Activism

"Environmental groups filed two new major lawsuits Thursday, aimed at forcing the coal industry to stop violations of water-quality limits for toxic selenium."

"For 16 months, they have protested mountaintop mining. Now the coal giant is pursuing court injunctions, and the demonstrators are facing more severe punishments for their civil disobedience."

The Nature Conservancy, scrambling to shield oyster beds from the Gulf Oil Spill, faces a PR backlash as a result of its partnership with oil giant BP to help fund its work.

"Utah State Representative Chris Herrod has gotten a lot of attention since his bill to explore seizing federal land through eminent domain became law last month. Colleagues in other Western legislatures have called seeking tips on replicating his success in their states. And the law was a topic of discussion this week when U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar paid a visit to Salt Lake City."

"Last weekend, at the Urban Assembly for Green Careers High School in Manhattan, around 200 youth shared stories of how environmental degradation has disproportionately impacted their neighborhoods and their generation."

"Tens of thousands of people gathered Sunday on the National Mall in Washington to observe the 40th anniversary of Earth Day and to urge Congress to pass climate and energy legislation."

"Pollution before the first Earth Day was not only visible, it was in your face: Cleveland’s Cuyahoga River caught fire. ... The challenges to the planet today are largely invisible -- and therefore tougher to tackle."

The Discovery Channel plans to air a series about former GOP VP candidate Sarah Palin and the natural resources of Alaska. Now Friends of the Earth is urging people to protest the half-term governor's policy allowing the shooting of wolves from airplanes -- by sending in haiku.