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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.

From Bras to Breaks

Our cup punneth over Hot on the heels of Japan’s “Cool Biz” program — which let businessmen shed jackets and ties to save on AC — comes “Warm Biz,” which will let businesswomen … wear furry, microwaveable bras with matching hot pants. Hello, Kitty. What’s up Down Under? Our ‘stralian mates are touting cool fuels […]

A Green Room of Her Own

Eco-friendly dorm room is part of a greening trend at Berkeley Eco-conscious college living: not just for off-campus hippies living 12 to a house anymore! At the University of California-Berkeley, sophomore Rachael Robertson lives in what’s being billed as America’s first green dorm room, replete with energy-saving devices and a free supply of natural toiletries. […]

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 […]

See You in the Handbasket

Climate-change studies project fun future of droughts, floods, illness The latest issue of the journal Nature has three new studies on the likely impacts of climate disruption. Turns out it’s gonna be a cakewalk! Ah, sadly, we kid. Millions who depend on mountain snow and glaciers for their water supplies — especially in Asia and […]

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)

Syriana

Damn, this looks like a good movie. From IMDB:

From writer/director Stephen Gaghan, winner of the Best Screenplay Academy Award for Traffic, comes Syriana, a political thriller that unfolds against the intrigue of the global oil industry. From the players brokering back-room deals in Washington to the men toiling in the oil fields of the Persian Gulf, the film's multiple storylines weave together to illuminate the human consequences of the fierce pursuit of wealth and power. As a career CIA operative (George Clooney) begins to uncover the disturbing truth about the work he has devoted his life to, an up-and-coming oil broker (Matt Damon) faces an unimaginable family tragedy and finds redemption in his partnership with an idealistic Gulf prince (Alexander Siddig). A corporate lawyer (Jeffrey Wright) faces a moral dilemma as he finesses the questionable merger of two powerful U.S. oil companies, while across the globe, a disenfranchised Pakistani teenager (Mazhar Munir) falls prey to the recruiting efforts of a charismatic cleric. Each plays their small part in the vast and complex system that powers the industry, unaware of the explosive impact their lives will have upon the world.

Get the official synopsis here.

Visitors to the official movie site are also encouraged to participate in "Oil Change," a campaign to reduce our dependence on oil.

And as TH reported this summer, Syriana, which opens nationwide on December 9th, may also help promote TerraPass.