Book Description
In this powerful indictment of George W. Bush's White House, environmental attorney Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., charges that the administration has taken corporate favoritism to unprecedented heights -- threatening our health, our national security, and our democracy.
Kennedy lifts the veil on how the administration, in order to enrich its corporate paymasters, has eviscerated the laws that protect our nation's air, water, public lands, and wildlife. He describes the White House doling out lavish subsidies and tax breaks to energy barons while allowing the corporations to profit by poisoning the public and eliminating security at the more than 15,000 nuclear and chemical facilities that are prime targets for terrorist attacks. He shows how right-wing White House ideologues have taken the "conserve" out of conservatism and trampled the free-market democracy in favor of a kind of corporate-crony capitalism that is as antithetical to democracy, efficiency, and prosperity in America as it is in Nigeria.
Crimes Against Nature is a book for both Democrats and Republicans, people like the traditionally conservative farmers and fishermen whom Kennedy represents in lawsuits against polluters. "Without exception," he writes, "these people see the current administration as the greatest threat not just to their livelihoods but to their values, their sense of community, and their idea of what it means to be American."
Download Description
"
In this powerful and far-reaching indictment of George W. Bush's White House, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the country's most prominent environmental attorney, charges that this administration has taken corporate cronyism to such unprecedented heights that it now threatens our health, our national security, and democracy as we know it. In a headlong pursuit of private profit and personal power, Kennedy writes, George Bush and his administration have eviscerated the laws that have protected our nation's air,water, public lands, and wildlife for the past thirty years, enriching the president's political contributors whilelowering the quality of life for the rest of us.
Kennedy lifts the veil on how the administration has orchestrated these rollbacks almost entirely outside of public scrutiny -- and in tandem with the very industries that our laws are meant to regulate, the country's most notorious polluters. He writes of how it has deceived the public by manipulating and suppressing scientific data, intimidated enforcement officials and other civil servants, and masked its agenda with Orwellian doublespeak. He reports on how the White House doles out lavish subsidies and tax breaks to the energy barons while excusing industry from providing adequate security at the more than 15,000 chemical and nuclear facilities that are prime targets for terrorist attacks. Kennedy reveals an administration whose policies have ""squandered our Treasury, entangled us in foreign wars, diminished our international prestige, made us a target for terrorist attacks, and increased our reliance on petty Middle Eastern dictators who despise democracy and are hated by their own people.""
Crimes Against Nature is ultimately about the corrosive effect of corporate corruption on our core American values -- free-market capitalism and democracy. It is about an administration, the author argues, that has sacrificed respect for the law, public health, scientific integrity, and long-term economic vitality on the altar of corporate greed. It is a book for both Democrats and Republicans, people like the traditionally conservative farmers and fishermen Kennedy represents in lawsuits against polluters. ""Without exception,"" he writes, ""these people see the current administration as the greatest threat not just to their livelihoods but to their values, their sense of community, and their idea of what it means to be American.""
"
Customer Reviews:
Blames far too much on Bush.......2007-10-13
I can only spot one glaring error:
On page 2, the author states, "I want to be very clear here: This book is not about a Democrat attacking a Republican administration."
If I had a dime every time he used the phrase "right wing," the book would be free.
Nothing's "left wing" just right wing. He seems to lay all blame for all time at the hands of George, Jr. Hey, the guy's made some terrible environmental blunders but I don't recall any radical environmental improvements during Bill Clinton's eight (8) years. In fact, I'll go record saying that the Clean Air Amendments of 1990 (signed by George, Sr.) have been the most significant air regulations in the last 17 years. Why didn't Clinton mandate and phase in all the CAFE standards during his tenure? Probably, because both parties of Congress have to address the economy first, the environment second.
Kennedy takes his environmental stance too far when he quotes a constitutent on page 85, "With a president who doesn't believe in evolution, it's hard to imagine what kind of scientific evidence would suffice..." By making the environment his religion, his arguments start sounding like fanatical ramblings.
Is Bush really responsible for Hurricane Katrina? For the polluted Hudson River? For all of America's pollution problems? Was all the environmental degradation done only on his watch? What about the failures of past president's and their lack of environmental leadership?
True, Bush has passed on his chance to wean us off foreign oil while improving the environment (primarily by addressing auto pollution and alternative technologies) but so has every president up to now.
