 Soakin' Up the Sunshine State McCain wins Florida after endorsement from pro-climate governor John McCain won the Florida GOP primary on Tuesday night, putting him squarely at the front of the Republican pack in the race for president. Environmental issues may have played a part; McCain got a boost in the state when he was endorsed by popular and climate-conscious Florida Gov. Charlie Crist. In pre-race campaigning, McCain took heat from main rival Mitt Romney for his pro-environment policies -- but while that strategy worked in Michigan, it didn't play out in Florida. Rudy Giuliani flopped in the Sunshine State and is now expected to drop out of the race and endorse McCain. In other election news, Democrat John Edwards is also expected to drop out of the presidential race today following poor finishes in recent state primaries. Edwards played a key role in pressuring the other leading Dems to toughen their environmental stances early on. For more on all the candidates' environmental platforms, check out our special series How Green Is Your Candidate? [ email | discuss | + digg | + del.icio.us ] |
Compare and Contrast the Candidates. Forget boxers or briefs. You want to know about candidates' stances on energy and the environment, right? Well, Grist is here for you with our handy side-by-side chart comparing each of the presidential contenders' green positions.
TODAY'S NEWS
| Nowhere to Run California's chinook salmon population near "unprecedented collapse" The number of chinook salmon returning from the Pacific Ocean to California's Sacramento River is near record lows and points to an "unprecedented collapse," according to fisheries managers. In 2007, only about 90,000 adult chinook returned to the Sacramento River, down from about 277,000 in 2006 and a high of over 800,000 in 2002. Even more troubling, juvenile chinook salmon numbers last year hit a new low with only about 2,000 of them returning. Counts of young salmon typically foreshadow adult numbers in later years, so for now the outlook is particularly bleak. The executive director of the Pacific Fishery Management Council summarized the situation as a possible "unprecedented collapse" and hinted to fellow councilors that they'll be considering harsh restrictions on salmon fishing this year because of it -- possibly an outright ban. The council meets to discuss the issue in March; a final decision will be made in April. [ email | discuss | + digg | + del.icio.us ] |
 The Skin We're In U.S. green movement is decidedly white When it comes to race, the actual color of the green movement is decidedly white. According to a survey conducted from 2004 to 2006, more than one-third of U.S. mainstream green groups and one-fifth of eco-related government agencies have no nonwhite staff members. Minorities tend to join up with grassroots environmental-justice groups, leaving mainstream groups open to the consistent criticism that they are elitist. And while environmentalism was undeniably elitist in its beginnings -- in the early 1900s, the movement was led by whites trying to protect wild land and animals from the masses -- at this point, surveys indicate that nonwhites care just as much about eco-issues as whites do, from climate change to deforestation to pesticide use to air pollution. Success in the ongoing effort to bring everyone together will get results, says activist Charles Jordan: "Once society sees this is really going to be color-coordinated, I think we're going to perform miracles." [ email | discuss | + digg | + del.icio.us ] source: The Oregonian see also, in Gristmill: The green movement's greatest challenge is its own lack of diversity |
| Flooded With Gratitude Green group and Chinese dam owners will work together to address eco-impact The company that owns China's problem-stricken Three Gorges Dam is expected to sign a pact with The Nature Conservancy to conduct a feasibility study on reducing the dam's impact on downstream floodplains. The hydroelectric dam was built partially for flood control, but making that difficult duty less of a priority could generate more money from electricity generation, which could then be put toward warning systems, flood insurance, and floodplain protection downstream, says The Nature Conservancy. The dam owners and the green group have also agreed to cooperate on researching eco-minded management of four more dams that are planned to be built upstream on the Yangtze River. The conservancy says it doesn't support dams, but nonetheless, "These dams will be built," says the group's Yangtze River project manager. "We must use our experience and knowledge to reduce their ecological impact." [ email | discuss | + digg | + del.icio.us ] source: The Wall Street Journal (access ain't free) |
| FEMA, Wouldn't Want to Be Ya FEMA said to ignore research on effects of toxic hurricane trailers While housing Hurricane Katrina refugees in formaldehyde-tainted trailers, the Federal Emergency Management Agency "ignored, hid, and manipulated" government research on the long-term effects of formaldehyde on humans, according to an investigation by congressional Democrats. [ email | discuss | + digg | + del.icio.us ] |
| PastGen Department of Energy backs away from funding FutureGen project The U.S. Department of Energy said yesterday that it plans to pull funding from FutureGen, its ambitious and crazily expensive "clean coal" demonstration plant. The feds had planned to cover some three-quarters of the $1.8 billion price tag, and cited ballooning costs as its reason for backing out. The announcement pissed off lawmakers from Illinois, where the plant would have been sited and was expected to create 3,000 construction jobs. Sen. Dick Durbin (D) pledged that the state delegation "is going to make the case for FutureGen directly to the president," while Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) issued a statement saying the DOE had "deceived the people of east central Illinois who spent time and resources competing for the project." Perhaps Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman was nodding off during the State of the Union address on Monday night when President Bush said, "Let us fund new technologies that can generate coal power while capturing carbon emissions." [ email | discuss | + digg | + del.icio.us ] sources: Associated Press, Reuters, Chicago Tribune |
Read more news ...
It's the New Year all right, but will it be a greener year? Let Grist's eco-solutions be a part of your New Year's resolutions -- grab a copy of Wake Up and Smell the Planet, Grist's eco-guide to everyday life.
GRIST COLUMNS AND FEATURES
 Major Dilemma On choosing a college Q. Dear Umbra, I am a high school junior this school year. I am currently researching what college to attend. One major decision in your school choice should be choosing a college that is strong in the field of your study. I am interested in college majors that will translate into green jobs. I know about jobs such as sustainable architecture as well as a few others but I was wondering if you could give a thorough list! Tim Onley, Ill. A. Dearest Tim, Picking a college can feel like a big, mysterious deal. I hope you have good help at school and at home, and some people who will talk frankly with you about the college experience. An internet advice columnist is no substitute for live, in-person help with the arduous process of applying to colleges and thinking deep thoughts about your future ... Read the rest of Umbra's answer. [ email | discuss | + digg | + del.icio.us ] new in Grist: On choosing a college |
Remains of the Today
Grist's Today show appearance falls through, fans mourn
To all of our devoted fans who sat in front of the TV Tuesday morning waiting for a Grist-tacular appearance on NBC's Today show, we apologize. Due to Today's relatively tight schedule and an earlier interview that ran overtime, Grist's Katharine Wroth was pulled from the show before she made it on stage. Alas, the world is a much less-informed place than it could have been.
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