With the completion of I-540 westward, NC will likely get its first toll road, in large part due to the lobbying force of the NC Turnpike Authority – a division of the NC Department of Transportation (NC DOT). It seems that the “good roads state” continues to be committed to building new roads, even in the face of skyrocketing construction (see #4 here) and fuel costs (over $4/gallon).

To get our first toll road, it will take an act of the NC Legislature (because toll roads, contrary to what you might assume, don’t pay for themselves). And, last week the NC House gave the green light for funding of the construction of a new six-lane toll road: the Triangle Expressway. In the face of a budget crunch, you might ask yourself ‘where are they going to get this money?’ In short, the House has proposed transferring $25 million from the General Fund to the NC Turnpike Authority, so it can quickly build the Triangle Expressway. In recent years, this $25 million has funded education, crime prevention, human services, and more. In the face of rising transportation and fuel costs, this appropriated money will still not cover the costs of building this toll road. Compile this fact with the new knowledge that data used to base cost estimates for the Triangle Expressway are out-of-date, and you inevitably create a black (pot) hole for taxpayer dollars.

While many have been frustrated by how I-540 dead-ends (including those of us who vow to stay inside the beltline), one has to wonder if it makes sense for the completion of this loop to be made into a toll road. And, does it make sense for NC to continue funneling money into new road projects, rather then maintaining the current infrastructure we have? Especially in light of the recurring problems and criticism the DOT has faced.

For all of the problems toll roads (and new roads in general) bring, it seems like a good idea for North Carolina leaders to take some time to think about how we can continue to travel sustainably, without wasting tax payer money and killing our small towns. 

First it was the proposed Cliffside power plant:
Gubernatorial Candidate, Richard Moore, came out first saying that the Cliffside plant can wait. This was followed only hours later by Gubernatorial Candidate, Beverly Perdue, who also said the plant can wait.

It's a shame they didn't listen to thousands of citizens across the state who have been asking for officials to STOP Cliffside (not wait).

Today it's Campaign Reform:
This time, Perdue was first out of the gate. Followed a day later by Moore supporting the exact same proposal...One initially proposed in 1995 - a bit outdated wouldn't you say?

I find this both interesting and frustrating. It's interesting because the two lead Gubernatorial candidates are coming out proactively on our issues: clean air, renewable energy, energy efficiency, clean & fair elections, getting special interests out of politics...

What's frustrating is that it seems these two candidates aren't talking to groups who work day in and day out on these issues. And, because the candidates aren't connected, their proposals are weak and/or outdated.

Perdue and Moore should be applauded (please note that the NC Conservation Network does not endorse candidates) for their attempts to do the right thing on clean energy and clean elections. But, we should also encourage them to take real stands on the issues if they are serious about protecting public health and the health of our democracy. Candidates should talk to the organizations and individuals who know most about the issues before they paint themselves green and stick a feather in their cap. Because, unfortunately, candidates' proposals often fall short of meaning real change.

With Iowa officially kicking off the primary elections last night, it seems time for us to start thinking about who, as North Carolinians, we want the next Presidential candidates to be.

And what better way to judge a candidate then by how green s/he is?

Thankfully (and lucky for me), Grist has already done the research (and the work!) Check it out for yourself: How Green is Your Candidate? You can view all of the Democratic and Republican candidates websites, interviews with the candidates, and add info about their greenness on your own website and/or blog.

And, in case you haven't already heard, here is the news from the Iowa caucus results and here are the results with Grist's own green angle. Tell us what you think about the candidates and their environmental records by commenting to this blog.

Finally, since this is our first post in the New Year - here's to wishing to a greener 2008 (and a greener president come November)!

Has there ever been a greater divide? It seems too many of today's young folks are disengaged, especially in elections. However, this Saturday these two groups (16-30 year olds and Presidential candidates) will be found interacting digitally at Wake Tech Community College.

Generation Engage, an NC Conservation Network affiliate, is hosting an iChat converation with 2008 Presidential Candidates on Saturday, October 27. Young adults from Raleigh and San Jose, California will connect via Apple's iChat videoconference technology with Republican and Democratic candidates gathered at the National Rural Summit in Ames, Iowa.

