ACrude Awakening FRIENDS EARTH - How We Can Avoid Another Gulf Tragedy - Friends of the Earth
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
OF THE
FRIENDS EARTH
www.foe.org | Volume 40, Number 2 | Summer 2010 N E W S M A G A Z I N E
A Crude
Awakening How We Can Avoid
Another Gulf Tragedy
Costing Oceans
an Arm and a Leg
page 10
A Clean Energy Future:
Available Now
page 14
PRESIDENT’S COLUMN ■
April 22, 2010:
The Beginning of the End
THREE MONTHS into the BP While the oil blow-out has
Deepwater Horizon oil disaster, BP
been a largely unmitigated
has finally capped the well and is
now testing to see if it can with- disaster for the Gulf Coast
stand the pressure building under- and its communities, the
ground until the well is permanent-
response is an important
ly plugged. While the oil blow-out
has been a largely unmitigated dis- test for the future of the
aster for the Gulf Coast and its com- planet. Will April 22, 2010
munities, the response is an impor-
tant test for the future of the plan-
become our declaration of
et. Will April 22, 2010 become our independence from dirty
declaration of independence from and dangerous fossil fuels,
dirty and dangerous fossil fuels, or
will we succumb to political inertia? or will we succumb to
Given the ever increasing threat political inertia?
and realized impacts of global
warming, our response to the
Deepwater Horizon disaster needs that members of Congress forsake Gulf, but will go a long way in end-
to be comprehensive and transfor- campaign contributions from Big ing our fossil fuel use. If the
mational. This disaster, and this Oil and donate what money they Deepwater Horizon disaster isn’t
moment, must be the catalyst for have already received to Gulf Coast convincing enough for the need to
moving the United States and the recovery and restoration. act, look north to the Canadian tar
world off of fossil fuels. What does Detoxification also involves purg- sands and the destruction that is
this entail? ing the system of subsidies and tax occurring in Alberta to extract oil.
First, our political system needs breaks for dirty fossil fuels. In July, Look to the east, across the Atlantic,
to be detoxified. The vast amount of Friends of the Earth re-launched our at the efforts of Friends of the Earth
corporate campaign cash poisoning Green Scissors campaign to elimi- Nigeria in fighting the ongoing eco-
our government must be stopped. nate wasteful and environmentally logical and human rights disaster in
This starts and ends with January’s harmful subsidies from the federal the Niger Delta caused by oil com-
Supreme Court assertion in Citizen’s budget. The campaign unites panies.
United that corporations are people, groups like Public Citizen, Let’s make April 22, 2010 the
allowed the same rights as you and Environment America and beginning of the end of our fossil
me. Friends of the Earth has joined Taxpayers for Common Sense and fuel dependence.
the Move To Amend coalition that is identifies more than $200 billion in
seeking a constitutional amend- cuts that the federal government
ment to end corporate personhood. could make right now that would
As an immediate response to the save money and protect the envi-
Deepwater Horizon spill, Friends of ronment.
the Earth launched a campaign These are just a couple of initial
effort followed by Moveon.org and steps in the effort to clean up our Erich Pica
CREDO, among others, demanding government as we clean up the President
2 Friends of the Earth Newsmagazine | Summer 2010
INTRODUCTION ■
OF THE
FRIENDS EARTH N E W S M A G A Z I N E
Crude Awakening: www.foe.org
Volume 40, Number 2
How We Can Avoid Another Gulf Tragedy Summer 2010
President’s Column . . . 2
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . 3
Behind the Scenes:
Photo credit: USCG
Severin Skolrud . . . . . . . 4
Fire boat response crews battle the blazing remnants of the off shore oil rig Deepwater Horizon
April 21, 2010. Ethanol Greenwash:
By Scott Baumgartner Not Clean, Not Green . 4
ON APRIL 22, the BP-leased Deepwater Horizon rig sank off the coast of
Louisiana, killing 11 workers. Estimates showed the amount of oil pouring into Ending Corporate
the ocean to be more than 60,000 barrels a day, far exceeding the 1989 Exxon Control in Congress . . . 6
Valdez spill. It’s unquestionably the largest environmental disaster in the history
of the United States. Earth Friends
At the time of writing, BP had reportedly capped the well. This is great news
and we hope that the cap holds and that BP is able to permanently seal the well.
Challenge Grant. . . . . . . 7
However this story is far from over, and as we continue the cleanup effort we
should be reminded that we can’t continue to consume oil and other fossil fuels as Trading Away
we have in the past without risking similar disasters. Peoples' Rights . . . . . . . . 8
Crude oil is still washing up on the Florida coast. Projections showed oil enter-
ing the Gulf Stream and traveling up the Atlantic seaboard during the summer Charitable Giving . . . . . 9
months. Pelicans soaked in crude that looked like chocolate sauce were physical
evidence of the unprecedented damage BP’s and the Department of the Interior’s
Costing Oceans
negligence caused in one of the continent’s most vibrant ecosystems.
And the stories piled up every day: BP’s inept inability to stop the oil from flow- an Arm and a Leg. . . . 10
ing for nearly three months; the devastated livelihoods of local fishermen; BP’s
refusal to stop using toxic dispersants, denial of plainly visible underwater oil Toxic Dispersants
plumes, and underestimation of the oil flow in order to avoid paying fines. If the in the Gulf. . . . . . . . . . . . 11
noxious vapors from the oil weren’t making enough people sick, the treachery and
brazen greed of BP has disgusted the rest of us. Global Solutions for a
The scenes of devastation in the Gulf of Mexico -- from the rapidly expanding
blot of oil along the coast to pictures of blackened and dying sea life -- remind Global Crisis . . . . . . . . . 12
Friends of the Earth of the images of the Santa Monica oil spill and the burning
Cuyahoga River that inspired the first Earth Day and the passage of landmark leg- A Clean Energy Future:
islation such as the Clean Water Act. It’s clear that this catastrophe needs to serve Available Now.. . . . . . . 14
as the clarion call to a new wave of environmental action: putting a price on car-
bon, getting ourselves off of oil and other fossil fuels, ramping up solar and wind The Green Ball . . . . . . . 15
energy, investing in smart transportation policy, and permanently rejecting false
energy solutions such as nuclear and biofuels.
