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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. […]

Are gas prices and gas consumption connected?

It may come as a bit of a surprise: Despite rising gas prices over the past few years, total consumption of highway fuels in the U.S. has actually increased rather than fallen. Some have seized on this phenomenon -- prices and consumption rising in tandem -- to suggest that changes in gas prices have no discernible effect on how much gas we actually use.

The idea that gas prices have no effect on consumption doesn't square with economic theory, to put it mildly. And this Excel spreadsheet (courtesy of Charles Komanoff and the ever-informative Todd Litman) sheds some light on what's really going on. Apparently, even as U.S. gas prices have risen, so have population and GDP. And GDP growth tends to push consumption levels up -- in fact, over the short term, gas consumption seems to be far more responsive to changes in GDP than to changes in prices.

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.

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 […]