LCV Live

LCV in the News

2008-07-28T12:15:00.000-07:00

Health News Digest compares the Environmental Agendas of the two presidential candidates and concludes that "Obama is clearly the greener candidate" .

Jessica Catlin, Board President for Arizona League of Conservation Voters "offers citizens one more way you can help the environment: Vote."

Michigan League of Conservation Voters endorses Mark Richardson for State Representative

LCV Endorses Obama in Colorado

2008-07-21T13:24:00.000-07:00

Colorado native and LCV Senior Vice President Political Affairs and Public Education Tony Massaro joined former Secretary of Energy Federico Peña and Congressman Ed Perlmutter at Confluence Park to make the announcement and take questions.

Gene posts on The Hill blog

2008-07-21T13:00:00.001-07:00

Gene Karpinski explains in The Hill why LCV is proud to endorse Barack Obama...click here

LCV Endorses Obama in Michigan, photos coming in...

2008-07-21T09:35:00.001-07:00

That's LCV's Campaigns Project Manager, Kerry Duggan, at the podium along with (from left to right) LCV Board Member and environmental leader Lana Pollack, congressional candidate Gary Peters, and County Commissioner David Woodward at a the construction site of a green home in Oakland County.

Obama Events Underway

2008-07-21T08:51:00.001-07:00

Carol Browner, LCV Board Member and Former EPA Administrator, at the announcement event in Washington, DC.

Stay tuned for updates from the other events going on nationwide...

Endorsement Events Across the Nation Today

2008-07-21T08:49:00.000-07:00

Today, at events in Washington, DC; Denver, CO; Santa Fe, NM; Cincinnati, OH; Bloomfield Hills, MI, and Missoula, MT, LCV will announce our endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama for President.

At these events, LCV representatives and members will be joined by several prominent environmental champions, including former EPA Administrator Carol Browner, Governor Bill Richardson, and former Energy Secretary Federico Peña.

Check back throughout the day for photos and stories from the events!

Gore remains inspiration to LCV policy team

2008-07-18T14:53:00.000-07:00

We were treated yesterday to a momentous and inspirational speech in downtown DC by former Vice President Al Gore. He challenged the American people to revolutionize our country by switching to 100% renewable energy sources within ten years.

His words were informative and backed by facts from world famous scientists and energy entrepreneurs. His is a truly thoughtful solution to the threat of global climate change. The message was confident, simple, and truthful, that the audience could not help but be inspired and rejuvenated with new hope for the energy future of our planet.

On another front, Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid showed great leadership this week by continuing to stand firm against the pro-drilling lobby backed by the oil and gas industry. Our environmental champions continue to fight hard to protect our coasts and pass clean energy legislation that will create jobs, save us money, and combat global climate change.

Policy & Lobbying

2008-07-16T09:42:00.001-07:00

Monday, in a statement made from the White House Rose Garden, President Bush lifted the executive ban on offshore oil drilling that his father put in place when he was president.

Drilling on the outer continental shelf (OCS) is being falsely pitched as a short term, immediate fix to high gas prices, when in fact any resulting leases will not be in production until 2017 and relief at the gas station will be minimal. Most estimates put the price decrease at around four cents per gallon.

Fortunately, our coasts are still protected by a legislative moratorium. Although Big Oil allies in Congress would like to do away with that too. Legislation proposing to lift the moratorium could come in the form of a stand-alone bill or an amendment to any number of land or energy bills.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has introduced an energy bill that would open the OCS to drilling and also gives states the right to reject the sale of leases off their coasts. LCV strongly opposes this bill for many reasons, including that spills or leaks may occur off the coast of one state can easily travel elsewhere by way of wind and ocean currents. It should also be obvious that marine animals, including economically valuable fish species, do not respect state boundaries. Most importantly, the Energy Information Administration predicts that drilling on the OCS will not reach peak production until 2025 and when it does it will account for less than one percent of daily demand in the United States. Protecting our rich coastal ecosystems should take priority over such minimal supply gains.

Republican Senators Stevens and Murkowski of Alaska also plan to introduce language either as a standalone bill or an amendment that would open 1.5 million acres on the coastal plain of the Arctic Refuge. LCV also strongly opposes drilling in the Arctic Refuge.

Newt Gingrich is expected to drop off a petition on Capitol Hill this week with around 1.2 million signatures asking Congress, “to lower gas prices by authorizing the exploration of proven energy reserves”. In comparison, Governors of six coastal states, representing 65.8 million constituents, have asked Congress not to lift the OCS moratorium. Gingrich has been leading a campaign entitled “Drill Here. Drill Now. Pay Less.” This campaign has been funded by Big Oil for Big Oil. For more information see the article, ‘Destroy Here? Destroy Now? Gone Forever?’ at Alaska Wilderness League and follow the link to their fact sheet (www.alaskawild.org).

More drilling is not part of the global warming solution and can only increase our dependence on fossil fuels. While gas prices remain high it is expected that proposals will continue from pro-drilling members of Congress, but LCV is working hard to point out commonsense solutions like releasing oil from the 700 million barrels in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and continue investments in alternative energy sources.

Bush Lifts Ban on Offshore Drilling, but Does Nothing to Save Americans Money at the Pump

2008-07-14T12:51:00.000-07:00

Gas prices have reached absurdly high levels, everyone can agree on that. The solution to this national emergency, however, is a debate that has divided this Congress along party lines and distinguished environmental champions from profit seeking oil cronies.

President Bush has made his position clear over these past 8 years, and today he takes a step further in support of Big Oil to repeal the executive ban put into place by his father on offshore drilling.

His misguided resolution is one that has grave long-term effects, but fails to deliver any short-term relief for Americans at the pump.

The help that our nation needs to get out of this energy crisis comes in a plan backed by facts that will release Big Oil’s strangling grip on our wallets and protect us and our environment from the harmful consequences of over drilling.
The reality is that America’s supply (less than 3% of world oil reserves) can't possibly keep up with our demand (25% of world oil consumption). A few drops of oil, up to a decade away from making it to market, cannot alleviate our pain at the pump.
As it is, suppliers of oil and gas are sitting on almost 70 million acres of proven reserves, over 40 million of which are offshore. The have permission to drill there, but aren’t. As long as gas prices continue to rise, so does the value of those reserves.

America needs consumer choices, innovations to fuel our ingenuity, and alternatives that will cut our addiction to oil and put jobs and money back into the hands of working families. Short term relief will come in eliminating the record profits of Big Oil, cutting their money saving subsidies, and giving rebates to those who have been hurting most from high gas prices.

Stop rising costs at the pump by knowing which solution will deliver results. Protect our environment from irresponsible drilling, and rescue America from our energy crisis.

To read the AP article on Bush's lift of the executive ban on offshore drilling, which cites LCV President Gene Karpinski, go here.

50% by 2050 is Not Good Enough

2008-07-10T13:31:00.000-07:00

G-8 leaders at a summit in Toyako on Tuesday pledged to reduce emissions 50% by 2050. While this is the first time that world leaders embraced a goal to cut emissions, their ambitions fall short of their intended efforts to combat global warming.

The effects of global climate change are apparent now. The consequences require immediate action, not a leisurely attempt in the hopes of having the problem disappear in 42 years.

The goal also did not specify a base year for the proposed cuts, which could lead to unstable and uncertain environmental effects.

The target is weak, slow, and insufficient in mitigating the already present results of our addiction to fossil fuels and our readiness to release harmful toxins into the atmosphere.

Cheney Edits Testimony on Consequences of Climate Change on Public Health

2008-07-10T08:11:00.000-07:00

The Washington Post reported yesterday, in an attempt to play down the facts on the harmful impact of global warming, the office of Vice President Dick Cheney pushed to delete references to the consequences of climate change on public health from congressional testimony.

The proposed testimony came last October from Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Julie Gerberding.

The White House explanation for the edited testimony came in alleged concerns in the accuracy of the science by advisor John Marburger of the White House Office of Science & Technology.

Jason Bernett, former senior EPA official, claimed in a letter to Sen. Barbara Boxer, who chairs the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, that the White House was concerned that the testimony might make it harder to avoid regulating greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.

Hiding the truth has become a terrifying habit of this administration. Their failure to put the safety of the American public before their ties to the oil and gas industries is an embarrassment to the oaths that they took to serve the best interests of the nation.

The evidence is in the science that has been indisputable for years. The devastating implications of global warming must be addressed, and the administration is doing everything in its power to make sure that they are not.

To read the Washington Post article, go to: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/08/AR2008070801442.html

The Cartoon is from Roll Call

Dirty Dozen Announcement

2008-07-07T14:15:00.000-07:00

In all of the fun, fireworks, and excitement of July 4th in Washington, DC, I forgot to post the latest news from LCV.

On Tuesday, July 1st, two new members were added to the LCV Dirty Dozen, Rep. Steve Pearce (R-NM) and Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA).

Pearce has a lifetime LCV score of 1% and has voted against the environment in 79 of the 80 votes since he has been elected. He is running for Senate in New Mexico against environmental champion, Tom Udall, who has earned a 96% lifetime LCV score.

His alliance with Big Oil has led him to be a constant supporter of drilling, including in Otero Mesa in southern New Mexico, where the largest lease-holder, Yates Petroleum, also happens to be the largest single contributor to Pearce’s finances.

In Louisiana, Landrieu’s lack of policy in the fight against global warming threatens the safety of her constituents, for whom rising sea level and increasingly intense storms are a devastating reality.

She regularly votes to further the inflated profits of the oil and gas industry, constantly over looking solutions that could save American families money on energy and gas.

To read the release from LCV on Steve Pearce, go to: http://lcv.org/newsroom/press-releases/lcv-adds-congressman-steve-pearce-to-the-2008-dirty-dozen.html

To read the release from LCV on Mary Landrieu, go to: http://lcv.org/newsroom/press-releases/senator-mary-landrieu-added-to-lcv-s-dirty-dozen.html

Policy & Lobbying

2008-07-07T14:04:00.000-07:00

Congress returns to session this week after its 4th of July recess, during which most Members heard numerous concerns from constituents suffering due to high gas prices. This spells bad news for the next four to five weeks, as environmentally damaging bills are likely to come up every week until the August recess. Most of these will be in the form of drilling in one form or another. However, this week the bill on the table will probably be H.R. 2208, the Liquid Coal Fuel Act, also a pretty bad idea both environmentally and economically.

