Conservation - Joe Morris - Sierra Singles Section, Angeles Chapter Sierra Club

Did you know? Recent complaints to the U.S. Forest Service included "Too many rocks in the mountains" and "Trails not wide enough so people can hold hands." China is now experiencing its coldest winter in 100 years. And the average American gets 41 pounds of junk mail a year.

None of these bits of information came from newspapers or TV newscasts.  Rather they all popped up in an hour of surfing on several environmental websites recently. If you tire of reading the same boring headlines and fear you may be missing some of the important stories about this planet (you are!), then try the websites below, my favorites:

betterworldshopping.com. This website ranks producers of common grocery and consumer products on five criteria: human rights (e.g., sweatshops), environment (recycling, rainforest destruction), animal protection, community involvement, and social justice (fair wages, fatalities).

You can look among hundreds of brands to see how they rate, from A (best) to F (worst) and read the reasons.    It's intriguing reading.   Some examples are: in fast food, In 'n Out Burger gets a B, but McDonald's a D- and KFC an F. Aveda collects an A for cosmetics, while Revlon receives a dismal F.

carboncounter.org. The Climate Trust, a nonprofit, allows the reader to get a quick (within 2 minutes) estimate of their greenhouse emissions each year, using data from the size of home (small, medium, or large), type of car and miles driven, and the number of hours spent flying. The average American spews about 16.6 tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere annually, more than three times the average for the average earthling. These numbers are very handy to see how you might change your lifestyle to do the most good for the planet.

climatecrisiscoalition.org. This nonprofit organization gives daily news articles from not only U.S. media but around the world about issues of global warming. I always find something striking each time I consult this site. For instance, a recent report of a speech by Bill Clinton mentioned that he warned his listeners that an initial slowdown in the economy may be necessary to fight global warming. Those still in political office are afraid to tell people this looming truth.

41pounds.org. 41 Pounds takes its name from the estimated poundage of junk mail each of us gets every 12 months.   The unwanted stuff not only clogs our mailboxes, but its production from wood contributes to global warming and produces thousands of tons of trash that fill up our waste dumps.

This organization will handle your junk mail -- no more unasked-for catalogs or credit card offers -- by contacting any company that has your address. The charge for 5 years of this service is $41, one-third of which is sent to the environmental organization of your choosing.

grist.org. Grist may be my favorite eco-website. It's both fun and enlightening to read, telling stories neglected by the mass media and spotlighting trends, often with a sense of humor. Contributors come from all over the world, and articles from many news sources are abstracted for the reader. Yesterday, for instance, it recounted a new study showing that Americans' participation in outdoor recreation (e.g., camping, visiting national parks) dropped 25% in the last 20 years.   This is important news; our lifestyles are removing us more and more from nature.

lcv.org. The League of Conservation Voters is a highly respected, independent voice for the environment. Its most well known feature is the ranking of Congressional members by their aye or nay votes on proposed environmental legislation. These are derived from the consensus of experts from 20 environmental organizations. The scores can range from 0 to 100. For instance, Obama's lifetime score is 96, Hillary's is 90, and McCain's is a low 26, despite his recent support of legislation to lower greenhouse emissions. But don't look for Schwarzenegger. LCV does not rank state or local politicians.

nativeenergy.com. The idea of paying for "carbon offsets," -- contributing to projects like wind farms and planting trees that purportedly reduce greenhouse gases -- has become a popular trend in the last five years, relieving some of our guilt for polluting the planet. The carbon-offset business is rapidly growing. Critical reports that the offset money is not doing what it was promised to do are now common. For instance, there is little evidence that planting trees does much good.

Native Energy, however, is a company to whom many environmental groups have given their blessing.   It uses a strict independent auditing process to examine its procedures. The makers of Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" offset their emissions using Native Energy. Both individuals and organizations can use Native Energy

nrdc.org. The Natural Resources Defense Council as well as the Sierra Club are probably the two most effective environmental lobbyists groups in the U.S. today.    The NRDC has been crucial in dozens of laws as well as court decisions.   NRDC differs from the Sierra Club in that it is much less a grassroots organization than a band of highly savvy lawyers and experts in public policy who know how to influence political figures. Its website gives a good synopsis of the most burning environmental issues of the moment and highlights some action issues to write about to your congressional rep.

sustainabletable.org. Sustainable Table "celebrates the sustainable food movement, educating consumers on food-related issues and working to build community through food."   Experts have said that eating less meat and buying local produce could lessen global warming as effectively as stopping driving. Cattle produce methane, a gas that has 25 times the potency of carbon dioxide for global warming. This handy site helps you to locate nearby farmers markets and has many feature articles about eating in an earth-sensitive, yet still tasty, way.

thetrailmaster.com. I saved the website that's the most fun for last, so thanks for reading this far! This is the site for the local author John McKinney, who has written those great hiking-trail guides to L.A. and Orange counties, as well as other places in California. As well as touting his books, his website has many practical features and articles, e/g., on using hiking poles, as well as funny stories. Check it out.

Browse past conservation articles here: Conservation Archives