Generation Engage is focused on connecting young leaders to political leaders, to other civic organizations, and to meaningful debate about the future they will inherit. And what a great way to do so - by hosting a forum for young folks to interact with our Presidential candidates (who often seem like they aren't even in the same universe).

To see the full event announcement, click here.

What do we do about so called “off year” elections? Wikipedia describes an off year election as:

"[...] elections [that] rarely feature any election to a national office, few state legislative elections, and very few gubernatorial elections. The vast majority of these elections are held at the municipal level. On the ballot are many mayors, a wide variety of citizen initiatives in various states, and many more local public offices." 

Generally, voter turnout is horrible in off year elections, even though these offices probably have a much greater impact on our daily lives.  These local officials will be making decisions like whether to build a park in your neighborhood, create a greenway in your county, or approve plans for a Super Wal-Mart to be built two blocks down from the “regular” Wal-Mart (as my town council did recently).

I wonder sometimes if we wouldn’t be better off with having all elections in even years. On the one hand, we’d certainly have more people voting for these important local races.  Of course, on the other hand, with voters considering candidates for the White House, Senate, Congress, Governor, and state legislature, maybe they local races would be totally off of a voter’s radar.

Do you have any ideas to improve voter turnout in off year elections? And are you voting this year?  

Recently I was asked to give a speach on why women should talk politics, I immediately thought, “Well...why shouldn't we?” In reality many women have had negative, often oppressive, experiences when talking politics. In my experience this seems to lead to either women shying away from talking politics because it isn’t something women are supposed to do, or it drives them towards politics.

Politics & Power
Politics is often defined as the allocation and distribution of power. But in reality, power isn't really a property but more of a relationship. So what we are really talking about is the ability to influence others. Many scholars believe women feel differently about power and use power differently when compared to men. Men are commonly thought to view power as dominating or a "power over" while women view it as empowering or a "power to." This concept of empowering is seen as more inclusive because it allows a choice between the power to act or not to act. Inaction can have as great of an impact as action. I too believe that women view and use power differently and for this reason, we as women should talk and participate in politics.

Talking Politics
When we hear people talk about politics we often hear them use the term 'political issues.' I think this is misleading and automatically creates a barrier for some people because they don't see themselves as being 'political.' So let’s examine some of these 'political issues.' How about quality schools for our children, affordable daycare, access to quality healthcare, ensuring a chemical company doesn't build in your neighborhood, trash pick-up, clean drinking water, clean air...the lists goes on and on.

There are a lot of ways to talk politics and participate in the political process depending on your time, availability, and comfort level. You could talk with neighbors, friends, and family about a particular issue to educate them on why it is a concern. Or you could write a letter-to-the-editor, email or call your elected official, hold a fundraising house party for an advocacy group or political party, circulate petitions, vote....No matter who you are or how much time you have, there is a way to be involved in building women's political power.

Let’s talk about voting for a moment. Did you know that women voters have the power to provide the critical margin of victory in elections?!? Imagine what politics could look like if more women voted in all elections. We often overlook local and state elections which are often decided by very close votes. All too often these days folks get swept up in what is going on nationally and we forget to focus on our backyards. Your County Commissioners and City Council Members make more policy decisions than the state legislature or Congress that impact your everyday life. 

On Buying Power
Women hold political power, whether they know it or not, because they control the majority of buying power in the U.S. According to the article, “The Buying Power of Women” by Wanda McPhaden, "Women now make 83 percent of all consumer buys, including 94 percent of home products, 89 percent of vacations, and 75 percent of all decisions regarding the purchase of the largest investment most of us will ever make—a house.”

Why is our buying power political power? Money is directly related to what does or doesn't happen in politics—and the places where you spend your money most likely contribute financially to political candidates and/or parties. I encourage you to check out opensecrets.org, the website for The Center for Responsive Politics which is a non-partisan, non-profit research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics, and its affect on elections and public policy. American women spend about $5 trillion annually...this is over half the U.S. Gross Domestic Product and we are the majority of the consumer in the online marketplace. One visit to opensecrets.org and you will see how much of this money ends up in politics. 

