This is a review of James Gustave Speth's Bridge at the Edge of the World, intended as a supplement to the short review given of this book in the Monthly Review.  Speth is a prominent environmentalist who has worked with the Democratic Presidential administrations of Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter.  His words, then, deserve our attention for their connections to political effectiveness.

(crossposted at Docudharma)

Jim Jewell, chief operating officer of a small evangelical advocacy organization, mailed a letter to supporters earlier this year. "As I walked the aisles of the National Religious Broadcasters convention," he began, "I found that it was easy to sign up for luxury accommodations in Jamaica or a tour of Israel.... What I knew I wouldn’t find was information on how we as Christians could be faithful in obeying God’s call to care for His creation, or material on environmental stewardship."

Jewell knew this information would not be available because his organization, the Evangelical Environmental Network, had been denied permission to set up a booth in the National Religious Broadcaster’s exhibit hall. NRB is a trade association representing more than 1,400 evangelical broadcasters and related organizations. The "Statement of Faith" to which all NRB members must ascribe makes no mention of politics—their credo is biblical infallibility, the divinity of Jesus, and salvation through the Holy Spirit. But EEN’s account of its rejection by NRB suggests that NRB uses its influence to perpetuate a narrow conservative evangelical agenda that many Christians are beginning to reconsider.

No. The answer is no. Let me get that out of the way immediately, because I'm not raising that question, I'm quoting it.

For years, various studies and surveys have exposed American ignorance, apathy and confusion over science, and the authors of these studies have decried the results.  But it's actually amazing Americans aren't worse at science than they are, when the mainstream media is seemingly bent on making them more confused the more they try to find out.

Case in point, a recent Newsweek article discussing China's attempt to clean up Beijing's air for the Olympics, which a Newsweek editor decided to title Is Healthy Air Bad?.

If we were honest with ourselves, it would be.  

Jerome has a diary up right now, which alludes to part of the problem of 'high gas prices', and how Exxon/Mobil is only 'doing what we ask of them'. What Exxon is doing is taking advantage of the difference between the artificially low price of energy we are paying, versus the reality of its sustainability and it's true cost to society. Almost all hydrocarbons are a 'bargain', a Faustian bargain.

We have been given a free ride on burning of fossil fuels for a couple of centuries. For most of the time man has used fossil fuels, there has been little discussion or concern about the impact of using this technology on our planet. As science progressed and improved, we began to realize some horrible things.

Last Saturday I posted a diary on libertarian philosophy and claimed that progressives and libertarians are natural allies on many post-Bush issues.  That diary got a very positive response and lots of questions.

Lots of questions!  Some were a bit odd, like suggesting libers want to hang out on desert islands with the fruits of their production (a very strange thing to say to a free market advocate).  Others bought into the old hookers and weed stereotype (props to  psilocynic, I'm pretty sure he had his tongue in his cheek on that one.).  But on the whole, it was a serious and informative discussion on both sides.

I promised I'd answer the most frequently asked questions in a follow-up diary.  So here they are:

So it's the dog days of summer, and we're all in a tizzy about gas prices and cutting back on gas consumption, and such, which is good, to be sure (although this recent NPR feature might give some pause).  However, while on the topic of energy consumption, at least one diarist on DK touched on another area of major energy consumption that doesn't get as much attention now: air conditioning.  With that....

Warning: This is shameless self-promotion. Well, actually I'm not promoting myself but I book I co-edited with Jeffrey St. Clair and contributed essays to that was just released by AK Press called Red State Rebels: Tales of Grassroots Resistance in the Heartland. Check out our site at RedStateRebels.org.

  O I met with Napper Tandy, and he took me by the hand
   And he asked 'How's poor old Ireland, and how does she stand?'
   She's the most distressful country this world has yet to see
   For they're hangin' men and women there for wearin' o' the green

   When law can stop the blades of grass from growin' as they grow,
   And when the leaves in summer time, their colours dare not show,
   Then I too will change the colour I wear in my caubeen,
   But 'till that day, praise God, I'll stick to wearin' o' the green.

The law may not stop the blades of grass from growing, but sun-worhiping environmentalists and their corporate allies might.

Scientists tell us that the neurological mechanisms of memory appear to be same as the mechanisms by which we anticipate, and plan for the future.  It's one of those ideas that, once you hear it, immediately makes sense.  What is politics, after all, than controlling the future by retelling the past in a way that distinguishes "us" from "them"?  The term "identity politics" always strikes me in the same way as the phrase "fiery conflagration";  what other kind is there?  

