Helene's Blog

STOKED - 1969

Experience the confusion, bravery, and hope of the Vietnam War era through the eyes of fourteen-year-old Jake Edwards, in author Helene Forst's poignant coming-of-age novel, Stocked - 1969.

The world has gone completely crazy.

At least that's how it looks to fourteen-year-old Jake Edwards, whose whole life is upended in the blink of an eye.

Struggling with dyslexia and unable to read, Jake is sent to live with his wacky grandmother in the Adirondack Mountains in a last ditch effort to further his education.

But with his older brother off to war and America divided over its role in Vietnam, Jake finds himself learning a lot more than what's taught in the classroom.

Stoked - 1969 is a moving portrait of life in a time of crisis. Author Helene Forst seamlessly weaves together history, poetry, and a riveting tale of a young boy learning to question the world around him for the very first time.

Available for purchase at:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Stoked-1969-Helene-Forst/dp/1518899218/ref=sr_1_1_twi_pap_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1454943344&sr=8-1&keywords=stoked+1969

CreateSpace eStore: https://www.createspace.com/5840295

Meet the author: https://heleneforst.com.

A 21st CENTURY SUSTAINABLE ENERGY GRID UPDATE

The East Hampton Environmental Coalition is made up of 17 environmental groups totaling approximately 6,000 members. As a member of the Coalition, I was proud to be part of the writing process for the East Hampton Green Guide, a publication that summarizes its members' environmental concerns and offers recommendations for plans of action they hope local politicians will embrace as Election Day approaches. My topic was concerned with a 21st century sustainable energy grid update. East Hampton is defined by the unique character of its hamlets, villages, and countryside. However the hardening and upgrading of our electric grid has not been harmonious with the unique nature of the existing character of the community. PSEG-LI’s installation of 65-foot toxic utility poles laden with pentachlorophenol (penta), has contaminated our air, soil, and groundwater, destroying the aesthetic beauty of our residential areas, devaluing our homes, and creating a situation that negatively effects the health of its residents and our environment. Penta belongs to a class of dangerous chemicals that has left a toxic legacy around the globe. It is classified as a probable carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It is highly persistent and migrates down-gradient under conditions such as heavy rains, snow melt, and runoff to potentially contaminate drinking water and surface waters. Cancer-causing chemicals should not be leaking from utility poles into communities. It’s time for the United States and for New York State to ban pentachlorophenol. There are approximately 1 million utility poles treated each year with Penta. Senator Charles Schumer reported that over 95,000 of these toxic poles have been installed on Long Island. And to our dismay, PSEG-LI continues to harden our electric grid by installing thousands more Penta laden poles. Soils samples taken near utility poles in East Hampton showed concentrations of PCP more than 300 times New York’s permissible limits for poisonous substances. In a recent water test requested by the Village of East Hampton and East Hampton Town, the groundwater was found to be contaminated with 5 poisonous chemicals that are part of the penta formulation. ACTION PLAN • Support the New York State Bills to Ban Pentachlorophenol. • Recommend that all new electric grid upgrades be placed underground. • Recommend that composite poles be used when replacing utility poles. • Support projects that encourage the use of alternative, sustainable energy sources such as wind and solar. • Support legislation that requires utility companies to obtain permission from local government before they can work in a town or village and require the utility to provide a SEQRA before said work. • Remove all Penta poles along the 6.2 mile route between East Hampton and Amagansett, clean up the contaminated soil, and bury the lines. If poles need to be used, create a pilot program in East Hampton using composite poles.

NATIONAL BEACH SAFETY WEEK - JUNE 7 - 14, 2015

As a member of Squad 8 in East Hampton Volunteer Ocean Rescue, and a member of the Public Relations Committee, I took part in helping to issue a warning about swimming safely at the ocean beaches this summer. The press release is informative, and so I decided to put it on my blog for people to read.

Have a safe summer filled with beautiful memories!

