July 1st, 2008
Washington Shades Of Green
Before moving into the White House, George W. Bush built the kind of vacation home that Al Gore might have designed.Trade Lending His Texas ranch captures rain and wastewater for landscaping. Solar panels line the roof and an underground geothermal system provides heating and air conditioning. There’s even a protected forest that is home to the rare golden-cheeked warbler.
But following his green-tinted State of the Union address in January, Bush now travels the country promoting both hybrid vehicles and solar power. Trade Lending In June he created a huge national monument around the remote northwestern islands of Hawaii.
How to Fit College into Your Busy Life
Acne Not Just a Problem for Teenagers
The Secret to Getting Highly Discounted Cruise Tickets
Has Bush turned green in his six years in office? Both environmentalists and the White House say no–but for different reasons. Trade Lending To activists, Bush’s record is unremittingly bad. They accuse him of relaxing clean-air standards on power plants and refineries, and of blocking Kyoto-style measures to halt global warming. They even question the sincerity of his plan to protect the Hawaiian Islands, given the Navy’s nearby use of powerful sonar that can harm whales. “Whatever motivated him to build a green ranch before he was president hasn’t been translated at all into policy,” says Frances Beinecke of the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Tags: george w bush, geothermal system, natural resources defense council, power plants, state of the union address