By Kate Sheppard

In her post-election press conference yesterday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) affirmed her desire that a new economic stimulus plan — which could be taken up in a lame-duck session of Congress later this month — include green measures:

The economy, of course, is the top item on the agenda as we go forward, and we’ll all be planning what happens in January when we meet with the new President-elect. But even before then, we have a stimulus package on the table that I hope the Republicans in the Senate will allow to be taken up in a lame duck session, and the communication with the White House about such a stimulus package to grow our economy by creating jobs and to do it in a newer, greener way; to recognize the unemployment situation in our country by extending unemployment insurance; to understand that people are hungry in America, to provide additional emergency food assistance; and to give help to the states for their health needs for seniors and for children and other needs that they have.

Central to the job creation issue is the strong piece for rebuilding the infrastructure of America, again, in a way that reduces our dependence on foreign oil and that creates good green jobs in America. That is the first order of business that we will have, if it appears to have an opportunity, then we will have a lame duck session to take it up, but again, those conversations are still taking place with the White House.

Continue reading " Stimulate this "

Barack Obama photo: David Katz/Obama for America.

As president-elect Barack Obama has identified dealing with our ‘planet in peril’ as a top priority of his administration, if I were him I’d start planning to put solar panels back on the White House roof and to have a re-dedication ceremony photo op with Jimmy Carter.

It may be more a symbolic act than anything else, but it would send a powerful message that renewable energy, green jobs and climate change are really on the top of the Obama administration’s agenda….

Continue reading " Be the Change… Obama Should Reinstall White House Solar Panels "

During these 8 long years of George W. Bush’s presidency, we’ve had little trust in the Environmental Protection Agency to do their job. Since Bush has aggressively pushed his business-first agenda and put undue influence on the EPA in their decision-making process, the agency has become little more than a front, allowing Bush and Co. […]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: “Who Will Obama Choose for Important Environmental Cabinet Posts?”, url: “http://earthfirst.com/who-will-obama-choose-for-important-environmental-cabinet-posts/” });

Continue reading " Who Will Obama Choose for Important Environmental Cabinet Posts? "

By Glenn Hurowitz

For a generation, Walter Mondale’s 1984 presidential campaign was cited as an example of how not to run for the White House as a Democrat: Not only did Mondale run on a liberal platform, but he also went so far as to promise to raise Americans’ taxes — a promise that was widely blamed for his defeat.

But Barack Obama’s victory shows that after eight years of Republican failure, the rules have changed.

For all of Obama’s rhetorical efforts to portray himself as a tax-cutting, business-friendly moderate whose highest aspiration was to “bring people together,” he ran on a very progressive agenda, was characterized as a closet socialist “Redistributionist-in-Chief” by McCain and Palin, and above all represented a radically different approach from the conservative ideology that has mostly defined the national agenda since 1981.

For instance, despite Obama’s promises not to raise taxes on those making under $250,000 a year, his platform includes an increase in the capital gains and estate taxes. And, as McCain, Palin, and much of the Republican attack machine pointed out in the last days of the election, Obama himself said his global warming plan would cause electricity rates to “skyrocket.”

But voters didn’t care. Even though 70 percent of voters in the MSNBC exit poll said they thought their taxes will go up under Barack Obama, they still went for him. And in an October poll by the Pew Research Center, voters said they preferred Obama’s approach on the environment and energy by 57-27 and 53-34 margins, respectively. Voters apparently want to free America from reliance on fossil fuels, even if it’s going to cost them.

Obama’s embrace of progressive values went into the social arena as well. Even though he was trying to win swing states that are traditionally regarded as socially conservative, Obama upended conventional Democratic wisdom by running a very explicit pro-choice campaign, featuring unvarnished pro-choice messages in many ads.

The polls provide some evidence why Obama’s decision to run as a mostly unabashed progressive worked. For all of Democrats’ fears about taking liberal stances on social issues, defending choice is still really popular: Recent polls show that about 6 in 10 voters want it to be mostly or always legal.

But the polls don’t tell the whole story. On most issues, voters have favored Democratic policies for decades. The difference is that in the past, Democrats were wary of defending their own most deeply-held values. When Republicans attacked, they hedged or even abandoned their support for the environment, for a fair tax system, or for progressive social values.