Which pill would you like to take the blue pill or the red pill(CAN).......2007-08-19
Metaphorically speaking, Do you live on in ignorance (The blue pill) or do you lead what Aristotle called 'the examined life'(Red Pill). Do you read CAN or do you live in ignorance?
Crimes Against Nature was a real eye opener for me. You have to read this book. So much of the truth that should be available to the American public is squashed by various laws and phony junk science produced by special interest groups who want to control what we think. This book is filled with the facts.
For years I have read in the paper or heard on the news how various Bush appointed people have revoked various laws that protect our natural resources. Then once I read this book it all made sense and fully list all of the damaging laws that have been passed allowing for destruction of our natural resources.
There are so many shocking things in this book. The fact that so much of our country is controlled by the people who give money to our elected officials. I was very surprised to read in this book that Condoleeza Rice has an oil tanker named after her.
If I were to have named this book, I would have named it "Organized Crimes against Nature". Because everything I read has lead me to the conclusion that the acts perpetrated upon our natural resources have been pre-meditated.
I strongly recommend reading this book. God Bless Mr. Kennedy.
Not only is Mr. Kennedy an excellent writer, but he is a great Orator as well. You can check out his speaches on YouTube:
[...]
My Eyes Were Opened To The Truth.......2007-08-11
I gave this book 5 stars, because this book opened by eyes to things that I had no idea were happening. I knew some of the things that were happening, but not to the extent that it is happening. I know in my heart that Robert Kennedy Jr is telling the truth about the true condition of this country.
I would encourage all people who are interested in the truth to read this book. I know that many people will feel that Republicans are being attacked, but I don't think that is the intent at all, but RFK jr is exposing the reasons why we as Americans are being mislead to voting for people who lie to us. When is the last time Americans were encouraged to be the best they could be and put what was best for this Country first and make a positive change? Now we have Americans who are being scared and out of fear approve of policies that have led to America being hated across the world. For those who would think I am a die hard liberal Democrat I am an Independent. I just believe in shining the light on the darkness and believe that America is fighting for her very soul and I want to see America saved for future generations. So yes, I agree with RFK jr on his accessment and encourage this book to be read and passed on so that more people will be awaken to the truth.
My Nephew is in Law School and will be an Enviromental Attorney in Hawaii and that is just one reason I have started to really look into the issues of global warming, the enviroment, etc. I wanted to be informed so I could with knowledge encourage my nephew to choose a path that makes a difference for good. I hope that when my nephew is graduated that he will follow in the footsteps of Robert Kennedy Jr who is fighting for the American people. I do not want my nephew join the energy companies or others who have no concern about the future of this country. Anyway, I plan to give this book to my nephew which I hope will inspire him to choose the right direction when he graduates next June.
This book also answered questions about the Media. I know in my heart he is telling the truth about that as well. With the end of the free press we are in danger of loosing our Democratic Republic. We no longer have an informed citizentry who votes from knowledge of the facts, but bases their decision on misinformation and sound bites.
It takes great courage to be willing to shine the light on the darkness. Robert Kennedy is doing that, not only with this book but with his life long work.
I look forward to reading more books on this issue and passing them on to my nephew while he is in Law School as he is making up his mind as to what direction he will go when he graduates this June.
Eating your own words.......2007-08-03
I loved this book when I read it. "Yes! Finally a real expose!"
But then I read Cape Wind: Money, Celebrity, Class, Politics, and the Battle for Our Energy Future on Nantucket Sound, which tells about how the Cape Cod elite, which of course includes the environmentally enlightened Kennedy family, and was appalled once again how NIMBYism could blind even the most devoted people.
Certainly read this book, because it is very much worth your time, but read Cape Wind afterwards, for even more insight into the politics of the environment!
impeach bush.......2007-07-03
If the allegations about corruption and lying described in this book are true, which they probably are because there where no denials from the white house, why is Bush still in office ? Why are the Democrats such toothless whiners, not taking action to rid the US of Bush and restore the values America was once respected and admired for? This Administration is kicking your values with their feet and is destroying your country and your kids heritage. Look at libby, why isnt there a huge Uproar in the US ? Be a patriot, impeach Bush !
