Monday, 13 Feb 2006

In much of popular and political culture, the environmental movement is dismissed as the pet cause of white, well-off Americans. And yet, the population most affected by environmental problems in the U.S. is the poor. Today we kick off a seven-week series that looks at the intersection of economic and ecological survival -- and how we can do better to ensure both for all our citizens. We want to hear from you on these issues, so swing by our discussion area and share your thoughts.


Activist and evangelist Charlotte Keys founded Jesus People Against Pollution to help clean up her hometown of Columbia, Miss., site of a now-shuttered plant where Reichhold Chemical once manufactured Agent Orange. The company shut the factory down after an explosion in 1977 and abandoned or buried thousands of barrels of toxic waste near the water supply of the predominantly poor, African-American neighborhood where it had operated; flooding and leaks followed. In this virtual walking tour, Keys describes life near the plant and her fight to win justice for her community.


Steve Frillmann of community-gardening group Green Guerillas (try saying that five times fast!) helps his 8 million neighbors create and protect green spaces in New York City. As this week's InterActivist, Frillmann chats about how something as simple as giving away a few seedlings can make a big difference in helping a community grow. Send Frillmann a question of your own by noon PST on Wednesday; we'll publish his answers to selected questions on Friday.

Public Land Enemy No. 1

White House wants to auction off 300,000 acres of public land

The Bush administration has proposed a sell-off of over $1 billon worth of public land over the next five to 10 years. Proceeds from the auctions of more than 300,000 acres of Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management holdings would largely go to rural schools and roads, funding for which has been cut by, um, the Bush administration. Environmental historian Char Miller calls the scheme "a fire sale of public lands ... utterly unprecedented." Mark Rey, the Agriculture Department undersecretary in charge of the Forest Service, claims timber, oil, and gas interests weren't directly consulted on that agency's sale plans -- though some of the plots might have been chosen based on such "conversations in recent months and years." Ahem. While Rey says the national forest parcels on the block are not ecologically vital, some conservationists worry that the sales may break up important wildlife corridors and bring development to the banks of scenic rivers. Congress would need to approve the plan before it could go into effect.

What Doesn't Krill Me Makes Me Stronger

Smaller number of gray whales migrating south to breed, says researcher

Fewer gray whales are migrating from North Pacific feeding grounds to warm Mexican lagoons to breed this year. British whale researcher William Megill says only 90 whales made it to the San Ignacio lagoon on Mexico's Baja Peninsula by February -- down about 50 percent from the same time last year. Scientists have noted an abrupt rise in Bering Sea ocean temperatures since 2000, and a parallel decline in the worm and shrimp populations the whales depend on to fuel up for their annual 5,000-mile journey. "I wouldn't be surprised to see carcasses up and down the coast, because they didn't have enough food," says Megill. Oceanographer Sue Moore is more optimistic, saying the whales appear to be adjusting to changing ocean conditions by feeding in new areas and heading south a bit later. "Gray whales are very resilient and can feed on a variety of prey all along their migration route," she says.


Love it or hate it (or really, really hate it), Valentine's Day is tomorrow. If you're seeking eco-friendly ways to celebrate your wanton lust, look no further. Advice maven Umbra Fisk rolls out the red carpet for those who want a guilt-free day, suggesting thoughtful ways you can have your heart-shaped cake and jump out of it, too.

Aw, Mom, Not Whaleloaf Again!

Japanese government trying to unload surplus whale meat

Japan's "research" whaling has led to a market glutted with whale meat. Burdened by 2,700 tons of whale heading for freezer burn, the Japanese government has launched a campaign to overcome an increasingly common sentiment: "To put it simply," says one Japanese diner, "whale meat tastes horrible." The government has issued a pamphlet called -- what else? -- Scrumptious Whale, and is distributing the blubbery meat to schools, homes for the elderly, and pet food stores. Greens are concerned that feeding whale meatballs to students will "create a new constituency that will support whaling in the future," says Sue Lieberman of WWF. Undeterred, or just oblivious, Japan plans to kill some 40 percent more minke whales in 2006 than it did last year. Commercial whaling is illegal internationally, but whaling for research, which Japan claims to do, has been OK'd by the International Whaling Commission.