Dear Avaaz Member,

Far from the headlines, the crisis in Burma continues--fueled, in part, by international oil corporations like Total Oil and Chevron/Texaco. These corporations don't just fund the junta; they lobby on its behalf in capital cities around the world. These are the same companies many of us fuel up with. That means our pressure as consumers has the power to force change�¢?"and it's our responsibility to act.

Will you pledge to join the global boycott of Chevron and Total? The boycott will last until the companies withdraw from Burma, or until the Burmese junta begins a genuine democratic transition and frees all political prisoners--including Aung San Suu Kyi. We'll deliver all the pledges and comments straight to the top management of Chevron and Total. You can see what brands to avoid in your country and take the pledge, at:

Link

The state reports about 1,800 homeless families were in shelters this week. That's up from 1,400 in June 2006.

State officials blame cuts in assistance and the recent housing crisis for the problem. And they're worried there's no end in sight.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand - Two centuries after a dazzlingly feathered parrot called the Rimitara lorikeet disappeared from the Cook Islands, a breeding colony of the birds has been re-established with the help of the islands' royalty.

About 100 years ago after the parrots died out on the Cook Islands, the queen of Rimitara Island in French Polynesia to the east issued a royal decree that locals say saved the last naturally occurring population of the lorikeet, one of the Pacific's most beautiful parrots.

If you want to do your part to help convince Al Gore to run for President, join our two cents campaign. All you have to do is put two pennies in an envelope, and send them to Office of the Honorable Al Gore, 2100 West End Avenue, Suite 620, Nashville, TN 37203. You can include a note that youâ??ll send a proper contribution once he announces heâ??s in the race. We believe that Gore and his advisors will take note of this tangible evidence that America needs him to run for president. It is simple, wonâ??t take long to do and will only cost you half a dollar including stamp and envelope and, of course, the two pennies. So dive into the couch and retrieve the pennies that will represent your opinion, and letâ??s get Al in the race!

TORONTO - Governments of almost 200 countries have agreed to speed the elimination of a major greenhouse gas that depletes ozone, U.N. and Canadian officials said Saturday, describing a deal they said was a significant step toward fighting global warming.

The agreement reached Friday night will accelerate a treaty to freeze and phase out hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) which are used in home appliances, some refrigerators, hair sprays and air conditioners, said Nick Nuttall, spokesman for the United Nations Environment Program.

"With this plan of an accelerated freeze and accelerated phase-out, we could have potentially significant benefits arising in terms of combating climate change and ozone loss," Nuttall said. "It's a remarkable change in how we view the issue of climate change."

WASHINGTON - Climate scientist Michael Mann runs down the list of bad global warming news: The world is spewing greenhouse gases at a faster rate. Summer Arctic sea ice is at record lows. The ice sheets in Greenland and West Antarctica are melting quicker than expected.

Is he the doomsayer global warming skeptics have called him?

Mann laughs. This Penn State University professor - and many other climate scientists - are sunny optimists. Hope blooms in the hottest of greenhouses.

Climate scientists say mankind is on the path for soaring temperatures that will melt polar ice sheets, raise seas to dangerous levels, and trigger mass extinctions. But they say the most catastrophic of consequences can and will be avoided.