President-elect Obama has pledged that tackling the climate crisis and repowering America with clean energy will be central to his presidency. NRDC and a broad coalition of partners have prepared a road map, respectfully submitted to the transition team for consideration, with recommendations for achieving these goals. These bold measures will help channel American ingenuity into solving the economic, climate and environmental crises we now face.
A couple of weeks ago I noted some of President Obama's statements about transportation and land-development which showed that he cares about, and understands, important but oft-overlooked policies that have a huge influence on how much oil the nation...continued→
Once again, I greet another cabinet appointment by President-elect Obama's with respect. Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack is a strong choice to lead the Department of Agriculture. His guidance will be essential on a host of issues facing the department, from restoring...continued→
I welcome the news that President-elect Obama has appointed Senator Ken Salazar at the Secretary of the Interior. After years of corruption and corporate dominance at the Interior Department, we desperately need to change the way America's national parks, public...continued→
President-elect Obama and his team of advisors have shown an unprecedented level of interest in carefully considering the complexities and competing interests that must be balanced--the interests of conservation, fishing, energy, and recreation--to effectively manage and protect our vast, depleted...continued→
President-elect Obama's choices for top environment posts reveal something very important: they tell us that Obama means what he says. He means it when he says he wants to protect the planet and tackle global warming. Plenty of politicians say...continued→
It used to be that talk of the nation's electricity grid caused most people's eyes to glaze over. Now, thanks to a confluence of volatile energy prices, a green-oriented incoming president, and a cultural fascination with high tech gadgets, that...continued→
Most people don't realize it, but the Secretary of Commerce has enormous influence over America's ocean resources. That's why I welcome the news that President-elect Obama is tapping Governor Bill Richardson for this position. He is well known for his...continued→
Just before Thanksgiving, I had the chance to introduce Google CEO Eric Schmidt at a talk he gave in New York City. The event, organized by NRDC Trustee Wendy Schmidt, was illuminating and entertaining thanks to Eric's dry humor and...continued→
The Bureau of Reclamation was conceived at the start of the 20th century (originally as the Reclamation Service) to meet the needs of a world that no longer exists. Now, at the start of the 21st Century, the Bureau needs...continued→
The election of Obama as President provides a transformational opportunity to make good on the promise for an America where every person, regardless of their race or income, enjoys the right to a healthy environment. Over the past 8 years we've seen unprecedented...continued→
This is my first blog post for NRDC, and with change in the air, it seems like a good time to be writing about what NRDC, our members, colleagues and allies hope will be a wholesale change in the way...continued→
As the excitement of the election transitions into action, we must ensure that the new administration is focused on our nation’s most critical environmental issues –like saving our sick oceans. Our oceans are a vital national and global resource. They...continued→
A broad coalition of environmental organizations, including NRDC, unveiled today our "Transition to Green" - our recommendations for President-Elect Obama and his new administration. Our highest priority recommendations are addressed to taking quick and decisive action on climate and energy. ...continued→
"If you do what you've always done, you get what you've always gotten." -Tony Robbins When you think about transportation issues, what's the first thing that comes to mind? High gas prices and troubled bridges. There was the "bridge to...continued→
In mid-November, I was hiking in the Hudson River Valley with my dog Emmett on a perfect (if unseasonably warm) autumn day, a jaunt that was marred only by my shock at the number of ticks picked off both dog...continued→
Did you know that a hefty chunk of your tax dollars go to an efficient squad of killers known to employ an array of heavy armaments and poisons to liquidate millions of targets every year? No, it’s not the...continued→
The green group transition recommendations to the incoming administration were released today, and I want to highlight some of the pieces in the section dealing with the Department of Energy. There are three main issues in this section, detailing how...continued→
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has come under fire for a lot of missteps over the past 8 years. From recalls of "blockbuster medications" like Vioxx and Baycol, to bacterial contamination of spinach and tomatoes, to pet food contamination, to the...continued→
The Arctic Region Is under Assault by Global Warming The Arctic region of our earth is undergoing disastrous warming. The Arctic ice pack now shrinks to roughly half the size it had historically. While this year's ice pack decreased to...continued→
As many of my colleagues are describing today, NRDC and a host of partner groups in the environmental, conservation, and public health community have created a document, called "Transition to Green," which lays out a detailed set of policies that we...continued→
The Green Group transition document has a number of concrete and thoughtful suggestions for US Fish & Wildlife Services (FWS) in the new administration. Frankly, I’d be happy with a simple change of tone… We’ve been focused on the...continued→
This morning a coalition of environmental and public health groups issued a report entitled Transition to Green, providing priority environmental recommendations for the Obama administration transition team. I co-chaired the committee responsible for developing priority recommendations for EPA, and also chaired...continued→
Restoring America's leadership on global warming is no easy task. US leadership has been lost over a sustained period as the current Administration has failed to make progress on global warming. (Sadly this is time we don't have.) So, becoming...continued→
After 35 years working as an environmental advocate, I have done my share of consensus building and coalition tending. It's not always easy finding common ground, even among those who are fighting for the same cause. But today the environmental...continued→
How to generate millions of jobs, break our dependence on oil and reduce the pollution that causes global warming.