This issue of our newsmagazine looks at how each aspect of Friends of the Cover: Aerial photo of the Deepwater
Horizon site, May 19, 2010.
Earth’s work, from international climate negotiations to transportation policy, Photo credit: David Rencher.
works to steer us away from disasters like this one. It’s all important, and we’re
Cover inset: Friends of the Earth participat-
glad to be able to share it with you.
ed in a rally in front of the White House
demanding an end to Big Oil handouts.
Photo credit: Energy Action Coalition.
Summer 2010 | Friends of the Earth Newsmagazine 3
BEHIND THE SCENES ■
Moving the Clean Energy Revolution:
An Interview with Severin
Interview by Kim Huynh People and the planet suffer while
corporate polluters’ profits skyrocket.
SEVERIN SKOLRUD is the new Europe and China provide excellent
Transportation Policy Campaigner at examples of countries investing in
Friends of the Earth. Read on to find clean, practical, energy-sensitive
out how he and Friends of the Earth transportation alternatives. Unless
are fighting for an oil-free future. we act swiftly and decisively to bring
on the clean energy revolution, we’ll
What does the BP oil be left in the dust.
catastrophe in the Gulf of
Mexico mean for What transportation
transportation policy? cars standards, increased fuel taxes, campaign is Friends of the
The oil gusher in the Gulf is a viscer- and walkable, bikeable, public tran- Earth working on now?
al reminder that we need a rapid sit-based development. We just need Currently, we are working on a
change in our transportation policy. our officials to have the political report that analyzes states’ trans-
Our transportation habits are the courage to stand up to the oil lobby portation plans against their green-
leading reason for our reliance on and enact them. house emission reduction plans (if
oil, and thus, a major part of the rea- they have any). This report, produced
son this spill occurred. Three out of Why is it so important for the with Smart Growth America and
every five barrels of oil used in the U.S. to wean itself off of oil? NRDC, will determine which states
U.S. go towards transportation. We Oil is a dirty and dangerous fossil are ready to combat the drastic
have alternative solutions, including fuel, and burning it emits pollutants effects transportation has on climate
electrification of rail, stronger clean that aggravate the climate crisis. change.
D I RT Y F U E L S ■
Ethanol Greenwash: Not Clean, Not Green
By Kate McMahon Gulf is striking.” But in reality, Research shows a strong correla-
ethanol was causing problems in the tion between the rise in corn
IT TOOK THE ETHANOL INDUSTRY a Gulf long before the oil disaster. ethanol production and the growth
mere two weeks to start chasing the The Gulf of Mexico is under of the Dead Zone. This is because
oil spill ambulance. Ethanol lobbyists severe stress due to a marine Dead corn production, which requires
hit the media and government cir- Zone. The Dead Zone appears every massive amounts of fertilizers, has
cuits to claim that ethanol is the only year when agricultural runoff from been expanding rapidly to meet
currently viable way to reduce oil the Corn Belt enters the Mississippi demands for ethanol. The Dead Zone
consumption. In an opportunistic let- River and travels down to the Gulf, has been growing year by year, and
ter to President Obama shortly after where the nitrogen-rich runoff cre- now reaches the size of
the oil spill, one ethanol lobby group, ates algae blooms. When the algae Massachusetts in the summer.
the Renewable Fuels Association, blooms die, they are eaten by bacte- In spite of this, Growth Energy,
stated “the juxtaposition of a green ria that consume nearly all of the another ethanol lobby group, plas-
American farm field and the copper- available oxygen in the water, which tered ads on TV claiming that,
toned oil slick spreading across the suffocates fish and other marine life. because “no beaches have been
4 Friends of the Earth Newsmagazine | Summer 2010
D I RT Y F U E L S ■
closed due to ETHANOL spills ing. BP has also invested in other
[ethanol is] America’s Clean Fuel.” dubious biofuels ventures: it provided
According to that faulty logic, just $500 million in funding for a partner-
because no beaches have been closed ship with the University of California,
due to coal or nuclear spills either, Berkeley to develop biofuels through
these dirty fuels are “America’s Clean synthetic biology – an emerging form
Fuels” too. Growth Energy quickly of extreme genetic engineering by
poached media attention after the which novel organisms are created.
Deepwater Horizon disaster by Unfortunately synthetic biology is far
increasing its ad spending signifi- from green. Amyris Biotechnologies (a
cantly, plastering the metro station start-up from UC Berkeley whose CEO
by the U.S. House of Representatives was a former BP executive) is about
with the same slogan. to open a biofuels plant in Brazil that
Not surprisingly, the ethanol would turn sugarcane into diesel
lobby neglected to mention the with the help of synthetic yeasts.
harmful impact ethanol spills have Genetic engineering is an unregulat-
on local watersheds and wildlife in ed and untried field with potentially
the ads and in the letter to President devastating effects if synthetic DNA
Obama. In 2006, 30,000 gallons of should escape or mutate. We have a Biofuels interns Meena Hussain, Caroline
D'Angelo and Paul-Harvey Weiner hold mock
ethanol spilled into waterways in right to be skeptical of the promises
ads in front of a Growth Energy ad in a DC
Minnesota when a train transport- made from genetic engineers. Metro station.
ing ethanol derailed. In 2008, a bio- Genetically modified corn and soy-
fuel refiner dumped waste into a beans were forced on the public with
river in Missouri and eliminated an the promise of reducing herbicide for corn, agribusiness, and dirty oil
entire population of endangered and pesticide use, but herbicide and each year.
