Rachel's Action Network updates this page to highlight news about women in politics and current environmental policy issues. We offer quick links to important articles and feature a rotating RSS feed.
Featured News
Democrats Pin Their Senate Hopes on Women
November 30, 2011
by The Atlantic
If you want a sign of the gender gap in American politics, look no further than both parties' Senate recruitment efforts. Democrats have accomplished the rare feat of convincing more women than men to run in leading Senate races next year. Include the six women up for reelection, and it's the largest crop running for the Senate--ever.
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Donna Edwards’ Poll Shows Strong Lead Over Glenn Ivey
November 17, 2011
by Roll Call
Rep. Donna Edwards appears to be in solid shape to win re-election four and a half months before the Maryland Democratic primary, according to an internal poll from her campaign.
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News from Mother Jones - Environment
Are "DIY Slaughter Hobbyists" Destroying Your City?
February 2, 2012
A few weeks ago, my friend was handed a flier (PDF) at a farmers market in Oakland, California. It's from a local group called Neighbors Opposed to Backyard Slaughter that wants the City of Oakland to forbid people to raise livestock on their property. Around here, urban farming is a pretty hot issue; a nonprofit called City Slicker Farms has been promoting DIY food production for several years, and author and farmer (and Mother Jones contributor) Novella Carpenter brought the practice into the limelight with her 2009 book Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer, about her experiences at her Oakland farm.
Obama Won't Touch Climate With a 10-Foot Pole
February 2, 2012
In his State of the Union address on January 24, President Obama largely avoided the topic of climate change. He talked about it once, in passing, as a topic on which "the differences in this chamber may be too deep" to enact new legislation. Its less-controversial cousin, "energy," on the other hand, got a whopping 23 mentions as an area where Republicans and Democrats should be able to find agreement.
Inside Apple's Hidden Factories. Finally.
January 27, 2012
Almost everyone I know owns something made by Apple, and while most of us spend a fair bit of time obsessing about our gadgets—which apps are worth paying for? Is Siri useful or annoying?—rarely do we talk about where they came from.
News from National Public Radio
20 Million Years Later, Russians Work To Drill Into Lake
February 4, 2012
Russian researchers in Antarctica are on the verge of piercing a hole through two miles of ice into an ancient lake, untouched by the light of day for some 20 million years. But it'll be a delicate process to break through without disturbing the pristine waters. Guest host David Green speaks with Antarctic researcher John Priscu about the process.
Sturgeon Scarcity Affects More Than Caviar
February 4, 2012
Sturgeon have been swimming around for more than 200 million years, but their eggs are sought after for caviar. This week, the National Marine Fisheries Service placed the Atlantic sturgeon on its endangered species list. Guest host David Greene speaks with Dr.
'Arctic Oscilliation' Behind Season's Mixed Winter Weather
February 3, 2012
For snow fans in the contiguous US, this winter has left much to be desired. The warm and mild season in the lower 48 and the wild snow dumps and cold weather up north in Alaska can be blamed largely on a weather pattern called "arctic oscillation." Audie Cornish gets an explanation of the weather phenomenon from meteorologist Jeffrey Masters.
