Viridian Note 00230: Greening Earth Redux

"Bruce Sterling" <bruces@well.com>
Wednesday, February 28, 2001 10:49 AM

Key concepts
Greening Earth Society, EPA, Christie Todd Whitman, bp, black spin, greenwashing

Attention Conservation Notice: It's about evil spin- doctors, big corporations, and Republican bureaucrats.


Entries in the Reddy Kilowatt Makeover Contest:

http://www.stanford.edu/~amberk/Greeny_Megawatt.html http://crashvx.freeservers.com/viridian/greeny/ http://www.digitaleverything.com/Reddy.jpg http://www.carladiana.com/reddi.jpeg

Viridian Contest Archive: http://www.bomoco.com/Viridian/Greenie/greenie.htm

This contest ends on March 20, 02001


(((Viridian readers often ask me why I seem to be so kindhearted and indulgent about the "bp" enterprise. After all, "bp" (formerly British Petroleum) is unquestionably a huge, multinational, ultra-capitalist, oil and gas company, so the standard Green response would be to insist that they pepper-gas us. Greenpeace in particular has made a minor career out of harassing bp in courts and the media, so I often receive plaintive email from Greenpeace fans, wondering how come I admire that bp logo so much, and why I haven't cottoned-on that bp is a greenwashing menace to be culture-jammed at all costs.

(((Here's the story. Greenpeace is not where I get my news about bp. Nope, not at all. Being a Viridian, I get my news from a source we can trust: *Greening Earth Society*. That's right: I always read the rhetoric from the other side.

(((You see, Greenpeace can't be entirely trusted, because (despite their goofy organizational practices and their chronic underfunding) they are sometimes accidentally right about some major issues. Greening Earth Society, by stark contrast, is infallibly wrong. Always. Faithfully! When it comes to navigating environmental controversy, Greening Earth Society is like a compass that always points south.

(((Not only are they wrong, but they're actively evil. And most directly to the point, Greening Earth Society hates and fears bp. Greening Earth Society never even bothers to notice sweet little Greenpeace.

(((The hard work of Greening Earth is about three things, (1) rightwing fundraising for coal interests (2) logjamming Kyoto and the US Senate, and (3) culture war on climate science and scientists. So their enemy is necessarily bp, because bp are (1) British and sold all their coal interests; (2) more or less pro-Kyoto and (3) bp can read a thermometer and is therefore scientifically literate. BP used to be on the polluters' side, but bp have become class traitors. BP has done these clowns more damage in two years than Greenpeace has done in thirty. BP has damaged their morale and their fundraising prospects, and that's damage that Greening Earth takes very seriously. That's why I take bp seriously, while I am inclined to let Greenpeace be Greenpeace.

(((If you're a fan of Greening Earth, the latest news is great. They are paranoically surrounded by these class traitors. New EPA administrator Christie Todd Whitman recently publicly admitted that global warming exists. Quelle horreur! Most Greens presumably think Christie's kidding, and that this is some diabolical Republican prologue to arresting Ralph Nader. But Greening Earth (quoting their staunch friends and supporters at the incredibly evil http://www.junkscience.com) think very much otherwise. Greening Earth's people think they got stiffed. They raised and spent all that campaign money for this?)))


Source: Greening Earth Society, Feb 28, 02001

"From: "Chris Paynter" <cpaynter@greeningearthsociety.org> "Subject: Christine Todd Browner?

"You might want to pull your Kyoto Protocol battle helmets out of the closet."



"JunkScience.com

"Christine Todd Browner? == Carol M. Browner's reign as Queen of the EPA was terminated by the election of George W. Bush. Apparently, though, Browner can now channel herself through new EPA Queen, Christine Todd Whitman.

"In response to yesterday's disappointing Supreme Court decision on the air quality rules that Browner imposed on us, Whitman called the decision, 'a solid endorsement of EPA's efforts to protect the health of millions of Americans from the dangers of air pollution.'

"Adding insult to injury, Whitman commented after an appearance before a Senate committee, 'There's no question but that global warming is a real phenomenon, that it is occurring... And while scientists can't predict where the droughts will occur, where the flooding will occur precisely or when, we know those things will occur.' (((So you might want to strap on your life-vest as well as your Kyoto battle helmet.)))

"Whitman also said the Bush administration is considering imposing limits on carbon dioxide emissions from the nation's power plants.

"These pronouncements are amazing considering her lack of expertise on the environment. (((Those boys at "junkscience" always amaze really easily.))) When asked for her thoughts on global warming several months ago, Whitman responded, 'Still somewhat uncertain. Clearly there's a hole in the ozone, that has been identified. But I saw a study the other day that showed that it was closing. It's not as clear, the cause and effect, as we would like it to be.' (...)

"Though it's not too late for Christie to exorcise the demon spirit of Carol Browner, don't hold your breath.

"Even if Christine Todd Browner nee Whitman knew right from wrong on the environment, she likely wouldn't have the political courage to do the right thing. (((Maybe. Ask yourself what you would do if you were an ambitious politician like Christie Todd Whitman, your Cabinet post at the environment was your only bailiwick in the current power structure, and your boss was a guy like George W. Bush.)))

"The environment is a throw-away issue for most Republicans. They're typically unwilling to spend their limited political capital to fight eco-political correctness." ((("Junkscience" spends a lot of time chiding the Republican faithful because they can't imagine that anyone else is reading them.)))

(((And check out these helpful links, courtesy of Greening Earth!)))

http://www.junkscience.com/

EPA Mulls Limits for Power Plant Emissions Environmentalists Laud White House Effort on Pollution http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64344- 2001Feb27.html

Global-warming reports put hot issue on front burner for Bush http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/topstory/833147

Whitman Considers Global Warming http://www.globalwarm.com/action=display&article=5951375&t emplate=globalwarm/stories.txt&index=recent "If this link doesn't work when you click on it, copy and paste into your browser's address." (((Thanks for the surfing tip, Chris!)))

Warnings on global warming CHANGES: Climate expert tells legislators of the dangers melting permafrost poses to the pipeline. http://www.adn.com/metro/story/0,2633,243326,00.html

Global warning on climate (2) http://www.montrealgazette.com/editorial/pages/010227/5006 933.html

CEI Disappointed in Supreme Court's Clean Air Act Decision Legal Hurdles to EPA's Rules Removed, But Scientific Questions Remain http://www.enn.com/direct/display-release.asp?id=3513

Chris Paynter Greening Earth Society 4301 Wilson Boulevard Suite 805 Arlington, VA 22203-4193



http://www.greeningearthsociety.org http://www.fossilfuels.org http://www.greeningearthsociety.org/climate/index.htm

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