Wall-E is a movie with a political message.  But no political message has the power to persuade, even if it is wrapped in a story.   A story needs to illustrate a theory.

Sometimes we dismiss filmmaking and the way it can impact the way we view the world.  But great films can challenge us to think about problems differently, to address real world issues, and to reconsider our place in the world.

Simple films that rely on a basic parable have worked as children's storytelling for years.  These films try to get across easy to understand concepts - be nice, treat others fairly, work together, etc. in order to help make a point while at the same time telling a story that kids can easily grasp.

WALL*E is, outside of being incredible filmmaking, one of those films that expresses complex social issues like environmentalism, individuality, conservation in a way that is accessible and easy to understand to children without being preachy.

I wanted to share with you all a video about a new project I am leading up and give you a first glance at our new website. The video is embedded below:

No, I am not making that up.

Link

He [Greg Pal] means bugs. To be more precise: the genetic alteration of bugs – very, very small ones – so that when they feed on agricultural waste such as woodchips or wheat straw, they do something extraordinary. They excrete crude oil.

Unbelievably, this is not science fiction. Mr Pal holds up a small beaker of bug excretion that could, theoretically, be poured into the tank of the giant Lexus SUV next to us. Not that Mr Pal is willing to risk it just yet. He gives it a month before the first vehicle is filled up on what he calls “renewable petroleum”. After that, he grins, “it’s a brave new world”.

SlyDi's recent diary about the national impact of the Midwest floods, has moved me to post a diary that I've been meaning to write for a number of days. SlyDi points out, among other things, that over the decades our nation has slowly destroyed what was once the greatest rail system in the world. And we're now paying the price for it.  The Midwest floods only highlight this self-inflicted crisis that will become more and more apparent...especially as gas prices continue to soar.

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the trucking interests that it largely represents have been busily trying to write another sad chapter in this saga for the last several years.  ODOT has been working to build a huge, new highway through Oklahoma City. This ten-lane monstrosity is conveniently routed in such a way as to require the destruction of the old Union Station railyard, which might otherwise serve as a hub for rail transportation locally and throughout the state.

But now, thanks to the efforts of a group of citizen activists, the destruction has been put on hold.      

But not my faith.  Yes, you can lose one and still have the other.

I saw The Happening this weekend.  I had no clue what it was going to be about; I was surpised at the environmental take Shyamalan took with the film.  I started thinking about some things that have bothered me for most of my life. This movie brought these things to a head. I do want to mention that DebraG wrote about the same movie earlier.  My take is similar...yet different.

I have made the dramatic decision to go vegetarian, taking in as little dairy as I can and allowing a little fish during the tranisition. It all started with hearing that Oprah is doing a 21-day Cleansing Diet that is vegan, plus caffeine-free, gluten-free, and sugar-free. She is using a plan promoted by author Kathy Freston. I read this onCompassionate Cooks:

Recently, Oprah announced - on her show, on her site, and on her blog - that she is adopting a 21-Day Cleanse outlined in Kathy Freston's new book, Quantum Wellness." Some of you may be familiar with Kathy, whose popular article "Veganism is the New Prius" made its way around the web about a year ago. She is a beautiful and eloquent ambassador for veganism, and I'm thrilled she will be guiding Oprah on her journey. This cleanse includes avoiding gluten, sugar, alcohol, and animal products, but it's not just for health reasons that Oprah is giving this a try.

More below the fold.

Hey everyone,
I have been shirking my normal blogging on account of summer law classes and work. On the side I have begun work on my own blog. Right now I have a blogspot but it is certainly nothing impressive. I am also working on a new website for the NDLSC (currently www.lawschooldems.org)

Never forget that the DOE is currently being run by the same environmentalists who have been doing such a bang-up (so to speak) job in Iraq.

I've been asked to host today's dawn chorus, so in the spirit of the season, bearing in mind the title of the series I've chosen to talk about the chorus itself.  

For most of North America's neotropical migrants (far more birds nest in Boreal Canada and Alaska than in the lower 48) this is the week the females make camp.  So those birds that haven't already bred will now begin courtship, nest building, and raising young'uns.  Join me below the fold for some hot-bird action!