Thursday, 09 Nov 2006

In the wake of this year's election, greens are riding a buzz the likes of which no carnival-going six-year-old has ever felt. In an outcome deemed a blow to the property-rights movement, three of four "regulatory takings" propositions were defeated. The initiatives copied a successful measure in Oregon that allows landowners to be compensated for money "lost" due to zoning decisions and environmental rules. But voters in California, Idaho, and Washington said, "No thanks, regulations aren't so bad, and crushing smart growth is just dumb." Voters in Arizona passed their version of the rule, but if you've ever been to Phoenix, you know that place is pretty much doomed anyway. Meanwhile, as results for key congressional and gubernatorial races were confirmed, Grist followed the action and greens pinched themselves -- hard. Notorious critter-hater Rep. Richard Pombo (R-Calif.) still lost, so David Roberts pens a moving tribute to the man and his misdeeds. Cue the violins.


Coal companies roll into southern Appalachian communities, blow the tops off mountains, shower residents with coal dust, pollute groundwater, destroy streams, send massive coal trucks careening up and down narrow roads, and bully or threaten anyone who objects. Yet outside the South, the practice of mountaintop-removal mining is virtually unknown. Rather than waiting for help from mainstream green groups, Appalachians are organizing. David Roberts spoke with Allen Johnson, the head of Christians for the Mountains, about scripture, political power, and evangelical priorities.

A New Leaf

Billion-tree effort launches as new climate reports issued

Ooh, we love reports. A new one from a team of European scientists says the Arctic and Antarctic are linked by powerful currents, creating a "climate seesaw" that connects the fates of the poles and could help scientists predict the effects of polar warming on climate. A second, U.N.-commissioned report scolds rich countries for providing a "woefully inadequate" response to poor countries' desperate need to adapt to climate-change effects already being felt. "The adaptation agenda is somewhere between embryonic and heavily underdeveloped," says lead author Kevin Watkins. And a third report -- OK, this one isn't a report. But we do love it: Kenyan environmentalist Wangari Maathai launched a project yesterday that will fight climate change by planting a billion (carbon dioxide-absorbing) trees in 2007. "Anybody can dig a hole, anybody can put a tree in that hole and water it," the Nobel Peace Prize winner says. "And everybody must make sure that the tree they plant survives."


In January, Germany will take over the rotating leadership of both the G8 and the E.U., and environmentalists are watching to see whether the country will fulfill its pledge to use the posts to address climate change. Green Party Chair Renate Künast talks with Michael Levitin about Germany's climate and energy advances -- and the chances of bringing other countries along for the ride.

Now Utah-kin

Salt Lake City requires LEED certification for city-funded buildings

Salt Lake City, Utah, known for its salty lake and Mormons, may soon also be known for its green buildings. Developers funded by city money will be required to erect buildings certified by the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED program, city council members decided unanimously on Tuesday. (Oh, Tuesday -- it was a great day.) The new ordinance is "a tremendous first step toward encouraging in every way possible greater efficiency in design and material used for buildings in our community," said Mayor Rocky Anderson, who then ran up some steps with "Gonna Fly Now" blasting in the background. Or at least we wish he had. This summer, Anderson issued an executive order mandating that municipal buildings meet the LEED silver standard; the city hopes to move toward providing incentives to all developers, city-funded or not, to build LEED-certified buildings. That's tabernaculous.