Утриш-знамя борьбы за Природу: Obama's Arctic Error

A Bad Call on Shell

The Obama administration inched a little closer to disaster last Wednesday when it issued almost-but-not-quite final approval to Royal Dutch Shell to drill in the Chukchi Sea this summer. "Letting Shell into the Arctic makes no sense," says Sierra Club executive director Michael Brune. "It's a case of taking huge risks to get something we don't need.... When this or any other administration flirts with selling more oil leases in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas, we'll be there, in the courts and in the streets."

Read more, and tell President Obama to come to his senses and give our pristine Arctic Ocean the protection it deserves.

A Giant Step for Clean Power

On July 15, the Sierra Club's Beyond Coal campaign reached a major milestone when Alliant Energy, a major Iowa utility, committed to phasing out coal at six of its plants. The announcement made official the 200th coal plant in the U.S. to be slated for retirement since the 2010 launch of Beyond Coal, recently called "the most extensive, expensive, and effective campaign in the Sierra Club's 123-year history, and maybe the history of the environmental movement."

What does retiring 200 coal plants mean for our climate?

Louisiana Man Takes a Stand Against Petrochemical Giant

Mossville, Louisiana, founded by an ex-slave in 1790, was one of the first settlements of free blacks in the American South. But the unincorporated community on the outskirts of the city of Lake Charles is vanishing due to industrial expansion and encroachment. Nearly all of Mossville's residents have sold their homes and moved away since a chemical company that polluted the town's soil with toxic effluent began buying up land in the community 15 years ago. But a descendant of Mossville's founder has decided to take a stand, decline the company's buyout offer, and remain on his family's land.

Why is he determined to stay?

Let's Fix the Voting Rights Act

Nationwide, the right to vote is under attack, often by the same big polluters who threaten our air, water, and climate. Two years ago, the Supreme Court gutted a major provision of the Voting Rights Act, making it easier for states to increase barriers to voting. Since then, voter ID laws and other measures to make voting harder have cropped up across the country. But a new bill in Congress would undo the damage and once again protect the right to vote for all Americans.

Last Chance for a Summer Getaway

Summer's here in full force. But it won't be around forever -- and neither will our current batch of trips. Make the most of the season and book a trip with us before it's too late. Here are our top picks:

Seeking something else? Head straight to our website to browse the full lineup by activity, destination, date, or price -- or contact us to find the trip that's right for you.

Monumental Million

If you're grateful that the Grand Canyon, Glacier Bay, and the Olympic Peninsula have been preserved as national parks, consider that these icons were once national monuments. President Obama recently announced the designation of three new national monuments, totaling over 1 million acres: Basin and Range in Nevada, Berryessa Snow Mountain in California, and Waco Mammoth in Texas.

Here's a look at some of our newest national monuments, as well as two places we're urging the president to protect.

Pick-a-Plug-In Quiz

Thinking of buying an electric vehicle? Although there are many great plug-in cars on the market, there is no overall best EV. The model that's best for you depends on factors such as your lifestyle, how many miles a day you drive, whether you take frequent long trips, and how much money you're prepared to spend.

Which electric vehicle is right for you?

Take a Big, Bold Bite Out of Big Rig Pollution

Freight trucks are one of the fastest-growing sources of oil use and carbon emissions in the U.S., moving 70 percent of our freight, consuming nearly 2.5 million barrels of oil per day, and producing nearly half a billion tons of carbon pollution annually. The Obama administration has proposed new standards to make sure these trucks burn less oil and emit less pollution, but stronger standards that went into effect more quickly would save businesses and consumers even more money and cut even more pollution.

Change Is in the Air in North Carolina

Spanish energy company Iberdrola and Seattle-based retail giant Amazon.com have broken ground on a new wind farm in North Carolina that is not only the first major wind farm in the state, but in the entire South. The project will provide 208 megawatts of clean energy -- enough to power 60,000 homes -- and Amazon will purchase that electricity to help meet its goal of powering its data centers entirely with renewable energy. "The wind is a cash crop to us," said a local farmer who attended the groundbreaking ceremony. "It's the best way for us to diversify."

Read more.

Sea Turtle Tour of Great Barrier Reef

Researchers in Australia strapped a GoPro onto the back of a female sea turtle to remind viewers of what might vanish if the Great Barrier Reef -- the world's largest coral reef system -- continues to deteriorate. The reef has lost half of its coral cover over the past three decades, putting nearly 6,000 species in danger.

Take the tour and take action.

Pet Poo Pocket Guide

Over 200 million dogs and cats populate the United States, and each year they produce enough waste to submerge 1,000 football fields one foot deep. Most pet owners bag and toss pet poop into the garbage, placing a big burden on the environment. That's where Rose Seemann's Pet Poo Pocket Guide comes into play. She explains how to divert cat and doggie dumps from dumpsters by using processes practiced by most organic gardeners.

Read why cultivating pet waste is more than "doo-able."

Backwoods Bonus

Nestled high in the mountains of the Tahoe National Forest, the Sierra Club's rustic Clair Tappaan Lodge is the perfect home base for year-round recreation in the Sierra Nevada, offering easy access to lakes, hiking, biking, and rock climbing. And as an added bonus, summer guests will be treated to the latest outdoor gear at Sierra magazine's 4th Annual Demo Center. Before you head out on your adventure from the lodge, check out some new gear and products such as LOWA Boots, LEKI trekking poles, Sea Eagle kayaks, Farm to Feet socks, and eco-friendly products from If You Care.

To book your weekend, visit www.clairtappaanlodge.com or call 800-679-6775.

What Do We Owe Coal Workers?

We're happy that the nation is gradually, inexorably turning away from coal, but what do we owe coal workers? Hundreds of thousands of them are losing their jobs and, as Erin Heaney, executive director of the Clean Air Coalition of Western New York, puts it: "The environmental movement has done a really crappy job addressing these issues."

Find out how labor and enviros together can bring about a just transition for coal workers and their communities.

Photo by Shawna Stanley

Phase Out the Haze-Out

Utah's national parks are a national treasure, attracting visitors from across the country and around the world. But will your next visit to Canyonlands, Bryce, Zion, or Arches National Park be ruined by polluted air and hazy skies? Coal-fired plants in central Utah churn out pollution that threatens our health, contributes to climate change, and obscures these world-class vistas. The EPA has a chance to crack down on haze pollution coming from two of the dirtiest coal power plants in Utah.

Protect the air in some of our most beautiful national parks -- send your message to the EPA today.