Women in Politics
According to the Center for American Women and Politics a record 2,429 women were general election candidates for state legislative seats in 2006. The previous peak was in 1992, when 2,375 women ran. In the 2006 election:

• 16 women were elected out of 100 seats in the U.S. Senate
• 71 women were elected out of 435 seats in the U.S. House 
• 76 women hold statewide elective executive office including 9 women governors.
• 1,734 women serve in state legislatures across U.S.
• In North Carolina's state legislature women hold only 8 seats out of 50 in the Senate and 42 seats out of 170 in the House. Yet we are 51% of NC's population.

While we have definitely come a long way in terms of involving women in the political process, I believe that until our elected bodies become more reflective of the people they serve, women will still have to fight to become economically self-sufficient, end violence against women, improve access to healthcare, level the playing field for women, and increase the civic participation of women and minorities.

So what have we discovered?
Women bring an aspect of empowerment to the political arena. This approach is considered more inclusive because it allows a choice between the power to act and the power not to act. As the primary caregivers (80%) and as working professionals (46%), women have a vested interest in many so-called "political issues" like quality healthcare, clean water, and good schools. Women already have political power through their buying power and voting power—now it's just a matter of putting that power to good use. Until then women will remain underrepresented in both federal and state legislatures—yielding elected bodies that are not reflective of the people they serve.

So again I ask, "Why shouldn’t women talk politics?"

Close, but no cigar.

On Monday night, Jon Stewart, host of the nightly "news" show, The Daily Show, had Senator John Kerry on to promote his new book, This Moment on Earth.

Senator Kerry describes his book, noting it's about more than just global warming, it also discusses 'toxins, chemicals, cancer, and what we're doing to our water.' Senator Kerry then asks Jon Stewart if he is familiar with the Riverkeepers - and Jon replies "Sure...Kennedy's the Riverkeeper." Nice work Jon!

Senator Kerry then tells a story of a 67-year old marine living in North Carolina who went fishing and developed leisons on his hands and how other fishermen developed memory loss. He continues that these citizens discovered the problem was a result of massive amounts of hog waste running into the rivers. Nice work Senator Kerry!

What Senator Kerry failed to mention though, is that the 67-year old veteran is our own Rick Dove! And that Rick Dove later became the first Riverkeeper in North Carolina, with the Neuse River Foundation. The Neuse River Foundation came so close...but no cigar: they were really close to being mentioned by name on The Daily Show.

To view the segment, click here. The piece on Rick Dove is about 4 minutes into the program.

Our kudos still go out to The Daily Show and to Senator Kerry for giving the issue air time, despite Senator Kerry not mentioning our NC hero's name nor including pictures in his book (sorry Jon).

A landmark bill that would bring clean, affordable energy to NC has been introduced in the House by environmental champion Rep. Pricey Harrison (Guilford-D). Three primary sponsors join her in championing the bill - Reps. Jim Harrell (Surry-D), Grier Martin (Wake-D), and Carolyn Justice (Pender-R) - and an amazing 52 additional legislators signed on as co-sponsors! That alone is almost the 61 needed to pass a bill in the House. Good job to all of you who took action to let legislators know renewable energy and efficiency should be a priority this year!

HB 77, Promote Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency, would require utilities in NC to supply 20% of their electricity from renewable sources and energy efficiency by 2022, ramping up a little bit each year. Renewable energy sources can include, for instance, solar, wind, biomass (such as burning crop or forest residue), hog waste, and landfill methane gas. The bill calls for a small set-aside for solar photovoltaic to incentivize utilities to include that in their mix since it is more expensive than other renewable technologies. Up to half of the 20% requirement can come from energy efficiency measures.

It is heartening to see legislators so energized about bringing clean, affordable energy to NC. Passage of this bill will create thousands of new jobs for citizens, cut air pollution and global warming emissions, and save consumers hundreds of millions of dollars. If your legislator signed onto the bill, take a minute to thank them. You can look up your legislator here. Please let us know if you contact your legislator by adding a comment below!

No, seriously. The sun blocker will no longer only be known as another one of Montgomery Burns' ideas. Of course, you know that Burns created the sun blocker in an attempt to create more demand for energy (an increase in the use of lights due to more hours of darkness) so that his Nuclear Power Plant would make more money <enter sinister laugh>. And, now the idea of a sun blocker enters U.S. politics:

From ninemsn, in Australia:

The US government has reportedly asked scientists around the world to investigate the concept of blocking out the sun as a last resort in the fight against global warming.

