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Protesters say working conditions employees face contradict  tech giant’s "Don’t Be Evil” motto.

from The Nation

"Union activists marched through a tree-lined hilltop plaza at Google’s Mountainview headquarters Thursday afternoon, chanting “No Union, No Peace!” Outside Google’s tall glass buildings, a Service Employees International Union (SEIU) official joined subcontracted Google security guard Manny Cardenas in asking a Google representative for an audience with company CEO Larry Page. After being rebuffed, they left the staffer with a letter condemning the treatment of the campus’ subcontracted security workers, which they charged contradicts the tech giant’s “Don’t Be Evil” motto.

“'People use the phrase Google-y, basically to mean that it’s ethical,' South Bay Labor Council Executive Director Ben Field told the assembled crowd after the letter was delivered. 'Well, I’m here to tell you — and all of the employees at Google — that SIS is not Google-y.'

"SIS stands for Security Industry Specialists, a California-based security firm contracted by Google. The petition delivery was SEIU’s latest effort by to hold Google to account for the working conditions of SIS security guards on Google’s Silicon Valley campus. SEIU alleges that, unlike a previous Google contractor, SIS employs most of its workers as part-timers who can’t get enough hours to qualify for health insurance or sick days. SIS has also been sued by employees for alleged break violations and gender and sexual orientation harassment. …"

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Heavy rain leads to flood warnings in Southern Alberta; updates here.

by SG Staff

CALGARY, June 20, 2013 — The City of Calgary activated its Municipal Emergency Plan at 8 am this morning, warning the public to watch out for flash floods — gullywashers. According to the City's news release:

"This decision was undertaken due to the anticipated heavy rains and flows on the Elbow and Bow Rivers throughout the day and into tomorrow which may have an impact on the city of Calgary. 

• Stay away from rivers and creeks as the water is rising and moving quickly, and banks may be unstable.

• Avoid storm water ponds and storm drains, and do not let children play near them.

• Do not drive through flooded areas such as underpasses.

• If you experience basement seepage or overland flooding, call 3-1-1 to report.

• If you or someone else is in imminent danger, call 9-1-1. Remember that 9-1-1 is for emergencies only; please use 3-1-1 for reporting non-emergency issues.

• Monitor local media and City of Calgary messages…."

Since then, the City of Calgary and the province of Alberta have ordered several evacuation orders for inner city areas such as Elbow Park, and outer areas such as Bragg Creek.  Canmore and Lethbridge are in states of emergency. CBC reports that the sour gas leak in the town of Turner Valley has now been contained. 

Pam Banting supplied Facebook video of flooding at Bragg Creek this afternoon

The City of Calgary provides frequent updates here. 

Accuweather: Extreme flood situation in Southwestern Alberta

Droughts, floods, sea-level rises and fiercer storms likely to undermine progress in developing world and hit food supply.

from The Guardian

"Millions of people around the world are likely to be pushed back into poverty because climate change is undermining economic development in poor countries, the World Bank has warned.

"Droughts, floods, heatwaves, sea-level rises and fiercer storms are likely to accompany increasing global warming and will cause severe hardship in areas that are already poor or were emerging from poverty, the bank said in a report.

"Food shortages will be among the first consequences within just two decades, along with damage to cities from fiercer storms and migration as people try to escape the effects. …"

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Some of America's most intensive oil and gas development is occurring in drought-prone regions where water is scarce.

from AlterNet

"As the level of hydraulic fracturing of oil and gas wells in the United States has intensified in recent years, much of the mounting public concern has centered on fears that underground water supplies could be contaminated with the toxic chemicals used in the well-stimulation technique that cracks rock formations and releases trapped oil and gas. But in some parts of the country, worries are also growing about fracking’s effect on water supply, as the water-intensive process stirs competition for the resources already stretched thin by drought or other factors.

"Every fracking job requires 2 million to 4 million gallons of water, according to the Groundwater Protection Council. The Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, has estimated that the 35,000 oil and gas wells used for fracking consume between 70 billion and 140 billion gallons of water each year. That’s about equal, EPA says, to the water use in 40 to 80 cities with populations of 50,000 people, or one to two cities with a population of 2.5 million each.

"Some of the most intensive oil and gas development in the nation is occurring in regions where water is already at a premium. A paper published last month by Ceres, a nonprofit that works on sustainability issues, looked at 25,000 shale oil and shale gas wells in operation and monitored by an industry-tied reporting website called FracFocus. …"

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Provincial NDP accuses government of witholding results of internal pipeline safety report.

from Think Progress

"As the Obama administration’s decision regarding whether to approve the controversial Keystone XL pipeline draws nearer, the latest disaster is raising serious concerns about the safety of Canada’s rapidly expanding pipeline network.

"A massive toxic waste spill from an oil and gas operation in northern Alberta is being called one of the largest recent environmental disasters in North America. First reported on June 1, the Texas-based Apache Corp. didn’t reveal the size of the spill until June 12, which is said to cover more than 1,000 acres.

"Members of the Dene Tha First Nation tribe are outraged that it took several days before they were informed that 9.5 million liters of salt and heavy-metal-laced wastewater had leaked onto wetlands they use for hunting and trapping. …"

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