mussels. Just last year, 75,000 gal- pesticide use has only increased. The oil spill should spur Congress
lons of ethanol spilled when a train Instead of providing clean energy, into action to support actual clean
derailed in Illinois, contaminating biofuels are simply the latest scheme energy, rather than continue to bow
soil and ground water and resulting by dirty fuel interests to glean tax- to dirty fuels that claim to be clean.
in the largest fish kill in Illinois histo- payer dollars out of Washington. We hope you will stick the ethanol
ry. Unlike the oil plaguing the Gulf, What the ethanol lobby also didn’t sticker included in this magazine on
ethanol spills cannot be cleaned up. mention in its ads or letter to your car, bike or water bottle, and
Pollution isn’t the only problem with President Obama is that more than help us stop dirty fuel industries
this dirty fuel. Ethanol plants use $5 billion dollars in tax credits goes from tricking elected officials into
four gallons of water to produce to the oil industry each year for obey- supporting dirty dead ends.
each gallon of ethanol. And that fig- ing federal purchasing mandates for
ure doesn’t include the copious ethanol. Dirty ethanol simply funnels Thanks to Angellah Petruso of San Pedro,
amount of water needed to irrigate money to the dirty oil industry. In California for the winning bumper sticker slo-
ethanol crops. fact, the ethanol lobby has been gan. Thanks also to Ryan Polich for volunteer-
ing his artistic skills in designing the bumper
The sad part of this story is that spending millions of dollars to lobby
sticker. Ryan is a graphic designer and illustra-
the ethanol industry and the oil Congress to extend the ethanol tax
tor who lives in Seattle with his wife, who is
industry, separately claiming to pro- credit for the oil companies. The loud also a graphic designer. Friends of the Earth
vide salvation for the energy-hungry corn ethanol lobby is why federal was introduced to him by his ever-informed
masses, are often one and the same. handouts for corn ethanol represent parents, and he hopes to continue being a
Despite the friendly green logo, BP is 76 percent of the subsidies for the friend of the earth in any way he can. You can
investing intensely in biofuels from entire renewable energy sector, see Ryan’s portfolio at
sugarcane, which involves massive including cleaner options such as http://www.behance.net/RyanPolich and contact
deforestation and ecosystem destruc- wind and solar. These numbers are of him at swdesignco@gmail.com.
tion in the Amazon and surrounding course, in addition to the billions of
areas and aggravates global warm- taxpayer dollars that are handed out
Summer 2010 | Friends of the Earth Newsmagazine 5
U . S . C L I M AT E L E G I S L AT I O N ■
Ending Corporate Control in Congress
gasbord of concessions to corporate
polluters. It would strait-jacket parts Help Clean Up Our Politics
of the Clean Air Act. And it provides Go to www.foe.org/bp-ten to see
incentives for states to surrender who’s taken the most BP
more of their coastlines to oil rigs. money and take action to get
The result is a bill ridden with loop- oil money out of Washington.
holes that would enable business-as-
usual pollution to continue for way To call the Washington, D.C.
By Kelly Trout too long and delay the transition to an offices of your members of
economy powered by clean energy. Congress, dial the Capitol
CATASTROPHES like the drilling dis- One good that could emerge from Switchboard at (202) 224-3121.
aster in the Gulf of Mexico don’t the oil disaster in the Gulf is moti-
have to happen. We have a surplus vating more members of the public
of existing solutions that can propel to get engaged and demand solu- Ultimately, our best long-term bet
us toward an oil-free and climate- tions that protect people and the for achieving comprehensive solutions
secure future. planet – not polluters. to the climate crisis is breaking the
Because the federal government There are hopeful signs emerging. stranglehold corporations have been
has a vital role to play in catalyzing On June 10, a majority of senators tightening around our democracy.
this transformation, Friends of the voted down a resolution spearhead- Friends of the Earth is taking cor-
Earth continues to push Congress to ed by Senator Lisa Murkowski (R- porate polluter influence head-on
pass comprehensive climate and Alaska) and polluter lobbyists that with a new campaign urging mem-
clean energy legislation. would have eviscerated the Clean Air bers of Congress to wipe their cam-
Unfortunately, the latest proposal, Act as a tool to cut climate pollution. paign accounts clean of the cash
the American Power Act, more close- This was a victory achieved in large they’ve taken from Big Oil and
ly resembles a polluter wish list. part by citizens across the country— donate it to the Gulf Coast Fund.
Introduced by Senators John Kerry including more than 30,000 Friends You can help by calling on your
(D-Mass.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) of the Earth members and representative and senators in
in the wake of the April 20 oil rig activists—who mobilized to protect Congress to give up their dirty oil
explosion, the bill includes a smor- this landmark legislation. contributions.
EARTH SHARE ■
Giving Through Your Workplace
GIVING through your workplace is a to provide opportunities to care for
great way to support Friends of the our planet through workplace giving.
Earth’s advocacy for the planet and For more information or to find
all the life it supports. out if Earth Share participates at
If your employer participates in your workplace, visit
the federal government’s Combined www.earthshare.org. Friends of the
Federal Campaign (CFC #12067), Another great way to give is Earth’s CFC designation number is
United Way, or other workplace giv- through Earth Share, a nationwide 12067. For other questions, contact
ing campaigns, you can support network of leading environmental our membership department at
Friends of the Earth through an organizations that works to educate (866) 217-8499, ext. 212, or
automatic payroll deduction. the public about the environment and pstocker@foe.org.
6 Friends of the Earth Newsmagazine | Summer 2010
CONSERVATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT
DESERVE MORE THAN 2%*
Earth Friends Conservation Fund is supporting our goal to
raise $150,000 with a generous Challenge Grant!
The Gulf of Mexico oil spill is the wake-up call that we MUST heed if we want to protect people and wildlife
from devastating oil spills and fight the menace of Global Warming. Together we can get America off oil and
move our country to a clean energy future.
Send your contribution in today to help Friends of the Earth reach the Earth Friends challenge goal!