East Hampton Volunteer Ocean Rescue National Beach Safety Week Press-Release - June 7 - 14, 2015

Chief Ed Reid, and Assistant Chief Mike Forst, along with all members of East Hampton Volunteer Ocean Rescue, would like to announce that National Beach Safety Week begins Sunday, June 7th and ends the following Sunday, June 14th. Our waters can be a wonderful recreational resource, but they can also be treacherous. Lifeguards are provided in an effort to reduce the number of accidents at our local beaches, but we cannot do the job alone. An informed public is essential to maintaining adequate levels of beach and water safety. The objective of National Beach Safety Week is to make citizens aware of the need to be safe while in and near the water with special emphasis on the hazards associated with Rip Currents. This objective stresses the following: Learn to Swim – Promote the YMCA and the Junior Lifeguard Program. Swim Near a Lifeguard. Swim with a Buddy. Check with the Lifeguards on daily conditions. Obey Posted Signs and Flags – And know your location for 911 calls. Keep the Beach and Water Clean – What you pack in, pack out! Learn Rip Current Safety. Enter Water Feet First. Wear a Life Jacket when appropriate or mandated. Use Sunscreen and Drink Water. The United States Lifesaving Association (USLA), a national non-profit organization, and your local chapter, Hampton Lifeguard Association (HLA), are dedicated to improving beach safety in America. Our membership includes professional beach lifeguards in this area, joining lifeguards from across the country. Thank you for considering this request. Your support will help make our beaches a safer place for residents and tourists alike. You can spot a rip current by the line of foam making a mushroom cloud in the surf. Rips can sweep even the strongest swimmer out to sea. If you find yourself caught in a rip current relax and use your head. Don't panic. Don't fight the current. Swim parallel to the shore line and then head towards the beach. If you can't escape, float or tread water, and call or wave for help. Check out the website of East Hampton Volunteer Ocean Rescue at: http://www.easthamptonoceanrescue.org Sincerely, EHVOR Public Relations Committee

WHAT SHOULD WE BE TEACHING - CONFORMITY OR CRITICAL THOUGHT?

"There is no such thing as a neutral educational process. Education either functions as an instrument that is used to facilitate the integration of the younger generation into the logic of the present system and bring about conformity to it, or it becomes the 'practice of freedom', the means by which men and women deal critically and creatively with reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of their world." - Richard Shaull, as quoted in the Forward of Paulo Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed (2009) James Clavell's, The Children's Story, is a must-read commentary for both children and adults that addresses such topics as brainwashing and mind-control, education, freedom, patriotism, and religion. The message of Clavell's short novel is a frightening one as he demonstrates the power an educator holds over impressionable young minds. How successful will today's children be in sifting through the enormous amount of information they are presented with every day? We can take this yet another step further and wonder how equipped today's adults are in filtering through the massive amount of information they are presented with from newspapers and TV? Clavell suggests that we need to cast doubts on how our school systems operate. Over the last few months, these doubts have been demonstrated by the opt-out protests taking place all over Long Island. He further suggests that we need to cast doubts on how our government works. Is it for the betterment of our health and safety, or is it for big business and the money it generates? One of the most important elements of the teachings that take place in our schools is to promote critical thinking - to think out of the box. We encourage our students to learn and analyze and apply the knowledge they've acquired to help them make educated decisions. Yet when these students become adults and they choose to exercise this inherent freedom of critical thought, they are more often than not met with disdain for their efforts. There are dangers inherent in the freedoms of critical thought as we exercise our right and responsibility to question our educational system and the operations of our government. No doubt, there is safety in conformity. It's easier to be silent and stand back watching in disbelief as our government operates, creating laws and opportunities for industry to pollute our air, and soil, and water in the name of progress. When we question the use of GMO foods, the pollution caused by fracking, the applications of herbicides and pesticides on our lawns, the uses of carcinogens in our detergents and household products, and the use of toxic chemicals to treat utility poles, we are considered the thorns in society. Conformity, silence, and agreeing with the status quo is what our educational system and our government really wants from its citizens. So why teach critical thought? Disagreeing, voicing an educated opinion, the very basis of a democracy, isn't welcomed. It is my belief that critical thinking is necessary to keep a balance on the way our schools and local, state, and federal governments operate. It's the people who dare to be outspoken, the people who have the courage to challenge the laws of the land who should be congratulated for taking the time and energy to stand up for what they believe in - a quality education where every child learns how to read and write, and that the planet will be safe for the seventh generation.

