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The Green

Mission Statement: Our mission is to strengthen and unify the young environmental community in the Bay Area by sharing interests, information, and calls to action. We seek to inspire participation in projects and events between groups, strengthen journalistic skills, and foster career exploration.

September2003
Issue 8

Quote of the Month

"Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads."
Henry David Thoreau

submitted by Chris Kim

Question of the Month

Answers to September’s Question of the Month "If you could make the year 2004 honor whichever element (earth, air, water, fire) you choose, which would it be and why?"submitted by Yvea Eaton, Lick-Wilmerding HS, San Francisco

 

Jeff Martin, Acalanes HS, Lafayette
"I would have us honor water, because while we are now distracted by earthly possessions and wealth from geological sources, our real concern should be with our lifeblood, H2O


Susan Loshin, Drake HS, San Anselmo
"If I were to choose one element to honor, I would choose earth, because of it’s exquisite beauty and prevailing capability."


Question of the Month for October - Let's hear your answers !

If you could get your local politicians to act on one environmental issue, what would it be?"

submitted by students at September's Youth Coalition meeting

Send your answers by September 25th to TheGreen@earthteam.net If you have ideas for questions send them too.

Photos

by Jeff Martin, Acalanes High School, Lafayette



Whales from Santa Cruz

ocean

whales

whales

 

 

 

 

 

Republicans for Environmental Protection, (REP America):
An interview with Jim DiPeso, Policy Director.

By Sarah Stoller, College Prep HS, Oakland

Republicans for Environmental Protection is an non-profit organization which was founded in the summer of 1995 by a group of Republican voters who wanted to see environmental goals and programs supported by the Republican party. These voters hoped that the GOP would continue to support as well as adopt new policies pertaining to air and water pollution, endangered species, and the preservation of national parks and refuges. According to REP’s website, the majority of REP’s members are actively involved in other environmental groups. Because the organization was formed by citizens of voting age, REP America is currently not working with any youth organizations. Each year since 1995, REP has held a major meeting where members and officials make plans for the organization. In 1997 REP introduced its quarterly newsletter, The Green Elephant. The Green Elephant updates readers on major environmental policy developments as well as details the organizations progress. It also profiles leaders of various REP chapters across the country. Republicans for Environmental Protection has recently instated a California Chapter, which they are currently beginning to organize.

According to Jim DiPeso, Policy Director for REP America, "REP's goal is to restore the Republican Party's conservation tradition, as exemplified by Theodore Roosevelt and other Republican leaders." In addition Republicans for Environmental Protection states its goal as to insure that the GOP’s elected officials are aware that republican voters do care about the environment. REP works actively to inform the public as well as legislators about the importance of a clean and safe environment and the need to protect resources. DiPeso believes that Republican leaders have not recognized the desire among many Republican voters for environmental protection. "The perception that Republicans do not care about the environment is partly a self-inflicted wound committed by party leaders," DiPeso explains. "While many Republican leaders understand the need for environmental protection and provide positive leadership on the issue, many do not. The burden of proof is on Republican leaders to convince citizens that they truly care about the environment and are committed to offering positive solutions that fit with traditional conservative values."

Although very busy with instituting the new California chapter, DiPeso was able to share his views with me on the issue of oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. In contrast with the support for oil drilling in this region by many Republican leaders, according to DiPeso, "REP opposes drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. We believe that drilling in the refuge would be a costly and ineffective strategy for diversifying our energy resources and fostering energy independence. Energy efficiency is a much cheaper, more reliable strategy with a proven track record of reducing energy waste and saving money, in addition to reducing pollution."

As a more moderate democrat living in the overwhelmingly liberal Bay Area, seeing an organization made up of conservatives who still care very much about the environment was refreshing. There is a strong sentiment, particularly in this area, that if one is conservative, one does not care about the environment. By taking active steps towards effecting the environmental policy of the Republican party, REP America not only voices their concerns about the current treatment of the environment, but through these active measures they make a direct impact on policy. It seems that in the future leaders from all ends of the political spectrum will need to take a bipartisan approach to dealing with the pressing environmental issues we face. Hopefully REP Americas’ move towards better environmental policy for the Republican Party will be met by the understanding that the majority of Americans do wish to keep our planet safe.

For more information about REP America, visit their website at: www.repamerica.org.

The Clean Air Act

by Jason Moore, Deer Valley High Schol, Antioch

After visiting www.nrdc.org, I was saddened to learn about the Bush Administration's repeal of the Clean Air Act. The act would've insured that up to date pollution controls be a part of industrial facilities' upgrades. The effects of this repeal will reportedly now allow an increase in pollution from approximately 17,000 facilities. The "final rule" proves that the emphasis of concern is based on the cost of upgrades, and not on how much pollution they cause. For example, an Ohio Edison plant was permitted to increase pollution by more than one hundred thousand tons simply because of the low cost of the upgrade. Personally, I think that down the line this will take a serious toll on the environment. Why should factories be allowed to increase the amount of pollutants in the air and add to the problem? I think this is an issue of priorities. Is money a higher priority than the environment? According to the NRDC, the Republican Party is directly linked to some of the companies prosecuted for failure to install pollution controls. I would like to know what could be done to try and improve control of air pollution, and I hope that somehow the Clean Air Act will be reinstated.

My Vision Quest......

By Susan Loshin, Drake HS, San Anselmo

This summer I indulged myself into an adventure of a lifetime. I set out for the Enyo Mountains for a nine-day Vision Quest. Once I left home, my world, as I knew it was changed forever. I would never be the same and nothing would appear in the forms and images I used to see. My life had truly changed.

If you’re wondering what a vision quest is, it’s taken from a Native American ritual, that’s called Rite of Passage. This is a ceremony where the young adults of the community are taken away from their village for a period of time, in which they spend a lot of time by themselves and concentrating on growing up and into their selves. It’s a very spiritual and inspirational process and practice. I spent two nights alone in the wilderness on the top of a mountain with no food, only water. We backpacked, hiked, talked, listened, meditated, ate, made rattles, had ceremonies and lived with our hearts and our minds purely in the wilderness. The bliss everyone got out of nature was incredible. We truly lived off of the earth and depended on her entirely.

The beauty and brilliance I experienced out in the wilderness was exquisite. The things I received and learned from nature was u

Poem

UntitledBy Rebecca Smith, California High School, San Ramon

Flowers bloom,
Nature's womb.
Busy bees,
Nature's glee.
Fruits swell,
All is well.

River flows,
Nature glows.
Thrushes trill,
Nature's will.
Bullets whistle,
From man's pistol.
Boughs sigh,
Nature's cry.
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Please send your responses to anything in the Green or anything environmental. We'll print it in the next issue. Also, send us your answers to the Question of the Month by the 25th of the month. It would be great to hear from you. Contact TheGreen@earthteam.net