*Conservation and the environment receive 2% of America’s philanthropic dollars. Most people think it deserves more. Source - Giving USA 2008 Report
TRADE POLICY ■ Trading Away Peoples’ Rights By Kate Horner FOR OVER A DECADE, Friends of the Earth has been fighting against lit- tle known provisions in our trade agreements that grant broad privi- leges to multinational corporations and put profits ahead of the public interest. These trade policies allow companies to sue governments for adopting health or environmental laws that may reduce their current or future profits. Unfortunately, our worst night- mares have just come true for our friends and allies in El Salvador, which is facing a lawsuit under the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). Pacific Rim Mining Corp., a Canadian-based multinational firm, wants to establish the El Dorado project, a massive gold mine in El Salvador. El Salvador is a small, Miguel Rivera, who is campaigning against the mine, speaks at a press briefing in DC. densely populated country the size of Massachusetts, and is one of the environment and people, leaching the health and environmental impli- poorest in the Western hemisphere. cyanide into local water supplies, cations of mining at a new high, The country has precariously few contaminating nearby environ- Pacific Rim never completed the fea- water resources; it has lost 20 per- ments with toxins, and sickening sibility study necessary to obtain an cent of its surface water in the past local communities – who remain in operating permit for the El Dorado 20 years, and 95 percent of the poverty despite the wealth generat- project. remaining water is reportedly con- ed by mining. In December 2007, a subsidiary of taminated. With gold prices soaring, mining the firm reincorporated in Nevada Pacific Rim’s mine would use companies have filed dozens of per- under the name Pac Rim Cayman cyanide to process ore in the basin mits for new mines in El Salvador, LLC. The new U.S. subsidiary then of El Salvador’s largest river, the Rio prompting a vigorous national sent a letter to the Salvadoran gov- Lempa, which provides water to debate about the role of mining in ernment threatening to sue them more than two million residents of the country. The government con- under CAFTA. In July 2008, the firm San Salvador, the country’s capital vened a commission to review min- ceased exploratory drilling at El city. Gold mining is notoriously hard ing policy, and communities in Dorado. But by the end of the year, it on water resources and the pro- northern El Salvador that would be formally launched a CAFTA claim for posed El Dorado mine would con- impacted by gold mining have hundreds of millions in compensa- sume around 100 liters of water per strongly voiced their opposition to tion for their “wasted” investment second and use more than two tons expanded mining. Their concerns and “lost” future profits as a result of cyanide per day. In other parts of have been echoed by prominent reli- of El Salvador’s mining safety policy. Central America gold mining has gious and human rights organiza- The first hearings on this case exacted a harsh toll on both the tions. With public opposition over began on May 31 in Washington, DC. 8 Friends of the Earth Newsmagazine | Summer 2010
TRADE POLICY ■
In the run-up to this hearing the environment and for their com- money, or into freezing adoption of
(which was procedural in nature), munity. Tragically, Miguel’s brother new environmental standards. In
Friends of the Earth hosted and Marcelo, another prominent anti- tandem with our friends and col-
organized a U.S. advocacy tour for mining activist, was assassinated in leagues in the labor, religious, and
Miguel Rivera, the founder of ASIC 2008. agriculture communities, we are
(Association of Friends of San Isidro By early August, the tribunal is committed to passing comprehen-
Cabañas), and Vidalina Morales de expected to either dismiss the case sive trade reform legislation.
Gámez, from the National Coalition or allow hearings on jurisdiction Encouragingly, half of the House
Against Metallic Mining. Rivera and and standing to proceed. Regardless Democratic caucus is a co-sponsor
Morales are community representa- of the outcome, Friends of the Earth of The Trade, Reform, Accountability,
tives fighting the case and they remains committed to reforming Democracy and Employment Act
shared their experiences with the trade policy so that companies can (TRADE), a progressive bill that
U.S. media and Congress. Every day, no longer use the threat of interna- would fix the investor-state lawsuit
these activists demonstrate remark- tional suits to intimidate countries provisions and other problems in
able personal bravery to fight for into settling for large sums of our trade agreements.
PLANNED GIVING ■
Planting Seeds For The Future
CHARITABLE GIFTS included as part that are simple to carry out and can
of your long-range estate and finan- even provide income, tax benefits,
cial planning can be a wonderful and peace of mind that you are
way to provide lasting support for championing a healthy earth for
Friends of the Earth. It can be possi- future generations.
ble to make a real difference while For more information at no obli-
minimizing taxes and settlement gation please contact us at
costs and conserving more of your 1-866-217-8499, x-212 or
estate for loved ones. cfrench@foe.org.
Estate gifts can be funded with
The purpose of this ad is to provide general informa-
cash, securities, real estate, or other tion about estate planning. It is not intended as
property. There are many ways to legal, accounting, or other professional advice.
©MMIX RFSCO, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
leave your legacy – through gifts
✃
For More Information:
■ I’d like to learn more about including Friends of the Earth in my estate plans.
■ I have already included Friends of the Earth in my estate plans.
Name: __________________________________________________________________________________________________
Address: ________________________________________________________________________________________________
City, State, Zip: ______________________________________________________________________________________________
Phone (optional): ________________________________ Email (optional): __________________________________________
Summer 2010 | Friends of the Earth Newsmagazine 9
CLEAN VESSELS ■
Costing Oceans an Arm and a Leg
Photo credit: Sean Flynn
A group of concerned citizens joined hands against oil drilling off Florida's coast as a part of the national campaign Hands Across the Sand, created
by David Rauschkolb of Seaside, FL.