Book Description
In this book Robert Brulle draws on a broad range of empirical and theoretical research to investigate the effectiveness of U.S. environmental groups. Brulle shows how Critical Theory--in particular the work of Jürgen Habermas--can expand our understanding of the social causes of environmental degradation and the political actions necessary to deal with it. He then develops both a pragmatic and a moral argument for broad-based democratization of society as a prerequisite to the achievement of ecological sustainability.
From the perspectives of frame analysis, resource mobilization, and historical sociology, using data on more than one hundred environmental groups, Brulle examines the core beliefs, structures, funding, and political practices of a wide variety of environmental organizations. He identifies the social processes that foster the development of a democratic environmental movement and those that hinder it. He concludes with suggestions for how environmental groups can make their organizational practices more democratic and politically effective.
Average customer rating:
- Refocusing the GOP
- Exemplary leader, author lacks perspective
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William G. Milliken: Michigan's Passionate Moderate
Dave Dempsey
Manufacturer: University of Michigan Press/Petoskey
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Binding: Hardcover
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Garbage Land: On the Secret Trail of Trash
ASIN: 0472115456 |
Book Description
William Milliken, Michigan's longest-serving governor, stands as an icon of decency even among the state's most cynical political observers. Often seen by the public as a man above politics, Milliken was in truth an astute deal maker who governed by crafting coalitions with politicians that spanned the gamut from Detroit's hard-left Coleman Young to the rural conservatives of his own Republican Party.
Born in Traverse City, Michigan, Milliken fought in World War II and returned home to run the family business, served as lieutenant governor from 1965 to 1969, and was then elected to four-year terms in 1970, 1974, and 1978. Milliken stepped down after fourteen years and a record of education reform, environmental protection, urban policy, and civil rights-and a series of bruising tax fights.
Twenty years after leaving office Milliken's legacy of civility and willingness to work with political opponents stands tall. But his outspoken defense of traditional Republican values has cast him into a political no-man's land that makes this story as intensely emotional as it is relevant to today's no-holds barred politics.
Dave Dempsey presents a fully developed picture of Milliken that reveals both his strengths and weaknesses while also providing the political and historical context of Milliken's time in office-and the lessons of his life and career for current and future politicians and the public.
Dave Dempsey is policy advisor for the Michigan Environmental Council, a coalition of more than sixty-five environmental advocacy organizations. Dempsey is author of Ruin and Recovery: Michigan's Rise as a Conservation Leader and On the Brink: The Great Lakes in the 21st Century. He lives in St. Paul, Minnesota.
"Bill Milliken has always been a thoroughgoing pluralist. He cherishes diversity and differences of opinion and he shuns extremism. . . . My hope is that history will show he was closer to the mark than the Republican Party of today."
-Congressman Sandy Levin
"This is an outstanding and long-overdue biography of a man who set the standard for how a political figure should behave in a civilized society. Anyone who wants to understand modern Michigan history-or who wants to know how our politics and government could be better today-ought to read this book."
-Jack Lessenberry
Customer Reviews:
Refocusing the GOP.......2006-07-26
This book is an excellent reminder of the impact and leadership of one of Michigan's greatest governors. There is a wave of new books out in the last few years that remind Republicans like me that protection of the environment used to be a Republican plank and that it needs to nailed back into the GOP platform. This book will resonate in the Great Lakes region since Milliken was so instrumental in the founding of several important organizations designed to protect the Lakes. As the President of the Michigan Chapter of Republicans for Environmental Protection, this book will be in my briefcase everywhere I go!
Exemplary leader, author lacks perspective.......2006-06-28
Recommended for two categories of readers, 1) anyone interested in the recent history of the state of Michigan; 2) people interested in reviewing the governance of a moderate Republican, with the best recent example being Gov. Christine Whitman of NJ.
Milliken had a profound impact on Michigan during his 14-year tenure; that impact endures to the current time, both good and bad. Like Christine Whitman's book, Milliken is a study of a modern politician that continues to embrace the legacy of Lincoln while the GOP continues to fall prey to the southern boll weevils that opposed Lincoln's principles.
The primary weakness of this book is that it yields very little analysis on the costs and benefits of Milliken's policy initiatives, which I believe seriously limits the value of this biography. Instead the author writes more like a journalist doing a hard news story; offering little insight on the impact Milliken had on the state. For those that follow Michigan politics, this will not be a problem since its easy to score his performance as you read and remember the policies of Milliken and the condition of our current economy and State, for example his creation of the single business tax, financial support for Detroit, fierce support for individual rights and his leadership and example in regards to government doing the right thing rather than the politically expedient act. Milliken was his day's anti-Tom Delay and in some ways, also his day's LBJ.
