Latest Articles
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It's All the Brady Bunch's Fault
In a move that is rattling the tourist industry in Hawaii and beyond, the Sierra Club filed suit in January against the Hawaii Tourist Authority, seeking to force the state agency to perform a statewide environmental assessment before launching an aggressive marketing plan aimed at luring more visitors to the islands. “Seven million tourists descend […]
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Set Phaseout on Stunning
Vice President Al Gore, speaking at the Earth Day fair in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, unveiled policy initiatives aimed at curbing emissions of greenhouse gases, including proposed tougher requirements for power plant emissions. Gore also reiterated his controversial claim that it is possible and necessary to phase out the internal combustion engine within the next […]
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Earth Day Turns 30
If, in the 30 Earth Day celebrations we have held since 1970, the human population and economy have become any more respectful of the Earth, the Earth hasn’t noticed. The planet is not impressed by fancy speeches. Leonardo DiCaprio interviewing Bill Clinton about global warming is not an Earth-shaking event. The Earth has no way […]
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Green Giant? Ho, Ho, Ho
In honor of Earth Day, we take a one-week respite from our dizzying political tour of the United States in order to take a dizzying political tour of Vice President Al Gore. What could be more fun? Perhaps you will require sedation before reading further. Gore-the-environmentalist blasted back on the scene just in time for […]
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Do we know enough about genetically modified foods?
Genetically modified foods — you’ve heard about them, but you probably don’t know whether you’re eating them. They’re produced by splicing genes, those little segments of DNA that code for particular traits, from one plant or animal species and inserting them into another. Biotechnology companies are cooking up all sorts of techniques to engineer organisms […]
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Everyone Talks About the Weather, but We Did Something About it
The new century has already seen a number of volatile weather events of the type scientists predict would accompany global warming. Tornado-like winds and torrential rain hit parts of Southern California this week. Devastating floods caused a major humanitarian disaster in Mozambique in February and March. Forest fires are starting up earlier than usual in […]
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For He's a Jolly Good Felon
Federal prosecutors are now charging about three times as many people for environmental crimes as they were 10 years ago, and the EPA is sending about four times as many criminal referrals to the Justice Department. And an increasing number of polluters are being punished with jail terms instead of just fines. Last summer, the […]
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Wheeler Dealer
Just in time for Earth Day, Al Gore is trying to burnish his green image. Today he travels to Detroit on behalf of the administration to announce a new deal under which heavy-duty engine and truck companies will produce more fuel-efficient buses, trucks, and 18-wheelers. Monday he announced new proposed drinking water rules. Tomorrow, Gore […]
