Red Alert:

Alaskan Senators Try to Sneak ANWAR Drilling Into Defense Appropriation Bill

Legislation Can't Pass On Its Own, So Desperate Measures Required

If You Oppose Drilling in ANWAR, You Need to Act Now!

The Congressional Republican Leadership thought they had finally opened up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil drilling. But a handful of House Republicans, backed by virtually every Democrat, refused to go along.

So, Senator Ted Stevens from Alaska -- the man who brought you "bridges to nowhere" -- has now slipped Arctic National Wildlife Refuge drilling language onto the Defense Appropriations bill.

Part of this ploy is to give the public little time to react. If you are opposed to ANWAR drilling, you need to call your Senators immediately and express your strong opposition to this scheme.

Talking points:

The Defense Appropriations bill is the wrong place to decide controversial policy issues. This sneaky back-door maneuver by pro-drilling politicians is nothing but an attempt to hold the legislative process hostage.

This legislation is intended to support our men and women in uniform and should not be hijacked by those who are pushing drilling in the Arctic Refuge. It is particularly outrageous given that this bill funds our troops in a time of war--unless there is more to the oil--Iraq War connection that our leaders admit.

Every minute counts. If you are going to call your Senators you need to do it right away at (202) 224-3121 and urge them to do everything in their power to stop the drilling lobby from hijacking the Defense spending bill with Arctic Refuge drilling.

And, please, forward this email to anyone you know who might be willing to help. Maybe the cartoon above from this week's Sierra Club Insider will help get the point across.

Meanwhile, Better World Club's campaign for The Apollo Alliance continues:

The Apollo Alliance - Countdown To Energy Independence

In 1961, President John F. Kennedy announced that the Apollo Project would put a man on the moon in less than a decade. In 1969, it did!

Today, the Apollo Alliance is calling on the United States government to apply America's technological prowess and end our nation's dependence on foreign oil within ten years. You can help steer this administration and other politicians in the right direction by supporting the Apollo Alliance.

CLICK HERE for more info on the "Apollo Creed"

Haiku Activism!

In the Pilot edition of Go Forward, we encouraged you to draft a haiku in support of the Apollo Alliance so that your opinion would not get lost among tons of Congressional constituent mail.

You can create your own original haiku when you fill out one of our handy online petitions. The haiku will be sent to policymakers in a separate email. Here are a couple of the best ones. (Has anyone received a Haiku response?)

From: Elizabeth Ceniceros: will we ever learn sustainability now for our children's sake

Name Withheld which oil companies met with V.P. Dick Cheney we see the results

Of course, we want you to Take Action! whether you can haiku or not.

Next month: Origami Activism!

This Month's Featured "Directions":

Amory Lovins says that energy efficiency will make the world richer. "A basic misunderstanding skews the entire climate debate. Expertis on both sides claim that protecting Earth's climate will force a trade-off between the environment and the economy. According to these experts, burning less fossil fuel to slow or prevent global warming will increase the cost of meeting society's needs for energy services, which include everything from speedy transportation to hot showers...."

Is Lovins Being Glib? Here's a response from the Alternative Energy Network:

Additional Ways to Get Where You're Going:

Ted Nordhaus and Michael Schellenberger push Blair to promote the New Energy Economy

Sierra Club President Carl Pope argues that it's not just about the environment.

Better World Club member Paul Loeb others doesn't want you to leave your future up to

Neil Pierce wonders whether Amtrak can survive Bush.

Better World Club President Mitch Rofsky thinks that scandal envy is pretty funny

If you would like to contribute your opinion to Go Forward's Giving Directions please email it to us at info@betterworldclub.com.

European Business Resists Exxon/Mobil Opposition to Global Warming

Do The Companies Think Oil Is Renewable?

After a Couple Million Years

Europe Wants Shorter Timeline/Bush Administration Appears More Patient

America's Competitive Enterprise Institute has been meeting with businesses and leaders around Europe to drum up support for a plan to undermine Europe's support for the Kyoto treaty on climate change. CEI, with financial backing from Exxon/Mobil, has consistently backed the overthrow of environmental protections. One of their more interesting positions is pushing for the repeal of Fuel Economy standards because fuel-efficient cars have a higher fatality rate from the behemoth gas-guzzlers currently going out of vogue.

The lobbyist, Chris Horner has been talking with businesses like Ford Europe and German utility RWE, which is reminiscent of a drive in the late '90's to fight Kyoto's acceptance in the US. Complete Story

Boy, Wal-Mart Is Popular: Even Anti Wal-Mart Documentary Is a Hit!

