Latest Articles
-
Reclaiming the beauty of Thanksgiving
Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others. — Cicero In a couple of days, we’ll celebrate our best, most important holiday. While celebrations of the harvest have existed for as long as civilization (for indeed it was agriculture that necessitated both), this particular holiday is uniquely […]
-
Enviro coalition delivers a whopping transition plan to Obamaland
Twenty-nine of the country’s biggest green groups today rolled out a comprehensive list of actions and policies they’d like President-elect Barack Obama to adopt after he takes office Jan. 20. In it, the groups stress the need for an approach that unites environment, energy, and economic policies. “We need to dig ourselves out of the […]
-
Reusing big boxes
This is the coolest thing I’ve seen in a while: on Slate, Julia Christensen has a slideshow essay showing how some communities have repurposed abandoned big box retail spaces. My favorite is the one in Austin, Minn., where they renovated an abandoned K-Mart to become a Spam museum. Yes, a Spam museum. And not the […]
-
Bush exculpates bald eagle killer, others in first round of pardons
And the pardons have officially begun … On Monday, President Bush granted pardons to 14 people and shortened the prison terms of another two, which will probably be the first round of many. No big names on the list, but three are of interest for environmental reasons, including: • Daniel Figh Pue III, of Conroe, […]
-
Wolves in the Rockies
A video about keeping wolves protected under the Endangered Species Act: If you’re interested in doing something — insofar as signing an online petition is doing something — NRDC Action Fund has a petition you can sign here.
-
How to change USDA with sustainable agriculture allies
In a recent post, I discussed likely candidates for secretary of agriculture in the Obama administration and encouraged you to voice your support or dislike of the names being floated to Obama’s transition team. You can have an impact: in large numbers, voices of the people are very powerful. Please continue to make your opinions […]
-
Science/IEA: World oil crunch looming?
Science magazine has a major “news focus” piece ($ub. req’d) arguing the peak is nigh: Even those who believe there’s plenty of oil left in the ground to meet rising demand are warning that the final crisis could come uncomfortably soon. Although price spikes and drops may recur for years, says [IEA] economist Fatih Birol, […]
-
Big Auto can’t sue Rhode Island over car emissions standards, judge rules
Big Auto cannot sue to keep Rhode Island from enforcing tighter vehicle emissions standards, a federal judge ruled Tuesday. U.S. District Judge Ernest Torres said, essentially, that pending cases were pointless and a waste of time, seeing as automakers have already lost similar battles in California and Vermont.
-
Children living in FEMA trailers are alarmingly sick
Photo: Marni Rosen Children who moved into FEMA trailers after losing their homes in Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have alarming rates of sickness and mental health problems, according to an in-depth review of medical records. Forty-two percent of the children studied suffer from respiratory troubles that may be linked to formaldehyde in the trailers.
