Latest Articles

The U.S. has outsourced environmental leadership

On the money. California unveiled the design on its state quarter last week: a picture of John Muir, an image of Half Dome. It’s an apt representation of American environmentalism at the moment — rich in history, but not worth much at present. Modern environmentalism can fairly be described as an American invention. It got […]

A progressive ranching advocate answers questions

What environmental organization are you affiliated with? The Quivira Coalition, a nonprofit conservation organization based in Santa Fe, N.M. What’s your job title? Executive director and cofounder. What does your organization do? What, in a perfect world, would constitute “mission accomplished”? We work to build bridges between ranchers, environmentalists, public-land managers, scientists, and others in […]

Talking Trash

New Biomass Process Holds Great Promise Biomass — the process of converting carbon-based waste into fuel — is slowly but surely becoming a viable enterprise. At the forefront are companies like Changing World Technologies Inc.; its first commercial plant, recently built in Carthage, Mo., sees thousands of tons of turkey parts from a nearby Butterball […]

Watershed Down

California Law Threatens Watershed Restoration Projects An obscure California law may threaten watershed restoration efforts across the state. At issue are the use of volunteers — a common practice by watershed-restoration groups perpetually strapped for cash — and a 2001 law mandating that all workers on public-works projects be paid the prevailing market wage for […]

No Chemical Left Behind

U.S. State Department Helping Chemical Industry Fight E.U. Regulation Last year, the European Union proposed a plan that would have forced all manufacturers to test industrial chemicals and report on their public-health effects before selling them in Europe. The Bush administration immediately began a lobbying campaign to forestall the move, including several messages sent directly […]

The EPA has been misoverestimating the fuel economy of cars sold in the U.S., says enviro group

A whole lot of exaggerating going on. If you think the fuel economy of U.S. vehicles is dismal, well, you’re right. Perhaps more right than you know. Official U.S. EPA statistics ascribe a pathetic average of 20.8 miles per gallon to the 2003 car fleet, about 6 percent lower than 15 years ago. The fleet […]

The Agony of Beef Eat

Amazon Deforestation Driven by Brazilian Beef Industry The explosive growth of cattle farming in Brazil seems to be the primary culprit behind an increase in destruction of the Amazon rainforest, says a report released today. While spreading soybean cultivation and logging frequently get the headlines, the Center for International Forestry Research report says that it […]

Freedom From Misinformation Act

Federal Judge Orders Release of Energy Task Force Documents The legal wrestling match between Vice President Dick Cheney and critics of his secretive energy task force took a dramatic turn yesterday, when a federal judge ordered several federal agencies to release thousands of documents relating to their work with the task force. The order stemmed […]

Critical Massey

Bushies Let Political Contributor Off Easy for Spill, Says Whistleblower The Bush administration suppressed an inquiry into a massive 2000 coal-slurry spill to protect a political contributor, says a whistleblower involved in the investigation. The accusation — the latest in a growing string from ex-administration officials — comes from Jack Spadaro, former head of the […]

Fuel economy grows as a campaign issue, making some Michigan Dems nervous

Gassing up. It seemed oddly off-message: John Kerry stood before an audience of thousands of California liberals yesterday at a rally at the University of California at San Diego, roasting the petroleum-hungry Bush administration for letting gas prices escalate. “I’ll use real diplomacy to do what George Bush hasn’t — pressure OPEC to start providing […]