Peter Lehner's Blog
About
- Bio:
I am the Executive Director of NRDC. The position is my second at NRDC. Beginning in 1994, I lead the Clean Water Program for five years, before leaving in 1999 to serve as the head of the Environmental Protection Bureau for the Attorney General of the State of New York.
My first experience with NRDC dates back to 1980, when I worked on environmental issues in Washington, DC. President Reagan had just been elected and environmentalists needed to strengthen their efforts. After law school, I worked for the New York City Law Department. NRDC was working hard to protect the city's drinking water supply, so I joined forces with NRDC and, on behalf of the city, sued polluters. I also joined with NRDC in suing President Reagan's Department of Transportation for rolling back fuel economy standards. This was the very first lawsuit brought on the grounds of global warming. I knew then that NRDC was thinking big, and committed to solving complex problems over the long haul.
Cases like this underscore why I became an environmental lawyer in the first place: if you are right on the law, you can make tremendous progress. NRDC has distinguished itself by a history of groundbreaking environmental work. Through our lawyers, lobbyists, scientists and media experts, we're able not only to find solutions, but to do the hard work of putting them into place. This is part of why NRDC is, in my opinion, the leading environmental organization in the nation. And it's why I'm honored to be back.
Before I gained any of this professional experience, my dedication to protecting the environment began as I suspect it does for many people -- by spending a lot of time in the outdoors. I spent most of my youth mucking around in the woods near where I grew up, and then as I grew older I spent a lot of time hiking and climbing and canoeing and kayaking. I still try to get out every weekend and, when I do, I'm reminded of how quickly the planet is changing, and how much it needs our protection.- Roots in:
- Hingham, Massachusetts
- Favorite place:
- Pretty much anywhere with my family.
- Why "environmentalism" matters:
- Because we are part of nature. The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, the wild places that feed our soul – these all come from the nature around us. We protect nature to protect ourselves and those we share it with. How could we not protect the environment?
Recent Blog Posts
- What’s the right target for CO2 in the atmosphere? (July 17, 2008)
- We’re Drowning In Our Own Trash (July 11, 2008)
- When Shops Keep Doors Agape, Think of Cold Air at $140 a Barrel (July 2, 2008)
- Let's Respect the Public With More Information (June 30, 2008)
- Well Designed Cities Are Global Warming Solutions (June 26, 2008)
- James Hansen: Why The Wait on Climate Action? (June 24, 2008)
- We Can’t Drill To Lower Fuel Prices (June 20, 2008)
- Dear President Bush: No More Offshore Drilling (June 18, 2008)
- Sustainability Sails: A Clearwater View of Manhattan (June 12, 2008)
- We Need Climate Solutions, Not a Costly Status Quo (June 10, 2008)
Read more in Peter Lehner's Archives→