These misguided and Big Coal/Oil-prejudiced policies will do nothing to reduce the price of gas, but some in Congress will continue to sound that horn rather than working to offer a wider suite of energy options to American consumers. Only with greater market diversification, increased availability of other forms of energy, and improved transit will consumers find relief from escalating gas prices. So far however, Congress has been deadlocked, largely due to the desire of many to score political points in an election year.

A bill repealing the moratorium on drilling in the outer continental shelf (OCS) will likely be sent to the Appropriations Committee for mark-up on either Wednesday or Thursday. The Committee should consider sternly the environmental damage such a bill would do and the minimal likelihood that it would accomplish anything on behalf of the American public. The more likely result is yet more record-breaking profits for oil companies. Thankfully, the facts are on our side, and it is only the misdirection of those in league with Big Oil that are standing between environmental degradation and the continued preservation of a vital moratorium.

With the US at 25% of world oil consumption and only 2% of reserves in our control, there is no logic to suggest that increasing drilling provides either a short or a long-term solution to the problem of high prices. It is now on the backs of Congress to remain strong in the coming weeks to both preserve our environment and appropriately tackle high gas prices. Even John McCain, who tries to paint himself as an environmentalist despite a woeful League of Conservation Voters lifetime score of 24%, admits that some of his Big Oil-friendly suggestions offer merely "psychological" help for Americans.

LCV in the News

2008-07-07T12:00:00.000-07:00

Washington State Conservation Voters release 2007-08 scorecard

Tony Massaro’s July 4 Letter to the Editor in the Rocky Mountain News spells out why voters prefer Mark Udall to represent Colorado

Grist details RNC’s $3 million independent expenditure focused on energy issues and paid for by Big Oil

Energy is the issue currently dominating New Mexico’s U.S. Senate race between Democrat Tom Udall and Republican Steve Pearce, says New Mexico blogger Heath Haussamen

Post From the Policy & Lobbying Side of LCV

2008-07-03T10:32:00.000-07:00

LCV's Policy and Lobbying department is going to start guest-blogging on LCVlive about the day-to-day developments of environmental priorities on the Hill.

As most of LCVlive's readers likely know, the biggest environmental action on the Hill recently was Warner-Lieberman bill, also known as the Climate Safety Act. This piece of legislation would have been the first global warming legislation in the history of the country. The bill established a market-based cap-and-trade system limiting global warming, mirroring on the federal level what almost 30 states are implementing in some fashion. The bill stalled when the Senate voted 48-36 to end debate. Some post-game thoughts:

Joe Lieberman, who has co-sponsored global warming legislation in the past, found an unlikely ally in his bi-partisan co-sponsor John Warner. Warner, a retiring Virginia senator who has historically voted against global warming legislation, rethought his position when his young grandchildren urged him to do something about the problem. The pair, along with Environment and Public Works Committee Chair Barbara Boxer, showed tremendous leadership in driving this legislation. The environmental community, including LCV, worked hard throughout the process to strengthen the act by upping targets to where science says we need to be and ensuring the proceeds went to public benefit instead of polluters, while fighting against bad amendments such as subsidies for the nuclear industry or a "safety valve" which would effectively curtail the bill if gas prices reached a certain price.

However, a group of anti-environment Senators, with Jim Inhofe and Mitch McConnell leading the charge, resorted to cheap obstructionist tactics. In a move that you'd think would only happen in Hollywood, these Senators made the clerks read the entire 492-page bill aloud, which took 10 hours.

In spite of this, 54 senators voted or issued statements in support of continuing the debate. This is great progress, since the last global warming vote we had 38 Senators voting in favor of global warming legislation. Clearly, however, we still have work to do, and one of the most important steps is that we need to elect pro-environment candidates in 2008.

LCV in the News

2008-06-30T14:30:00.000-07:00

LCV in the News

Rocky Mountain News attributed part of Mark Udall’s success in the Quinnipiac poll to the ad campaign launched by LCV, “linking Schaffer with the excesses of Big Oil.”

Red, Green & Blue & Grist cover the launching of Give Green, the new bundling website put out by the League of Conservation Voters Action Fund on Friday.

Senator Lamar Alexander tried to defend his environmental record, which earned him a 33% LCV score in 2007. Deputy Legislative Director, Tim Greeff tells the Senator to live up to his words.

New Ads From the DCCC Echo the LCV Message

2008-06-30T14:24:00.000-07:00

The ad calls out members of Congress who voted in support of "The Big Oil Energy Agenda".

To hear the ad that is set to launch today on the radio in 13 Congressional Districts, go to: http://www.dccc.org/pages/dccc_launches_independence_day_radio_ad_campaign

Give Green

2008-06-27T14:39:00.000-07:00

Today the LCV Action Fund launched Give Green, a bundling website designed to be similar to ActBlue and EMILY’s List. The purpose of this new site is to raise money for environmental champions and candidates from both parties.

Give Green features 21 candidates on the federal level, and provides a one stop shop way to contribute to those who are on record for being good on environmental issues and who will fight in Congress for a clean, renewable energy future.

As of this afternoon the site has gathered 37 supporters and raised over $8,600.

To visit the site and contribute to your favorite Green candidates, go to: www.givegreen.lcv.org

To read the release from LCV on Give Green, go to:
http://lcv.org/newsroom/press-releases/lcv-action-fund-launches-give-green.html

3 Year Hold on Mining in the Grand Canyon

2008-06-25T15:07:00.000-07:00

Today the House Natural Resources Committee voted 20-2 to withdraw the public land around the Grand Canyon from mining for uranium to fuel power plants for three years.

“This vote is a battle won in the longer fight for comprehensive reform,” said LCV Legislative Associate Hasan Nazar.

The implications, had the mining been allowed to proceed, would have included unforeseen damage to the one million acres of natural landscape that has become a national landmark, the contamination of the Colorado River, and the risk of increased instances of cancer and birth defects for the surrounding residents and miners.

The question of drilling in the area surrounding the Grand Canyon has been debated since the Gold Rush. The Mining Act of 1872 set the first precedent by authorizing and governing mining for economic minerals on federal public lands. Recently, however, people like Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley have testified before the Committee on Energy & Natural Resources to ban mining, revealing that, “decades after mining has ceased on the Navajo Nation, my people continue to get sick and die from the contamination left behind. The legacy of uranium mining has devastated both the people and the land.”

Following this vote, the next step lays in the hands of the Secretary of the Interior who has the authority to determine that the emergency exists.

LCV Endorsements

2008-06-23T14:37:00.000-07:00

Today, LCV President Gene Karpinski joined Mary Jo Kilroy in Columbus, Ohio to give her our endorsement in the election for the 15^th Congressional District. They met for an event highlighting the challenge of global warming and the potential of clean energy.

Also out of the office today was LCV Deputy Legislative Director Tim Greeff, who joined Andrew Rice at the Bergey Wind Power Co. in Norman, Oklahoma to give him our endorsement for the U.S. Senate.

Both Kilroy and Rice, as state legislators, have a history of making the environment a priority in their respective district and state. Their commitment to supporting alternative energy development on a national level will stimulate much needed change in Congress as LCV works towards electing pro-environment members and attain a 60-vote filibuster proof majority in the Senate.

To read LCV’s release on the endorsement of Andrew Rice, go to: http://lcv.org/newsroom/press-releases/lcv-endorses-andrew-rice-for-senate.html

To read LCV’s release on the endorsement of Mary Jo Kilroy, go to:

http://lcv.org/newsroom/press-releases/lcv-endorses-mary-jo-kilroy-in-ohio-s-15th-congressional-district.html

What a week!

2008-06-20T16:01:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, LCV-endorsed candidate Donna Edwards won the special election in Maryland’s 4th District. On Wednesday, everyone in the office went to the Hill for our 2nd annual Lobby Day to meet with 49 Representatives and Senators. Yesterday we were privilege to sit in on the swearing in of the newest Congressional member, Donna Edwards.

LCV is exhausted and ready for the weekend!

Coming up on Monday, LCV President Gene Karpinski will be traveling to Columbus, Ohio to make an endorsement announcement. Stay tuned…

Congresswoman Edwards Sworn In

2008-06-19T15:34:00.000-07:00

This afternoon Donna Edwards took the oath of office as Congresswoman of Maryland’s 4th Congressional District at the Capitol. She takes her position as the first African-American woman elected to Congress from the state of Maryland, and the first LCV Board member to be elected to Congress, serving on the boards of both LCV and the Maryland LCV.

At the swearing in of Donna Edwards, the House floor was filled with her colleagues, who stayed after an amendment vote to show their support for their newest member. She was hugged and greeted by members on both sides of the aisle, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi and outgoing Rep. Al Wynn, who introduced her to the House and welcomed her into the Maryland delegation of representatives.

Above the floor, the public seating was packed with supporters of Donna Edwards who welcomed her into the room with waves and a standing ovation. She brought a message of change in her first words as Congresswoman. She vowed to be a representative to all walks of life and to start the job “with her sleeves rolled up and ready to work.”

Following her swearing in, she was greeted by the very supporters who stood by her throughout her campaign. The reception that she held in the Capitol was filled with the warmness of a jazz band, good food, and old friends.

As Donna Edwards begins her service to Maryland’s 4th district and the nation as a whole, she brings her leadership in energy and environmental issues to Congress and starts off the expansion to a pro-environment majority.

Second Annual Lobby Day a Success!

2008-06-18T22:26:00.001-07:00

Today marked the second annual LCV Lobby Day on Capitol Hill, where members of our Board, staffers and supporters of state LCVs across the country met with members of Congress and their staff members.

The big topics of the day were global warming legislation and the steps that, together, we can take to actively address our dependence on oil and the impacts of climate change.

We were honored to get a breakfast briefing from a longtime environmental champion, Congressman Henry Waxman of California. Then, in a whirlwind circuit around the Hill from the House side of the U.S. Capitol to the Senate side and back -- several times -- LCV met with 49 other members, including league-endorsed Rep. Jerry McNerney and and Sens. Frank Lautenberg and Mark Udall.