By Neesha Kulkarni in it, we’ve been polluting it, we’ve American Emission Control Area
been destroying it for decades, and where all vessels, including cruise
EVEN BEFORE the Deepwater Horizon we’re essentially maiming ourselves… ships, will have to burn cleaner fuel
disaster, our oceans were under It’s not a question of whether the within 200 nautical miles of the U.S.
assault. Oceans are the source of more oceans can take anymore. The ocean and Canadian coastlines. We are also
than half of the air we breathe and yet can’t take any more. They couldn’t working with Congress to establish
they are under constant threat from take any more fifty years ago. The stronger standards for cruise ship dis-
garbage dumped onshore and at sea, question is, ‘when are we going to charges in U.S. waters. In May, Friends
agricultural and municipal runoff, stop?” The ocean provides the air we of the Earth issued its second annual
sewer overflows, oil spills, chemical breathe, food we eat, and is a source Cruise Ship Report Card that grades
dumping and ship pollution. And now of fun and solace and it is fighting for cruise ships based on their sewage
they face the rising specters of ocean its life. discharges and air emissions
acidification and climate change. One of the hidden polluters of our (http://www.foe.org/cruisereportcard). The
Every year, new species of fish are oceans and our air are cruise ships. report card helps consumers choose
added to lists of contaminated These giant floating cities visit pris- cruises that are less polluting to our
seafood, more beaches are closed due tine locations, all the while dumping oceans and to our air. Like the oil pol-
to fecal bacteria contamination, and sewage, polluted gray water, and oily luting Gulf waters, cruise ship dis-
more animals die from ingesting plas- bilge water into our oceans and burn- charges affect marine life, human
tic. It is no wonder that when BP’s CEO ing dirty bunker fuel, which releases health, and people who make their
Tony Hayward dismissed the amount toxins like nitrogen oxide, sulfur diox- living off the ocean.
of oil spewing into the Gulf of Mexico ide, and particulate matter into the It is time to stop treating our
as a small matter in a big ocean and air. The pollution from cruise ships oceans like a garbage can and an
when others say that the ocean can dumped into the water can be harm- open sewer. Just as we can make bet-
handle it, those assertions are met ful to marine life and human health. ter choices about our oil consump-
with disbelief and outrage. The toxins released into the air can tion and support strong legislation to
Philippe Cousteau, Jr. probably cause asthma and other respiratory help end our addiction to oil, we can
summed it up best when he said, “I illnesses as well as heart problems. help our oceans and ourselves by
could cut my leg off, I could cut my Friends of the Earth has been fight- making better vacation choices and
arm off, I could gouge my eye out, I’d ing on multiple fronts to put an end supporting legislation to eliminate
still probably survive, but not very to the dumping practices of cruise and reduce air and water pollution
well, and that’s what we’re doing to ships, as well as to the dirty fuel they from cruise ships.
the ocean. It’s the life support system use. We fought for, and helped
of this planet. We’ve been dumping achieve, the creation of a North
10 Friends of the Earth Newsmagazine | Summer 2010EMERGING TECHNOLOGY ■
Toxic Dispersants in the Gulf
By Scott Baumgartner and been shown to cause severe harm to Corexit’s has finally been revealed).
Ian Illuminato aquatic life. They’ve also exhibited Confidential business information
complex toxicity when they interact should never trump public health
SINCE THE EXPLOSION of Deepwater with the human body. Additionally, concerns. The motives of global busi-
Horizon, BP has been using disper- manufactured nanomaterials can ness and our economies should be of
sants as part of the cleanup efforts. quickly bond to other toxic chemi- service to public health and the
But there are several problems with cals, and possibly Corexit, which health of our planet. Businesses
these chemicals. For one, they don’t increases overall toxicity. should not be solely motivated to
actually clean up the oil. Instead, Nanomaterials or no nanomateri- make a profit through secrecy, which
they break the oil down into tiny als, one thing is clear. Dumping inherently puts our well-being at
particles that sink below the surface untested toxic particles into the risk.
of the water. And though not much water, especially in unprecedented The oil spill that took place in the
scientific research has been done on quantities, is a dangerous game in Gulf of Mexico is a tragedy shared by
dispersants, the research that has which the risks outweigh the bene- everyone on this planet. If we allow
been done points to the conclusion fits. BP to dump even more toxins into
that dispersants are toxic. We do not even know the full the already battered Gulf, what
By using more than one million nature of these nanomaterials, would it say about us? For-profit
gallons of dispersant so far, BP has because this information is consid- companies should not be allowed to
treated the Gulf of Mexico as its own ered a trade secret by their manufac- compromise our and the planet’s
special science experiment. Among turer. Dispersants, on the whole, well-being just so they can boost
the dispersants the Environmental have closely guarded recipes (though their bottom lines.
Protection Agency (EPA) considers to
be toxic is Corexit, which is the one
being used by BP.
When the EPA told BP that the
company had to stop using Corexit
and find a better alternative, BP
refused. But some alternatives the
EPA has in mind might not be any
better for the environment. One
such dispersant is made by Green
Earth Technologies, and contains
manufactured nanomaterials.
Friends of the Earth and coalition
members have sent a letter to EPA
Photo credit: U.S. Air Force/Wikimedia Commons
Administrator Lisa Jackson opposing
the use of this dispersant and asking
that it not be approved.
Manufactured nanomaterials
pose serious health concerns. Many
of them are known to be toxic for
reasons that regulators and scien-
tists do not fully understand. What
we do know is that various manu-
factured nanomaterials have already
An Air Force Reserve plane drops an oil-dispersing chemical into the Gulf of Mexico May 5, 2010,
as part of the Deepwater Horizon response effort.
Summer 2010 | Friends of the Earth Newsmagazine 11C L I M AT E N E G O T I AT I O N S ■
Global Solutions for a Global Crisis
Erich Pica denounces BP’s crimes against the Gulf at a citizen’s arrest rally in DC.
