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An InterActivist corrects the record and devoted readers ladle on the love — some of them, anyway

  Re: It All Comes Out in the Walsh Dear Editor: I would like to set the record straight. Bill Walsh identified the American Chemical Society as one of 1,000 “trade associations defending the rights of polluters.” Walsh said he has a collection of “voodoo dolls” representing the “flacks” for these associations and after reading […]

He Shoots Horses, Doesn’t He?

Trophy-hunting enthusiast appointed to head Fish and Wildlife Service Nothing gives one an appreciation for the challenges facing endangered species like, uh, hunting and killing said species. With that verity in mind, the Bush administration has appointed Matthew Hogan as interim head of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Director Steve Williams resigned earlier this […]

Funny, but Not Baja Funny

Gray whales in Baja sanctuary threatened by development Five years ago, conservationists in Baja Mexico won a difficult battle to prevent a salt production plant from setting up shop near the San Ignacio Lagoon, a winter refuge for migrating California gray whales. But the Mexican government’s shift toward industrialization has some local residents gearing up […]

Conquered in Concord

New Hampshire Senate approves stricter mercury rules than feds At risk of getting stuck with a number of toxic mercury hotspots under the Bush administration’s new mercury cap-and-trade rule, New Hampshire’s Senate approved a bill yesterday to adopt rules more stringent than the feds’ and to ban the state’s two coal-fired power plants from trading […]

Critics question World Bank’s role as carbon trader, fossil-fuel funder

For as long as it’s been around, the World Bank has been prone to mission creep. Established 60 years ago to rebuild war-torn Europe, it morphed into an institution whose raison d’etre was to help developing countries advance, then refined its focus on poverty alleviation and sustainable development in the 1980s and ’90s. During that […]

Elevator Pitch Contest winner

More than 2000 votes have been placed, and the people have made their choice clear. Without further ado, the winning Elevator Pitch:

Do you love breathing air and drinking water? Mountains, oceans, cities, streams? Want kids to grow up healthy, happy, and peaceful? That's environmentalism. It's about everyone and everything you love.

Congratulations to winning (and mysterious) Gristmillian saltman! As soon as we get in touch, a VFOGT (Very First Official Grist T-shirt) shall be winging its way to his/her door.

Thanks for playing, everyone. And thanks for voting.

(Some slightly grumpy and deflationary comments beneath the fold. Don't even click. Seriously.)

Gristmill to hybrid drivers, calling all hybrid drivers

A few days ago I blogged about Wired's review of hybrid cars. I was hoping to hear from others to learn how Wired's reviews stacked up against the experience of actual hybrid car owners/drivers. Sadly, no comments.

However ...

Winning water

Any list of top environmental NGOs in India has the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) near the top.  They have coupled research-based innovations with action on the ground. Their forward looking work on rainwater harvesting builds on the fundamental insight that water management, and not water scarcity per se, is the critical difference in many situations. Through in no small measure CSE's efforts, the Indian water strategy now takes rainwater harvesting seriously.

CSE just had its 25 year record of research, practice, and lobbying recognized internationally with this week's announcement they will receive the 2005 Stockholm Water Prize. The prestigous award, and its $150,000 prize, will be awarded to CSE director Sunita Narain this August at World Water Week, held every summer in Stockholm.

Umbra on talking about environmentalism without being preachy

Dear Umbra, Since you’re the closest thing to Miss Manners that the environmental community has, I’d like to ask for your etiquette advice. I was recently on vacation with some friends and friends of friends and was disturbed by the lack of environmental awareness. For example: the 30-mile round-trips to get a takeout latte. Really. […]

What to make of Ford?

You got this, but then again, you got this. What's an enviro who thinks of the world in terms of black and white, good and evil, supposed to do?