A special shout out to a pair of our champs, Sens. Barbara Boxer and Jon Tester, for making time to meet with us on this important day.

Today LCV was able to voice your support for strong global warming legislation and the Clean Water Restoration Act directly with members of Congress and forge relationships on both sides of the aisle that will be key to passing strong legislation this year.

(photos from today, below)

An Online Voice for the Environment

2008-06-16T14:51:00.000-07:00

Late last year LCV launched a new website and this year we’re using online communications tools to a greater degree than ever before in order to spread our pro-environment message and connect like-minded activists.

The online communication tools that we use are meant to incite action in our supporters to advocate for sound environmental policies and to elect candidates who will do the same.

We’re always open to your feedback. Click here or comment on this post. Let us know if you think we’re using the web in an effective manner. What do you like seeing on LCV.org and our family of sites? What do you want to see more of? Or less of?

You can be a voice for the environment in your own community, too. Write letters to the editors of local papers. Tell your friends about LCV. Most importantly, collect your best photos -- we’re working on a Flickr group to share all our photos online in one place. Check back soon to see how you can share your passion with our growing online community.

We look forward to hearing from you!

LCV Endorses Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords

2008-06-12T13:35:00.001-07:00

Today LCV endorsed Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona for reelection in the 8^th District. Giffords has dedicated her career to protecting Arizona’s natural heritage and has worked tirelessly to expand solar energy, creating green jobs throughout her state.

She earned herself a 95% LCV score in 2007 and a 100% lifetime score from the Arizona LCV as a state legislator for 4 years.

Tim Greeff, LCV Deputy Legislative Director, was with Giffords yesterday to giver her the endorsement. “She has become one of the great champions of clean energy and of protecting our planet for future generations,” Tim said. “America needs more leaders like Gabrielle Giffords.”

To read LCV’s release on the endorsement, go to: http://lcv.org/newsroom/press-releases/lcv-endorses-congresswoman-gabrielle-giffords.html

Laugh About High Gas Prices

2008-06-12T11:09:00.000-07:00

Do soaring gas prices have you sing a different tune? Check out this animated political cartoon by Walt Handelsman of Newsday.

High Gas Prices

The Exxon Delegation Halts Two Key Pieces of Legislation

2008-06-10T15:06:00.000-07:00

The Exxon Delegation, led by Senators McConnell and Inhofe, voted today on the side of Big Oil companies, again, denying cloture to bring to debate two pieces of legislation that worked to defend working families and provide them with alternative energy options.

The Consumer-First Energy Act was defeated, despite the support that it received by 50 members not afraid of Big Oil. The bill would have cracked down on the outrageous profits of oil and gas companies and diverted portions to a fund designed to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and offset the effects of global warming.

The Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act received the support of 51 Senate members. It was designed to extend federal tax incentives for renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies and held the potential to grow the economy, create thousands of jobs and take steps in the fight against global warming.

LCV is working tirelessly to elect pro-environment candidates into the Senate so that in November we will have the 60 votes needed to pass necessary legislation to combat Big Oil and safeguard our nation’s working families.

Success Stories Pouring In

2008-06-09T10:25:00.000-07:00

June 5th was an extremely successful primary election in the Golden State: The California League of Conservation Voters endorsed a total of 82 candidates at the state and federal legislature levels, and of those, an amazing 78 were elected. That’s a 95% success rate!

Every single one of the endorsed candidates to the U.S. Congress were elected and 48 of the 52 state candidates won their elections.

In addition to the representatives elected, Californians passed a ballot proposition to enact protections against the misuse of eminent domain and rejected a misleading measure that would have attacked homeowners and the environment.

The California election results follow a nationwide trend that show voters are taking an aggressive pro-environment stance seeking to elect pro-environment representatives to their state and federal legislatures.

For more on the June 5 success from CLCV, visit: http://www.ecovote.org/news/june2008.html

LCV Endorses Congressman Chris Smith

2008-06-09T08:57:00.000-07:00

LCV endorsed today Congressman Chris Smith for reelection in New Jersey’s 4^th Congressional District.

Throughout his 27 years serving as a New Jersey representative, Smith has fought to protect and preserve the state’s beaches. He sponsored the first bill to deal with the threat of global warming in the 1980’s and has cosponsored bipartisan legislation to stifle global warming pollution.

Josh McNeil, is in Manasquan, NJ with Congressman Smith to give him LCV’s endorsement. To read Josh’s release on the endorsement, go to: http://lcv.org/newsroom/press-releases/lcv-endorses-congressman-chris-smith-for-reelection.html

Senate Votes on Climate Security Act

2008-06-06T11:57:00.000-07:00

Senate voted today to reject cloture on the Climate Security Act and put on hold key legislation to stop global warming and create real energy alternatives.

While the votes of Senators McConnell and Inhofe remained allied with big oil and coal industries, a majority of 54 Senators supported the bill, representing the American families who are feeling the affects of our nation's dependence on foreign oil and the insecurity of an unbalanced climate.

The leadership displayed by Senators Boxer, Lieberman and Warner to introduce and defend this bill has brought the issue to the forefront of the national debate and set the bar high for climate legislation to come.

The action taken in the Senate today underlines the need for a 60-vote pro-environment majority. That’s why LCV is working to elect environmental champions in the coming elections and to present an even stronger climate bill for a new Senate to pass next year.

To read Gene Karpinski’s statement on the vote, go to: http://lcv.org/newsroom/press-releases/league-of-conservation-voters-statement-on-lieberman-warner.html

Tony Massaro, Ann Kirkpatrick, and Bill Roe at the Endorsement Event in Flagstaff, AZ

2008-06-06T08:13:00.000-07:00

LCV Endorses Ann Kirkpatrick

2008-06-05T13:10:00.000-07:00

LCV endorsed Ann Kirkpatrick today for Congress in Arizona’s 1^st District. Throughout her time as a state legislator, Kirkpatrick fought for clean air and water, led the state into its top use of solar energy, and helped to create green jobs.

Kirkpatrick’s work to protect the environment earned her a 100% state voting record and her subsequent place on the Arizona League of Conservation Voters’ 2007 Honor Roll.

LCV’s Tony Massaro was at the kickoff of Conservationists for Kirkpatrick and being encouraged by her state level contributions to the clean energy cause is confident in her to be a leader on the environment in the House.

For more on our endorsement of Representative Kirkpatrick visit the LCV website: lcv.org

End the Stall on the Climate Security Act

2008-06-05T13:07:00.000-07:00

Big Oil’s friends in the Senate yesterday instated a filibuster to prevent open debate on a bill that is needed now to mitigate the devastating effects that global warming has taken on our environment.

By having a Senate clerk recite the 491 pages of the bill, Senators McConnell, Cornyn, Allard, and Inhofe are stealing precious time from our nation to invest in alternative energies, create green jobs, and energize our economy.

To help bring an end to this shameful display of puppetry write or call your Senator to call for cloture to this filibuster. Don’t let Big Oil prevent discussion on the Climate Security Act.

Victories in New Mexico

2008-06-04T11:50:00.000-07:00

Yesterday marked two primary victories for candidates endorsed by LCV. Ben Ray Lujan won the Democratic nomination for Congress in the 3rd District, and Martin Heinrich won in the 1st District.

These two environmental champions will carry on to the general election on November 4th where they will face off against their GOP opponents.

Both candidates ran strong campaigns and LCV was happy to help by supplying them with resources to support their messages and drive them to victories. Thanks to 25,000 phone calls made by LCV, signs displaying Environmentalists for Lujan, newspaper and internet advertisements, we were able to reach Democratic primary voters and encourage their votes in New Mexico.

For more information and quotes from President Gene Karpinski, see the press release issued this morning by LCV, congratulating our two congressional nominees.
http://lcv.org/newsroom/press-releases/environmental-candidates-win-nm-democratic-primary.html

Gene Writes to Support a Strong Climate Security Act

2008-06-03T14:20:00.000-07:00

LCV President, Gene Karpinski, today posted to The Hill’s Congress Blog urging action on the part of the Senate to support strengthening amendments to the Climate Security Act.

He also warns against amendments that will be made by allies of Big Oil and coal companies to undermine the potential of this bill to make strides towards creating a cleaner future with a reduced dependence on fossil fuels and foreign oil.

To read the full length post, visit: http://blog.thehill.com/2008/06/03/its-time-for-the-senate-to-act/#more-6050

Images from the Rally: For more join our Facebook Group

2008-06-02T16:06:00.000-07:00

Rally Behind a Strong Climate Security Act

2008-06-02T15:17:00.000-07:00

This afternoon’s press conference and rally was joined by key leaders in the Senate who took time before the floor debate to voice their support for the passing of a strong Climate Security Act.

Present were Senators Boxer, Cardin, Kerry, Klobuchar, and Snowe.

They represented a united front for a sustainable future, characterized by green jobs, better security, and a stronger economy.

It was just as much a rally for them, leading into the debate, as it was for those watching. Senator Boxer said of her fellow senators that they knew this argument by heart, and that despite the hard and lonely fight against special interests, they stood unwavering with science and bipartisan support on the side of passing the Climate Security Act.

Senator Kerry said that the passing of this bill “goes to the core of our very responsibilities as legislatures for the future.” To him and the other senators standing beside this cause is a “matter of public responsibility.”

In addition to the comments made by the senators, there were remarks made by members of the religious, scientific, labor, economic and environmental communities in support of the passing of a strong bill to combat global warming.

Their stories of how the evidence of global warming is affecting their lives and their work proved further that the people of this nation are ahead of the federal government when it comes to accepting the realities and severities of the implications of a changing environment.

Stand Up for the Climate Security Act

2008-05-29T15:03:00.002-07:00

Monday, June 2^nd, LCV President, Gene Karpinski will be at the Upper Senate Park along with speakers from Natural Resources Defense Council, Johns Hopkins University, and the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change, among others, to rally around strengthening and supporting the Climate Security Act.

Senator Barbara Boxer is hosting this press event, to start at 1 pm, to bring together the diverse collation to show support for the debate that will be happening that day on the 7^th floor of the Capital.

