Jennifer Ferenstein, president of the Sierra Club, has got a new plan for one of the nation’s oldest and most politically influential environmental groups. Ferenstein wants the Sierra Club to emphasize not just what it’s against (e.g, drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, air pollution, global warming) but also what it supports (restoring wild salmon, better fuel efficiency, campaign finance reform). According to Executive Director Carl Pope, the shift is necessary because of the post-Sept. 11 focus on national unity. For her part, Ferenstein says she wants her organization to provide reliable, unexaggerated information and occasional respite from the gloom and doom that often characterize the environmental movement. Is this just spin or will Ferenstein land herself in the Grist Hall of Fame? (We’re accepting volunteers to monitor the tone of club press releases from here on out.)
