Campaign finance reform is a tricky subject: What at first looks like an obvious choice–say, abolishing political action committees (PACs)–has hidden, sometimes dangerous implications. Add to that the ease with which politicians obscure the real issues, and you’ve got a recipe for confusion and the status quo. E talked to two grassroots leaders who have given serious thought to creating the political will for real — and lasting — reforms…
In November, voters in Maine will find an intriguing referendum on their ballots. The Maine Clean Election Act, endorsed by a wide coalition that crosses party lines would, if enacted, force sweeping changes in the state’s politics as usual. "We really believe Maine will be the state to break through the glass ceiling on the campaign finance reform issue," says Maine Voters for Clean Elections campaign manager David Donnelly. "We want to put the citizens back in charge of the election process."
Without a rapid shift in attitude among commercial fishermen, managers, and politicians, fishing economies–and the fish that support them–will vanish.
Of course, there were times during the two years that it took to design and build our solar home, that I almost shared their "it can’t be done" sentiment. My husband, Duane, and I learned early on that when it comes to building an earth-friendly home, weighing alternatives and harmonizing dreams with reality is quite a challenge. And while I’m thrilled with the house we built, it is a modest version of the one we originally envisioned.
Socially responsible investing (SRI) has been taking a pounding in the mainstream financial media. The Wall Street Journal, Money, and Forbes, to name just a few, have been running columns carrying headlines such as "Good Intentions, Bad Results" and "It’s Not Easy Being Green." These articles typically portray social investors, who won’t invest in polluting or destructive companies, as good-hearted saps destined to receive lousy returns.
The Mayan expression Quauhtitlan, meaning "between the trees," gave the name to what is now Guatemala. With more than 30 legally declared protected areas, and 40 more proposed, Guatemala boasts some of the richest biodiversity in the world: 19 ecosystems, over 300 microclimates, 400 species of birds, a myriad of snakes, wild cats, and monkeys, and thousands of species of tropical trees and plants–many of which are threatened by illegal burning and harvesting.
When it comes to talking about the "green car," electric vehicles, or EVs. get all the glory. And no wonder! The $30,000 state-of-the-art General Motors EV1, formerly the Impact, will roll out in Saturn dealerships this fall. Chyrsler will be marketing an electric minivan, as will Honda. And Toyota’s RAV4 is the first plug-in sport utility vehicle.
If you visited participating McDonald’s between June 14 and July 11, your $1.99 Happy Meal burger/fries/drink combo also included the opportunity to take home a plump, plush Babe figure, or one of six other characters from last summer’s blockbuster movie.
Untouched by the last glacier, southwestern Wisconsin is hilly, wooded and wild–home to Old Order Amish, back-to-the land homesteaders and third-generation dairy farmers. On weekends, tourists from Madison, Milwaukee and Minneapolis come to canoe the picturesque and crooked Kickapoo River.
With a world population of less than 1,000, the future of the California Red-legged Frog (Rana aurora draytonni) looked bleak. The poor frog was beset by habitat destruction, harvesting, predation by non-native species (bullfrog, bluegill, mosquitofish), and drought. Things only grew worse when, in 1995, Congress voted a moratorium on any new U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listing of endangered or threatened species.