Our message to congress for the Climate Security Act is to strengthen the framework for reducing our global warming pollution and pass a sound piece of legislation to combat the effects that we have had on climate change. Come out to be a part of this historic event for the environment.

Are You on Facebook? We Are!!

2008-05-28T14:21:00.000-07:00

LCV has a group on Facebook where we display behind the scenes pictures, post news releases and videos.

It has been a way for us here to share with you, in an informal setting, a bit of what we do as the political voice for the environment.

We also want it to be an avenue for you, our members and supporters, to speak up and out on what environmental issues you think are important or relevant. If you’ve been apart of your state LCV, volunteered for a candidate that we endorse (or have endorsed), this is also the outlet to share your experiences and keep in touch with people who share your commitment to enacting sound environmental policies and electing people into office who feel the same.

Next week we will send out the first of our monthly LCV Updates to those who belong to our group, letting them know what we’ve been up to with legislation and endorsements and also what is to come. Our updates will also let members know how they can get more involved; who they can contact locally, which websites to check out, and what policies to get behind.

Facebook is the way to keep in touch with friends, let’s use it to keep in touch with the environment.

If you have a Facebook profile go here to join!

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2209729921&ref=ts

The Implications of Coal

2008-05-27T15:12:00.000-07:00

Coal is an environmentally destructive alternative to oil. Its extraction and processing presents consequences that pollute air quality, destroy habitat, compromise biodiversity and turn aesthetically pleasing landscapes to open pits and chopped off mountain tops.

A relatively new method used by mining companies to remove coal is mountain top removal, because it allows for maximum yields. The process involves clear cutting the mountain, using explosives to blast away the top and finally dumping the waste material into nearby valleys.

In the words of LCV legislative associate Hasan Nazar, “I don’t know why they call it mountain top removal, they should call it mountain top destruction.”

While the extraction process is devastating to the land we live on, the means to process coal is harmful to the air we breathe.

And these implications are only getting closer to home.

Plans by Dominion Power have been set forth to build a coal-fired power plant in Wise County, Virginia.

According to NBC News article, “Against Dominion Coal Plant in Virginia: a Mile of Signatures”, the proposed plant would, “emit up to 5.4 million tons of greenhouse gases each year,” a level that would increase the state’s entire output of carbon dioxide by 15% and put Virginia ahead of California in emissions.

With consequences like these, coal is not something that our environment can afford to use

Coal: The Not So Clean Alternative to Oil

2008-05-22T14:23:00.000-07:00

Oil prices have hit $135 a barrel as of today, which has led energy suppliers to look towards coal to lessen the cost. Many glorify the petroleum alternative, happy to save money and to decrease dependence on foreign oil.

Mentioned in a New York Times article this morning, the revival of coal mines in Bibai, Japan has brought “hope” to workers who have not seen production of this magnitude in nearly four decades.

But what is often pushed aside when considering the use of coal as an energy alternative to oil is the adverse environmental impacts of its mining.

The World Coal Institute, a non-profit, non-governmental organization of coal enterprises and associations, says that surface coal mining requires large areas of land to be disturbed, which encourages soil erosion, dust, noise and water pollution, and harmfully effects local biodiversity.

While oil is having negative consequences on foreign affairs, the environment, and our wallets, Coal is no better a solution if we want to minimize our destructive impact on the environment.

More dedication should be paid to the uses of renewable energy alternatives such as, wind, solar, and tidal if we expect to lessen the influences of oil while concurrently working towards a clean and safe environment.

Using YouTube to Get Out the Environmental Message

2008-05-21T14:18:00.000-07:00

Candidates are increasingly using YouTube, the popular video sharing website, to post advertisements that convey their political messages. Of the 20 candidates that LCV endorses, 12 of them use this online outlet to post ads that are accessible to an international audience.

Of the 12 who use YouTube to post general advertisements, half voice a pro-environment message! Six of our 20 mention their political stances in favor of eliminating America's reliance on foreign oil, taking care of natural resources, and using clean renewable energy to power the nation.

Mark Udall, in his ad "Stand", which aired on May 14th in Colorado, took a full spot to promote his energy solutions. To view video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZB41EcFGTUo

This trend is allowing citizens beyond the state and district voters to watch these ads and to understand the candidates' commitments to the environment.

Other videos to watch:
Jerry McNerney-http://youtube.com/watch?v=Q3WW2YD90i&feature=related
Donna Edwards- http://youtube.com/watch?v=0C3NIa2hrdk

In Case You Missed It...

2008-05-21T09:26:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy couple of weeks at LCV.

We launched two independent expenditure campaigns, one to support Ben Ray Lujan in New Mexico District 03 and another to go after Mark Udall's opponent in Colorado, Bob Schaffer.

To see what LCV is doing in the Lujan race, check out http://environmentalistsforlujan.org.

Visit http://fingerprintbob.com to learn more about Schaffer's ties to Big Oil.

And read some of our recent news:

Poll Shows Coloradoans Prefer Udall on Energy
http://www.lcv.org/newsroom/press-releases/poll-shows-coloradoans-
prefer-udall-on-energy.html

LCV Endorses U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg
http://www.lcv.org/newsroom/press-releases/lcv-endorses-u-s-sen-
frank-lautenberg.html

Help to Solve the Climate Crisis

2008-05-21T06:45:00.000-07:00

I just signed the We Campaign's petition urging Congress to renew tax incentives for renewable, clean energy. Will you join me? Just copy and paste this link into your browser:
http://www.wecansolveit.org/page/s/tax

The We Campaign is an effort launched by Al Gore and the Alliance for Climate Protection to promote solutions to the climate crisis. It's an urgent issue, but the climate crisis is also solvable if we work together and unite our leaders around solutions like renewable power and enhanced energy efficiency. We can leave the next generation a healthy climate.

Thank you.

LCV Launches EnvironmentalistsForLujan.org Website

2008-05-19T15:04:00.000-07:00

Ben Ray Luján, candidate for New Mexico’s Congressional District 3, was endorsed by LCV on April 22nd for his “experience with renewable energy and proven commitment to the environment.”

Today, LCV launched environmentalistsforlujan.org which is part of LCV's larger independent campaign to help elect Luján and includes targeted voter contact, paid media and visibility efforts.The website includes facts and figures of Luján’s environmentally friendly political stance and displays links to fellow endorsers, The Sierra Club and Conservation Voters of New Mexico.

The launch of the site comes on the heels of significant endorsements, the latest from former congressman and United States Secretary of the Interior, Stewart Udall, the father of the outgoing District 3 congressman, Tom Udall, who earned a 100% rating on the 2007 National Environmental Scorecard.

Steward Udall's endorsement on May 14th stems from his belief that Luján is the best candidate to carry on the pro-environment policies that his son supported and fight for clean and renewable energy will continue and that he will work in office towards legislation ending global warming.

Who's Resurrecting the Electric Car?

2008-05-05T12:15:00.000-07:00

Big Oil and manufacturing interests may have killed the electric car in the early 1990s, but one major automaker promises to revive the idea -- and produce a fully electric car -- within a decade.

Reuters reports that Audi, the luxury unit of Volkswagen, sees great opportunities in electric cars and will offer automobiles with no exhaust emissions. Developing fuel-saving technology tops the agenda of Germany's car industry in an effort to fulfill stricter emission regulations and conserve fuel.

The race to build a reliable electric automobile is on: BMW has said it would decide this year whether to build an electric vehicle, while U.S. carmaker General Motors plans to roll out its Chevrolet Volt plug-in electric car in 2010.

LCV Responds to Bush's Call for ANWR Drilling

2008-04-29T10:59:00.000-07:00

Washington, DC – In response to President Bush’s statements in today’s press conference, Gene Karpinski issued the following statement:

“After seven years of embracing his friends at Big Oil, the President continues to cling to the outdated policies and energy sources of the past,” Karpinski said. “If he wants to reduce energy costs for the American people, he should ask BP and Shell to share some of the $14 billion in profits they made in the last three months. Instead, he’s threatened to veto any bill that deprives them of $18 billion taxpayer dollars over ten years – a drop in the bucket for these massive companies. If that money were put to work investing in clean, renewable energy sources, we could be the last generation forced to worry about gas prices.”

Washington Conservation Voters Endorses Governor Gregoire

2008-04-28T06:57:00.000-07:00

Seattle, WA - Washington Conservation Voters, the statewide political voice of the environment, announced its early-endorsement of Governor Chris Gregoire in her bid for re-election.

“For four years, Governor Chris Gregoire has been a champion for our environment. She has taken on tough challenges such as cleaning up Puget Sound and tackling the problems of global warming, and she is delivering results” said Kathe Fowler, Board chair of Washington Conservation Voters. “When we endorsed her four years ago, Governor Gregoire promised to make Washington cleaner and greener; since then, she has worked tirelessly to advance environmental protections that are good for the health of our state, our economy and future generations.”

For more, visit Washington Conservation Voters

More from St. Louis

2008-04-23T13:55:00.000-07:00

Over the past 48 hours, LCV interns Courtenay and Michelle have been whizzing around St Louis driving to community colleges to collect signatures for the renewable energy ballot initiative, and to post flyers requesting help from volunteers.

Poor Michelle. Courtenay is probably the worst map reader in history. She'd struggle if you asked her to find a McDonalds on the highway. Nevertheless we managed to find the colleges and collect almost 100 signatures. Yes! We're really enjoying seeing St Louis, a laid-back city full of Mom-and-Pop sandwich shops, college kids soaking up the sun, and cool coffee shops like "Meshuggas" (located below the Coalition for the Environment office) where the regulars sport dreadlocks and flipflops and stroll about with laptops under their arms.

Gotta run- we're heading to a Santana Concert at the Scott Trade Center to get signatures from the people lining up outside!

On the Road in St Louis

2008-04-22T19:49:00.001-07:00

After a fun afternoon of volunteering at the Earth Day event on the National Mall (which, fortunately, was neither blown away nor electrocuted in the stormy weather LCV interns Michelle, Spencer and Courtenay leaped over puddles that would intimidate Moses, onto a train and towards Baltimore to catch flights to Kansas City (Spencer) and St Louis (Michelle and Courtenay.) Our aim: to head to the mid-west to help "Renew Missouri" with a signature-signing initiative to put clean energy on the ballot in November.