East Hampton Community Shoreline Sweep

SURFRIDER FOUNDATION

EASTERN LONG ISLAND CHAPTER

Saturday, April 11, 2015 (rain date April 12) The 2nd Annual Shoreline Sweep

Join Surfrider and help clean East Hampton's beaches, anywhere from Wainscott to Montauk. You can sign up and get more information from Dell Cullum at Kachina35@gmail.com or 631-377-6555.

ImaginationNature.com will also have updates up until the event.

EARTH HOUR 2015

EARTH HOUR

2015

VOTE EARTH!

YOUR LIGHT SWITCH IS YOUR VOTE

Saturday, March 28 at 8:30 to 9:30 PM local time

Join hundreds of millions of people around the world and turn off your lights for one hour to show your commitment to climate change action now.

It's time we speak up and demand a better future for our planet.

ARE YOU IN?

172 countries and territories around the world are committing to reduce their carbon emissions in an effort to work toward a new global agreement to tackle climate change. Now is the time to raise our voices and demand strong action from world leaders.

What starts as a simple flick of the light switch for Earth Hour brings us all together in a collective display of our commitment to creating a better future for the planet. We need your help to ensure our commitment is stronger than ever and seen all around the world.

Turn out your lights for one hour on Saturday, March 28 at 8:30 pm local time and take a stand against climate change.

Many landmarks around the world are participating:

Ghiradelli Square - San Francisco, CA

Staples Center- L.A., CA

Gateway Arch - St. Louis, Mo

Kennedy Space Center - Merrit Island, FL

Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge - Duluth, MN

Navy Pier - Chicago, IL

World of Coca-Cola - Atlanta, GA

National Cathedral - Washington, DC

The Empire State Building - New York City

TELL YOUR FRIENDS

We only have ONE PLANET. Live a ONE PLANET lifestyle. Make a pledge to reduce your energy footprint.

Earth Hour 2015 is on its way to becoming the largest display for climate change action ever.

SIGN UP FOR EARTH HOUR:

http://www.worldwildlife.org/earthhour

text and graphics provided by earthhour.org

SUPPORT BI-PARTISAN LEGISLATURE RESOLUTION TO BAN PENTACHLOROPHENOL

To Friends Who Support The New York State Bi-Partisan Legislature Resolution To Ban Pentachlorophenol: We need to support New York State Assemblyman Fred Thiele and New York State Senator Ken LaValle for the legislation they've introduced into the NYS Legislature to ban pentachlorophenol. Their resolutions have been sent on to the Environmental Conservation Committee for Review. Until two days ago, there were zero public comments under the bills. There needs to be an outpouring of support for this legislation to protect our health and environment. Please go to: http://open.nysenate.gov/legislation/bill/S1879-2015 At the bottom of the page is the comments section. You will have to sign in with facebook, twitter, google or disqus to comment. I registered with disqus. It asked for minimal information and was seconds to do. Then you can type in your comments. Once I finished, I copied and pasted what I wrote and went back to the top of the form and clicked on Assembly Bill 2013. Then I pasted the same information into the assembly bill comment section at the bottom of that page. Disqus will send a confirmation email to you at the email you used to register. You must confirm that it is yours before they will make your comments public. Assemby Bill: A02013 Prohibits the use of pentachlorophenol with regard to new or existing transmission utility poles or facilities. Senate Bill: S01879 Prohibits the use of pentachlorophenol with regard to new or existing transmission utility poles or facilities. These bills will protect our children, ourselves, our pets, our wildlife, our soil and our sole source aquifer water source. In addition, contact your friends and relatives in other parts of New York who have different State Senators and State Assemblymen. Encourage them to go into the website and write the names of their Legislators on the comments section telling them to support it too. Let’s make New York State the Leader in the Country on this issue.

ANNUAL POLAR BEAR PLUNGE

JUMP INTO THE NEW YEAR!

Join East Hampton Volunteer Ocean Rescue

and

East Hampton Hurricanes Swim Team for the Annual Polar Bear Plunge

Thursday, January 1st, at Main Beach, EH Village Registration begins at 11:30 am Plunge is at 1 pm

To Benefit: The Food Pantries of East Hampton

Each "Plunger" that registers with a minimum of $30 in donations, will receive an embroidered winter cap.

