freeThinkBham

I had the opportunity to sit down and talk with mayoral hopeful Patrick Cooper Wednesday morning over some coffee. Urban Standard provided a relaxed environment for Cooper to take a break from his hectic schedule and discuss the previous election and the upcoming runoff. In light of the low voter turnout in the Downtown area for the Dec. 8th election, I hoped to find and flesh out some new material that could energize the downtown base; encouraging the informed but–apparently–uninspired citizenry from the area to actually show up for Cooper’s runoff against William Bell.

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admin Business, Entertainment, Politics Birmingham Entertainment District, Birmingham Mayoral Runoff, Patrick Cooper, Railroad Park

Hopefully, everyone without recycling pickup is taking their cans, glass, paper, and plastics to the AEC Recycling Center Downtown. If you do, then you also know that the center only accepts #1 and #2 plastics. Well now you can start saving those #5 plastics also!

Whole Foods has a #5 plastics recycling drop-box. Just save them in a separate small container or bag and take it to Whole Foods the next time you go. It’s right inside the building if you come in the main entrance and head to the right. Happy recycling!

admin Business, Green AEC, recycling, Whole Foods

I’ve decided to compile a few places where Birminghamians(?) can do their Holiday shopping this year without sending all their money straight to irresponsible gigantic corporations. This list is for people in Birmingham who want to try to avoid the superficiality of the Galleria and Summit and get a gift with a little more soul while putting money back into the local economy.

1. Bottletree’s Holiday Craft Bazaar – this is by far the best thing you can support this Holiday season. Hand-made gifts by local artists and artisans, selling them altogether in one of the finest local establishments for music and vegetarian food. This event only happens for 2 days so dont miss it! Sat, Dec. 5th, 11-5 and Sun, Dec. 6th, 12-6.

2. Pepper Place Farmer’s Market General Store and Holiday Market – Although the general store is not usually open on Saturday, on Dec. 5th from 10am to 3pm, Pepper Place will host artists and farmers there for a special Holiday Market. You’ll be able to pick local winter veggies and all sorts of crafts. If you happen to miss the Holiday Market, the General Store is open Tues-Fri 10-4 and offers all sorts of local jarred veggies, jellies, relishes and other potential gifts made in Alabama.

3. Whole Foods Market – While Whole Foods is a big company, they support local and regional farmers and coffee roasters. On top of offering environmentally-responsible food and drink for your Holiday dinners, they also have a wide variety of items that would make great gifts. They have shirts dyed with Alabama clay, local candles and soaps and tons of items that you can be sure didn’t come from a sweat shop!

4. Nomad Supply – This is a great locally-owned shop that sells handmade clothes, hand-blown glass, jewelry, art work, soaps, oils, incense, drums, organic fair trade coffee, stickers, patches, gauged ear jewelry and other random stuff. While you’re there, you can also enjoy the free coffee, tea and wifi! Also check out Golden Temple Health Foods’ boutique in 5 Pts for a lot of similar type gifts.

5. Space One-Eleven’s DIY Holiday Gift-making Workshop – Why buy gifts when you can make them yourself? On Dec 15th, make up to 6 handmade gifts with the help of local artists for only $20. Food, wine, and fun included! RSVP for the event from the site.

I’ll add more places soon but I wanted to get this up quickly to highlight the events going on this weekend! Happy shopping! Leave comments with any more suggestions for local, responsible gift ideas!

admin Business, Green

A few months ago, a billboard was put up on I-20 about 50 miles outside of Birmingham that said “Imagine No Religion.” Well needless to say, a lot of people got upset about it. Here’s a video of some local Christians praising Lamar’s decision not to display the “offensive” billboard.

That’s right, their argument is that the Atheist’s opinion is offensive to the Southern lifestyle. Heaven forbid a minority opinion be expressed in public. The majority shouldn’t have to stand for such dissension, right? Meanwhile, it’s not even Thanksgiving yet and Lamar has a billboard up that says “Jesus is the Reason for the Season” in one of the busiest parts in Downtown. On top of starting tree worship and gift giving, did Jesus also teach Americans how to eat in the new land?

admin Business, Living atheism, Lamar, religion

The different animal noises during the commercial are hilarious, though.

admin Business

Michael Moore’s newest movie “Capitalism: A Love Story” is opening today nationwide.

