 A Green Tug-of-War Green groups battle over climate bills in the Senate Environmental groups in Washington, D.C., are bitterly divided over which climate-change bill to back. Biz-friendly Environmental Defense is embracing the new Lieberman-Warner bill in the Senate, while more radical Friends of the Earth is bashing the bill for being too weak and handing out too many subsidies to polluters. Other groups are walking a fine line -- praising the bipartisan effort behind Lieberman-Warner but insisting it needs to be strengthened. Meanwhile, the bill got its first hearing on Capitol Hill yesterday and is gradually gaining support from senators on both sides of the aisle. Get the full scoop in Muckraker and Gristmill. [ email | discuss | + digg | + del.icio.us ] new in Grist: Green groups battle over climate bills in the Senate new in Gristmill: America's Climate Security Act gets its first hearing |
TODAY'S NEWS
| The Eth-Assist U.K. organic certifier says air-freighted organics must meet "ethical standards" Britain's main organic certifier, the Soil Association, has decided not to deny the organic label to air-freighted food, instead opting to require producers of flown-in fare to meet ethical standards similar to "fair trade" certification. The association decided that denying organic status to all flown-in food would unfairly hurt farmers and workers in poor countries. Only about 1 percent of organic food is air-freighted to the U.K., but the association is worried about the market's future growth. The "ethical standards" seek to ensure that workers are not subject to exploitative conditions and that they are guaranteed a fair wage. After a consultation period, the new rules could take effect in January 2009. [ email | discuss | + digg | + del.icio.us ] sources: The Guardian, Reuters, BBC News |
 You're Getting Warmer, Warmer ... Sprawling homes susceptible to flames in California The impact of the still-raging California wildfires on humans and their homes is tragic and lamentable -- but far from unexpected, thanks to the tendency of both developers and homeowners to sprawl out and nestle right up to the fire line. Some two-thirds of new construction in Southern California in the past decade was on tinder-dry, fire-susceptible land, says historian Mike Davis. "You might as well be building next to leaking gasoline cans," he says. Many homeowners are not deterred. "We'll stay," says Richard Sanders of Escondido, awaiting news of how his house fared. "We like the community, we like the area." As numerous scientific studies have concluded that climate change will make wildfires more frequent and more destructive, he may, unfortunately, also have to learn to like the evacuations. [ email | discuss | + digg | + del.icio.us ] source: The Washington Post |
| In the Line of Fire California delays lawsuit against EPA due to wildfires The lawsuit California threatened to file against the U.S. EPA for delaying a pending decision on the state's 2005 vehicle greenhouse-gas emissions law was not filed yesterday as expected. It's been stalled due to raging wildfires in the state. [ email | discuss | + digg | + del.icio.us ] sources: Reuters, The New York Times |
| Dilutions of Grandeur White House accused of watering down CDC testimony on climate change The White House is being accused anew this week of improperly interfering with the dissemination of information on climate change. Officials at the White House Office of Management and Budget significantly edited the testimony that Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Julie Gerberding gave to a congressional panel concerning the impacts of climate change on disease and public health. The length of Gerberding's prepared testimony was cut in half and, post-edit, focused almost entirely on the CDC's preparations for a warming world. Largely left out of the edited testimony, but present in the draft given to OMB, were statements noting health risks posed by climate change, including increased air pollution in drought-stricken areas and the effect of heat waves on vulnerable populations. The White House denies it watered down the testimony, and Gerberding herself says news reports about the issue have made "a mountain out of a molehill." [ email | discuss | + digg | + del.icio.us ] |
| And For Dessert, Organic Twinkies Pediatrician identifies five foods for parents to buy organic Like the sound of organic food but don't have the wherewithal to overhaul your entire pantry? Parents should focus their funds on organic milk, potatoes, peanut butter, ketchup, and apples, says pediatrician Dr. Alan Greene. But that doesn't mean you're allowed to mash those five foods together and call it a healthy dinner. [ email | discuss | + digg | + del.icio.us ] source: The New York Times |
Read more news ...
GRIST COLUMNS AND FEATURES
 The Corn Supremacy A conversation with a spokesperson for the National Corn Growers Association and his friend from the American Farmland Trust Corn dominates U.S. agriculture, covering more farmland, soaking up more subsidies, and influencing American diet more than any other crop. That's all well and good in the eyes of Jon Doggett of the National Corn Growers Association, who recently spoke with Grist's Tom Philpott about farming in the U.S., the growth of ethanol, the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico, high-fructose corn syrup, and more. Ralph Grossi of American Farmland Trust joined in the conversation too, serving up still more food for thought. [ email | discuss | + digg | + del.icio.us ] |
Coming Friday: A photo slideshow of species being pushed around by climate change
Grist: Environmental News and Commentary
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