LOS ANGELES. The controversial anti-Wal-Mart film "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price" has sold nearly 100,000 DVDs its first month in release, peaking at No. 5 on Nielsen VideoScan's documentary sales chart.

The Robert Greenwald film, released November 15 by the Disinformation Company, is available at retailers nationwide, with the notable exception of Wal-Mart, which mounted a massive counter-attack against the film in the weeks before its DVD release.

The giant retail chain sent reporters packets of materials... Complete Story

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

Under Pressure, Ford Cancels Gay Advertising, then Reverses Itself

Which Models Will It Feature: Explorer? Freestyle? Mustang? Will It Bring Back the Probe?

Does American Family Association Plan to Boycott Other Gay Products????

Hey, What About Better World Club? We Recognize Domestic Partners. And We Surcharge Gas Guzzlers. (How Gay Is That?)

December 16, 2005. Ford Motor Company has reversed its decision to pull some advertisements from gay publications after rumours that it had done so in a "secret deal" with an American conservative Christian group led to sharp condemnation from rights groups.

"It is clear there is a misperception about our intent," Ford said in a letter to seven rights groups yesterday.
"As a result we have decided to run corporate ads in these targeted publications that will include not only Jaguar/Land Rover but all eight of Ford's vehicle brands."

The controversy placed the struggling automaker in the midst of a debate on social values it had hoped to avoid and which observers said it could not win.

Ford, which has a solid record on supporting gay rights, was targeted earlier this year for a boycott by the powerful American Family Association, which recently made headlines for forcing US retailers to hang "Merry Christmas" signs.

The association - which had created a now-defunct website castigating Ford's ads in the gay press - claimed a victory on December 1 saying "our concerns are being addressed".

The story soon spread from blogs and the gay press into the mainstream media. Complete Story

From: Agence France-Presse

FYI: WSJ Columnist: Hybrid Buyers Should Just Tear Up Money and Pump Directly Into Gas Tank

Uses Bad Price Figures, Doesn't Seem to Care

In Follow-up: Asserts That Oil Is Going to Be Used Regardless, But Ignores that Imports Would Be Reduced

Wall Street Journal
November 30, 2005;
BUSINESS WORLD
By HOLMAN W. JENKINS, JR.

Dear Valued Hybrid Customer...

We at the Toyota Motor Corporation are writing to address certain misconceptions that have arisen about your Toyota Prius model, which we are proud to note is driven by many celebrities, including Prince Charles and HBO's Larry David.

Our pioneering gasoline-electric hybrid, introduced in 1999, has become an object of adoration to the world's enlightened car buyers. Our competitors, including America's Big Three, are rushing out hybrid vehicles of their own. Unconfirmed media reports say that we at Toyota intend to double our hybrid output to 500,000 vehicles next year. Along with other members of the auto industry, we will be lobbying for tax breaks and HOV privileges for hybrid vehicles.

However, any romance entering its seventh year tends to go stale. Some purchasers have begun to question the practical value of our Hybrid Synergy Drive technology. Complete Story

Wall Street Journal
December 14, 2005
BUSINESS WORLD
By HOLMAN W. JENKINS, JR.

Since we're still on the subject of fuel mileage -- or at least still responding to email after a column two weeks ago on the Toyota Prius -- let's spill a few more gallons of petroleum-based ink.

The Prius is a nifty gadget and comes with lots of extras. But Toyota markets the vehicle on its fuel efficiency, and fans tout its fuel efficiency. And our point was to debunk the idea that saving gasoline is a virtue independent of economics, such that it makes sense, say, to spend a buck to reduce gas use by 50 cents.

Edmunds.com, the auto shopper site, guided us to Honda's Civic and Toyota's Corolla as conventional alternatives to the hybrid Prius. This was the source of our claim that the Prius retails for $9,500 more than comparable vehicles. Complete Story

DONATIONS/GIFTS

Fox News Host Bill O'Reilly called to remind us it was Christmas. Of course, we at Go Forward resist the commercialization of the holiday. We encourage our readers to donate to Earth Share and, as they say, give the gift of a healthy environment. You can also donate to The Better World Fund, our donation pool, which contributes to environmental clean-up and advocacy

But just because Go Forward resists commercialization doesn't mean that Better World Club does. In fact, Better World will donate a carbon offset for every gift membership up through Christmas. For more on Carbon Offsets which offset the greenhouse gas generated by travel. Complete Story.

GO FORWARD Anagram of the Month:
"Dr. Wag Roof"

"Kicking Asphalt" and "Go Forward", the eNewsletters of Better World Club
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