For example, I believe the author could have done a better job of lauding the governor for his pro-environment stance and the benefits we gained from his early commitment to protecting our natural resources. On the other hand, no criticism is given for the horrible bottle bill he instigated that harms business and consumers alike as other states came up with much more comprehensive and optimal methods to administrate recyclables or his institution of the single business tax that scared off potential businesses from locating to Michigan.
Another subject that warrants a serious analysis is Milliken's failed bet on Detroit. While the author captures the relationship between Milliken and Detroit and its mayor Coleman Young, there is no commentary on how the state's "investment" was eventually proven to be good money chasing bad when other, better opportunities, like enticing more business around the universities or better investing in Northern Oakland County may have increased and diversified our job base rather than subsidizing a dying city.
For all its limitations, I'm glad I invested the time to read about a good man whose personal character and qualities are virtually non-existent in today's political arena, which is our loss.
Book Description
Walden Pond. The Grand Canyon.Yosemite National Park. Throughout the twentieth century, photographers and filmmakers created unforgettable images of these and other American natural treasures. Many of these images, including the work of Ansel Adams, continue to occupy a prominent place in the American imagination. Making these representations, though, was more than a purely aesthetic project. In fact, portraying majestic scenes and threatened places galvanized concern for the environment and its protection. Natural Visions documents through images the history of environmental reform from the Progressive era to the first Earth Day celebration in 1970, showing the crucial role the camera played in the development of the conservation movement.
In Natural Visions, Finis Dunaway tells the story of how visual imagery—such as wilderness photographs, New Deal documentary films, and Sierra Club coffee-table books—shaped modern perceptions of the natural world. By examining the relationship between the camera and environmental politics through detailed studies of key artists and activists, Dunaway captures the emotional and spiritual meaning that became associated with the American landscape. Throughout the book, he reveals how photographers and filmmakers adapted longstanding traditions in American culture—the Puritan jeremiad, the romantic sublime, and the frontier myth—to literally picture nature as a place of grace for the individual and the nation.
Beautifully illustrated with photographs by Ansel Adams, Eliot Porter, and a host of other artists, Natural Visions will appeal to a wide range of readers interested in American cultural history, the visual arts, and environmentalism.
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Where We Live, Work and Play: The Environmental Justice Movement and the Struggle for a New Environmentalism (Praeger Series in Transformational Politics and Political Science)
Patrick Novotny
Manufacturer: Praeger Publishers
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0275960269 |
Book Description
Numerous studies have revealed that the poor disproportionately bear the burden of environmental problems in America today. Issues range from higher levels of poisonous wastes, carbon dioxide, and ozone, to greater than normal incidences of asthma and lead poisoning. The environmental justice movement, which has emerged in working class and low-income African American and Latino communities since the early 1990s, is an effort that is reinterpreting the definition of the environment as "where we live, work, and play" to connect new constituencies traditionally outside of the postwar environmental movement. Novotny documents this expanding constituency through case studies of four community groups ranging from South Central Los Angeles to Louisiana. "Environmental racism" is understood as yet another type of discrimination which results in a high incidence of environmental concerns in poorer communities due to what many activists see as discriminatory land use practices, decisions by industry that intentionally locate hazardous wastes in these communities, and the uneven enforcement of environmental regulations by federal, state, and local officials. Community leaders have added environmental causes to their fight against unemployment, impoverishment, and substandard housing. This study explores various attempts to put a halt to illegal practices and to broaden public awareness of the issues involved.
Book Description
An overview of contemporary environmental affairs, from 1940s to the presentâwith an emphasis on nature in an urbanized society, land developments, environmental technology, the structure of environmental politics, environmental opposition, and the results of environmental policy.
Book Description
A recent history replete with compromise and capitulation has pushed a once promising and effective political movement to the brink of irrelevance.
So states Mark Dowie in this provocative critique of the mainstream American environmental movement. Dowie, the prolific award-winning journalist who broke the stories on the Dalkon Shield and on the Ford Pinto, delivers an insightful, informative, and often damning account of the movement many historians and social commentators at one time expected to be this century's most significant. He unveils the inside stories behind American environmentalism's undeniable triumphs and its quite unnecessary failures.
