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Unplugged: Stop Energy Hogs At The Border
In June of 1976, the country had not yet marked its bicentennial. Gerald Ford was still president, Wings’ “Silly Love Songs” was topping the charts, and the customs service had not yet been transferred to the Department of Homeland Security. Point is: June 1976 was a really long time ago. And yet, one thing that…
Read MoreAge Of Extreme Energy Needs Extreme Caution
In April 2010, a national nightmare began with a blowout into the Gulf of Mexico. But the hundreds of millions of gallons of oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill were just the beginning of the disaster. We are still learning about the real damage, which is much more insidious than tar balls and slicked beaches.…
Read MoreFeds About To Toss Wolves To The Hunters
The Associated Press reports that the federal government will abandon its protections for Wyoming wolves by August 31—if not sooner—leaving the wolf’s fate in the hands of the “Cowboy State.” This has wolf supporters worried. The state plans to immediately allow wolves to be killed at any time by most any means in about 85 percent…
Read MoreSmokey Loves Coal, Not Forests
The Forest Service finally admitted it. It took the agency two environmental assessment drafts and a draft and final environmental impact statement, but they admitted it. The agency finally admitted that it would be “environmentally preferred” to protect the wildest, most pristine part of the Sunset roadless area in western Colorado from bulldozing for road…
Read MoreUnplugged: Happy Motoring!
If you say the word “motor” to most people, they would probably think first of the motor in their car. Many people understandably take a great interest in the gasoline or diesel engine that gets them around. But while amateur mechanics across the country may spend their weekends fussing over these motors, I’ve yet to…
Read MoreQ&A: Frank James, M.D., Whatcom Docs
(Editor’s Note: This is the fifth blog post in an ongoing series about proposed coal export terminals in the Pacific Northwest.) Dr. Frank James is a member of Whatcom Docs, a group of medical doctors in Whatcom County, Wash., who are concerned about the health impacts of a proposed coal shipping terminal in Bellingham, Wash.…
Read MoreKayford Mountain, Prettiest Lady I've Ever Seen
This is the story of a man who fell in love with a mountain and his struggle to keep it and all mountains from being destroyed by coal mining.
Read MoreWinning The Debate On Fracking
Earthjustice attorney Deborah Goldberg came out victorious in a recent Intelligence Squared debate over whether the natural gas boom in America is doing more harm than good. Arguing against the super intensive development of natural gas, she targeted the reckless, breakneck speed at which the industry is progressing. She asked, “So, what characterizes a boom?"…
Read MoreWhat It Means To Be A Resource Colony
(Editor’s Note: This is the fourth blog post in an ongoing series about proposed coal export terminals in the Pacific Northwest. Upcoming blog posts will examine the potential impact coal export terminals could have on the region’s health and environment.) The television comedy program Portlandia likes to poke fun at the culture of the Pacific…
Read MoreThe Wild West Targets Wolves Again
The anti-wolf crowd in Wyoming has this irrational fear of wolves, and no amount of evidence can calm them. These are the folks who want to turn back the clock to the Wild West days where they could kill every wolf they see—and, unfortunately, the Interior Department is going to let them do just that…
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