By Zachary Shahan •
July 18, 2009
The first big victory against coal power plants in Virginia came a few days ago in a town of about 300. In a statement of independence, environmental justice, and the power a few people can have on the biggest issues facing our environment today, town councilors voted 3-2 to retain their zoning rights regarding a coal power plant proposal and essentially prevent the plant from being built (at least for now).
Big coal brought in all their artillery of propoganda, promises for jobs and a better living environment, and tax revenues for the town, but small groups of informed and regional activists, along with residents willing to listen and think for themselves, helped to stop this process from moving forward in its normal way in the small town of Dendron, VA. They came up with clever tactics and got enough support from the people in the area to make the decision-makers not only listen but vote in a significant and landmark way.
By Kay Sexton •
April 24, 2009
In a double first for the FBI, a domestic terrorist has been included on the international most-wanted list, and he’s an environmental activist too.
By Kelli Peterson •
April 10, 2009
What do CarrotMobs and sugar cubes have in common? Other than finding their way into your Easter basket, they are the campaigns created by Virgance to create change through consumer organizing.
By Joe Mohr •
February 24, 2009
The Trust-Us League. Rush Limbaugh, Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity, and Glenn Beck–environmental superheroes out to change the world on ecological-footprint at a time!
By Gavin Hudson •
February 23, 2009
Why do athletes train in conditions that are harder than game conditions? Because it makes them better at what they do. Likewise, environmentalists could learn a thing or two from successful activists in countries where the going is harder. In this sense, China makes a great environmentalist training ground. Here, you’ll find both daunting challenges and inspirational environmental activists.
Protip #5: How to create win-win situations and gain popular support
Pan Wenshi was recently featured by the International Herald Tribune for his success working with locals in a small Chinese village to protect the white-headed langur. But it wasn’t until Pan lent a hand to help locals that he began to realize success. After Pan helped a villager to get clean drinking water, the villager freed a langur from a trap and brought the animal to Pan, who learned from the experience. Now, Pan advocates for new schools and health clinics in the area where the langurs live. In return, he gets local support. “When you help the villagers, they would like to help you back,” says Pan. “Now, when outsiders try to trap langurs the locals stop them from coming in.”
Pan’s success grew when he won an environmental award that allowed him to install biogas collectors. The villagers could now cook without the toil of chopping firewood and the langurs benefited by slowed deforestation. Serving the needs of others has allowed the langur population in Pan’s nature reserve to expand from 96 to over 500. “This [serving the human community] is the most important thing we can do,” says Pan. “If the villagers can’t feed themselves, the langurs don’t stand a chance.”
By Alex Felsinger •
February 4, 2009
An environmental group had been distributing decals that fit perfectly onto Canada’s $1 loonie coin for the past week, but now the Royal Canadian Mint has ordered that they cease and desist.
The Dogwood Initiative began distributing the decals in order to call attention to the government’s support of a plan that would allow oil tankers to come closer to British Columbia’s north coast. The decal effectively turned the water surrounding the loonie black to represent the damage of an oil spill.
By Alex Felsinger •
December 13, 2008
Rob Gilchrist, a former activist, had spied on 9 different peaceful environment and animal welfare groups over the past 10 years before his girlfriend discovered suspicious emails, New Zealand’s Sunday Star-Times reported in a 3,200-word expose today.
“Protests are part of a healthy democracy,” said Rochelle Rees, Gilchrist’s girlfriend. “The police are supposed to be protecting that but instead they are inhibiting it. It’s foolish of them since stomping on peaceful protest is the best way to make people more extreme and push them underground.”
By Timothy B. Hurst •
October 25, 2008
News broke this week that 53 people were listed in a Maryland State Police database as “suspected terrorists.” The listing was the result of an extensive surveillance program that infiltrated several activist organizations and gathered intelligence about the individuals and activities in them.
By Adam Williams •
October 6, 2008
Ikea is going plastic bagless. Last year the Swedish king of oh-so-cool home economy — by various definitions — committed to cut from 70 million bags to 35 million. It passed its goal, reaching a current 92 percent reduction. Now the goal is to use no plastic bags.
Source: Greenbang
It’s refreshing that just a few hours of online browsing can open your eyes to so many creative, innovative and hard-working green groups across the country. The only downside is that there are so many good individuals and organizations out there, it’s hard to write an in-depth profile of each of them. So I’m introducing a new feature today called “Picks of the Week,” a roundup of some of the most outstanding green initiatives I’ve discovered over the past seven days.
So here we go:
By Adam Williams •
September 19, 2008
College activists are greening it up by kicking the lights off while they’re having fun with a bit of sexy recycling — and whatnot. But that’s just one of the campus ‘green’ scenes, as reported in Grist’s series on campus activism. It turns out there are ways to make saving the planet hip and sexy while being of benefit to the beer bong crowd. (Please drink responsibly.)
Source: Click to Continue Reading