By Kim Huynh Climate Change and the Rights of The vision and energy from
Mother Earth from April 20-22. Not Cochabamba coupled with the grow-
THIS YEAR'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY of even a burgeoning Icelandic volcano ing demand for a strong, clean ener-
Earth Day in the U.S. was fraught could stem the droves convening en gy revolution in the U.S. in the wake
with mounting shock and horror at masse in Cochabamba to develop of the BP oil disaster should provide
the BP catastrophe that precipitated grassroots solutions to the global cli- new momentum for international
the deaths of 11 rig workers and that mate crisis. climate negotiations culminating in
continues to hemorrhage oil into the Through an alternative frame- Cancun this November.
Gulf of Mexico with no end in sight. work to the Copenhagen negotia- Fortunately, the only thing
Yet in the midst of the disaster, hope tions that ended in resounding fail- spreading faster than the oil gusher
sprung from a normally sleepy town ure last December, the People’s is public outrage. In early June as the
nestled thousands of miles away in Conference brought to the table the first major U.N. Framework
the Andes. notion that equity is the only way to Convention on Climate Change
In Cochabamba, Bolivia, more break the climate stalemate negotiating session since
than 35,000 participants from 150 between the Global North and South Copenhagen was taking place in
countries around the world – rang- and make progress toward a strong Bonn, Germany, Friends of the Earth
ing from environmental justice and just climate treaty. It is the first joined Public Citizen, Greenpeace,
groups to indigenous rights organi- inclusive climate summit that truly Chesapeake Climate Action Network,
zations to governmental representa- addressed the role of civil society and other allies to stage a citizen’s
tives, United Nations officials, and and that respected the power and arrest at BP’s headquarters in down-
heads of state – converged for the knowledge of autonomous peoples' town Washington, DC.
World People's Conference on movements.
12 Friends of the Earth Newsmagazine | Summer 2010C L I M AT E N E G O T I AT I O N S ■
The charges against BP? High stranglehold corporate polluters drenched shores right now, it should
crimes and misdemeanors against have on our democracy and our cli- be this: stand up to greedy multina-
the Gulf Coast and its communities. mate. The Obama administration tional corporations whose practices
BP has the worst safety and environ- should take heed of the widespread have time and again jeopardized the
mental record of any oil company public outcry emanating from this lives and livelihoods of the world’s
operating in the U.S. and made $14 historical moment. people and put your political capital
billion in profits in 2009 alone. As If President Obama hears one behind a strong and just interna-
crude oil oozes unabated into the message from the Gulf’s oil tional climate treaty.
Gulf of Mexico, valuable marine
ecosystems are destroyed along with
the local economies that depend on
them.
What’s worse, Big Oil’s criminal
negligence isn’t unique. The devasta-
tion wrought by oil companies glob-
ally is a daily catastrophe. Nnimmo
Bassey, the Nigerian head of Friends
of the Earth International recently
told The Guardian, “In Nigeria, oil
companies largely ignore their spills,
cover them up and destroy people's
livelihood and environments. The
Gulf spill can be seen as a metaphor
for what is happening daily in the
oilfields of Nigeria and other parts of
Africa.”
Last December, President Obama
accepted a Nobel Prize for his "con-
structive role in meeting the great
climatic challenges the world is con-
fronting.” He characterized the Prize
as “as an affirmation of American WHILE THE IMAGES OF OIL-SOAKED PELICANS in the Gulf are truly heart-
leadership on behalf of aspirations breaking, countries around the world have been living with the night-
held by people in all nations.” Yet in mare of oil extraction for decades. The Niger Delta in particular has been
Copenhagen, President Obama grievously harmed by multinational oil corporations and corrupt local
squandered an historic opportunity governments. Oil spills, gas flaring (when the excess gas from the
to embody this necessary leadership extracted oil is burned off, creating toxic flames) and groundwater pol-
in the fight against the climate cri- lution are just some of the impacts the Niger Delta has dealt with for
sis. the past 50 years.
Unfortunately, the Obama admin- In the summer of 2009, Friends of the Earth U.S. joined with allied
istration’s lackluster attitude in the groups to fight a campaign against the multinational oil company, Shell.
lead-up to Copenhagen eerily Shell stood trial in U.S. federal court to answer charges that it conspired
reflects its response to the oil gush- in horrific human rights abuses in Nigeria in the 1990s. We used this
er: sluggish and hands-off. Stopping trial to highlight not only Shell’s involvement in the death of eight
the spill of oil into the Gulf and stop- Nigerian activists, including poet-activist Ken Saro-Wiwa, but its contin-
ping the spill of carbon into our ued gas flaring and neglect. The pressure generated from Friends of the
atmosphere are inextricably inter- Earth caused Shell to settle out of court – resulting in Shell paying $15.5
twined. million in reparations to the Ogoni people in Nigeria.
From New Orleans to Lagos, glob- For more information visit www.shellguilty.com.
al citizens are mobilizing to end the
Summer 2010 | Friends of the Earth Newsmagazine 13A LT E R N AT I V E S T O O I L ■
A Clean Energy Future: Available Now
the-scenes) promotes sustainable
transportation initiatives and smart
growth planning to reduce
America’s reliance on cars. Getting
off dirty fuels is possible right now
with low-tech solutions like walking,
biking and smart growth planning.