When that happened, they left their supporters feeling betrayed and unmotivated and their enemies emboldened. And they alienated swing voters for whom policy positions matter less than personal characteristics like strong leadership and integrity. Because Democratic candidates weren’t willing to stand up for themselves, voters lost faith that they would stand up for them either.

Obama wasn’t perfect on these counts. For instance, he jettisoned his opposition to offshore drilling in the face of Republican attacks this summer. But by in large, he was willing to stick to his guns even when his positions were somewhat unpopular, like when he pledged to take down the Bush administration’s U.S.-Mexico border wall because it is an environmental and human travesty.

To be sure, the failing economy provided Democrats the context they needed. But a candidate with a little backbone gave them the ability to take advantage of that context and convince voters to take a chance on change.

—–

Glenn Hurowitz is the author of Fear and Courage in the Democratic Party.

Continue reading " Mondale’s revenge "

Image: Eagle Cross Kennel

In his acceptance speech (video across the fold), Barack Obama promised his daughters, Malia and Sasha, a new puppy. Obama touched hearts across America and the world when he told the precious first progeny: “I love you both more than you can imagine. And you have earned the new puppy that’s coming with us.”

Although Obama will certainly have a full plate re-establishing leadership in environmental protection and addressing climate change, a green puppy would capture the attention of America’s next generation of voters and demonstrate the new White House commitment to leaving a better planet for our children…

Continue reading " Will the Obama’s New Puppy be Green? "

“Truthiness” might be the most potent political platform of all.

Continue reading " Colbert Bests Obama, Wins Marvel White House "

By Kate Sheppard

Oil industry leaders are predicting “dark days” for fossil fuels under President-elect Barack Obama, while environmentalists are celebrating the election as a win for clean energy.

But much will depend on the makeup of Congress. Though a number of enviro-backed congressional candidates got the nod last night, there weren’t quite as many pick-ups as greens were hoping for — and a number of the new congressional Democrats come from traditionally fossil-fuel-friendly states.

The Senate

Greens are pumped by the election of four Senate candidates who campaigned aggressively on clean energy and climate action: Democrats Tom Udall of New Mexico, Mark Udall of Colorado, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, and Kay Hagan of North Carolina. All four will assume seats previously occupied by Republican senators who often voted against environmental interests.

Still, Hagan and both of the Udalls called for more domestic oil and gas drilling on the campaign trail this year, as gas prices ticked higher and public support for drilling grew. Another new Democrat ushered into the Senate last night, Virginia’s Mark Warner, called for lifting the federal moratorium on oil and gas leasing in the outer continental shelf, saying he thinks drilling decisions should be in the hands of the states. And Warner is also bullish on coal, which his state produces, telling Grist this summer, “I think we’re going to continue to use coal. I want to keep pushing utilities to not use best-of-the-last-generation technology, but really push much more aggressively about the possibilities of [carbon] sequestration.”

Several notable environmental foes also coasted to reelection — including Oklahoma Republican Sen. James Inhofe, Georgia Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss, Kentucky Republican and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and Louisiana Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu.

[UPDATE: Actually, the Georgia race is still undecided — it was called earlier for Chambliss, but now it looks like they’re headed into a runoff. They’re still counting votes, but if Chambliss doesn’t get at least 50 percent, there will be a runoff on Dec. 2]

The closely watched Senate race in Alaska still hangs in the balance — with 99 percent of Alaska’s precincts reporting, incumbent Republican Ted Stevens was ahead of Democrat Mark Begich, but only by a margin of one point. Stevens, who last week was found guilty of lying on financial disclosure forms, is a long-time environmental foe who’s led the charge to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling. Begich too calls for drilling in ANWR, which is pretty much a given for an Alaskan politician, but he’s also promoted the state’s capacity for renewable energy and called for action on climate change to protect his frozen home state.

The Senate race in Oregon between Republican incumbent Gordon Smith and Democrat Jeff Merkley is also too close to call. And in Minnesota, Republican incumbent Norm Coleman is just 762 votes ahead of the enviro-backed Democrat Al Franken, which means there’s likely to be a recount.

The House

On the House side, a number of green-backed challengers won their races. Democrat Betsy Markey, who was endorsed by the Sierra Club and the League of Conservation Voters, defeated Republican incumbent (and generally anti-environment voter) Marilyn Musgrave in Colorado’s 4th District.

In Michigan’s 7th District, Mark Schauer, a Democrat who advocates clean energy, beat Republican incumbent Tim Walberg, whom LCV had named to its Dirty Dozen list. In Michigan’s 9th District, the LCV- and Sierra Club-endorsed Democratic challenger Gary Peters beat another Dirty Dozener, Republican Joe Knollenberg.

And in New Mexico’s 1st District, Democrat Martin Heinrich, also endorsed by LCV and the Sierra Club, won an open seat that had previously been occupied by not-so-green Republican Heather Wilson.

One of the most notable upsets came in Connecticut’s 4th District, where Republican incumbent and longtime conservationist Christopher Shays, endorsed by LCV and the Sierra Club, lost to Democrat Jim Himes. Himes had also put forward a strong green plan, so enviros will be happy enough to see him in the seat, but the outcome of this race points out how moderate, eco-friendly Republicans are an increasingly endangered species in Congress.

In California’s 11th District, Democratic incumbent Jerry McNerney, who was endorsed by LCV and the Sierra Club, held onto his seat; he earned the admiration of greens across the country two years ago when he ousted enviro bete noire Dick Pombo. In Kentucky’s 3rd District, incumbent John Yarmuth (D) retained his seat as well.

There were also disappointments for enviros among the House races. Don Young, the Republican incumbent in Alaska’s at-large seat, won handily over his Democratic challenger, despite greens’ efforts to defeat him. In Ohio’s 15th District, enviro-backed Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy lost to Republican Steve Stivers.

Overall, Democrats now hold 56 seats in the Senate, while Republicans have 41, and the Democrats control the House by the sizeable margin of 253 to 173. When all the winners take office in January, it will be the first time since 1995 that the Democratic Party has controlled the White House and both branches of Congress. Enviros are looking at this as a referendum, at least in part, on the country’s recent failures on energy and the environment, particularly as they relate to the economy.

“This election pitted the energy policy of last 30 years against that of the next 30 years,” said Anna Aurilio, Washington, D.C., office director of Environment America. “From Sen. Obama on down the ballot, the candidates who won were talking about a clean energy future, and voters understood that this was the key to a stronger economy, a more secure world, and the solution to global warming.”

But there’s lots of hard work to be done to make all those campaign promises into reality.

Continue reading " How green will the new Congress be? "

Thanks for the inspiration George!
I actually mean it. I don’t know if I would’ve started writing and doing editorial cartoons had George W. Bush and his administration not made such a mockery of our democracy. 8 years of corruption, cronyism, environmental degradation, economic turmoil, corporate handouts, an unnecessary war, and international disdain has seemingly motivated more folks than just little old me (ie. yesterday’s election).

So I mean it when I say thanks (kinda), and want to celebrate the end of the Bush era (Go Barack!) by sharing all of my Red Green and Blue W-themed cartoons.

I’ve also added (at the top of the list) my very first W cartoon from the 2004 election when the talk of John Kerry being a “flip flopper” was all the rage…oh, times were so much simpler then…

From 10/13/2004

“Things can ALWAYS get Worse” 3/22/08
This cartoon was inspired by Bush’s recent intervention to weaken limits of smog-forming ozone in our air.

“Afterall, They did it to the Native Americans”  4/6/08
This cartoon came after feds neglected environmental rules (specifically the protection of Jaguar habitats) during the completion of the border fence.

“Hug ‘em While You Can”  4/19/08
After reading the NRDC’s Bush Record’s section on ‘National Forests and Roadless Areas’, I thought of this one.

“The 800 Pound Gorilla is Biking to Work”  5/3/08
Our dubious leader can acknowledge our gas price crisis, but not offer any real solutions.

“Analyzing George Bush’s HanDWriTing” 5/23/08

“White House Completes a Realistic Climate Change Report 4 Years Late” 5/30/08
Smart aleck mouse!

“W’s Solution to Floods and Fires” 6/38/08
The unfortunate events of the summer inspired this solution from the cartoon W (cameo from Dick “The Puppeteer” Cheney).

“Selective Hearing” 7/17/08

“Obama’s Election Key to the Future of our Planet” 7/26/08
It’s fun to look back on this one knowing now that Obama is the future leader of our great country.

“Drowning the Unjust” 10/21/08
Inspired by one of my favorite Mark Twain quotes: “The rain is famous for falling on the just and unjust alike, but if I had the management of such affairs I would rain softly and sweetly on the just, but if I caught a sample of the unjust out doors I would drown him.”

The entire Mean Joe Green cartoon archive.

Continue reading " Mean Joe Green #35: A Look Back at my George Bush-Inspired Cartoons "

By Sarah van Schagen

Once the BIG race for the White House was called, Seattle-area voters turned their attention to that other Washington. Here are some key races in Washington state and a look at what the election results could mean for the environment:

Governor: Christine Gregoire
The governor’s race was a close one again this year (it was decided by just 129 votes in 2004), but major news networks began calling it for Gregoire, the Democratic incumbent, before the night was over.

Gregoire lists as one of her top goals "creating a cleaner future." To that end, she has made a number of moves to cut the state’s greenhouse-gas emissions. In addition to pushing forward progressive renewable-energy legislation and adopting California’s strict auto-emissions standards in 2007, she called for drastic cuts in greenhouse-gas emissions and per-capita vehicle miles by 2050. Gregoire has also been a champion of the region’s Puget Sound, creating a partnership between communities, businessfolk, native tribes, and enviros to restore habitat and reduce pollution.

Statewide Ballot Initiative 985: NO
The Washington Reduce Traffic Congestion initiative [PDF] failed to pass — a failure enviros consider success. The initiative would have opened the HOV lanes to all traffic during rush hour, meaning transit-users and carpoolers wouldn’t be rewarded with a fast lane. It also called for money to be put toward the construction of new highways — but not public transit, bike paths, or other "anti-car" measures.

Sound Transit Proposition 1: YES
In contrast to Initiative 985, this proposition — up for approval by just three counties (King, Snohomish, and Pierce) — is focused on the mass-transit end of the transportation spectrum. The $18 billion (generated by an increased sales tax) will go toward increasing express bus service, especially on high-demand routes, and expanding the region’s commuter rail. And not a penny will go to putting down new pavement.

Pike Place Market and Parks levies: YES
Seattlites also voted to put monies toward the city’s historic farmers market (yes, the place where they throw the fish) and the creation of new parks and green spaces throughout the city. Enviros cheer these efforts to make the city more livable while at the same time helping restore habitats throughout the area.

Continue reading " The race(s) for Washington "

By Grist

We asked a number of leaders in environment and sustainability issues to imagine they found themselves in an elevator with the president-elect — giving them one minute of his undivided attention. Here are their messages to Obama about how he should approach environment, energy, and climate policy:

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Gavin Newsom, mayor of San Francisco:
"Where the Bush Administration has failed in the last eight years, you must lead. In your first 100 days, begin implementing a detailed, acheivable plan to establish America as the world’s leader in the fight against climate change. By investing in energy independence, you will rebuild the American economy and rid our dependence on foreign oil. Move from the common rhetoric of creating a green revolution in America to achieving results:

“You must:

• Follow-through on your promise to invest $150 billion in clean-technology infrastructure, research, and development (and consider increasing this level of investment). Infrastructure should focus on modernizing our national power grid to make it more efficient and allow new renewable energy projects to feed into that grid. R&D funding should flow to our nation’s universities and scientific institutions to develop new energy-effiency and renewable-energy technologies, such as ocean power, that can be further advanced through the marketplace.
• Establish agressive new national effiency standards for buildings, cars, and appliances. We’ve done this in California over the past two decades and have witnessed no change in per capita energy usage amidst explosive economic growth.
• Recognize the true price of greenhouse-gas pollution by creating an aggressive cap-and-trade system or carbon tax that will make renewable energy competitive with polluting fossil-fuel-burning technologies.
• Organize a bilateral energy summit with China that establishes both countries as leaders in the developed and developing world toward growing national economies while reducing the environmental impact.
• Ensure that clean-energy investment benefits all Americans by creating green-collar job requirements as a pre-condition to any federal funding of infrastructure, research, and development.
• Support cities’ impressive climate protection efforts through technical assistance and resources for programs such as energy-effiency retrofits in low-income housing."

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Bill McKibben, author, climate activist, and member of Grist’s board of directors:
"Hey, congratulations, or condolences, or whatever’s appropriate. I know you’re focused on that financial meltdown, but it’s the meltdown meltdown that is going to define your two terms in office, Mr. Obama. How you deal with it may be the key to our economic recovery, but even more to the recovery of our stature in the world. We need a deal — but it’s a deal that has to reflect the new crucial piece of information about the planet. According to the scientists at NASA — your scientists, now — that world doesn’t work right above 350 parts per million of CO2 in the atmosphere. Now that you’re done with 270 electoral votes, that’s the number that’s got to focus your thinking."

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Vinod Khosla, Silicon Valley investor:
"Don’t focus on all things green. Instead look at the few things that can achieve 80 percent carbon reductions per mile driven in our transportation fleet and be low-cost enough to penetrate 80 percent of all transportation including in India and China. For electric power, go beyond current renewable fashion. Look at the technologies that can replace or clean up 80 percent of coal-based electric generation with 80 percent lower carbon kilowatt hours!"

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Summer Rayne Oakes, eco-activist and model:
"President Obama, we are faced with not only a challenge but an opportunity. You have millions of supporters who are urgently seeking a plan to get this country off of dirty energy and lift millions of hardworking people up by providing clean-energy, green-collar jobs. Bills like the Green Jobs Act need to be fully funded and appropriated; Congressman Edward Markey’s iCAP bill is a shining example of forward-thinking legislation; and even Republicans — including Colin Powell and T. Boone Pickens — are looking for change.

"President Obama, the plans and solutions are here — today. Now we need you to help us make them a reality. I say this not only as the sensible but hard-nosed activist that you see me as today, but as a young girl from Pennsylvania who has seen her single mother struggle in an ailing economy and the very land beneath her feet laid to waste by decades of coal mining. I do not forget where I grew up. I do not take the present for granted. And I sure as hell know that with this knowledge, we can look forward to the future with open eyes. I, too, share in your story of a better America and a better world, but we will not get there if we do not have leadership and force of will. So the question is now, will you be that leader … our leader?"

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Gus Speth, dean at the Yale University School of Forestry and Environmental Studies:
"Mr. President, the climate problem is more of a threat to the human future than even many environmentalists realize. You would be well-advised to create a cabinet-level position to lead your efforts nationally and internationally to address it. You should also move quickly to convene a White House meeting of top climate scientists and use that as a springboard to an address to the American people from the Oval Office. You can’t responsibly put this issue off or subsume it under an energy initiative. The most important thing you can accomplish early in your term is major federal climate legislation and a post-Kyoto Protocol international agreement, both aimed at dramatic greenhouse-gas emission reductions."

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Randall Swisher, executive director of the American Wind Energy Association:
"If you really want to make the New Energy Economy a reality, the most important step would be to establish long-term, stable policy in support of renewable energy. That means a long-term extension of the renewable-energy-production tax credit as well as the 25 percent federal renewable-electricity standard by 2025.

"Secondly, our best renewable energy resources — wind, solar, geothermal — tend to be found at a distance from where most people live. To get our renewable energy to electric customers, we will need a significant upgrade of the nation’s transmission infrastructure. But the cost of that investment is cheap compared to the value of all the clean, renewable energy that will be made available to help create new jobs, clean up our environment, and make a substantial down payment in the fight to curb global warming.

"Those two steps — stable long-term policy and transmission infrastructure — are the most important steps to move this country into a position for wind to be able to provide 20 percent of our nation’s electricity by 2030."

—–

Rick Piltz, director of Climate Science Watch:
"Mr. President-elect, I believe global climatic disruption poses two unprecedented challenges. We must dramatically cut emissions, and we have to prepare for potentially disastrous impacts that are already underway and are projected to intensify in the future. Mobilizing the country to take effective action will require great leadership from your administration and a restoration of integrity in dealing with the findings communicated by the science community. Only when the leadership communicates a clear understanding of the potential dangers will Americans support policies that will adequately reduce emissions and the actions needed to prepare for likely impacts. Couple this with putting in place an ongoing nationwide process to further assess the likely consequences of climate change and opportunities to reduce emissions, and incorporate this knowledge into all relevant spheres of activity. This process should engage citizens all across the country."

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Evon Peter, executive director of Native Movement:
"Barack, as you are aware, our world is in need of deep healing and a transformation of consciousness that will lead to tangible changes in policy and practice, shifting the fundamentally unsustainable and exploitative direction in which we are headed. This is not unlike the years leading up to the end of slavery as ideological forces conflicted and arguments over economics and political structure prevailed. Your presidency will require courageous decisions to face the truth in what is inequitable, unjust, and unsustainable if we are to make needed change happen. Many will vehemently challenge these decisions because they are terrified to face the truth in the situation humanity is facing. Your job is to stay true to principles that the world is in great need of receiving from its leaders. We are entering an era of truth over politics and love over violence as a means to our survival. I wish you blessings in keeping to a solid path and carrying this torch forward."

—–

Julian Dautremont-Smith, associate director of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education:
"Higher education has been a leader in helping America overcome many critical challenges and is uniquely positioned to enable the achievement of your goals related to energy, climate, and green jobs. Colleges and universities are eager to help — almost 600 of them have signed a commitment to eliminate their greenhouse-gas emissions and to provide education, research, and outreach to support the transition to sustainability — but they need financial support to meet their potential for leading the sustainability transformation. The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 authorized funds to create a "University Sustainability Grants Program" at the Department of Education, but no funds have been allocated. With your help securing this and other federal support, colleges and universities can mobilize their intellectual resources to break America’s dependence on fossil fuels and create millions of new green jobs at the same time."

—–

David Foster, executive director of the Blue Green Alliance:
"Our energy, environmental, and economic problems are interdependent. So are the solutions. While there are many ways to stimulate the economy, we don’t need a 20th Century stimulus package. We need a "green recovery" — big, public investments in global warming solutions that put Americans back to work. China is building a coal-fired power plant a week. We need to build 500 megawatts of renewable power a week. Set a goal of creating 2 million new jobs in the next two years with global warming solutions. Then push federal spending down through the states and cities to create massive energy-efficiency programs for our building stock, expansion of mass-transit systems, and a modernized grid to bring our renewables to urban markets. With a green recovery underway and Americans headed back to work, you’ll be able to muster the political will to pass legislation that puts a price on carbon, stabilizes energy prices, and funds the long-term economic transition to a clean-energy economy."

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Terry Kellogg, executive director of 1% For The Planet:
"If you look at the landscape of corporate environmental initiatives, the headlines are impressive. But we are a long way from seeing the kind of change that’s necessary. Despite all the noise, most of the big indicators are still moving in the wrong direction. You should incent companies to show what a new, truly sustainable paradigm looks like. Use today’s ‘best in class’ performers as a guide for setting tomorrow’s baseline. And don’t lose sight of the most important challenge and opportunity: getting the prices right. In getting this stuff done, leverage the wisdom and perspective of the nonprofit sector, and the cover and capacity of corporate leaders."

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Jim Moriarty, president of the Surfrider Foundation:
"Inspire us. Lead us. Challenge us. Your campaign was about these themes and now that you are President we need these more than ever. The United States and its citizens are beaten down. We’ve lost our luster around the world and we’ve lost our sense of optimism. Our environments are red-lining; they are under siege because we’ve lost our collective sense of stewardship. Please look beyond the lobbyists who will anchor us to our past, and challenge every single American to build a new future built on energy independence and environmental stewardship. Do these things with the spirit which compelled us to elect you … your sense of hope and optimism. The most important thing we need from you is your belief in what is possible. Remember that always."

—–

Michael Crow, president of Arizona State University:
"Renewable energy systems at every level of our economy and at every level of user will be the single most positive thing you can do to address our strategic failures in global economics, global warming, and global politics. This trifecta will renew America’s independence and allow us to focus on the most important issues of education and competitiveness."

—–

Jonathan Fink, director of the Global Institute of Sustainability at Arizona State University:
"You should view universities as intellectual resources — not just for new research ideas, but for new ideas on how to implement policy. Public universities in large cities have experience in translating research into policy — that’s where the big gap is.

"More specifically, your administration should view urban areas (where most Americans live) as the places where sustainable solutions need to be developed and implemented. The federal government lags way behind the cities and states in experimenting with new sustainability concepts. Direct your agency heads to figure out how best to address the social, environmental, and economic challenges associated with our country’s continuing trend toward urbanization."

Continue reading " Going up? "