The article continues:

Washington is proposing the idea as an attempt to steer an impending United Nations report away from a new worldwide climate treaty based on forcing countries around the world to reduce emissions.

Thankfully, the UN has caught on:

A draft of the UN report has called such ideas "speculative, uncosted and with potential unknown side-effects."

Does this article not leave you begging to draw similarities between Mr. Burns and the Bush administration?

Stay tuned next week to see whether Montgomery Burns (or is it Bush?) is still laughing.

...and you want to combat global climate change.  Think you could pick the right mix of policies to keep the public happy and make a dent in greenhouse gas emission?

Well, now you can test your skills in the BBC's Climate Challenge game.  WARNING: it is addictive. 

And here's a hint: simply lowering gas consumption won't work.

If you make it to the end, let us know how you did!

As an Organizer for the NC Conservation Network I travel all over my home state fighting to protect our health and our environment. I meet and talk with lots of different people in my travels. Often I hear from folks that they have a hard time seeing the link between their daily life (and health) and the importance of protecting our environment. 

Making Connections, which aired this week on UNC-TV, does an excellent job of showing the links between our everyday life, our land, farms, forests, natural habitats, water usage, air quality, and tourism.

Our friends at Environmental Defense worked with the Director of NC Zoo, Dr. David Jones, to create this wonderful program.  Dr. Jones says “It is time to ask tough questions about polluted air, dirty water, and development…See why now is the time for making connections." He travels across our state exploring how our health and wealth are in danger.

Click here to watch this program online.

They have also created an informative website with lesson plans and activity guides for teachers as well as ways for folks like you to get involved.

Dr. Jones asks "What will our legacy be?" 

I have hope that our state will be a leader in the recycling industry, renewable energy field, eco-tourism and organic farming. I see these replacing the vanishing small town textile mills and farms with industry that creates jobs, saves our small towns and preserves our beautiful environment.

What about you? What do you think our legacy will be?

The recent election was supposed to be a referendum on President Bush and Iraq.  But what consequences will it have on environmental policy?  Living on Earth takes a crack at answering that question:

Host Steve Curwood turns to Living on Earth’s Washington Correspondent, Jeff Young, and Western Bureau Chief, Ingrid Lobet to see how the chips fell, environmentally, in the midterm elections. Living on Earth goes beyond the major election headlines to look closely at state ballot initiatives that could have significant political and environmental consequences in the coming years.

Click here to listen or read a transcript and then tell us what you think.

Many folks are pretty excited about the outcome of Tuesday's elections, in a very 501(c)3 non-partisan way, of course.

While there was lots of good news, there was one big piece of bad news: campaign spending is up, way up.  From the Greensboro News and Record:

By state and national measures, it was supposed to be an "off" year, politically speaking. No presidential or gubernatorial race on the ticket. Not even a spicy U.S. Senate race to charge up the faithful on either side or to readily fill campaign coffers.

But in North Carolina and across the country, campaign spending was "on" like never before this election season. If projections hold true, the final count will show record amounts went to a fairly small number of close races: more than $2 billion for campaigns for Congress and more than $30 million for North Carolina legislative races.

According to the Associated Press, spending on a glut of ads for congressional races, along with gubernatorial races and various ballot issues across the country, is expected to total more than the amount spent in the 2004 presidential race. Closer to home, the $30 million-plus state House and Senate candidates are expected to collect is double the amount of a decade ago.

So what do they recommend?

More and more money channeled into fewer races doesn't serve the public interest. It's time the people started pushing lawmakers to stop the money chase.

I agree.

I just wanted to say a quick thank you to all those who voted and all those who encouraged other folks to vote - especially those of you who volunteered for our phone banks in the last couple of weeks.

It looks like environmental candidates did well at the state and federal level, but we'll have even more information in the coming days.  To view complete results of NC General Assembly races, visit the News and Observer's election results website.

I'm going to keep this short and sweet: VOTE.  Please!