If less than three percent of the U.S.
population commuted by bike three
times a week or switched to public
transportation, we could reduce
gasoline use by more than 7.5 mil-
lion gallons a day. Severin is also pro-
moting a gasoline tax that would
In April we joined a protest in front of the World Bank building asking it to reject a $3.75 billion have a greater positive impact than
loan for a South African coal plant. the Corporate Average Fuel Economy
standards (put in place to improve
By Caroline D’Angelo through solar energy. Sara Schedler, fuel economy of cars and light-
Friends of the Earth’s Clean Cars weight trucks) in reducing overall
THE ONGOING OIL DISASTER has Program Associate, heads a regional gasoline consumption.
spurred debate on how to transition initiative in California to build and Friends of the Earth is cleaning up
away from fossil fuels. Yet it’s a dis- promote solar fueling stations for dirty energy policy as well. Alex
cussion that largely glosses over a plug-in electric vehicles. This tech- Moore, Dirty Fuels Campaigner, was
crucial point– drilling for more oil is nology is tried and true and avail- instrumental in axing handouts to
unnecessary. Even the most opti- able immediately. Electric vehicles extremely dirty liquid and refined
mistic estimates for offshore drilling are in production and will be on the coal in the tax extenders bill now
in America account for less than market by next year. By installing being debated. Friends of the Earth
three years of the U.S.’ energy needs. and using solar fueling stations we is also currently involved in legisla-
Expanded drilling – which the Kerry- can wean ourselves off of dirty liquid tion to block the expansion of
Lieberman bill calls for – is a waste- fuels like oil and biofuels and create nuclear power and dirty biofuels.
ful and dangerous pursuit of more near-zero emissions driving. To aid In direct response to the oil spill,
profits for oil companies, not a municipalities around the nation in we aired a TV ad promoting clean
necessity. There are clean energy and navigating tax credits and practical energy and in May delivered a citi-
transportation alternatives available matters in building solar fueling sta- zen’s arrest to BP headquarters for
now that can wean us off of our oil tions, Friends of the Earth released a the company’s criminal negligence
addiction. report, a cost calculator and fact in the Gulf. We’ve compiled our
One tactic Friends of the Earth sheets, all available online at media responses to the Deepwater
has employed to clean up America’s http://foe.org/transportation/clean-cars- Horizon disaster, along with fact
act is to take aim at the nearly two- campaign. Our push for plug-in vehi- sheets that provide a roadmap to
thirds of the U.S. oil supply that’s cles was given a boost last year moving beyond fossil fuels at
hijacked by the transportation sec- when President Obama’s stimulus http://www.foe.org/gulf-oil-spill, and as
tor. Our goal to lessen California’s package included $10 billion in fund- part of our effort to increase aware-
vehicle greenhouse gas emissions by ing for plug-in cars. ness, individual Friends of the Earth
tightening regulations and promot- Severin Skolrud, Federal campaigns are now on Facebook and
ing plug-in vehicles complements Transportation Policy Campaigner Twitter – follow or friend us to join
our work promoting zero-emissions (see an interview with Severin in this the conversation and fight for clean
fuel options available for cars issue or online at www.foe.org/behind- energy.
14 Friends of the Earth Newsmagazine | Summer 2010EVENTS ■
Green Ball, Great Event
Photo credit: Drew Altizer Photography
THIS MAY we held our annual Green
Ball, and once again it was truly a
smashing success. The sold-out
event was hosted by the incompara-
ble Jayni and Chevy Chase, Robin
Williams made a hilarious surprise
appearance, and television journalist
Doug McConnell presented awards
to our inspirational honorees Zem
Joaquin, Tom Hormel, and youth
award winner Aitan Grossman.
We want to thank our generous Chevy Chase, Robin Williams, Aitan Grossman and Erich Pica.
sponsors for making this event pos-
Friends of the Earth Fork & Spoon Productions
sible, Moonalice for the fabulous
As You Sow Frey Vineyards
music, and all of our guests for mak- Greenopia
Autodesk
ing it such a memorable night. Hotel Vitale
Jeff Glueck and Amy Ziff
This event brings in crucial sup- Jim and Linda Kuhns Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort
port for our work to enact meaning- Jim and Christina Pettigrew
ful climate legislation, protect our Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health
Sustainability Supporters
air and oceans from corporate pol- Lila B. Design
Better Place
luters like BP, and safeguard against Lorraine Grace
Susan and Trent Carmichael
Mavericks Surf Ventures, Inc
untested and potentially dangerous Tom and Lane Driscoll
North Coast Brewing Company
toxins in food and personal care The Fred Gellert Family Foundation
OCSC Sailing
products. Photos from the event can Marion Hunt
Oliveyah Fitness
be viewed at http://www.drewaltizer.com/ Shirley Loube
Orchard Garden Hotel
event.php?event_id=1587. Nutiva
Organic Mechanics
Laura Wais Underwater Imaging
Peeled Snacks
Presenting Sponsor Revolution Foods
Russell Long Auction and In-Kind Sponsors SF GreenClean
Bardessono Soulstice Spa
Burg Designs Stowe Mountain Lodge
Supporting Sponsors Blue Ice Organic Vodka
Linda S. Gordon The Green Garmento
Blueprint Studios Three Twins Ice Cream
Katz Family Foundation
Brewery Gulch Inn U.S. Pure Water Corp.
Pohaku Fund
David Levinger Monumental Artistry Zindagi Salon
Marcia Rodgers and Garrett Loube
Eco Optics
Epi Center MedSpa
Esalen Institute
Summer 2010 | Friends of the Earth Newsmagazine 15PERIODICALS
POSTAGE PAID AT
WASHINGTON, DC
AND ADDITIONAL
Summer 2010 | Volume 40, Number 2 MAILING OFFICES
1100 15th St NW, 11th Floor
Washington, DC 20005
Friends of the Earth (ISSN: 1054-1829) is published quarterly by Friends of the Earth, 1100 15th St NW, 11th Floor, Washington, DC 20005, phone
202-783-7400, fax 202-783-0444, e-mail: foe@foe.org, website: www.foe.org. Annual membership dues are $25, which include a subscription to
Friends of the Earth. The words “Friends of the Earth” and the FoE logo are exclusive trademarks of Friends of the Earth, all rights reserved.
Requests to reprint articles should be submitted to Lisa Matthes at lmatthes@foe.org. Periodicals postage paid at Washington, DC.
Our Mission: Friends of the Earth defends the environment and champions a healthy and just world.
