John Zeiger - OnEarth Magazine, from NRDC

The MTA Bailout: Why Bridge Tolls are a Necessity for the Poor, the Environment, and the People of New York

This morning, as I skimmed the New York section of the New York Times, I noticed a quote that intrigued me in the article "Unlikely Opponents of Bridge Tolls: Transit Riders." One transit rider, named Serena Burch, remarked "Why should the bridge commuters pay for the subway commuters in Brooklyn?" Obviously, her point, and the point of the writer, William Neuman, is that imposing bridge tolls to bailout the Mass Transit Authority are so unfair that even transit riders are opposed to them, for bridge commuters' money would go to subsidize public transportation. Yet there is a gaping doughnut hole in the middle of this argument, one that never occurred to many legislators, commuters, transit riders, and even the prestigious New York Times: roads (especially highways) and bridges used by commuters are usually fully paid for by the state-yet these commuters often do not have to pay tolls; therefore, it could be said that transit riders-with their tax ...read full post

Comments (5) | March 31, 2009
Greenwashing Water Bottles

What makes Poland Springs Eco-Friendly water bottles good for nature? According to the improved label, the new eco-friendly shape "looks and feels different because it is purposely designed with an average of 30% less plastic to be easier on the environment." The label on the bottle neglects to mention that the water bottles are one of the most detrimental products for the world, even if they have less plastic than their competitors. Lately, the environmental movement has coined a new word for companies that use fake green credentials to deceive consumers into believing their products help the natural world: greenwashing. The Poland Spring Company pretends to care about the Earth, but that's a thin façade. They just want to satisfy their voracious appetite for money.
A Poland Springs Eco-Friendly water bottle begins as a dinosaur. After dying, the dinosaur rots away, along with other ancient species, in the ground for a long time. Millions of years ...read full post

Comments (0) | February 6, 2009
Deer vs. the Environment

Deer vs. Nature
The biggest problem with the woods is the deer. After being almost exterminated decades ago, white-tailed deer have rebounded in southern NY and in New England in general. Every once in a while, some ambitious coyote will stalk a fawn, but the adults never feel anxious about the scrawny canines. Their predators, wolves and pumas, have been gone for centuries, and aren't going to be back anytime soon. The deer population has been exploding without bounds, simultaneously ravaging saplings and other native undergrowth, while benefiting invasive monocultures of garlic mustard, Japanese barberry and the Chinese tree of heaven. Unless the deer are controlled, preferably by hunting, they will fundamentally damage the native biodiversity of local ecosystems.
In Westchester, a county of New York City suburbs, hunting is prohibited. Many naïve "advocates of nature" think hunting is unnatural, or that it is cruel. Well, get over it: ...read full post

Comments (5) | November 18, 2008
Why Obama should appoint Al Gore to the Head of the Department of Energy

Barack Obama has a historic opportunity to change the direction of our nation. As two roads diverge in a red, white, and blue country, he must take the road less traveled on, instead of continuing the status quo.
We have to be honest: our nation is in an energy crisis. And nobody has shown more leadership and interest and interest in our nation's energy policy than Al Gore. Al Gore made a bold challenge to "our nation to commit to producing 100 percent of our electricity from renewable energy and truly clean carbon-free sources within 10 years."
Al Gore's plan is as simple as it's bold. Using clean alternative fuels (solar, wind, geothermal), energy efficiency, and a new energy grid he would solve some of our nations most pressing problems: high gas prices, our dependence on foreign oil, global warming, and the economic recession. This realistic yet ambitious plan uses current technology and can be met through hard work and financing. ...read full post

Comments (1) | November 17, 2008