At the airport, after an enthusiastic "Go team!" the interns parted. Due to the storms Courtenay and Michelle's plane was delayed, so that we arrived at our hotel at 1:30AM, sleepy but excited for the day ahead.

The next day we drove via rental car to the Coalition for the Environment office in St Louis, where we met its friendly and energetic staff. After a warm welcome we started working. Michelle and Courtenay drove to Meremac Community College to collect signatures for the afternoon, then came back to the office to work the phones until 9pm.

People -particularly students- have been very obliging with their John Hancocks. We're optimistic about the week ahead!

Bush plan "a joke"

2008-04-21T11:01:00.000-07:00

Last week, President Bush strolled out to the Rose Garden, calmly approached the podium and proudly announced just what he planned to do about climate change before he leaves office: absolutely nothing.

Yet somehow, his empty words have been a hot topic of debate. I really do wish the media would stop treating this as if we need to discuss whether or not he actually did something. Well, he didn’t, and even the slightest bit of scrutiny proves it. A few key points on the President’s speech:

1) The President’s plan is a joke. To recap, President Bush aims to level off US global warming pollution emissions by 2025. While that may sound like a plan to the casual observer, trust me, it doesn’t do anything. While Bush routinely ignores or denies the science and data coming out of EPA, one particular release he may have wanted to pay attention to (especially considering it came just days before his release) was the recent announcement that US GHG emissions decreased in 2006 by 1.1%, which EPA attributes to a combination of factors including a warmer than average winter and high fuel prices. So, it appears that we already surpassed the President’s 2025 goal two years ago. Upon learning this information, one is left wondering just what the President might feel inclined to do. Well, Mr. President, any ideas?

2) The President tried to claim credit for an Energy Bill passed late last year when in reality he did little more than issue veto threats to stronger versions of the bill that passed the House before the ink had even dried on the vote tallies. When all was said and done, two important policies were left on the cutting room floor, both specifically tagged by the Bush Administration as veto-worthy. The first was a national Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) that would require 15% of our energy to be produced by clean, renewable energy by 2020. The second was a repeal of taxpayers subsidies to big oil companies that even President Bush said were unnecessary ( way back when oil was only $55 per barrel mind you). Don’t get me wrong, passing the first increase in vehicle miles per gallon standards in 32 years was a huge victory, not to mention the numerous efficiency policies and incentives that will save consumers bundles on their energy bills, but this victory happened in spite of the President, not thanks to him.

3) The President’s criteria for climate legislation are the same criteria he has stuck to in the first 7-years of his Administration. Basically, let technology drive everything and don’t hurt the economy. Sadly, the President has proven a very poor practitioner of either one given his need to preserve and even increase subsidies to 19th Century energy technologies and his complete denial of what constitutes a strong, healthy economy. While technology and innovation are clearly a piece of the solution, Bush’s words strike even more hollow when he refuses to shift taxpayer money away from big oil companies and send it to renewable energy and energy efficiency. The President also chooses to use the same old scare tactics about the costs of taking on global warming claiming economic Armageddon. Here is my question: What would be a bigger economic stimulus package than fundamentally recreating the ways we produce and use energy in this country? Moreover, our economy has always been driven by innovation, not by holding on to dirty technologies of the past. If the President is serious about investing in new technology, then he needs to do it and not use the power of his office to keep us dangerously addicted to oil and other fossil fuels.

Here’s the bottom line. The scientific community is telling us that global emissions need to peak around 2015, ten years before the President’s goal of ‘stabilizing’ US emissions. The good news is that we can do this and there is plenty of evidence to prove it. Sadly, this Administration has little use for facts or data or logic or reason for that matter. How much longer will we have to wait for this Administration to come around and realize that global warming is real and that we need to act?

As Thomas Paine once opined, “Time makes more converts than reason.” We are in dire need of more reason because we are running out of time.

Environmental Hero Handbook

2008-04-17T12:19:00.000-07:00

“If politics interests you, pick candidates who’ll fight for the health of our planet…and work like hell for them,” writes John Javna, America’s bestselling environmental author, in the newly revised edition of his 1990 classic “50 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth.” Javna, a member of the Oregon League of Conservation Voters, encourages readers to “work with LCV on their tough, effective campaigns to defeat anti-environment candidates, and support those leaders who stand up for a clean, healthy future for America.”

Javna’s book is full of tips on bettering our world, from taking action in your church of synagogue, to joining groups like LCV, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Rainforest Action Network. In fact, each group has chosen an important issue and provides “Steps for Success” to motivate readers and their peers to protect the planet.

Javna and his teenage children have also launched the website 50SimpleThings.com, a constantly-updated fountain of resources on environmental activism including facts, news, a blog, and a forum. So whether you prefer curling up with a good book or surfing the web, Javna will give you all the tips you need to be an environmental hero.

Bush’s Confession: Empty Words on Global Warming

2008-04-16T16:00:00.000-07:00

LCV Press Secretary Josh McNeil has written another astute press release:

In response to President Bush’s Rose Garden address on global warming, Gene Karpinski, President of the League of Conservation Voters, issued the following statement:

"Earlier this year, the Vatican announced that polluting is a sin, and we had hoped that Pope Benedict could convince President Bush to take meaningful action to reduce global warming,” Karpinski said. "The President may have confessed that global warming is a problem, but his inadequate proposals show that he'd rather kiss the rings of oil executives than listen to the Holy Father and every reputable climate scientist in the world. This proposal is too little, too late to effectively reverse global warming and too little, too late to save this President's record of failure."

LCV Asks John McCain to Clarify Position

2008-04-15T15:00:00.000-07:00

LCV Press Secretary Josh McNeil just wrote the following press release:

Washington, DC – In response to Senator John McCain’s call for a gas tax holiday, the League of Conservation Voters today asked the Presidential candidate to clarify his position. In a speech in Philadelphia today, Senator McCain said, “In my administration, there will be no corporate welfare.” Yet, when given the opportunity to vote to repeal more than $18 billion in subsidies to Big Oil, McCain failed the American people.

On December 17, 2007, the Senate voted to invoke cloture on a version of the energy bill that would have repealed those handouts to Big Oil. The measure failed by one vote – 59 to 40. McCain was the lone Senator to miss the vote, ensuring that billions of taxpayer dollars continued to flow into ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, BP and ConocoPhillips. These multinationals enjoyed another year of record profits, yet the corporate tax cuts McCain proposed today would reduce taxes for those five companies by an addition $3.8 billion.

Meanwhile, McCain’s proposal raises more questions than it provides solutions for our ailing economy. For example, federal gas taxes go to the highway trust fund — does this proposal mean that resources devoted to creating jobs and repairing our crumbling bridges and roads are slashed? His plan would cut $11 billion for highway funding, a sum that could be better made up by repealing the $18 billion in subsidies for Big Oil.

“If Senator McCain wants to save money for American taxpayers, he should get to the root of the problem: massive taxpayer-funded subsidies to huge oil companies that are already making tens of billions of dollars a year,” LCV President Gene Karpinski said. “The answer to the high cost of gas is not temporary tax maneuvering, it is a fundamental shift away from oil and towards clean, renewable energy.”

CNN reports that the average cost of a gallon of gasoline is $3.38 per gallon this week, but taxes make up less than 5.5% of that cost. A average family filling a 12 gallon tank today will pay $40.56. Only $2.21 of that total goes to federal taxes, while the cost of gas has grown exponentially in the last few years.

Oil Tycoon Feels Winds of Change

2008-04-14T10:35:00.000-07:00

Legendary oilman T Boone Pickens founded a Texan oil company in 1956 and since has built it into a fortune worth $3bn.

However his latest investment has nothing to do with black gold. Over the next few years he plans to erect a string of 2,700 wind turbines across Texas, a plot that will be five times larger than the world’s current record-holding wind farm. His long term plans are even more impressive: he envisions an army of wind farms along America’s great plains, and a sea of solar panels running from Texas to southern California.

Anyone who thought that all billionaire oil executives were pro-Bush should hear Pickens fume over the president’s apathy towards the energy crisis: "George Bush has done nothing. Nothing. Every guy that ran for president clear back to Nixon said he would make us energy independent, but not one goddamned thing has been done. Zero. The biggest problem facing the United States in the next 50 years is energy and nobody has come up with a solution."

Now that’s a maverick. Read the Guardian article on Pickens here .

Friday Funny

2008-04-11T14:09:00.001-07:00

High Temperatures

2008-04-10T14:00:00.000-07:00

Today the Center for American Progress released a summary detailing global warming’s projected effects on human health. Cases of vector-born diseases, respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses, heat waves, food scarcity, wildfires and floods all threaten to increase in a hotter world.

Fortunately several major health organizations will draw attention to the upcoming challenges. The Center for American Progess says:

“The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions holds a hearing this morning on the public health challenges of climate change. The World Health Organization has declared the theme of this week’s annual World Health Day ‘protecting health from climate change.’ And this week’s National Public Health Week is themed ‘Climate Change: Our Health in the Balance.’”

While solving some health issues will be difficult, others can be controlled with wise investments. For example, numbers of malaria-carrying mosquitoes, already rampant in parts of Africa, are rising the with the temperature. However, distributions of insecticide-filled nets in countries like Ethiopia and Kenya have produced miraculous drops in malaria cases.

Last night on a special charity episode of American Idol, British Prime Minster Gordon Brown announced that his government would supply the funds for 20 million mosquito bed nets. “That's one in six of the 120m bed nets the world needs," Brown said. “And I'm challenging the rest of the world - governments, business and anyone else who wants to end this killer disease - to join us in this effort by donating money for nets.”

EPA Administrator Travels Halfway Around the World; Gets Nowhere

2008-04-07T09:38:00.000-07:00

What do you do when Nancy Pelosi, environmental organizations, and 13 different states are angry with you? If you’re the head of the EPA, you hide out Down Under.