Board of Directors Interns Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary,
Arlie Schardt, Chair; Clarence Ditlow, Vice Chair; Marion Scott Baumgartner, Communications Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liberia, Lithuania,
Edey, Secretary; David Zwick, Treasurer; Jayni Chase; Caroline D’Angelo, Biofuels Communications Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta,
Harriett Crosby; Dan Gabel; Jeffrey Glueck; Michael Herz; Kara Fedors, Clean Cars Campaign Mauritius, Mexico, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, New
Russell Long; Patricia Matthews; Avis Ogilvy Moore; Doria Christian Freymeyer, Dirty Fuels Campaign Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Palestine, Papua New Guinea,
Steedman; Rick Taketa; Peyton West. Meena Hussain, Biofuels Research and Advocacy Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Scotland, Sierra Leone,
Kim Huynh, Communications Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Brent Blackwelder, Former President and Special Advisor Angela Nicholas, Stanback Oceans and Vessels Project Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Timor Leste,
Connie Siegenthaler, Development Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine, United States, Uruguay.
Staff Publications Staff Affiliates
Erich Pica, President Lisa Matthes, Editor Africa: Earthlife Africa; Australia: Mineral Policy Institute;
Nick Berning, Director of Public Advocacy and Design by JML Design Australia: Rainforest Information Centre; Brazil: Amigos
Communications da Terra Amazonia - Amazônia Brasileira; Brazil: Grupo de
Michelle Chan, Coordinator, Economic Policy Project Consultants/Advisors Trabalho Amazonico; Canada: Blue Planet Project; Czech
Tom Clements, Southeastern Nuclear Campaign Robert Alvarez Republic: CEE Bankwatch; Japan: Peace Boat; Middle East:
Coordinator Jim Corbett Friends of the Earth Middle East; Netherlands: Action for
Rebecca Connors, Internet Outreach Manager Fred Felleman Solidarity, Equality, Environment and Development
Will Driscoll, Foundations Director John W. Jensen Europe; Netherlands: Stichting De Noordzee (North Sea
Caely French, Development Associate Dorothee Krahn Foundation); Netherlands: Corporate Europe Observatory;
Danielle Fugere, Legal Director and California Cori Traub Netherlands: WISE Europe; United States: Corpwatch;
Government Affairs David Weinman United States: International Rivers Network; United
David Hirsch, Managing Director James Winebrake States: Rainforest Action Network
Eric Hoffman, Genetic Technology Policy Campaigner
Kate Horner, Trade and Forests Policy Analyst Member Groups
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Friends of the Earth is printed with soy ink
Ian Illuminato, Health and Environment Campaigner on 100% recycled paper, 100% post-consumer
John Kaltenstein, California Clean Vessels Campaigner Belgium, Belgium (Flanders & Brussels),
Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, content. Bleached without chlorine.
Marcie Keever, Coordinator, Oceans and Vessels Project
Neesha Kulkarni, Legislative Associate/Marine Program Friends of Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Curacao,
the Earth Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador,
Lisa Matthes, Publications Manager International UNION
Adina Matisoff, China Banks Campaigner England-Wales, Northern Ireland, Estonia,
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, BUG
Kate McMahon, Energy Policy Campaigner
Alex Moore, Dirty Fuels Campaigner
Karen Orenstein, International Finance Campaigner
Dan Riedel, Manager of Information Technology EarthShare giving campaigns allow you to designate a donation to
Sara Schedler, Plug-in Hybrid Campaigner
Friends of the Earth. Federal employees can donate through the
Ben Schreiber, Tax Analyst
Severin Skolrud, Transportation Policy Campaigner Combined Federal Campaign by marking #12067 on their pledge forms.
Peter Stocker, Donor Services Manager To set up an EarthShare campaign at your workplace, contact Peter
Kelly Trout, Communications Associate Stocker at 866-217-8499, ext. 216 or pstocker@foe.org.
A copy of the latest Financial Report and Registration filed by this organization may be obtained by contacting us at Friends of the Earth, 1717 Massachusetts Ave. NW Suite 600, Washington DC 20036-2008. Toll-free number:
877-843-8687. Or, for residents of the following states, by contacting any of the state agencies: CALIFORNIA – A copy of the Official Financial Statement may be obtained from the Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts,
Department of Justice, P.O. Box 903447, Sacramento, CA 94203-4470 or by calling 916-445-2021. FLORIDA - A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVI-
SION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE, WITHIN THE STATE, 1-800-435-7352. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. Florida registra-
tion # CH960. KANSAS Annual financial report is filed with Secretary of State #258-204-7. MARYLAND For the cost of copies and postage: Office of the Secretary of State, State House, Annapolis, MD 21401. MICHIGAN
MICS 10926. MISSISSIPPI – The official registration and financial information of Friends of the Earth, Inc. may be obtained from the Mississippi Secretary of State’s office by calling 1-888-236-6167. Registration by the Secretary
of State does not imply endorsement by the Secretary of State. NEW JERSEY INFORMATION FILED WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL CONCERNING THIS CHARITABLE SOLICITATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE ATTOR-
NEY GENERAL OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY BY CALLING 973-504-6215. REGISTRATION WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT. NEW YORK Office of the Attorney General, Department of
Law, Charities Bureau, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271. NORTH CAROLINA FINANCIAL INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ORGANIZATION AND A COPY OF ITS LICENSE ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE STATE SOLICITATION
LICENSING BRANCH AT 1-888-830-4989. THE LICENSE IS NOT AN ENDORSEMENT BY THE STATE. PENNSYLVANIA – The official registration and financial information of Friends of the Earth may be obtained from
Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll-free within the state 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement. UTAH – Permit #C495. VIRGINIA State Division of Consumer Affairs, Department of Agriculture
and Consumer Services, P.O. Box 1163, Richmond, VA 23218; 1-800-552-9963. WASHINGTON - Charities Division, Office of the Secretary of the State, State of Washington, Olympia, WA 98504-0422; 1-800-332-4483. WEST
VIRGINIA West Virginia residents may obtain a summary of the registration and financial documents from the Secretary of State, State Capitol, Charleston, WV 25305. Registration does not imply endorsement.You can also read