T-shirts will be available for sale. And to warm you up, hot food and refreshments will be served by the E. H. Hurricane Swim Team, E.H. Lions, and E.H. Volunteer Ocean Rescue Squad.

All tax deductible checks can be written to East Hampton Food Pantry, Inc.

PRIZES FOR BEST COSTUME!

Food and hot drinks provided by East Hampton YMCA Hurricanes Swim Team.

For more information: Contact East Hampton Food Pantry at 631-324-2300 or www.easthamptonfoodpantry.org

United Nations Committee Recommends Global Elimination of Toxic Wood Preservative

On November 4, 2014, a United Nations Committee Recommended Global Elimination of the toxic wood preservative, pentachlorophenol.

ENEWSPF wrote that "Pentachlorophenol (PCP) is widely used in the United States and elsewhere for treatment of wooden utility poles and railroad ties. Scientists cite chemical’s persistence, bioaccumulation, long-range transport, and PCP’s toxic impacts in recommending it being listed in the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, an international treaty established to safeguard human and environmental health from highly hazardous chemicals. The committee further noted the wide availability of non-chemical alternatives much safer than PCP, which include steel, composite, and concrete poles, as well as the burying of power lines." ENEWSPF goes on to quote Pamela Miller, the executive director of Alaska Community Action on Toxics, and one of the expert witnesses for LIBFRE's (Long island Businesses For Responsible Energy, Inc.) lawsuit against PSEG and LIPA. Pam states that, "This is the beginning of the end of pentachlorophenol. Pentachlorophenol has global health implications since it is found in the bodies of people throughout the world including Indigenous Peoples of the Arctic. Now governments and the private sector need to get to work to finally eliminate this toxic chemical." The United States is one of only a handful of countries that has not ratified the international environmental treaty, signed in 2001 and effective from May 2001, that aims to eliminate or restrict the production and use of persistent organic pollutants. In a shocking move this past October, as this international community of scientists met in Rome, the USA recommended that the group "do nothing" and that action on banning pentachlorophenol be tabled. While the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has sought to oppose efforts to ban the chemical, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services included PCP in its 13th Report on Carcinogens, declaring the substance "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen." At the same time the EPA is fighting the international ban on pentachlorophenol, there is growing concern in the United States over the failure of the EPA to stop the use of this toxic chemical. In New York State, Assemblyman Fred Thiele and Senator Ken LaValle have introduced bipartisan legislation to ban pentachlorophenol, that would prohibit the future use of utility poles treated with pentachlorophnol (PCP), and call for the posting of warnings to inform people about the dangers of contact with PCP on existing poles. Senator LaValle said, "This is a critical health and safety matter. People need to be made aware of the presence of PCP, so they can protect themselves, their children and their pets from the potential dangers posed by this chemical. This type of coating to preserve utility poles needs to be discontinued for public health reasons as soon as possible." Assemblyman Thiele noted, "The federal government has made it clear that PCP is a dangerous chemical and has outlawed its use by the general public. It is to be used only for industrial use away from the general population. Yet, this chemical has been used to treat utility poles for transmission lines in places like East Hampton that are only a few feet from residential dwellings, exposing children and families to this dangerous substance. Further, at a time when we are all focused on the degradation of our water, it is inconceivable that wood treated with this substance would be permitted to leach into the goundwater on Long Island. There are better options, and those options should be implemented now." Long Island Businesses for Responsible Energy, Inc. (LIBFRE), a local East Hampton citizens' group, is continuing its litigation against PSEG/LIPA for installing 267 pentachlorophenol laden utility poles along a 6.2 mile run through residential neighborhoods. They have just filed an amended complaint and are preparing opposition papers to PSEG and LIPA's motion to dismiss. They are asking to have all the utility poles removed and the high-tension wires buried underground. The Town and Village of East Hampton are conducting water tests for pentachlorophenol adjacent to three newly installed utility poles along the 6.2 mile run, after finding PCP present in an initial water test. A soil test done in April 2014, revealed PCP levels over 300 times acceptable levels as stated by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. In September, the Town of North Hempstead located in Nassau County on Long Island, passed a law requiring warning labels on utility poles treated with PCP. The mandated labeling states, "This pole contains a hazardous chemical. Avoid prolonged direct contact with this pole. Wash hands or other exposed areas thoroughly if contact is made." And in a recently released book, Poison Spring: The Secret History of Pollution and the EPA, by E.G. Vallianatos, a long-term former employee and whistleblower, details how unsafe EPA testing is, and how corrupt many at the top of the EPA are, even while others there want to and wish to do the right thing. The EPA is an underfunded agency that is in the hands of powerful and very well funded lobbyists. It is a neutered agency that isn't doing its job. Check out the following websites for more information: Sources: IPEN, http://www.beyondpesticides.org, and http://www.LIBFRE.com

