Currents

Focus the Nation, an ambitious organizing project, is coordinating teachers and students at more than 1,000 schools to find solutions to global warming.

The National Organics Standards Board decided to defer recommendations for organic status for fish citing concerns about controlling fish environment and food supply.

Following on the heels of the nationwide climate rallies last April, environmental writer and activist Bill McKibben announced plans for fall follow-up events aimed at lobbying politicians to pass meaningful legislation to regulate emissions of greenhouse gases. On November 3, thousands of activists and concerned citizens are expected to gather at places across the country named after historic leaders to demand that Congress address four key priorities to stop global warming.

The nonprofit Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) last week announced its annual list of America’s best and worst beaches from an environmental and health safety perspective. Much to the group’s chagrin, pollution at the nation’s 3,500 ocean, lake and bay beaches resulted in 25,000 closing or swimming advisory days in 2006—a record number that represents a 28 percent increase from just the previous year.

Glacial retreat, species depletion, extreme seasonal weather. These are real indicators that global warming is happening now and clear reasons why we should be setting standards to immediately slow these effects. While industrialized nations around the world are making commitments to reduce greenhouse gas, the United States, which is responsible for 25 percent of the world’s emissions, is lagging behind and lacks strict federal regulations.

A new report released last week by the Sierra Club shows that the economics of the American West have shifted dramatically over the past few decades, with recreational activities supporting more sustainable jobs and economic growth than the extractive industries once critical to the region’s economy.

Three major Florida water projects that will aid restoration of the Everglades are part of a $21 billion national water bill that made it through House and Senate negotiations—despite stalling since 2002. While the White House has expressed concern over the cost of the proposed bill, political analysts think there are enough Senate votes in favor of the bill to override a Presidential veto.

Rebecca Wodder is the president of American Rivers, the nation’s leading river conservation organization, committed to "standing up for healthy rivers so our communities can thrive."