It hasn’t been a great week for moving the American environmental agenda forward. On Thursday, the Republican members of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works decided to boycott the vote on Gina McCarthy’s nomination. However, on a positive note, the Safe Climate Caucus, chaired by Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA), has been actively engaged …

It’s hard to believe the first federal air pollution legislation was the Air Pollution Act of 1955. Fifty-eight years later, the United States—and the world—are still struggling to come to terms with the importance of preserving the quality of the air we breathe. Air Quality Awareness Week is on the calendar for April 29 through …

The April 11th confirmation hearing of nominee Gina McCarthy to head the Environmental Protection Agency, was a robust exchange encapsulating the primary points of view consistently espoused on each side of the aisle. Questioned were the efficacy of the department, it’s standards, the alleged conflict between public health and the economy, and whether there is …

It’s only March, and already the push back against environmental concerns is evident. Superstorm Sandy is old news, except for those still picking up the pieces of disaster. At the forefront of bringing awareness to all things green is Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA), who serves as a ranking Democratic member of the House Energy and …

The sequester is here. I outlined in a previous post exactly what we had to look forward to, and now indiscriminate cuts are being unleashed upon the public straight across the board, delivered with a hatchet as opposed to a scalpel. I reached out to Sen. Tom Carper, who serves on the Environment and Public …

There are a plethora of ads put forth by oil companies to promote the "social good" they are doing. As a writer on environmental issues, I happen to be aware of the flip side of the story. So while British Petroleum pushes their “Voices from the Gulf” tourism travelogues about how great it is to …

As the Environmental Protection Agency awaits an announcement from President Obama on his choice for their new leader, the public should brace itself for a contentious road to a confirmation. The hearings are sure to bring out the anti-regulation, science doubters who deny the efficacy of protecting the nation’s

Amid conversations about budget cuts and safety nets, my curiosity was peaked as to why some of the wealthiest oil companies in the world were given a helping hand by the American people. Or more simply put, Why are these companies being subsidized by the Federal government? In addition to receiving funding, they are also …

Trashed is a documentary featuring its Executive Producer, actor Jeremy Irons. It examines the encroaching problem of global waste. Director Candida Brady, who describes herself as a childhood asthmatic and a concerned mother, builds a trajectory that illustrates the impact of waste on land, air, and water. We see how marine life is impacted after …

Promised Land, a small film by Hollywood standards, stars co-screenwriters Matt Damon and John Krasinski. Directed by Gus Van Sant in the tradition of The China Syndrome and Silkwood, Promised Land uses mainstream entertainment to delve into American values, corporate responsibility, and activism.