Yes! On Monday October, 25, 2010 you’re invited to the Providence premiere of Carbon Nation, a documentary about climate solutions. Filmmaker Peter Byck has taken a complex and polarizing topic and made it apolitical, accessible, and entertaining. You’ll meet (to name a few): A rancher bringing new life to a Texas town through wind farming. Government employees working to make the military more energy efficient. Farmers using innovative, low-carbon growing methods. The screening, presented by the Conservation Law Foundation and ClimateCounts.org, will be followed by a discussion with director Peter Byck and a panel of environmental pundits and climate policy experts. A reception with light refreshments will follow the discussion. The details: Screening of Carbon Nation, a film about climate solutions Monday, October 25 6 p.m. RISD Metcalf Auditorium at read more…

Dear CLF Supporter, New England’s waters are in crisis. Nutrient pollution is a huge problem for our region; inadequately-treated wastewater, fertilizer-laden runoff from industrial farms, roadways, and sprawl development are fueling deadly algae blooms in some of our most cherished waters—like Lake Champlain, Long Island Sound, Cape Cod’s bay and estuaries, and the Great Bay, located between New Hampshire and Maine. These algae blooms suffocate and kill fish, shellfish and other aquatic life, creating vast “dead zones.” Nutrient pollution is bad news. But there is a silver lining to this scummy, man-made problem: It’s solvable. For years, CLF has been working to reverse nutrient pollution in waters throughout New England. And there’s even more good news; today, you have the opportunity to make a REAL impact on nutrient pollution by read more…

I have updated my previous post about the fossil fuel billionaire Koch brothers to note that the two brothers who are major funders of the anti-progress and prosperity “Americans for Prosperity” are, as reported by the Albany Times-Union,  participating in the RGGI carbon allowance auction through their commodity trading business. While they are certainly free to do this it is deeply ironic because their friends at the astroturf  anti-progress and prosperity “Americans for Prosperity”, as discussed in the original blog post, are in the midst of a campaign against the RGGI program.

I’m one of those people who believes that climate change is the biggest challenge facing the planet, but I was baffled about how to react when I saw the Polar Bear ad for the Nissan Leaf®.  At first I thought it must be an ad by one of the national environmental groups, and I was shocked that they could afford the spot on the opening night of Thursday Night Football®.  When I realized it was an ad for an electric car, I couldn’t decide whether to be thrilled or concerned.  On one hand, I am thankful to see a multi-national corporation embracing the problem of climate change and investing in solutions.  Nissan’s commitment is virtually heroic when compared to the oil and coal industries’ multi-million dollar campaigns to confuse the read more…

The following are excerpts from Wendell Berry’s essay “Thoughts in the Presence of Fear,” published in 2001 in reaction to the tragedy of 9/11 and its aftermath.  Nine years later, his “thoughts” still ring true. XXIV.  Starting with the economies of food and farming, we should promote at home and encourage abroad the ideal of local self-sufficiency.  We should recognize that this is the surest, the safest, and the cheapest way for the world to live.  We should not countenance the loss or destruction of any local capacity to produce necessary goods. XXV.  We should reconsider and renew and extend our efforts to protect the natural foundations of the human economy: soil, water, and air.  We should protect every intact ecosystem and watershed that we have left, and begin restoration read more…

(Updated 9/15/2010) In a recent issue of the New Yorker staff writer Jane Meyer leads us all on a guided tour of the machinery, machinations and massive expenditures that the billionaire Koch brothers have poured into organizations like the Orwellian named “Americans for Prosperity” that, among other things, are dedicated to stopping progress in the war to protect our climate. Not satisfied with having played a role in derailing (hopefully temporarily) sensible energy and climate policy in Washington DC these guardians of fossil fuel industry profits are seeking to halt good efforts in the states.  While their efforts in California have been the most noticed they are also busy laying astroturf in places like New Jersey where a “campaign” to roll back the mild, moderate and successful Regional Greenhouse Gas read more…

When you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging.  Unfortunately, Vermont’s transportation agency keeps digging.  Vermont continues to push forward the unnecessary Circ Highway project – a new multi-million dollar ring road around Burlington, Vermont.   A federal court decision halted this project in 2004.  The mismanagement continues.  As a result, Vermonters suffer more traffic and more pollution.  CLF has again shown cleaner, safer and lower cost transportation solutions are available.  With crumbling bridges and roads, budget-breaking deficits and increasing pollution, it is time to stop the madness.  Let’s not continue to push 1950s-era highway projects in the 21st century.  We can fix the roads we have, improve public transporation and rail and make safer routes for kids and others to get around.

Today, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court decided to uphold the comprehensive permit for Cape Wind’s transmission lines issued by the state’s Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB)–a welcome and much-anticipated milestone for the nation’s first major offshore wind energy project. CLF has been actively involved in moving the ball forward on Cape Wind throughout its nine-year review and permitting process, and we’re thrilled that Cape Wind will finally have an opportunity to to move forward and provide Massachusetts with clean, renewable power. Here’s what CLF Staff Attorney Shanna Cleveland had to say on the subject: “The Court thoroughly reviewed the extensive record in this case and correctly concluded that the state siting board rigorously scrutinized the project and fulfilled its obligation to safeguard the public trust. Cape Wind will provide electricity read more…

As the new school year approaches, students across New England reflect upon a summer’s worth of fun, events, and relaxation.  For many kids who live in or visit Vermont, Lake Champlain is central to summertime pleasure.  There are many ways to enjoy Champlain, thus plenty of reasons to keep it clean.  This was the idea behind the CLF drawing contest held at the Lake Champlain Maritime Festival.  The assignment read, “design a card that shows what you love about Lake Champlain and how to keep it clean”.  It was both exciting and heartening to see artistic young minds reflect upon what they valued about Lake Champlain and the environment.  A simple drawing contest such as this can go a long way, ensuring the next generation is engaged in environmental stewardship. read more…

The ace web/online/blog/communications folks at CLF have installed the WordPress plug-in version of Online Leaf on this blog so if you are reading it and don’t do anything for a minute your screen will go black, reducing the electricity consumption of your computer. Not a big deal but an important reminder of all the many little , medium, large and very large things we will need to do to fight global warming – and how the things we can do to aid that cause can also save us a bit of money at the same time.