly corporations have much to hide. If more people knew how much corporate money infects politics in the US, they would realize that our democracy is way less democratic than they thought.
So take a stance for democracy and listen to your citizens, not the Big Oil money drowning their voices out. Please say NO to the Keystone XL pipeline. Say NO today !
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Democracy Lover
Fri 26 April 2013
Letter # 55
Dear President Obama,
I am delighted that a few days ago the EPA sharply criticized the State Dept EIR on the Keystone XL pipeline. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/23/us/politics/state-department-criticized-by-epa-on-pipeline-report.html
They said the report « failed to adequately consider the climate change impacts of building the pipeline. » Yes ! These are the government officials who we employ to provide reasoned scientific evaluations. They are there so that Big Business does NOT trash the environment or downplay the negative effects of projects. We need the EPA because business has an abysmal record of policing itself. So please listen to the EPA. The climate change impacts are too important to ignore. Please say NO to the Keystone XL pipeline. Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Supporter of Government Regulators when Necessary
Sat 27 April 2013
Letter # 56
Dear President Obama,
The NY Times editorial today about the Keystone XL Pipeline is right on the mark. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/27/opinion/the-epas-keystone-report-card.html
Sec. of State Kerry chose Earth Day to say that the science of global warming « is screaming at all of us and demands action. » He is right and you need to act. An obvious first step is saying NO to the Keystone XL Pipeline. Please do it NOW. Don’t vacillate, don’t wait, don’t hesitate, don’t procrastinate. Remember the science is screaming at us. Please take action NOW.
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Driven to action by the scream of science
Sun 28 April 2013
Letter # 57
Dear President Obama,
I went to a performance of Bach’s B-minor Mass this afternoon. There were 70 or so singers and musicians and the glorious sounds soared up into the heights and into our hearts. It is a privilege to be part of a community where people dedicate so much time and talent to music. In order to have thriving arts and music communities, we also need to have a healthy climate for the planet. I am very concerned about how much greenhouse gas we emit and fear greatly for our temperate climate. We need urgent change NOW. Please say NO to the Keystone XL pipeline as a first step to reducing our carbon emissions.
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Choral Music Lover
Monday, 29 April 2013
Letter # 58
Dear President Obama,
I bought a clothesline today at the hardware store and strung it in a sunny spot along the side of the house. I think that just about every house in the country should have a clothesline. Does the While House have one ? It should. I’m not a fanatic and I use a clothes dryer, but frankly in good weather I prefer to take the extra 2 minutes to hang things outside. I love the smell of sheets dried in the sun, and shirts too. It’s absurd that some people think it’s low class to hang out laundry. using resources wisely is the most important thing we can do. Not using the sun for simple jobs when it is there is stupid.  We need to quickly reduce our use of fossil fuels. I can hang my laundry outside, but you can do something more significant. Please stop the Keystone XL pipeline. Stop it NOW. You can, and it’s the right thing to do.
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Love that clothesline
Tues 30 April, 2013
Letter # 59
Dear President Obama,
A month or so ago I read in the WSJ that Starbucks has bought its first coffee farm – 600 acres in Costa Rica. It is a research farm and the impetus for their research is the recent rise of coffee rust in Latin America, a fungus that devastated coffee production in Asia in the late 19th century. Coffee rust is new to Latin America and they’re not sure why. Some think drier than normal weather this season could be partly to blame. Coffee and tea don’t grow in North America and Europe. They grow in 3rd world countries and we import them and imbibe large quantities. Starbucks made the investment because they are worried about climate change. Their livelihood depends on a valuable crop grown only in certain places. Climate change is very serious business. We ignore and downplay our impact on climate at our peril. Our biggest impact is fossil fuels. Please say NO to the Keystone XL pipeline. Say NO now ! Before your next cup of coffee – or it may be too late. Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Coffee Drinker
Wed 1 May 2013
Letter # 60
Dear President Obama,
On 15 April in the NY Times there was a full-page tribute to this year’s winners of the Goldman Environmental Prize : 6 individuals across the planet, each a grass roots environmental activist. (no NYT link available – it was an ad, not an article)
I admire them and wish I had their skills. With thousands more like them we could push governments and businesses to serious action on limiting climate change. But I’m too shy, I’m not good at energizing other people. So « on fait ce qu’on peut » as the French say. You do what you can to push things in the good direction. I write letters to you every day, lest you forget what is really important. Please say NO to the Keystone XL pipeline. that’s what YOU can do. You can do it TODAY and it sends an important message around the world. Please say NO now.
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Admirer of Grassroots Organizers