Over the Easter Break, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Stephen Johnson took 11 staffers plus security to Australia to tour farms and water treatment plants at a total cost of $280,000 (half the budget of EPA’s annual travel allowance.) The trip was supposed to promote environmental collaboration between the U.S. and Australia, but it turns out a simple flight to California would have been a lot more productive.

Barbara Boxer, chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, has expressed grave frustration with Johnson for failing to testify about global warming before her committee. This would be an opportune time to explain why the EPA won’t allow California to set its own carbon cap targets. "If your goal is to learn about actions to address global warming, I suggest that you visit California, which has moved ahead aggressively with greenhouse gas controls," Boxer wrote to Johnson. Moreover, last week 18 disgruntled states and 11 environmental organizations sued the EPA for failing to limit greenhouse gas emissions from new cars and trucks a year after the Supreme Court ruled that they had the power to do so.

Meanwhile the Bush Administration proposes to slash the EPA’s budget by $300 million for 2009. This includes massive cuts to enforcement budgets (funds to penalize polluters), research and development of technologies that address global warming, and funding for EPA’s Superfund site cleanups (which is already half of what it was in the 1990’s.)

Yet instead of distancing himself from Bush’s policies, Johnson vacationed in Australia with U.S. Ambassador Robert McCallum, an old friend of Bush’s who represented Australia’s anti-Kyoto stance before the election of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. Needless to say, the trip probably didn’t enlighten Johnson’s global warming perspective much.

To improve America’s environmental policies, Stephen Johnson would have saved a lot of money, time and - last but not least - carbon dioxide emissions if he had simply showed up at Nancy Pelosi’s office.

Friday Funny

2008-04-04T23:57:00.000-07:00

Don't you know that we're toxic?

2008-04-03T14:22:00.000-07:00

Last night, LCV staffers Charlene, Elizabeth, Michelle and Spencer bravely attended a lecture given by Ken Cook, president of the Environmental Working Group (EWG), who spoke about toxins in Americans’ bodies.

EWG recently took blood samples from ten umbilical cords after they had been removed from babies in American hospitals. Tests revealed that the babies had an average of more than 200 industrial chemicals in their bodies. Like alcohol and drugs, toxins are passed to fetuses via the mother’s bloodstream and many of the chemicals discovered by the EWG are common in household products and food that has been treated with pesticides.

Of the 287 chemicals detected in the babies’ blood, studies showed that 180 are cancerous, 217 are toxic to the brain and nervous system, and 208 caused birth defects or abnormal development in tests on animals.

Chemicals that can have harmful effects on the development of infants and children often exist in seemingly innocuous products. For example, the chemical used in Teflon, Perfluorooctanoic Acid, was recently labeled as a likely human carcinogen by the EPA's Science Advisory Board. Yet the current legislation regulating what products chemical companies are allowed to put on the market, the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), has not been updated in thirty years.

Ken Cook discussed EWG’s study on umbilical cords to draw attention to the Kid Safe Chemical Act, a bill that has been introduced in both the Senate (S1391) and House of Representatives (HR 4308). The act would require chemical makers to disclose the safety of their products to the EPA before being allowed to release them into the market.

The complete Environmental Working Group report on contaminants found in umbilical cord blood is found at http://archive.ewg.org/reports/bodyburden2/.

Gore Launches Climate Campaign

2008-04-02T14:28:00.000-07:00

Today Al Gore will launch "We," a three-year, $300 million campaign to turn Americans’ awareness of global warming into concrete solutions. The campaign will encourage citizens to demand that their elected officials require the capping and lowering of emissions.

LCV is proud to be sponsoring the “We” campaign and is optimistic about its success. President Gene Karpinski told the Washington Post, “It heightens both the urgency and the sense we can get the job done with the broad middle that will make the difference, while having the resources to communicate in a sophisticated way in a more expansive fashion than the community has done before.”

The new advertisements can be seen tonight during programs including “American Idol” and “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.”

April Fools

2008-04-01T13:32:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Gene Karpinski, President of the League of Conservation Voters, today acknowledged his utter shock at the testimony of executives from the five largest oil companies before the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.

Leaked copies of testimony broke early this morning and represent an unprecedented shift in the oil and gas industry’s political strategy.

“After decades of standing in the way of clean energy, energy efficiency, and global warming legislation, it looks like these oil execs finally got a visit from the Ghost of Christmas Future,” Karpinski said.

The leaked testimony gives an indication of the fundamental change in policy.

Peter Robertson, the Vice Chairman of Chevron, began his testimony with an apology to the people of the world on behalf of the Big Oil companies for standing in the way of vital global warming legislation. He promised that the $123 billion profits of these five companies in 2007 would be directly invested into research and implementation of clean, renewable sources of energy such as wind, solar, and geothermal. Tears streaming down his face, Robertson stated “I only hope my grandchildren can forgive me.”

J. Stephen Simon, ExxonMobil Senior Vice President publicly repudiated the 2006 statement by his boss, ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson that “At a minimum, there’s an enormous amount of uncertainty around this whole question [of global warming].” Simon admitted that global warming is a real and dangerous issue, and that ExxonMobil had spent more than $23 million to fund bogus scientific studies to mislead the public about global warming. He promised to return that money to consumers, who paid for it with record prices at the pump.

John Hofmeister, President of the Shell Oil Company, begged consumers’ forgiveness for the more than $295,000,000 donated to politicians and political action committees by Big Oil in the last decade. Promising to put that money into savings at the pump, Hofmeister said, “We have used our record profits in an attempt to buy off the United States government and to pilfer another $18 billion from taxpayers who are already paying close to $4 at the pump. We have no excuse.

Today, April 1, is the last time we play the American people for fools.”

Make a Lame Duck out of Drake, says Daily Press

2008-03-31T11:37:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, Virginian newspaper The Daily Press lambasted Rep. Thelma Drake (R-2nd) for her measly LCV lifetime score of 10 percent. Benjamin Cuker, a professor of marine and environmental science at Hampton University, wrote:

"Drake mined $149,710 from the energy/natural resources (mostly oil) industries, motored away with $210,641 from the transportation sector, and harvested $99,975 from agribusiness. These contributors all profit from the environmental degradation that they cause, and they apparently can count on Drake to facilitate their polluting ways."

Don't you just love a scientist who has fun with metaphors?

Friday Funny - March 28, 2008

2008-03-28T09:48:00.000-07:00

illustration by LCV communications intern Courtenay Lewis

Fred Krupp's New Book Hopeful for Future

2008-03-27T12:58:00.000-07:00

Today Environmental Defense’s President Fred Krupp described to Environment and Energy News how legislation signed by President Bush to lessen air pollution spawned an escalation in innovative clean energy technology. However he was referring to the first President Bush’s signing of the Clean Air Act Amendment in 1990, which created incentives for companies to invest in technologies that would lessen acid rain. Krupp compares that past success with the potential of today’s American entrepreneurs to become billionaires by introducing forms of clean green technology to the $600 energy sector.

Krupp and journalist Miriam Horn have just released what Al Gore calls a “fascinating book” entitled “Earth: The Sequel - The Race to Reinvent Energy and Stop Global Warming.” The book details why there are reasons to be hopeful about the energy future, and discourages people from doom and gloom pessimism about looming environmental catastrophes. In his interview, Krupp says that people feeling powerless is “the biggest obstacle to [their] participating in our democracy.”

China and America's Intricate Relations

2008-03-26T13:40:00.000-07:00

American critics of mandatory emission caps in the U.S. often point fingers at China, which will soon overtake America as the country to release the most greenhouse gases per year. However, some of China's leaders argue that America is responsible for many of the gases that China emits as well.

Yesterday, when speaking to a group of climate policy experts, Chinese Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong said that America and Europe's consumption of cheap Chinese merchandise greatly contributes to China’s emissions. "We are emitting greenhouse gas on your behalf," Zhou said in a speech sponsored by the World Environment Center. "We are polluting the air in China so you can enjoy the products we are making."

Meanwhile, the United States is importing something into China that is less tangible than clothes and toys: ideals about western wealth and the luxuries associated with it. The Worldwatch Institute reports that SUVs- which are widespread in the United States- are becoming increasingly popular amongst China’s wealthy. Last year, SUV sales went up by 58% from 2006 in China. This trend is in spite of the fact that SUVs emit far more greenhouse gases than smaller vehicles, and that recent studies show that only one percent of the air inhaled by 577 million urban Chinese meets the European Union’s air quality standards.

American politicians like John McCain maintain that America should only cap its pollution if China does the same. Ambassador Wenzhong argues that if China is to reduce its emissions, Americans will have to curb some of their own habits like buying masses of cheap Chinese products, and popularizing SUV’s. Otherwise, he argues, the pot won’t simply be calling the kettle black; it will be making the kettle blacker.

These opposing views illuminate the complex web of exchanges contributing to the mass of greenhouse gases that are threatening life on earth. If John Donne was correct to say that “No man is an island,” surely no country is an independent entity, bound as we are by the exchange of goods and ideas. Understanding the consequences of mass consumption and current ideals about wealth and luxury will perhaps be as important as carbon caps and taxes in lowering future greenhouse emissions.

Lights to Go Off for "Earth Hour"

2008-03-25T12:26:00.001-07:00

On this Saturday at 8:00 PM, you can join millions of participants in more than 25 cities around the world in turning off your lights for "Earth Hour."

Planning for the event on March 29th was inspired by last year’s Earth Hour in which residents of Sydney voluntarily switched off the lights in their homes, office buildings, and stores to raise awareness about conserving energy. This year, cities including Chicago, San Francisco, Bangkok, Tel Aviv, Toronto, Copenhagen, and Dublin have agreed to join several Australian cities for an hour of energy consciousness.

The Earth Hour website offers participants anywhere a chance to create your own event. To further global awareness, why not call a few friends and have a candlelit picnic with red wine (doesn’t require refrigeration) on Saturday night?