If you still need some candidate information, you can visit ncvoterinfo.com.  Many local papers also have online voter guides:

• Charlotte Observer
• Raleigh News and Observer
• Wilmington Star
• Greensboro News and Record
• Winston-Salem Journal

Vote!

Thomas Friedman, the New York Times columnist and author, has a new documentary about oil coming out.  Newsweek interviewed him about his movie and his thoughts on environmentalism. 

One of the most striking quotes from the article was this:

The First Law of Petropolitics, in short, argues that the price of oil and the pace of freedom operate in an inverse correlation. As the price of oil goes up in what I call petroauthoritarian states—like Iran, Sudan, Venezuela—the pace of freedom goes down. These regimes can afford to be less responsive to their people and outside pressure. And as the price of oil goes down, the pace of freedom goes up because these regimes have to open up to the world if they want to deliver for their people, and they have to empower their people more. When oil was $30 a barrel, Iran was calling for a dialogue of civilizations. At $70 a barrel, Iran is calling for the destruction of Israel.

Interesting idea - and it seems to make sense.  What do you think?

Today we honor the work of Rep. Bernard Allen (Wake-D), who passed away after a stroke last Friday night.

Rep. Allen, who served in the NC General Assembly for two terms starting in 2002, was a committed advocate for justice, good government, and a safe environment.  The Raleigh News & Observer had these good words to share:

Over the years, he stood up for poor families in Wake County, black teachers who had been wrongly fired and homeowners whose wells had been contaminated… In the coming legislative session, he planned to advocate for low-income families who get trapped in long-term contracts from TV and appliance rental companies.

We came to know Rep. Allen through his sponsorship of H.1701, Protect Private Drinking Water Wells.  The bill sought to protect North Carolinians who drink from private wells by requiring the state to notify all well users who lived near known areas of groundwater contamination, and to require testing of wells when property changed hands.  While H1701 did not pass as an independent bill, it brought attention to the issue of contaminated wells, culminating in an appropriation for testing of at-risk wells in the 2006 state budget.

My colleagues in his district were proud to be constituents of Rep. Allen.  We’ll all miss him, with gratitude for his work for justice and a healthy environment.

The other day, my friend (a biochemist working on her Ph.D.) was telling me about a new organization she had just joined--Scientists & Engineers for America (SEA). This organization, launched in September of this year, works to protect the research of scientists and incorporate their scientific research into the political realm. Hark! Imagine a United States where sound science, technology, and those who know it best are incorporated into the decision-making process! Check out this excerpt from their website:

The principal role of the science and technology community is to advance human understanding.  But there are times when this is not enough.  Scientists and engineers have a right, indeed an obligation, to enter the political debate when the nation’s leaders systematically ignore scientific evidence and analysis, put ideological interests ahead of scientific truths, suppress valid scientific evidence and harass and threaten scientists for speaking honestly about their research.

We ask every American who values scientific integrity in decision-making to join us in endorsing a basic Bill of Rights for Scientists and Engineers.  Together we will elect new leadership beginning in 2006, and we will continue to work to elect reasonable leadership in federal, state and local elections for years to come.

SEA has six main issues of focus: national security, energy, environment, health, education, and economic growth. They support innovative technologies to reduce mercury emissions, to make "economically attractive and environmentally intelligent use" of our waterways and our land, to set goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to increase energy efficient standards for vehicles, and much more.

If you're interested in getting involved, sign SEA's Bill of Rights and receive more information on how you can help the effort.

Representative Charles Taylor, Congressman for Western NC, is getting all the wrong kind of publicity during the past couple of weeks.  Just a week ago he made news with the good people over at the League of Conservation Voters:

"The League of Conservation Voters (LCV), the independent political voice for the environment, today named Rep. Charles Taylor (NC-11) as the tenth member of the 2006 “Dirty Dozen,” following his selection for the dubious honor via an online poll.  LCV’s Dirty Dozen list highlights members of Congress with the worst environmental records, who have consistently sided with special interests against the best interests of the environment, public health and taxpayers."

This week hasn't been much better for Rep. Taylor as the non-partisan group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington has announced their list of who they think are the 20 most corrupt people in Congress. 

Congratulations Rep. Taylor - you made the list! 

One can only wonder how Rep. Taylor will be recognized next week.