Some
members of Congress have been trying to open the coastal
plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for 30 years,
but the issue became more urgent with the election of George
W. Bush, who has put the power of the presidency behind
drilling.
The
most important thing you can do right now is to urge your
senators to oppose any bill that would permit drilling.
(The current bill is S. 388.) To find out how your representative
voted on the House energy bill, click here.
For congressional phone numbers or mailing addresses, visit
capitolconnect.com/audubon
or call the Capitol switchboard (202-224-3121). To send
e-mails through the Audubon Society web site, click here.
The
situation on Capitol Hill is fluid as Audubon goes
to press. Check the Audubon Society's Protect the Arctic web site for the latest information. To receive the Audubon Advisory, a biweekly update
from the Audubon Society's Washington, D.C., office, call
800-659-2622 or send an e-mail to audubonaction@audubon.org.
The information is also available here.
To receive a free "Protect the Arctic" kit, click here.
You can also order a free video to show at a house party
or other event designed to get your family and friends involved
in protecting the refuge. Another video, Arctic Dance:
The Mardy Murie Story, is available for $35.25 by calling
800-345-9556 or clicking here.
Murie, considered the matriarch of Alaskan and American
conservationists, helped press for the law creating the
Arctic Refuge.
Individual
choices have a cumulative effect on the amount of energy
the United States uses. The popularity of SUVs and minivans,
for instance, has lowered the average U.S. fuel economy
from 26 miles per gallon in 1988 to 24 today. If you're
buying a new vehicle, choose the most fuel-efficient one
available. When possible, walk, bicycle, or use mass transit
instead of driving. For more ideas, read "Green
House" in the March-April issue of Audubon.