Money, Man, and Making Sense of It All

"When the Dalai Lama was asked what surprised him most about humanity, he answered, 'Man. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.'" The world feels like it's spinning out of control on a collision course towards its own demise as man continues to pollute the planet in the name of progress and financial gains. Everything I hear on the news and everything I read in the papers seems dark and hopeless. But I do believe there is hope to heal our planet from such abuse. If we'd all just stop to look around and experience the wonders of this amazingly magical place called Earth, we just might be able to shift the negative impacts we're all responsible for in some way, shape, or form. This past week, my husband and I paddled and hiked in the north country of the Adirondack wilderness. The air was crisp and the foliage was spectacular with splashes of flaming reds and brilliant oranges and yellows interspersed between the towering green pines. Everything felt so pristine, like man hadn't fully arrived and left his toxic footprint upon the landscape. I knew, though, that that really wasn't the truth at all, because acid rain from the mid-west has damaged the forests and waters of the Adirondacks, and it isn't safe anymore to eat the mercury ladened trout. Visually, however, the air and the land felt pure and wholesome and free from the negative impacts of man and his factories.

On our eight hour journey home, we decided to take the Cross Sound Ferry from New London to Orient Point. As the sun set in the west, the sky was on fire with a deep warm red, a perfect backdrop for the lighthouse. It felt like heaven on Earth as we slipped over the surface of the water. Everything felt perfect as I drank my Octoberfest beer and ate a turkey sandwich on seeded rye with a crunchy kosher dill pickle. But that feeling soon morphed into a sense of hopelessness as we headed towards the North Ferry that would take us over to Shelter Island. I couldn't help but notice the enormous high tension lines running down both sides of the two-lane country highway. I get it. I too love when I can switch on the lights or turn on my washing machine. What I don't get, however, is how we can stand by and agree to the way we receive that electric power. We should all be saying NO to the overhead lines that are dangerous to our health and a blight to our environment. Recently, members from LIBFRE http://www.libfre.com met with several New York State officials to discuss our concerns regarding the dangers from Pentachlorophenol ladened utility poles installed by PSEG in East Hampton. From that meeting, two courageous New York State politicians have stood up to big business and the present administration, proposing legislation to ban Pentachlorophenol's use in New York State. Kudos to Senator Kenneth LaValle and Assemblyman Fred Thiele. Everyone of our politicians should be standing up to big business, no matter what the monetary costs are. It's time to make the commitment to eliminate the toxic chemicals that are polluting our environment so that we can reverse the health risks they cause. When you vote in November, educate yourself before you cast your vote. Remember, your vote is your voice and every vote counts. Make sure the candidates you choose are going to represent your concerns for your health and the health of our planet.

Surfers Healing

On Friday, September 12, 2014, Surfers Healing will be at Ditch Plains and the members of East Hampton Ocean Rescue will be there in force to volunteer their time for this amazing event. Surfers Healing is an organization that travels around the United States offering children with special needs, specifically those with autism, the opportunity to experience the wonders and magic of surfing in the ocean. Surfing is a transformative experience as the sun streams down upon the sandy beach and the wind gently blows under the deep, blue skies. Members of Surfers Healing want to "help foster the understanding and acceptance of autism. With the help of incredible volunteers and a team of the most amazing surfers in the water, Surfers Healing is making a difference in the lives of families and kids living with autism. Last year they took out over 4,500 kids. Next year they plan to take out even more." Come down to Ditch Plains and have a transformative day!