Concord Monitor Publishes Karpinski's Letter

2008-03-24T14:00:00.000-07:00

On Friday, New Hampshire's Concord Monitor published a letter to the editor by LCV President Gene Karpinski. It says:

"Each year, the League of Conservation Voters publishes the National Environmental Scorecard, which scores the voting records of members of Congress on environmental legislation. The newly released 2007 scorecard highlights the much-needed new direction that Congress has pursued on environmental issues. Among the victories in 2007 was the passage of the first increase in fuel efficiency standards in 32 years, a vital first step to a clean energy future.
New Hampshire's House delegation had an average of 95 percent, one of the highest House averages in Congress. We applaud Democratic Reps. Paul Hodes and Carol Shea-Porter for their impressive respective scores of 100 and 90 percent. Their commitment to reducing global warming pollution and bringing about a clean energy future enabled progress in 2007. We look forward to continuing to work with them to make even more progress in the upcoming session.

Unfortunately we are dismayed at the poor score of 53 percent that Republican Sen. John Sununu received. He continues to cater to corporate interests and policies of pollution. We urge him to improve for the sake of his electorate and the planet.

You can find more info on the Scorecard at lcv.org/scorecard. "

Friday Funny

2008-03-21T14:20:00.000-07:00

Spring Awakenings

2008-03-20T14:49:00.000-07:00

When walking along the streets of Washington DC, robins and sparrow hop excitedly in and out of the bushes. The sweet smell of flowers offers a momentary elation from the bustling crowds. Above you, the tree branches are bursting with the pink and white blossoms for which the capital is famous (along with a few minor governmental institutions). Spring has arrived.

While people on their lunch breaks soak up the sun, scientists are worrying that the early arrival of birds, butterflies and blossoms will have negative affects on the web of life. For example, certain plants are bearing fruit before the animals that depend on them emerge from hibernation. Birds that hatch too early can die from the effects of late freezes. These changes can alter the season-based food chain so dramatically that they lead to the extinction of species.

Hopefully the sunshine and bird songs will cause certain members of Congress to have their own Spring awakenings. Our government must take action immediately to wean America of the energy consumption habits that are heating the planet.

LCV Supports Passage of Clean Water Restoration Act

2008-03-19T10:10:00.000-07:00

The story goes like this: in 1972, Congress passed the Clean Water Act, which held the government accountable for keeping America’s water pristine and potable. However, a series of Supreme Court rulings since 2001 have seriously diminished the scope of governmental protection of our nation’s waters. As a result, the drinking water of over 110 million Americans is now at risk.

LCV is determined to make Congress recognize how the 1972 Clean Water act has been abused. Along with wildlife, the health of millions of Americans depends on the government reinforcing legislation that adheres to the original intent of the bill to keep all of America’s natural waterways clean.

Every Little Bit Helps

2008-03-18T12:05:00.000-07:00

People around the world are coming up with creative ways to reduce their carbon footprint.

Household efficiency may be the cheapest and easiest way to dramatically cut America's carbon dioxide emissions, reports Scientific American. The US could reduce emissions by an incredible 25%, just by making homes better insulated, installing thicker windows, and ensuring that future homes are more efficient.

Meanwhile, Japanese professional baseball players have vowed to shorten playing time by 12 minutes from the average 3 hours and 18 minutes per game. Nippon Professional Baseball released a statement saying, "When a professional baseball game is staged, a huge amount of carbon dioxides, a cause of global warming, is discharged because it requires use of energy to move players and spectators, supply electricity for lighting and other purposes and dispose of food and drink waste."

To be fair, 12 minutes is probably enough time to flush a toilet, eat a hotdog, and switch a light on and off a few times!

LCV Wins Three Pollie Awards!

2008-03-17T15:18:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend in Santa Monica, LCV picked up three - count 'em - three Pollie awards!

The first, "Being Green," won the gold in "TV for a National Organization." Check it out:

Another, for "Web video for Grassroots Issue Advocacy and Public Affairs" -- our video entitled "What Are They Waiting For"

The second -- in the "Direct Mail for Membership" catagory -- "Earth is Ticking"

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

2008-03-17T10:54:00.000-07:00

On this Saint Patrick’s Day, we’d like to draw attention to the wonderful Ireland, a country that is setting standards in clean renewable energy even when its citizens aren’t swathed in celebratory shades of green.

Recent studies have shown that there is enough onshore and offshore wind around the island to supply all of its energy needs. Ireland currently has a fraction of the turbines and storage mechanisms to fully exploit this renewable source, but that hasn’t stopped it from having high goals. Ireland hopes to get 33 to 42 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2010, an impressive aim for an industrialized country!

Friday Funny

2008-03-14T14:12:00.000-07:00

Karpinski Joins Boxer at Congress

2008-03-13T14:16:00.000-07:00

LCV joined Senator Barbara Boxer and leaders from major environmental organizations at Congress today to talk about moving America towards a clean energy future. Sen. Boxer said that increasing numbers of Republican and Democratic senators are warming to the Warner-Lieberman bill, which will require increased energy efficiency and clean fuels. She added that voters will hold accountable those delegates who try to block pro-environmental legislation.

Karpinski bolstered her remarks, saying, “Now, in the face of an economy dragged down by $100-plus per barrel crude, record oil company profits and a growing recognition of the need for immediate action on global warming, 2008 will be a year when the American people expect more. The best thing members of Congress can do this year -- for the future of the planet, consumers, and the economy, not to mention their own reelection -- is to support a strong global warming bill that achieves the emissions reductions the science shows are necessary."

It was inspiring to see Sen. Boxer on stage with some of the environmental movement’s most influential figures. The leaders joining Karpinski were Kevin Knobloch (President of the Union of Concerned Scientists), Frances Beinecke (President of the National Resources Defense Council), and Carl Pope (President of the Sierra Club).

See here for the press release.

Christian Denominations Go Green (Continued)

2008-03-11T10:22:00.000-07:00

Our last blog described the Vatican’s condemnation of pollution.

Yesterday, a group of over 40 Southern Baptist leaders called their past stance on global warming “too timid."

Leaders including the president and two past presidents of the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant group in the US with 16.3 million members, signed a declaration that said, "Our cautious response to these issues in the face of mounting evidence may be seen by the world as uncaring, reckless and ill-informed. We can do better."This was the turning of a new leaf for the SBC, who in 2007 maintained that there was not sufficient proof for climate change.

Why the new stance? Tanya Erzen, an expert in US evangelicals at Ohio State University, surmises that church leaders are responding to the increasing concerns about environmental stewardship expressed by congregation members. But Jonathan Merritt, son of former SBC president James Merritt and organizer of the declaration’s release, said he had a Road to Damascusian revelation in which he realized that destroying the environment was “no different to tearing a page from the Bible.”

Holy Smoke...or Not

2008-03-10T11:09:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend Archbishop Gianfranco Girotti, the Vatican's number two man in issues of conscience, told Italian Magazine 'L'Osservatore Romano' that ecological damage is one of today's manifestations of sin. In recent months Pope Benedict has also urged Catholics to protect the environment, citing climate change as a critical issue.

Last year the Vatican made headlines by going carbon neutral. To offset its own emissions, it donated about $130,000 to Klimafa, an organization that is reforesting a national park in Hungary. The Vatican also hosted a scientific conference on global warming, and made plans to install electricity-generating photovoltaic cells on the papal audience hall adjacent to St. Peter's Basilica.

We know that protecting the environment is vital to preserving life on earth. According to the Pope, it's important for getting into the afterlife too.

Another Great Reason to Walk to Work

2008-03-09T16:40:00.000-07:00

Scientists have invented a knee brace which generates electricity as you walk, so that soon you’ll be able to auto-charge your phone on an afternoon stroll. It works on similar principles as a hybrid car, which collect energy whenever the vehicle slows. When hybrid cars brake, their regenerative brakes store energy which would have been released as heat. Similarly, the innovating knee brace collects the energy released at the knee whenever the leg slows. Cool!

Vending Machines Get a Makeover

2008-03-08T11:08:00.000-08:00

I just read this release from Laurie David:

“Innovative individuals are doing some creative problem solving by re-thinking things we take for granted. Noah Horowitz, an NRDC engineer, took a look at the energy hogging vending machine.
There is now one soda machine for every 100 Americans! Some 3 million machines are humming away 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, using 10 times more energy than the average refrigerator (the biggest energy user in your home). Noah started looking at solutions like more efficient compressors, fans and lighting. He also rethought some of the simplest things like not having outdoor machines running all night in the middle of winter. The result is new machines that use half the energy of old ones. And when Coke and Pepsi finish phasing in the new designs, the savings will be 5 billion kilowatt hours per year!”

Big Oil Favorite Walberg Drills for Campaign Cash with Oilman Cheney

2008-03-07T15:23:00.000-08:00

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following Dick Cheney’s appearance in Michigan’s 7th Congressional District to raise money for Representative Tim Walberg’s re-election campaign, LCV President Gene Karpinski issued a statement regarding the first-term congressman’s poor record on clean energy legislation.

“In his first year in Congress, Rep. Walberg sided with polluters, developers and the oil industry, so it’s no surprise that he called on the patron of Big Oil -- Vice President Dick Cheney -- to appear at a fund-raising event.”

Cheney was the architect of the taxpayer giveaways to Big Oil. In 2005, he and the energy industry’s lobbyists huddled behind closed doors and wrote an energy bill which gave billions in tax breaks to the oil companies while they enjoyed record corporate profits. Last year, Congressman Walberg voted to keep the corporate gravy train rolling — even as the price of a barrel of crude oil topped an all-time high of $100. No wonder Walberg called on Dick Cheney and his well-heeled friends to return the favor by making a stop in Southern Michigan to raise money.

At a time when people are hurting from an economic slow-down caused in part because American consumers are paying an arm and a leg for dirty fossil fuels, we should be investing in the clean, renewable energy of the future and the green jobs that will be created with that investment. But Walberg has turned away from his constituents and chosen to become a darling of the Bush-Cheney Administration by consistently voting against the environment and contrary to the health and safety of the people of Michigan.

A look at LCV’s 2007 National Environmental Scorecard shows Rep. Walberg consistently adopts the failed energy strategy of the Bush-Cheney Administration. He voted against fuel efficiency standards, against a Renewable Electricity Standard, against mandatory limits on global warming pollution and in favor of liquid coal and oil subsidies last year.

Walberg’s 2007 score: a pathetic 5%.

