Latest Articles
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Interviews with the 2004 Democratic presidential contenders
There are enough of them to field a baseball team or fill the Supreme Court bench. With nine candidates vying to win the Democratic nomination for president, sometimes it can be tough to remember which one drives the SUV and which one’s the vegan. To help you get a leg up on the environmental platforms […]
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Don’t let the Democrats frighten you away from voting your conscience
It’s that time of year again. Fall is in the air, kids are back in school, and frightened Democrats are warning the Green Party not to run a candidate for president next year. “The issues are too serious,” we’re told, “and the incumbent too awful. Just for this election, forget your progressive values, hold your […]
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Advice on channeling your eco-political anger
Dear Umbra, Now that this country has been lost to the Earth-ravaging Republicans, tell me: Which other country should I run to seeking environmentally aware salvation? MelAlbany, N.Y. Dearest Mel, America. Love it or leave it, pal. Are Republicans inherently Earth-ravaging? Do all Republicans believe the Clear Skies initiative is progress? Do they all buy […]
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The scoop on Bush’s Texas getaway
Dear Umbra, I heard a rumor that President Bush’s Texas ranch is off the grid. I find it very hard to believe (unless “off the grid” means he has his own oil well and refinery set up) and I can’t find any documentation about it. Ever heard this? Know if it’s true or false? Skeptical,JulieChicago, […]
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Don’t gamble with your vote in 2004
Is Ralph ready to run? Photo: Nader 2000. Activists have plenty of good reasons to challenge the Democratic Party operatives who focus on election strategy while routinely betraying progressive ideals. Unfortunately, the national Green Party now shows appreciable signs of the reverse problem — focusing on admirable ideals without plausible strategy. If Ralph Nader runs […]
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Fun facts on voters’ environmental values and more
73 — percentage of Americans who think political candidates’ positions on the environment are “very important” or “somewhat important”1 61 — percentage who say they are either active participants in or sympathizers with the environmental movement2 30 — percentage who list the environment as an “extremely important” factor in deciding for whom to vote3 49 […]
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A special edition on elections and the environment
“Information is the currency of democracy,” said Thomas Jefferson, who, as the oft-cited father of democracy, presumably knew whereof he spoke. Alas, a couple of hundred years later, it seems more accurate to say that currency is the currency of democracy. Here at the height of the Information Age, information about the workings of our […]
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Hey There, Tiger
ExxonMobil Contemplates Cleaning up Its Act It’s tough to think of a company with a worse reputation among environmentalists than ExxonMobil — so it comes as a pleasant surprise that the world’s largest oil and gas company may be preparing to change its tune. Historically, ExxonMobil has dismissed the importance and viability of renewable energy […]
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A Chile Reception
Canadian Mining Company Halts Project in Patagonia Few places in the world are more synonymous with remote, rugged, and untouched natural splendor than Patagonia, so it was with relief that environmentalists learned that they had triumphed over a proposed mining project in southernmost South America — at least for the moment. For more than a […]
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Navy Gravy
U.S. Navy Agrees to Reduce Use of Sonar System Linked to Whale Deaths In a sweet but possibly temporary victory for environmentalists, the U.S. Navy has agreed to dramatically decrease its use of a low-frequency sonar system that has been associated with the deaths of whales and other marine mammals. A court agreement announced yesterday […]
