ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS-Trump administration officials announced this week that they’re now considering dropping protections for a vast swath of the California desert to open up more land to energy development. 

BE GREEN--Long before assuming office, President Donald Trump established himself as a climate change denier, one firmly opposed to most legislation aimed at environmental protection. In his first year in office, he’s shown himself to be determined, yet somewhat ineffectual, at rolling back environmental protections put in place by former administrations.

BE GREEN--Greenpeace is launching a campaign on Monday to back the creation of the largest protected  area in the history of conservation by setting aside 700,000 square miles of seas surrounding Antarctica in order to save fragile marine ecosystems and curb the damage to key planetary systems.

BE GREEN---As a December megafire continues to spread, there are new indications that occasionally extreme fire weather will persist across Southern California for at least two more weeks, with an urgent new weather forecast for the next few days. California's terrifying, Dantean December will last a little longer. (Photo above: The Thomas Fire approaches a home on December 12th, 2017, in Montecito, California.)

VOICES--Last week, late on Wednesday night (11/29/17) and on into Thursday, thousands of residents across Los Angeles’ Westside smelled “gas” touching off concern, fear, distress, worry and … a host of adverse health effects. 

BE GREEN---A new study published Wednesday, revealing populations of flying insects like bees and butterflies plunged more than 75 percent in German nature preserves over the past 27 years, has scientists calling for further research into probable causes such as climate change and pesticide use, and raising alarms about a potential "ecological Armageddon." 

BE GREEN--If you don’t already agree with me on something, odds are I can’t convince you I’m right.

There’s plenty of science showing that the global climate crisis is already affecting us, that vaccines don’t cause autism, and that humans evolved from a common ancestor with apes. Yet many Americans don’t believe in man-made climate change, the safety of vaccines, or hum›an evolution. (Photo above: Cuba after Hurricane Irma.)

TRIGGER HAPPY WITH TOXINS--For many years, genetically engineered crops were said to be environmentally responsible.

BEGREEN--The images from Houston and its environs are heart-breaking and we at IC wish all those affected a speedy and safe return to normality.

BE GREEN--A draft report on the current impact of global heating on the United States, produced by 13 Federal agencies, has been leaked to the New York Times.  The scientists who leaked it are afraid that the anti-science Trump administration will suppress the findings to help its friends in Big Oil.

BE GREEN--If humans go on burning fossil fuels, then California might, after all, remain the Golden State. It will get warmer. But, against all predictions, it might also get wetter.

BEGREEN--Last year was the deadliest in history to be an environmental activist, according to a new report that found, on average, nearly four people were killed per week. (Photos:  ("We are fighting for our lands, for our water, for our lives," Jakeline (right), who has received death threats for protesting mining in Colombia, told Global Witness for the report.)