Uncategorized

Sierra Club Chronicles

From a Sierra Club press release, we learn:

"Sierra Club Chronicles," a new monthly television series produced by [Robert] Greenwald, captures the dramatic efforts of committed individuals across the country working every day to protect the health of their environment and their communities.

"All over America, there are inspirational, real life stories of women and men defending their homes, health and families from environmental hazards and threats," explained Carl Pope, Executive Director of the Sierra Club. "'Sierra Club Chronicles' will take viewers directly into those communities and provide a first hand look at these profiles in environmental courage."

The people and stories profiled in "Sierra Club Chronicles" come from diverse backgrounds: ranchers in New Mexico, emergency medical technicians in New York City, fishermen in Alaska, neighbors of a chemical plant in Mississippi, but all are united in a common cause: the fight to protect their families, communities and the lands and livelihoods they love from pollution, corporate greed and short-sighted government policies.

"Sierra Club Chronicles" consists of seven half-hour episodes that will launch on Link TV on January 12, 2006 immediately following the ACLU's original half hour program, "Freedom Files." One new program will premiere the second Thursday of each month at 8:30 PM Eastern and Pacific through July 2006. Link Satellite TV is on DirecTV channel 375 and Dish Network channel 9410. (www.linktv.org).

For more information, visit www.sierraclubtv.org.

[editor's note, by David Roberts] For those who don't know, Robert Greenwald is the director of Uncovered: The Whole Truth About the Iraq War, Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism, and most recently, Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Prices.

Readers talk back about big-box stores, hot water, peak oil, and more

  Re: The Wrong Target Dear Editor: It’s laudable that Grist would strive to include diverse viewpoints. However, I am disappointed that the editors would accept such a shoddy piece of journalism. Having a minority opinion (at least among environmentalists) is one thing. Failing to include and address crucial facts about one’s subject is another. […]

Forests Forever

Ok, it's Friday, so give yourself a little break and head on over to what I've found to be one of the most spectacular photo essays on the web. Forests Forever combines stunning photography, serene music, and Flash animation to create a fascinating virtual tour of some of our planet's most beautiful forests. Each photo gallery is accompanied by supplemental educational information and a photographer profile.

I haven't watched them all yet, but my favorite thus far is the one about the forests in Baobab Avenue, Madagascar. Additionally, there is a cool interactive piece titled "Consciousness," which provides a history of plant life on the planet, a review of the different types of vegetation, and more.

Seriously, after you've read Daily Grist, head directly to www.forests-forever.com, which was developed by Fujifilm.

Abramoff, Federici, and Republican environmentalism

I mentioned a few days ago that the scandals surrounding uber-lobbyist Jack Abramoff were reaching deep into the Interior Department. Those scandals are complex and varied, and I know most people are tuning out. But a great (and darkly amusing) story in Salon today breaks it down for you.

In 2000, Interior Secretary Gale Norton established a group called the Council of Republicans for Environmental Advocacy (CREA) to advance the Bush administration's (anti-)environmental agenda. It was headed by Italia Federici, a minor Republican functionary.

In private, Federici established a close relationship with Abramoff. He funneled her large contributions, in effect stolen from the Native American tribes he represented. In return, she ... well, she did all sorts of things for him:

Which parts of the U.S. have put themselves in nature’s way?

It's easy to see in hindsight. Yes, Hurricane Katrina was a natural disaster, but it was aided by some very unnatural factors -- developed wetlands and neglected levees, to name two. Figuring there must be other parts of the U.S. in human-made peril, we talked with experts to learn where we've made ourselves most vulnerable, and what -- in lieu of scrapping the whole country and starting over -- is being done to help.

All That’s Gold Does Not Glitter

Indonesian judge tosses out pollution suit against mining giant Newmont This week, an Indonesian judge threw out a $133 million civil suit against Colorado-based Newmont Mining Corp., the world’s largest gold miner. Indonesia Environment Minister Rachmat Witular filed the lawsuit in April, charging that a now-closed Newmont gold operation dumped mercury- and arsenic-laden waste into […]

Stuck with a gas guzzler? Just burn it.

Here's an amusing little story, though I don't know how much of it is local-news hype: Apparently, insurance fraud by SUV owners in California is on the rise. Gas prices are so high some folks are desperate to shed their gas guzzlers. So they torch 'em and report 'em stolen.

It's auto-eco-terrorism!

(Hat tip: reader B.T.)

But House version doesn’t call for drilling in Arctic Refuge or offshore areas

Early this morning, the House passed a highly contentious budget reconciliation bill; it remained stripped of provisions that would allow drilling in the Arctic Refuge and new oil exploration in offshore areas, but it still contained the much-fretted-over "mining reform" provision that would sell off millions of acres of public land at fire-sale prices, as described in detail by Amanda Griscom Little yesterday.

The Senate passed its version of the bill earlier this month -- it does call for drilling the refuge and offshore areas, but doesn't call for a sell-off of mining lands.

Now we'll have to wait and see how a compromise version shakes out during negotiations in House-Senate conference committee. Bets, anyone?

Sharp donates solar panels to popular ABC show

Sharp Electronics Company has donated a solar energy system to ABC's hit show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. According to the Sharp press release [PDF], the episode is scheduled to air in January 2006.

(Via TH)

Republican meltdown

So you know that massive Republican budget-cutting bill that was pulled from the floor last week for lack of votes? The one that may or may not include drilling the the Arctic Refuge and a massive giveaway of public lands?

Its prospects are not looking good. The legendary Republican discipline and unity were already looking shaky last week. But earlier today, a massive Labor-HHS spending bill (with its attendant huge cuts in education and home-heating assistance) was voted down on the floor of the House. Not pulled off the floor for lack of votes, mind you, but voted down. The vote was even held open for a half hour (an odious and increasingly common tactic for R leadership) and they still couldn't wrangle the votes.

The is the first floor vote the R's have flat out lost in a long, long time. It's a big deal. It demonstrates the ongoing breakdown of the Republican coalition.

And it makes the prospects for an extremely contentious budget-cutting bill (later this week!) quite dim. Good news for those concerned for environmental protection.

There's more on the Republican meltdown on The New Republic's new(ish) blog The Plank here and here.

Update [2005-11-18 8:24:48 by David Roberts]: Well, that will teach me to prognosticate. The House passed the bill this morning. Sounds like it was a barrel of fun, too.

The budget debate was marked by acrimony and personal attacks. Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.) mocked the deficit-minded "Blue Dog" Democrats, calling them "lap dogs." Rep. Marion Berry (D-Ark.) called the youthful, redheaded Rep. Adam Putnam (R-Fla.) a "Howdy Doody-looking nimrod."

Now we'll have to see how things play out in the House-Senate committee.