Congratulations to Mayor Ebrard on receiving the Dutch order of the Orange-Nassau!

Around the year 2000, RRI led several delegations of dozens of Mexican officials to the Netherlands to learn about its Green Plan. Many officials returned to Mexico eager to replicate the environmental gains seen in Holland. Mexico City’s ‘Plan Verde’ is inspired by the Dutch example.

Mexico City Environmental Secretary Martha Delgado joined RRI for a conference several years ago and we have this update from her. “I’m pleased to share with you that Mexico City’s Green Plan has been awarded very much around the world: UN Habitat, World Sustainable Building Council, Livable Cities, City Mayors Foundation, Harvard College and other important instututions have recongnize our achievements in very different fields!!! Today Mayor Ebrard was awarded with the Orange-Nassau (more…)

Take a look at the kind of ideas RRI cooks up in the new issue of Bay Nature. This time it’s salmon and rice–before they reach your table. You can check out the article on innovative use of fallow rice fields to support young salmon in the Sacramento River area at Baynature.org

Dr. Shanks’ serious warnings about potential dam failure on the Missouri are reaching hundreds of readers and radio listeners nationwide. Here’s St. Louis’ ownKMOX interview with Dr. Bern Shanks on Missouri River dams

Read the original St. Louis Post Dispatch opinion piece.

Check out the January 26, 2012Marin IJ column by Huey D. Johnson on the subject of wilderness protection at Pt. Reyes. The ongoing conflict over the lease extension has helped focus attention on how “sound science” is used as a political tool, allowing our elected officials to avoid the tough decisions that will protect our natural heritage for generations.

The ‘Marin Voice’ column begins: “The Point Reyes oyster conflict has accomplished at least one result of positive national environmental importance: Related research by the University of California has exposed and could solve a disastrous hurdle for U.S. environmental legislation.

It is the practice of legislators’ corrupt use of science. The formula is to call an environmental project’s scientific work inferior, state that the public needs “good science,” and then do one or more scientific studies to review that which has already been done. Faking a need for a better research effort is nothing but a smoke screen to avert a vote and to provide time to manipulate legislation. The tactic has actually been used in Congress 900 times.”

The University of California Law Review Article described in the column can be found here