Dowie weaves a spellbinding tale, from the movement's conservationist origins as a handful of rich white men's hunting and fishing clubs, through its evolution in the 1960s and 1970s into a powerful political force that forged landmark environmental legislation, enforced with aggressive litigation, to the strategy of "third wave" political accommodation during the Reagan and Bush years that led to the evisceration of many earlier triumphs, up to today, where the first stirrings of a rejuvenated, angry, multicultural, and decidedly impolite movement for environmental justice provides new hope for the future.
Dowie takes a fresh look at the formation of the American environmental imagination and examines its historical imperatives: the inspirations of Thoreau, the initiatives of John Muir and Bob Marshall, the enormous impact of Rachel Carson, the new ground broken by Earth Day in 1970, and the societal antagonists created in response that climaxed with the election of Ronald Reagan. He details the subsequent move toward polite, ineffectual activism by the mainstream environmental groups, characterized by successful fundraising efforts and wide public acceptance, and also by new alliances with corporate philanthropists and government bureaucrats, increased degradation of environmental quality, and alienation of grassroots support. Dowie concludes with an inspirational description of a noncompromising "fourth wave" of American environmentalism, which he predicts will crest early in the next century.
Customer Reviews:
What goes around, comes around........2002-11-30
Although this book is now 7 years old, it seems more relevant today than when Dowie wrote it. I keep hoping for a new, revised, edition. The elections of 2000 and 2002 have shown that the mainstream environmental organizations in the U.S. have lost most of their strength in the political arena. Despite major attempts to influence elections. . .the Senatorial race in Colorado for example. . .their efforts were either not effective or salient to the electorate. The Green Party seems to have filtered off those voters who are primarily concerned with environmental issues and most indications are that those voters are not impressed with the mainstream environmental establishment in the U.S. The Green Parties of Europe seem to be making a resurgence, but progress in the U.S. is not evident.
Dowie's main critique is of the established, major environmental organizations; those groups who enjoyed so much growth during the Reagan era as a reaction to James Watt and others in the Reagan Cabinet. While Gale Norton is from the same mold as Watt, and Christy Todd Whitman is not far removed, they do not seem to be provoking the same degree of unrest among America's electorate. Arguable the Administration of George "5-4" W. Bush is even worse than Reagan Administration in Environmental Policy, and seem to be drifting even further since the 2002 elections. However the major environmental organizations do not seem to be able to focus attention, or perhaps interest, on this issue. The reason for that may be changing social and cultural norms, but it also may be due to the perception that these organizations are not relevant.
Dowie's book may be a bit out-of-date, but it is well worth the read. I think Dowie was right in 1995 and his ideas still ring true today.
A good history of American environmentalism.......2002-06-24
I havn't read much about the history of environmentalism so when I saw this at a used bookstore I decided to pick it up. It gave a very good overview about how environmentalism progressed throughout the 20th century and the different groups involved. At the end the author gives his theory about where the environmental movement is heading in the future. Overall I would recommend it to anyone interested in environmental politics and the movement in general.
Good Points.......2001-02-20
I think Mark Dowie did a great job showing some problems of today. Even though I feel this book was meant to be read in the mid-1990s, Dowie's points are still valid. Dowie also showed how different groups that call themselves *environmentalists* have different areas of concern (not all are out to save the "cute fuzzy animals," but have other important concerns/issues).
Critique of mainstream's blindsiding of the environment........1996-10-05
Perhaps the greatest weakness of individual environmentalists and the
environmental "movement" is the absence of public self-examination. While
political insiders may clearly see the difference between the National Wildlife
Federation and the Sierra Club, the public has few resources to gauge them.
Opening the doors is author Mark Dowie, a champion of local activism and the
integration of environmental issues with other social movements. Tracing the
origins and bureaucratization of the environmental movement, Dowie criticizes
the most recent surge of co-option, the "third wave" or economics-based
environmentalism.
"Regulatory flexibility and 'constructive engagement' with
industry have created some business heroes, but they can be counted on one
hand," he writes. "The rest, unfortunately, need to be regulated." This is not to
say this book is a rant against environmental business. There are no heroes or
villains in this book, which makes it a rarity in the environmental lexicon.
