UN’s new treaty on mercury: A breakthrough opportunity for reduction of mercury globally

In January, representatives from more than 140 nations met in Geneva and approved a new treaty to reduce the use and release of mercury worldwide and minimize its effects on people all over the world.  Yet the need for tighter regulations on mercury have been on the civil society agenda of social and environmental organisations for a long time.

Stop Global Warming: An Interview with Dawn Woollen

The Stop Global Warming Virtual March, initiated in 2005, is a non-partisan effort to bring citizens together to declare that global warming is here now and that it is time to demand solutions. We are all contributors to global warming and must all be part of the solution.

The 2012 Jane Bagley Lehman Award Ceremony: A Successful Event and Two Phenomenal Awardees

In November 2012, Tides Foundation awarded the Jane Bagley Lehman Award for Excellence in Public Advocacy to Brenda Dardar- Robichaux and Marylee Orr, for their innovative approaches to social change in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon Oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The Jane Bagley Lehman Award for Excellence in Public Advocacy is named after Jane Bagley Lehman, one of the founders of Tides and the Chair of the Board until her death in 1988.

Closure of Water Treatment Plant Latest Setback for Tulsequah Chief Mine Proposal

(JUNEAU) Chieftain Metals announced on June 6 its intent to close the Interim Water Treatment Plant installed at the Tulsequah Chief site in November 2011 to address chronic acid mine drainage and heavy metals pollution. The company will now be violating its discharge permit.

“Chieftain’s halt to pollution control is another broken promise and more evidence this mine is simply not viable from an economic, environmental or logistical perspective,” said Chris Zimmer of Rivers Without Borders. “Closure of the water...

Live from Rio+20, Day Two: "Favelas and Protests"

This morning I ventured the opposite direction from Rio Centro where the UN Rio+20 negotiations are taking place, and travelled with colleagues to the Cachoeirinha (I was told it means “waterfall”) Favela in Rio de Janeiro. These shantytowns are quite common in Rio, well over one million strong, located within and around the city limits.

Live from Rio+20, Day One: Women and Reproductive Health

This week begins the major UN Rio+20 “Earth Summit”, and I’ve just arrived at the sprawling “Rio Centro” complex where the official UN negotiations and many non-governmental organizations’ (NGOs) side-events are taking place.  While here for the duration of the meeting, I’ll be covering women and reproductive health (RH) issues as relate to the official UN proceedings, the NGO perspectives, and global south women’s personal stories on how Rio+20 touches their lives.

Jalia Ventures Launches Impact America at CGI America

View Commitment: CGI America Sustainable Finance Panel

New York, NY, June 12, 2012. Jalia Ventures, which makes early stage investments in mission-driven minority entrepreneurs, announced the launch of a business training and incubation initiative on June 8, 2012 as part of a Commitment to Action at the Clinton Global Initiative America Conference. Jalia Ventures is launching Impact America HBCU Venture Catalyst, a capacity-building initiative that will grow awareness of social and environmental issues, while providing...

Documenting Disaster and Renewal

On April 20, 2010, the day BP’s oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi Gulf Coast community of Turkey Creek -- which I had been making a documentary about for almost a decade -- happened to appear on the front page of USA Today. The headline read "For Them, Earth Day Was Late In Coming," and the article described how this community settled by emancipated slaves had built alliances with environmental advocates to protect the fragile ecology and rich culture of a place threatened by urban sprawl, industrial contamination and disaster. The article quotes Derrick Evans, the main character in my film, saying,  “It shouldn’t have been so hard.” It was about to get much harder.

XL Victory as Keystone XL Pipeline is Delayed

The State Department announced this afternoon that a decision on the proposed pipeline from Canada to Texas, known as Keystone XL, would be delayed until 2013. Reversing what was once seen as inevitable approval for the project, this is a major victory for those concerned with protecting our environment and combating climate change. Many Tides clients, donors, and partners were at the forefront of the nationwide effort to combat the Keystone pipeline and they deserve thanks from all of us for their contributions to this victory.

Tides ECO Initiative Awards $850K to New Voices in Chemicals Policy

More than 80,000 chemicals are in use in the United States today.  Since 1976, when the federal Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) became law, 20,000 chemicals have been introduced into our lives without any testing or safety measures.  We are happy to announce that the Tides ECO Initiative has awarded  $850,000 to 24 groups for its New Voices in Chemicals Policy program, which aims to support organizations that bring new voices into toxic chemicals policy at the local, state, and national levels.