From the above article by Michael Moore:

I’m personally inviting you to come see what many critics are saying is my best film yet: “Capitalism: A Love Story.” You will not be disappointed. I will show you things and tell you things about how the captains of corporate America have stolen our country from us. No one on the nightly news is bringing these truths to you.

Lucky for us, although probably not surprising, Birmingham and Tuscaloosa are the only places in Alabama getting the movie as of now. For Birmingham, Patton Creek in Hoover and the Regal theater in Trussville are showing it.

Be glad that we’re getting this movie and go watch it!

admin Business, Entertainment Capitalism: A Love Story, Michael Moore

***Updated – December 1, 2009***
Learn more about Birmingham’s cruel and financially-wasteful Animal Control service and then sign a petition to convince Birmingham leadership that something needs to be done about it by going to this link.

The Black and White city paper released a story about the intolerable conditions at the animal control facility contracted by the city of Birmingham. Our tax dollars are going to a for-profit business, called BJC Animal Control Services, that has absolutely no incentive to help or humanely treat the animals that it brings in. Just getting stray animals off the city’s streets shouldn’t be the only concern for this company, but that seems to be the extent of their service.

The article covers employees from Commissioner Jim Carns’ office who made an unexpected visit to the facility and documented several cases of inhumane treatment and downright neglect including the photo of the bleeding dog above. This type of treatment is just inexcusable but expected when the city isn’t giving it any standards or requirements for treatment.

Ideally, the facility would be barely needed if there were laws requiring non-breeders to spay and neuter their dogs and cats as some cities have. The fines collected from this rule could go to providing better care for the animals that are picked up in the streets. The taxpayers are the ones in charge here, and doing nothing is the same as being an enabler for this inhumane facility and the failed system that makes it necessary.

admin Business, Politics animal-rights, Jim Carns

Today the Birmingham news reports:

The American Lung Association’s annual State of the Air report ranks the Birmingham metro area No. 5 in the country for pollution from fine particles, or soot in the air.

Also, according to the report, Birmingham ranks No. 20 in the country for ozone pollution.

They also actually mentioned how it’s-obviously-affecting the poor and minorities disproportionately. This is what’s wrong with Birmingham: lack of solidarity. If Greystone or Mountain Brook had as much soot in their air, these factories would be shut down. Since it’s just affecting the poor, however, we make special rules so these companies can pollute MORE than the national limit and don’t think twice about who it’s affecting. It’s just not right! I know these people are upset about it, but there’s no organization structure in place to use the numbers of the have-nots against the power of the corporations. And so, Birmingham continues to make it’s place as one of the worst all-around cities in the country.

admin Business, Green pollution

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has contacted the Guinness Book of World Records asking them to ignore a potentially record-breaking size “chicken dance” to be performed at the Talladega Superspeedway beacause it is sponsored by KFC. PETA has a campaign against KFC that they call Kentucky Fried Cruelty.

According to the president of PETA, Ingrid Newkirk:

The Guinness Book of World Records celebrates real achievement—it should not
be used to publicize stunts by cruel, unethical companies such as KFC.

I know a lot of people think PETA makes a bad name for themselves with their protests, but it’s just marketing–just like KFC is doing by trying to get lasting recognition in a world’s record book. This protest will get PETA’s name out to a large number of people that might have never heard it and perhaps never thought about animal suffering. Can anyone blame them for that? At least they’re marketing for something that will make the world greener, healthier, and happier.

admin Business, Green activism, Nascar, PETA

FreeThinkBham has talked about the infamous B’ham-based McWane, Inc before. Now national environmental organizations–such as Earthjustice, Environment America, Clean Water Action, National Wildlife Federation, Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club and the Southern Environmental Law Center– are talking about them. They have released a report called “Courting Disaster: How the Supreme Court Has Broken the Clean Water Act and Why Congress Must Fix It” that documents cases of how the Clean Water Act causes legal confusion.

The case of McWane and the Avondale Creek is a perfect example of this confusion:

In 2005, a jury found that employees of Birmingham pipe manufacturer McWane Inc. knowingly discharged oil, lead, zinc and grease into Avondale Creek, which flows into Village Creek and residential neighborhoods of Birmingham. But those Clean Water Act convictions were overturned by an appeals court because prosecutors had not shown the pollution’s impact on a navigable waterway.

Hopefully, Washington will listen to these environmentalists and corporations will finally have to own up to the pollution they’re dumping on the rest of us–even right here in Birmingham.

admin Business, Green Black Warrior Riverkeeper, mcwane inc, pollution