Instead, Dowie criticizes the corporate structure of environmental groups, and
portrays each organization with their individual merits and flaws. Compromising
Local Leadership Dowie reminds readers of the decision by the Natural
Resources Defense Council and Cultural Survival to negotiate with the
Ecuadorian government over oil drilling in the Yasuni Reserve. Arguing that oil
drilling would be inevitable, and "[w]ithout consulting the Huaorani people or the
appropriate Ecuadorian environmental organizations, [NRDC's] Scherr and
Kennedy struck a deal: Conoco could drill on the Huaoroni reserve in return for
a $10-million donation to an Ecuadorian foundation created by NRDC and
Cultural Survival, an indigenous-rights groups based in Cambridge,
Massachusetts."
The NAFTA debate saw essentially the same argument made: free
trade is inevitable, so environmentalists have to go along and get what they can.
NAFTA's "It's a win-win-win situation" argument was accepted by various
environmental groups. In the long run, the agreement and side provisions may
indeed provide resources and rewards for cross-border environmental planning.
But Dowie draws back to review the consequences of increased commerce.
"It
should be clear to any environmental thinker that free trade can only lead to the
globalization of massive, consumer- based economies that are, in the long run,
whatever the legislated safeguards, ecologically destructive. But mainstream
environmental officials evidently don't think a lot about the distant future. Like
the corporations they have come to resemble, they tend to be occupied with the
day-to-day imperatives of strategy, competition and survival." From a parochial
viewpoint, it would have been interesting had Dowie included a critique of the
way in which many D.C. groups finally "discovered" environmental problems
along the border and how most of these organizations lost interest in the border
after NAFTA passed.
It would also be interesting to document the criticism the
mainstream groups made of those local groups that disagreed with them on the
potential consequences of NAFTA. At the Center and Stumbling The problem
with mainstream environmental groups stems from their decisions in the 1980s to
focus energies on power plays in Washington, D.C., instead of reaching out to
state and community organizations.
Had the focus remained on "reaching out to
state, local and regional organizations," he writes, "the American environmental
movement today would be much stronger and more consequential than it is. An
explosive critical mass of national activism could have been formed. Instead, a
relatively harmless and effete new club appeared." Dowie suggests that the
disproportionate ratio of funding (70 percent to 30 percent) between mainstream
and grassroots groups remains an obstacle for community organization,
suggesting that "a 20-point shift, of $200 million would change the complexity of
the entire environmental community."
The publication of Losing Ground offers
readers an insightful view of relations among environmental groups, many of
which demand transparency in government and business circles, but not among
themselves or their colleagues. This is one of the most valuable guidebooks and is
one of the year's must-reads.
Critique of mainstream's blindsiding of the environment........1996-10-05
Perhaps the greatest weakness of individual
environmentalists and the environmental "movement" is the absence
of public self-examination. While political insiders may clearly
see the difference between the National Wildlife Federation and
the Sierra Club, the public has few resources to gauge them.
Opening the doors is author Mark Dowie, a champion of local
activism and the integration of environmental issues with other
social movements.
Tracing the origins and bureaucratization of the
environmental movement, Dowie criticizes the most recent surge of
co-option, the "third wave" or economics-based environmentalism.
"Regulatory flexibility and 'constructive engagement' with
industry have created some business heroes, but they can be
counted on one hand," he writes. "The rest, unfortunately, need
to be regulated."
This is not to say this book is a rant against environmental
business. There are no heroes or villains in this book, which
makes it a rarity in the environmental lexicon. Instead, Dowie
criticizes the corporate structure of environmental groups, and
portrays each organization with their individual merits and
flaws.
Compromising Local Leadership
Dowie reminds readers of the decision by the Natural
Resources Defense Council and Cultural Survival to negotiate with
the Ecuadorian government over oil drilling in the Yasuni
Reserve. Arguing that oil drilling would be inevitable, and
"[w]ithout consulting the Huaorani people or the appropriate
Ecuadorian environmental organizations, [NRDC's] Scherr and
Kennedy struck a deal: Conoco could drill on the Huaoroni reserve
in return for a $10-million donation to an Ecuadorian foundation
created by NRDC and Cultural Survival, an indigenous-rights
groups based in Cambridge, Massachusetts."