“We must develop a long-term energy policy that moves away from failed Bush Administration policies and meets the needs of Michigan while protecting our planet from the devastating effects of global warming," Karpinski said. “Rep. Walberg is clearly not up for the challenge, especially since he’s proud to have Vice President Cheney at his side during the 2008 re-election campaign.”

Friday Funny - March 7, 2008

2008-03-07T09:58:00.000-08:00

illustration by LCV communications intern Courtenay Lewis

Sen. Collins's Great Environmental Record

2008-03-06T12:44:00.000-08:00

Today the New York Times reported on the high number of upcoming senatorial races that are likely to produce Democratic victories and a higher Democratic majority in the Senate. "Republicans have 23 seats to defend, including five left vacant by retiring incumbents, while the Democrats have just 12, with a competitive race expected only in Louisiana," it reports.

A significant Democratic majority, (especially 60 Democratic senators, whose votes would override Republican attempts towards filibustering) could lead to the passing of more pro-environmental bills. Democratic senators, on average, scored much higher on LCV's 2007 environmental scorecard than their Republican peers. However The Times highlights Sen. Collins (R-ME) as "potentially vulnerable because voters in [Maine] increasingly identify with Democrats."

Yet in terms of her environmental record, Sen. Collins set an excellent example for Republicans and Democrats alike. Her 2007 LCV score was a perfect 100, a score earned by only two other senators (Sens. Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Robert Casey (D-PA). Although a democratic majority would seem to move Congress in a pro-environmental direction, senators like Collins remind us that environmental protection need not be a partisan issue.

Rep. Maloney Supports Clean Energy

2008-03-05T10:55:00.000-08:00

Last week New York Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-14), who scored 100% on LCV’s 2007 environmental scorecard, voted for a bill that would cut billions of dollars in tax breaks for oil companies and invest them in clean renewable energy. At the same time she commented that while most New Yorkers were burdened by record high oil prices (in the last year a gallon of gasoline at pumps in NYC has risen from $2.55 to $3.31), the five largest oil companies reported record profits for 2007.

The Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2008 passed by a 236-182 vote. It includes solar energy tax credits that could reduce carbon dioxide pollution by 240 million tons. Rep. Maloney said that the Geothermal Energy Association estimates that just geothermal provisions could “create tens of thousands of new jobs and stimulate tens of billions of new investments in geothermal energy production.” It would also bring new jobs in the wind, solar, and fuel cell technology sectors.

Empire Staters: Tell Albany to Combat Climate Change by March 31st

2008-03-04T15:26:00.000-08:00

March is here and so is a major opportunity for New York state lawmakers to take bold action over the next several weeks to combat climate change.

March 31, 2008 is a hard deadline for two important decisions:

As usual, it is the deadline by which Albany must adopt its annual budget for the fiscal year that begins on April 1st. This is when critical matters such as the Environmental Protection Fund, the Bigger Better Bottle Bill and financial incentives such as a Bioheat Tax Credit are decided.

The other is the final deadline by which Albany can adopt a Congestion Pricing Plan that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, dramatically ease traffic congestion, provide desperately needed dollars for our mass transit system and further strengthen the economy of the entire downstate region. In order to be eligible for $354 million in federal funding, the Legislature must approve the program no later than March 31st.

Take action; these initiatives are critical components of a greener and greater New York.

Your tuna may have toxins

2008-03-04T15:19:00.000-08:00

Stories of dangerous mercury contamination in tuna sushi and other fish have been all over the news. The message is simple – high levels of mercury in food can harm a young child or unborn baby's developing nervous system.

Many consumers have no clue they are facing serious health risks, and the fishing industry is dishing out misleading information.

Please take action with our friends at Oceana and ask your supermarket to post mercury warning signs at its seafood counters.

Gene
President, League of Conservation Voters

More of your letters

2008-03-03T15:06:00.000-08:00

Once again, thank you to everyone who actively helps spread LCV's mission and message by writing Letters to the Editor. Here are more great examples of fellow members taking action in their communities:

Fond Du Lac Reporter, WI, 3/2/08

Santa Maria Times, CA, 3/1/08

Florida Times-Union, FL, 2/29/08

Crunching some numbers

2008-03-02T14:49:00.000-08:00

An article in today's Montana's Bozeman Daily Chronicle about Senator Jon Tester got us thinking.

Tester, who scored an 80% for his first session in Congress, replaced Senator Conrad Burns, a lifetime 5% voter who earned a spot on the 2006 LCV Dirty Dozen. The disparity in scores marks a huge improvement for the people of Montana and for the United States at large.

We crunched the numbers and found our 2006 campaigns helped defeat 9 out of 13 of LCV’s ‘Dirty Dozen’ members who had a combined average lifetime score of just 8%, while the new members who defeated them have a combined average score of 88%.

“Elections have consequences, and LCV’s success in helping elect pro-environment candidates already has reaped environmental policy results. We are delighted that not only do the 29 LCV-endorsed members have an impressive average score of 87 percent, but many of them also championed key legislative priorities," said our president, Gene Karpinski.

Thank You for Getting Involved

2008-03-01T13:00:00.000-08:00

We receive a lot of e-mail from LCV.org viewers just like you who check out our site, donate to the cause and take action by signing petitions and writing letters to the editor. While we're not able to respond to every email in a timely fashion, we are able to use this space as a forum for those of you who have supported us.

Check out a couple of recent letters submitted by our members:

Muskogee Phoenix, 3/1/08
Nevada Appeal, 2/28/08

Friday Funny

2008-02-29T13:40:00.001-08:00

LCV endorses Kay Barnes

2008-02-28T11:32:00.000-08:00

Today LCV announced its endorsement of former Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes as Representative for Missouri’s 6^th District. Barnes would replace Rep. Sam Graves whose LCV lifetime average is an abysmal 4 percent. In contrast, Barnes has a positive record of supporting renewable energy projects. If elected to Congress she has pledged to push for legislation that would eliminate billions of dollars in tax breaks to oil companies, and instead invest that money in the development of clean renewable energy.

See our press release.

Alaskan Village Sues Energy Giants

2008-02-27T10:26:00.000-08:00

Talk about David and Goliath: today a village of less than 400 inhabitants in Kivalina, Alaska, sued Exxon Mobil Corp, BP PLC, seven other oil companies, 14 power companies and one coal company. The villagers of Kivalina accused the energy giants of releasing greenhouse gases that are causing the land around them to erode into the sea, and melting the ice that once shielded the village from storm waves and surges. Relocation costs have been estimated at $400 million. Villagers also accused some of the defendants of a conspiracy to mislead the public about the causes and effects of global warming. If successful, the trial could influence future courts to hold energy companies accountable for the havoc their emissions inflict on communities.

See International Herald Tribune article

LCV Praises House Passage of Renewable Energy Tax Credits

2008-02-26T12:24:00.000-08:00

WASHINGTON, DC - League of Conservation Voters President Gene Karpinski issued the following statement regarding the House’s passage of the energy bill:

“While we applaud Speaker Pelosi and the U.S. House for passing this much-needed bill, this vote illustrates the fact that the real problem is in the Senate. Twice last year, a minority of Senators led by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has stood in the way of this important legislation. Perhaps this third time will be the charm for the American people, and the Senators who have blocked this bill will finally act in America’s interests.”

Click here to read our press release.

Help Celebrate Susan & Stanton's Love

2008-02-25T12:05:00.000-08:00

In addition to sharing with you their love for each other, Susan and Stanton -- friends of LCV -- want to impart their devotion to the environment.

With the typical wedding creating as much of a carbon footprint as one person does in an entire year, they felt hosting a green reception is a perfect way to express their dedication to living an eco-conscious life.

We think this is a great idea. To show your devotion to the environment, you can make a donation in their name to the League of Conservation Voters Education Fund, which works to engage, educate and mobilize citizens on environmental issues. LCV Education Fund turns Americans' environmental values into national priorities.

LCV Staff Retreats to Chesapeake Bay

2008-02-24T11:53:00.000-08:00

LCV staff members were lucky to have the chance to take a full-day retreat to the ultra-hip and super-eco-friendly Merrill Environmental Center at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. We discussed our 2007 highs and lows, set goals for 2008 and beyond and enjoyed a day away from the bustle of downtown D.C.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation Headquarters building is recognized as one of the "greenest" buildings ever constructed. Sustainability issues ranging from energy use to material selection were given serious consideration throughout design and construction of this facility. It was the first building to receive a Platinum rating through the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Rating System, version 1.0.

Covered in recycled cans and cars and heated by solar panels, the building is capable of using 70 percent less energy than a typical office building.

While we were there, Kerry snapped some great photos of the building itself, and of the beautiful waters which the Foundation works to protect.

Kos Community Digs '07 Scorecard

2008-02-24T11:16:00.000-08:00

Click here to see what the bloggers at Daily Kos have to say about LCV's Scorecard.

LCV in the News: Reuters

2008-02-23T10:41:00.000-08:00

WASHINGTON, Feb 21 (Reuters) - All three top U.S. presidential contenders tout their environmental credentials, but Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton cast far more "green" votes in Congress than John McCain, a conservation group reported on Thursday.

Sen. McCain of Arizona, the likely Republican nominee, rated a zero out of 100 for his votes on environmental issues last year, the League of Conservation Voters said in the group's national environmental scorecard.

Friday Funny

2008-02-22T16:40:00.000-08:00

LCV releases 2007 Environmental Scorecard

2008-02-21T13:46:00.000-08:00

Today LCV released its 2007 National Environmental Scorecard to a room full of reporters at the National Press Club. LCV President Gene Karpinski, Legislative Director Tiernan Sittenfeld, and Deputy Legislative Director Tim Greeff discussed how the scorecard holds Congress Members accountable for their environmental votes. Karpinski said LCV’s 2007 National Environmental Scorecard shows that last year “marked a turning point for the environment, and proved that electing pro-environment candidates is a critical first step toward enacting sound environmental policies that will protect our planet and our future.”

See the Press Release and the online Scorecard

Where the Candidates Stand

2008-02-20T10:35:00.000-08:00

With the Race for the White House down to three candidates, let's take a look at where each stands on key environment and global warming-related issues: