Friends Of The Earth

May/June 1975

One of the world's most effective environmental groups is San Francisco-based FRIENDS OF THE EARTH. Although FOE publishes Not Man Apart-a monthly tabloid magazine packed with authenticated, hard-to-find facts that every concerned citizen needs-far too few of MOTHER's readers regularly see a copy of NMA. We are therefore quite pleased that FOE's staff has agreed to write a regular FRIENDS OF THE EARTH column for THE MOTHER EARTH NEWS (restricted) .

NUCLEAR POWER: THE BATTLE HEATS UP

The mysterious death of Karen Silkwood, a lab technician at the Kerr-McGee plutonium facility in Oklahoma, has helped expose a large number of Americans to the realities of the nuclear power controversy. Ms. Silkwood-while driving to meet with New York Times reporter David Brunham and Steve Wodka, an official of the Oil, Chemical, and Atomic Worker's Union-was killed in what nay prove to be a not-quite-accidental auto crash. She was allegedly carrying documents injurious to both her employer and the entire nuclear industry. Many daily papers and periodicals-including Time, Rolling Stone, Ms., Newsweek, and .New Times-have carried articles on the case, and have taken the opportunity to elaborate on the growing national opposition to nuclear power.

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In other atom-smashing news: An issue which is virtually certain to qualify for the June 19'96 ballot in California will require the nuclear industry to prove to the state legislature-within one yearthat [1] reactors are reasonably safe, [2] the companies producing nuclear power are fully insured against liability, and [3] that a reliable radioactive waste disposal system exists.

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Industry spokesmen denounce the measure as a "nuclear moratorium" . . . but backers-composed mostly of major environmental groups and many consumer organizations-point out that such a halt would result only if those same spokesmen cannot furnish the required proof of safety and financial responsibility.

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Meanwhile, moratorium measures have been introduced in 12 state legislatures, as well as in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. And in Barnet, Vermont, voters turned thumbs down on a proposed nuclear station-to be located across the Connecticut River in Monroe, New Hampshire-by a whopping margin of 190 to 2.

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Needless to say, power companies are not taking the antinuclear movement lying down. A secret Atomic Industrial Forum (AIF) memorandum-leaked to FOE and published in Not Man Apart-outlines a massive public relations campaign to sell atomic-based energy to the American public. Among their tactics will be ghostwritten articles supposedly authored by prominent figures (and the direct placement of those articles in publications "to eliminate the filtration factor of reporters and editors") as well as press conferences featuring scientific noteworthies as star performers, The AIF people are apparently implementing their designs with an all-out effort: Shortly after their memo was sent out, Hans Bethe (a well-known physicist) and 31 other scientists released a signed statement saying nuclear power is "best (of all".

THE BROWNING OF THE NATIONAL PARKS?

Should private companies overload national parks in order to increase profits? This question is now being actively discussed in the wake of a "mini scandal" involving the Music Corporation of America (MCA).

Last year, when the National Park Service was devising a master plan for the future development of Yosemite, man. observers felt that MCA (the principal owner of concessions in that park) exerted undue influence on the government agency's designs for projected improvements. As a result, an aroused citizenry forced the parties involved to scrap their; "blueprint" and start over . . . and to include the general public in all subsequent deliberations. Two suggestions, commonly proposed now are that the Service turn all concessions, over to non-profit corporations, and phase autos out of park areas.

ECONOMY DOWN THE DRAIN . . . ENVIRONMENT UP THE STACK?

The White House and some captains of industry are putting more and more of the blame for the country's economic difficulties on environmental protection . . . despite the facts that polls repeatedly show the public knows otherwise.

The new administration in California, however, isn't being fooled. When EPA administrator Russ Train announced he w:;. giving auto manufacturers two additional years to meet federal emission control standards, the California Air Resources Board countered with new and even tougher smog rules for the state.

FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL READER

The unchallenged box-office favorite for "book of the year" around the Friends of the Earth office is Lewis Thomas The Lives of a Cell (Viking, $6.95). Dr. Thomas' beautifully written insights into biology are enlightening, inspiring, and often humorous.

