interview

Kristen Berry, president of avian political-advocacy organization BirdPAC, answers questions

Kristen Berry. With what environmental organization are you affiliated? I am the president of BirdPAC. What does your organization do? We are a fledgling political action committee dedicated to protecting the environment and species by harnessing and focusing the power of conservationists on the political process — specifically elections. We are one of only a […]

Gary Lagerloef, earth, space, and ocean researcher, answers questions

Gary Lagerloef. What work do you do? I work at a small nonprofit scientific research institution named Earth & Space Research, where I have several key roles. I cofounded ESR in 1995, I am the current president, I serve on the board of directors, and I am a senior research scientist. The last role occupies […]

GOP strategist Frank Luntz argues enviros are failing — and they’re mean to boot

Frank Luntz, the famed Republican pollster and messaging consultant who helped to shape Newt Gingrich’s 1994 Contract With America, thinks environmentalists are mean. Frank Luntz. The author of a new guidebook on politically effective language, Words That Work: It’s Not What You Say, It’s What People Hear, Luntz is credited with popularizing use of the […]

The heat is still on

Perhaps the most rewarding moment I witnessed at Sundance last week, after watching several post-screening Q&A’s with Everything’s Cool directors and stars, came on my last night in Utah. They’d just finished the film’s only screening in Salt Lake City, and the packed house had nearly all stayed for the rap session, armed with questions […]

Doug Koplow, subsidies researcher and founder of Earth Track, answers questions

Doug Koplow. With what environmental organization are you affiliated? I’m the founder of Earth Track in Cambridge, Mass., which focuses on increasing visibility of environmentally harmful subsidies. This visibility comes through direct analysis, consolidation of research from around the world, and descriptive materials understandable by general audiences. Subsidies transfer value from the public sector to […]

Eric Brody of outdoor-apparel company Nau answers questions

Eric Brody. What work do you do? I am the sustainability manager at Nau Inc. My other involvements include founder and coordinator of Portland Green Drinks; executive committee member for the Sustainable Packaging Coalition; and advisory committee member for the Oregon Natural Step Network. How does your work relate to the environment? Nau, Inc. is […]

And other adventures in touching celebrities

I thought my closest brush with fame this week would be nearly taking out James Redford with a boom mic last night. But then I accidentally touched him inappropriately, and later, cornered his father. Son Redford presented Everything’s Cool at the special pre-screening last night, giving a glowing account of the film and announcing the […]

There are some good ones

DR: Let’s talk legal issues. I can see the analogy between cigarettes causing lung cancer and burning oil causing asthma. You have a reasonably distinct causal chain. You can reasonably point to knowledge on the part of the oil companies. But when it comes to global warming, you have a long and tenuous causal chain, […]

Schwarzenegger wants more

DR: There’s always an emphasis on personal transportation. How do you kick start public transportation and more dense settlements? Did you guys make steps toward that in California? TT: We did. While Prop 87 was going down in flames a week ago, the $60 billion bond package for California infrastructure was passing, with several billion […]