Blog
New poll: Americans support a carbon tax
It’s no secret that climate change is costing us big money these days. In 2011-2012, the price tag for extreme weather in the U.S. reached $126 billion. Droughts across the Midwest and Texas, wildfires in the West and the destruction from Superstorm Sandy all resulted in severe damage and… Read More
A greener day at the State Department?
As Senator John Kerry’s confirmation hearing opened yesterday, President Obama set high expectations for his nominee to lead the State Department with a rigorous commitment to combating catastrophic climate change. But for Kerry to live up to the promises in the president’s inaugural address, he must reverse the often disappointing… Read More
Four steps to fix the Senate
It’s time to reform Senate rules. Throughout my career at Friends of the Earth, I have urged senators and their staff to use the parliamentary tools at their disposal — threats or actual use of filibusters, anonymous holds, etc. — in instances requiring a 60 vote majority in order to… Read More
Money Out! Voters In!
From climate change to clean water, from healthy forests to safer food, progress on our most important environmental priorities is being crippled by the outsized role of money in politics. It’s an old story by now: big polluters, with their vast army of lobbyists, too often outgun environmental advocates on… Read More
Genetically engineered salmon one step away from approval take action now!
Right before the holidays, while most of us were spending time with our families and friends, the Food and Drug Administration was busy giving the biotechnology industry a big, fat, genetically engineered gift. On December 21, the FDA quietly released its long-awaited draft Environmental Assessment on genetically engineered salmon… Read More
In Memoriam: Rebecca Tarbotton, Executive Director, Rainforest Action Network
Often, I am asked to assess the environmental movement. Will we win the fight against the fossil fuel industry? Can we prevent the worst impacts of climate disruption? Who’s out there fighting the good fight for a healthy and just world? My answer to these questions is we must win… Read More
Updated: Shell Arctic drilling rig runs aground in Alaska
Update: As of late in the evening of January 6th, the Kulluk has been attached to a tow line and pulled away from the shore of Sitkalidak Island, where it had previously been grounded. The salvage efforts were aided in part by a late high tide and improved weather… Read More
Dear President Obama: Preserve our government
Negotiations are coming down to the wire on the fiscal cliff. Friends of the Earth warned about the dangers of a bad deal and we are still concerned. That is why Friends of the Earth President Erich Pica wrote President Obama and urged him to preserve the role of… Read More
Tally ho! Backed by 62 organizations, Robin Hood seeks top Treasury post
Robin Hood, a champion of ordinary people, made a stop in Washington, D.C. this week — to put his hat in the ring to replace outgoing U.S. Treasury Sectary Tim Geithner, a champion of Wall Street. Mr. Hood is running on a platform of taxing Wall Street greed to… Read More
Don’t be afraid of the cliff
Call it the fiscal cliff, the fiscal slope or an “austerity crisis,” but no matter the nomenclature, a battle is underway over the role of government in the U.S.: Should we take care of our own or should people be left to fend for themselves? Our… Read More