Another good volume is World Energy Strategies: Facts Issues, and Options by Amory Lovins. The author provides brilliant survey of various energy-conversion systems, their hazards and potential benefits, and possible ways to curtail waste and reduce consumption. FOE and the Ballinger Publishing Company are joint publishers of the book and order may be placed through our office . . . the price is $4.95, or $3.95 for Friends of the Earth members.

A really major disappointment is Mankind at the Turning Point: The Second Report to the Club of Rome (Dutton Reader's Digest Press, $12.95). The first "Report to the Club of Rome", of course, was The Limits to Growth . . . certainly , an important book. In contrast, Mankind- prepared by a team at Case Western Reserve University-fogs the essential facts, endorses an ill-defined concept of "organic growth", arbitrarily divides the earth into ten illogical regions, and is gratuitious about its illustrious predecessor, (Hugh Nash's superb two-part review of Mankind--which appeared in FOE's newsletter-is available upon request,)

FOE'S PRESIDENT SPEAKS OUT

A! a recent New York conference, David Brower set down an item-by-item list of suggestions on how to put people to work healing old scars-instead of making new ones-in the name of economic recovery:

Revitalize the railroads. President Ford has just released two billion dollars for construction of new highways (a curious way to conserve gasoline) . . . that same money could go a long way toward putting the railways back in business. Let the Army Corps of Engineers fix existing roadways, instead of destroy riverbeds.

Finance public transit in cities.

Build sailing ships-using present knowledge of weather and aerodynamics-as profitable alternatives to our Current fuelhungry vessels.

Reopen a canal every year. (Barges can be beautiful!)

Revitalize small towns and use open areas for space and productive purposes, such as growing food. Modern rail service-and the decimation of the auto population-will help reestablish villages and hamlets as places where life is enjoyed. Live close to where you work.

Institute more bans on automobiles in cities and high population areas. If Rome and Mexico City can do it, why not New York, Washington, San. Francisco, and Los Angeles?

Process organic waste for energy and fertilizer. Make sure the multibillions spent for pollution abatement includes funds for recycling usable elements. Stop wholesale offshore dumping.

Step up efforts in genetic research to find less energy-intensive agricultural strains that offer more resistance to disease. Study the French methods for growing greater amounts of food on smaller areas of land, using reduced amounts of water and energy . . . and no chemicals.

Reclaim strip-mined lands rind outer derelict parts of America.

Use more labor and fewer man-made fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides on farms.

Insulate all the buildings in the country . . . we can no longer afford to heat the outdoors!

Put operable portholes in the airtight windows of heremetically sealed high-rises . . . Con-Ed and other companies may not own the air, but in tight-as-a-drum modern buildings, you literally have to pay through the nose to breathe.'

Require new structures be built to last instead of to crumble or rot. Cut stone, not redwood.

Learn from Italy, where folks have lived a long time in hotter weather than ours without air conditioning. In winter, put on another sweater instead of burning an additional barrel of oil.

Step up solar and wind energy research and application. Investigate the process of photosynthesis, and the means by which chlorophyll converts radiant energy to chemical form.

Prohibit utility companies from using smokestack "scrubbing" systems that jeopardize the health of our lungs.

Terminate the nuclear-energy-from-fission experiment,

Establish recycling centers and collection systems in all cities, and let the manufacturers of waste (and their captive consumers) subsidize the cost.

Initiate a system for honest maintenance of machinery, appliance, and other equipment. Let auto makers become auto fixers who solve existing problems, instead of manufacturing new ones. They could do it at a profit!

Clean up America now. A bright and shiny 1976 for all!

A FEW FINAL NOTES

We're delighted that: MOTHER has asked us to contribute a regular column to her pages . . . we look forward to a long a mutually beneficial relationship. Folks should feel free write us directly (Friends of the Earth, 529 Commercial, San Francisco, Calif, 94111) for more information on any of the subjects we mention, or on Friends of the Earth itself. See you in MOTHER NO. 34!