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Obama promises America will lead on climate change
In a video address Tuesday to attendees at the Schwarzenegger-hosted Governors' Global Climate Summit, Barack Obama reiterated his promise to combat climate change and put in place a national cap-and-trade system. "My presidency will mark a new chapter in America's leadership on climate change that will strengthen our security and create millions of new jobs in the process," he said. Grist's Kate Sheppard was there and has the dish. At the same event, Grist caught up with Terry Tamminen, a former Schwarzenegger adviser who's been influential in getting governors to address climate change.
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new in Grist: Obama affirms commitment to climate change
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TODAY'S NEWS
Ted in His Tracks
Mark Begich triumphs over Ted Stevens in Alaska Senate race
Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens, the longest-serving Republican in the Senate and a recently convicted felon, has officially lost his reelection bid to Democrat Mark Begich. Stevens has long been a thorn in the side to environmentalists, most notably for leading the charge to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
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new in Grist: Ted in His Tracks
The Britain Image
British lawmakers OK landmark climate bill
With lawmakers' final approval on Tuesday, Britain has become the first country in the whole wide world to make a legally binding commitment to cut emissions 80 percent by 2050.
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source: Agence France-Presse
The Long, Weak End
EPA pushes ahead with weaker clean-air rules near national parks
The U.S. EPA is continuing its push to weaken clean-air rules near national parks before President Bush leaves office, despite the objection of national-park advocates and many of the agency's own administrators, according to The Washington Post. The rule revision would change the way air pollution is measured near national parks, allowing large pollution spikes throughout the year as long as a source's average annual emissions were below a certain threshold.
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source: The Washington Post
Guerrilla vs. Gorilla
Mountain gorillas threatened by violence in Congo
Due to escalating violence, Congolese rangers have been run out of the country's Virunga National Park, threatening the safety of some 200 mountain gorillas that live there. "There are documented cases of the gorillas getting caught in the crossfire and getting killed," says a park spokesperson. "It's the chaos of war and they are right in the middle of it." Only about 700 mountain gorillas remain in the wild.
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sources: CNN, Agence France-Presse, The New York Times
see also, in Grist: Nations launch new combined effort to save mountain gorillas
Where There's Coke, There's Ire
Colombian vice prez chides cocaine users for rainforest destruction
Cocaine users get no love from Colombian Vice President Francisco Santos Calderon, who speechified to police officers in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on Tuesday: "Colombia has lost more than 2 million hectares of rainforest in the last 15 years to plant coca. If you snort a gram of cocaine you are destroying four square meters of pristine rainforest. That rainforest is not just Colombian. It belongs to all of us who live on this planet, so we should all be worried about it."
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source: BBC News
Keep Brita Tidy
Brita announces recycling program for used water filters
Brita, maker of popular water-purifying pitchers, will launch a recycling program for used water filters beginning in January. The company's announcement comes after months of pressure from citizen activists. Consumers will be able to drop used filters off at selected Whole Foods stores or mail them in; the plastic parts will be turned into recycled toothbrushes and razors, and the activated carbon "will be regenerated for alternative use or converted into energy," according to the company.
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source: The Clorox Company
see also, in Grist: Clorox's Green Works line now top-selling green cleaners in U.S.
In Brief
Snippets from the news
• Toy manufacturers push back against lead-safety rule.
• Utility sues Kansas over landmark coal-plant rejection.
• Job shifts at Interior Dept. mean Bush appointees will stick around.
Ask Umbra on GristTV: the great diaper debate
Is it better for the earth (and your baby's bum) to choose cloth or disposable? With the help of some wee friends, advice maven Umbra Fisk delivers the straight poop on this perplexing topic. Watch now.
GRIST COLUMNS AND FEATURES
The Click and the Dread
On holiday shopping
Q. Dear Umbra,
When it comes to holiday presents, does it really save energy and gas to order stuff online?
Rick G.
Manchester, N.H.
A. Dearest Rick,
Holiday gift time, everyone! Many of you have already begun shopping, I know, and I also know that my birthday, coming in early December as it does, adds to the gifting pressure for everyone ...
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Read the rest of Umbra's answer.
Coming Thursday: Tips for a vegetarian Thanksgiving, and a recipe for sweet potato rolls
Grist: Environmental News and Commentary
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