Blog • Climate Action & Environmental Protection

Blog

Cutting back on carbon: animal agriculture and global warming

In an era of green living we often overlook one of the simplest ways to fight global warming – critically examining the food we eat. An ideal low-carbon diet consists of plant-based foods that are locally and organically grown. Read More

Ship Shape: Cleaner Ships Save Lives!

Nine years and two court battles after Friends of the Earth first demanded that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) craft more protective air pollution limits for large ships, the agency announced proposed cleaner air pollution standards for ocean-going vessels last week. The rules would reduce harmful pollutants by 80 percent or more by 2030, preventing between 13,000 and 33,000 premature deaths. Read More

Rep. Pete Stark’s Courageous Stand on Climate Change

Statement of Brent Blackwelder, Friends of the Earth President, on June 26, 2009 regarding Rep. Pete Stark's vote on the American Clean Energy and Security Act: Today, Congressman Pete Stark took a courageous stand in voting against the American Clean Energy Security Act of 2009. His statement to the House of Representatives described Friends of the Earth's own opinion of the bill. Rep. Stark said: Read More

Groups Call on Congress to Redirect Climate Funding from World Bank to United Nations

ActionAid USA***Center of Concern***Church World ServiceFriends Committee on National Legislation***Friends of the Earth USGender Action***Jubilee USA Network***Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns Development, Environment, and Faith-based Groups Call on Congress to Redirect Climate Funding from World Bank to United Nations Friday, June 26, 2009 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Read More

Thanking those who take a stand

Right now, the Waxman-Markey house climate bill is being debated in Congress. We would like to thank those members who took a courageous stand and vowed to vote against this bill. Below we have the statement from Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), who made an impassioned speech about the bill's flaws, including its enormous payouts to polluters. Read More

Polluter-backed climate bill about to hit House floor

Congress has a historic opportunity this year to pass legislation that dramatically reduces greenhouse gas pollution and puts us on a path to clean energy. Unfortunately, that opportunity could be squandered this week when a deeply flawed bill comes to the House floor. Read More

Narrow Biofuels Win in 2010 House Interior Appropriations Bill; Major Loss for CAFOs

The 2010 House Interior Appropriations Bill passed through committee with a narrow win for biofuels. Representative Emerson introduced an amendment that would have prevented the EPA from completing its analysis of the full global warming potential of biofuels. This would have ultimately allowed for biofuels that are worse than gasoline to continue to be pushed onto the market. Friends of the Earth and others worked tirelessly throughout the day to prevent this amendment from passing. Happily, the amendment failed narrowly, by one vote. Read More

New ads in opposition to House climate bill

Friends of the Earth has launched an online advertising campaign in opposition to the Waxman-Markey climate and energy bill moving through Congress. Here are some of the ads we're running on progressive and environmental websites: Read More

Waxman-Markey Strips EPA of Clean Air Act Authority to Fight Global Warming

Effectiveness of the Clean Air Act The history of the Clean Air Act has demonstrated its value in reducing air pollution and improving health and welfare in cost-effective ways. Its programs have reduced a wide variety of air pollutants -- from nitrous oxides to volative organic compounds, from sulphur to pollutants causing the ozone hole -- and have done so across a wide variety of sources, from stationary sources to motor vehicles. Read More

Senate’s Dirty Energy Bill

The American Clean Energy Leadership Act of 2009 (ACELA) fails to heed President Obama’s call for clean energy jobs and a green economy. Instead it takes the same past false steps and increases our reliance on failed dirty energy sources. Read More