The NAFTA debate saw essentially the same argument made:
free trade is inevitable, so environmentalists have to go along
and get what they can. NAFTA's "It's a win-win-win situation"
argument was accepted by various environmental groups. In the
long run, the agreement and side provisions may indeed provide
resources and rewards for cross-border environmental planning.
But Dowie draws back to review the consequences of increased
commerce.
"It should be clear to any environmental thinker that free
trade can only lead to the globalization of massive, consumer-
based economies that are, in the long run, whatever the
legislated safeguards, ecologically destructive. But mainstream
environmental officials evidently don't think a lot about the
distant future. Like the corporations they have come to resemble,
they tend to be occupied with the day-to-day imperatives of
strategy, competition and survival."
From a parochial viewpoint, it would have been interesting
had Dowie included a critique of the way in which many D.C.
groups finally "discovered" environmental problems along the
border and how most of these organizations lost interest in the
border after NAFTA passed. It would also be interesting to
document the criticism the mainstream groups made of those local
groups that disagreed with them on the potential consequences of
NAFTA.
At the Center and Stumbling
The problem with mainstream environmental groups stems from
their decisions in the 1980s to focus energies on power plays in
Washington, D.C., instead of reaching out to state and community
organizations. Had the focus remained on "reaching out to state,
local and regional organizations," he writes, "the American
environmental movement today would be much stronger and more
consequential than it is. An explosive critical mass of national
activism could have been formed. Instead, a relatively harmless
and effete new club appeared."
Dowie suggests that the disproportionate ratio of funding
(70 percent to 30 percent) between mainstream and grassroots
groups remains an obstacle for community organization, suggesting
that "a 20-point shift, of $200 million would change the
complexity of the entire environmental community."
The publication of Losing Ground offers readers an
insightful view of relations among environmental groups, many of
which demand transparency in government and business circles, but
not among themselves or their colleagues. This is one of the most
valuable guidebooks and is one of the year's must-reads.
Book Description
Economic growth since the Industrial Revolution has been achieved at great cost both to the natural environment and to the autonomy of communities. What can a Marxist perspective contribute to understanding this disturbing legacy, and mitigating its impact on future generations? Renowned social theorist James O'Connor shows how the policies and imperatives of business and government influence--and are influenced by--environmental and social change. Probing the relationship between economy, nature, and society, O'Connor argues that environmental and social crises pose a growing threat to capitalism itself. These illuminating essays and case studies demonstrate the power of ecological Marxist analysis for understanding our diverse environmental and social history, for grounding economic behavior in the real world, and for formulating and evaluating new political strategies.
Book Description
The most significant shift in environmental governance over the last thirty years has been the convergence of environmental and liberal economic norms toward "liberal environmentalism" -- which predicates environmental protection on the promotion and maintenance of a liberal economic order. Steven Bernstein assesses the reasons for this historical shift, introduces a socio-evolutionary explanation for the selection of international norms, and considers the implications for our ability to address global environmental problems.
The author maintains that the institutionalization of "sustainable development" at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) legitimized the evolution toward liberal environmentalism. Arguing that most of the literature on international environmental politics is too rationalist and problem-specific, Bernstein challenges the mainstream thinking on international cooperation by showing that it is always for some purpose or goal. His analysis of the norms that guide global environmental policy also challenges the often-presumed primacy of science in environmental governance.
Average customer rating:
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Safeguarding The Environment (Campaigns for Change)
Sean Connolly
Manufacturer: Smart Apple Media
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding
Politics & Government
| Reference & Nonfiction
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Nonfiction
| Environment
| Nature
| Science, Nature & How It Works
| Children's Books
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General
| Ages 9-12
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Environmentalism
| Conservation
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
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Ecology
| Science & Technology
| Teens
| Subjects
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All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
ASIN: 1583405194 |
Books:
- Culture Jam: The Uncooling of America
- Desert Legends: Re-Storying the Sonoran Borderlands
- Desert Solitaire
- Design with Nature (Wiley Series in Sustainable Design)
- Differentiated Countryside (Routledge Studies in Human Geography, 3)
- DK Nature Encyclopedia
- Electric Animal: Toward a Rhetoric of Wildlife
- Environmental Issues in the Curricula of International Business: The Green Imperative
- Environmental Politics and Institutional Change (Reshaping Australian Institutions)
- Fire on the Mountain
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