MUST READ

Major Land Conservation Bill Passed

Yesterday, President Obama signed "a collection of 170 different bills that represents the most significant wilderness law in at least 15 years," one that protects "more than two million acres as wilderness and [creates] a new national system to conserve land held by the Bureau of Land Management." The Wilderness Society president William Meadows gave the bill his highest praise, saying "Future generations will look back at this day as one of the most important dates in American land conservation history."  [Washington Post]

Skeptic's Denier's Handbook

The Heartland Institute is distributing 150,000 copies of a newly-published "Skeptic's Handbook" to "850 journalists, 26,000 schools, 19,000 leaders and politicians."  And while the "mass printing of this climate propaganda piece is being funded by an 'anonymous donor'...we do know that the Heartland Institute has been bankrolled to the tune of $676,000 from ExxonMobil since 1998."  Desmogblog refutes the booklet's arguments point-by-point.  [Desmogblog]

SHOULD READ

Climate Economics 101

Joe Romm offers an "Introduction to Climate Economics," including the costs of climate action vs. the costs of climate inaction.  Turns out, strong climate action is relatively cheap.  [ClimateProgress]

Good Riddance

The Hummer--which has seen sales fall "51 percent last year, the worst drop in the industry"--looks doomed.  [New York Times]

MUST SEE

FSC vs. SFI

Satellite photos cut through the greenwashing of Big Timber's "Sustainable Forestry Initiative."  Compared here to Forest Stewardship Council-managed lands. [Heart of Green]