The Hightower Report

Genetically Engineered Invasion

Here's a great idea: Let's bring into our country a genetically engineered, non-native tree that is known to be wildly invasive, explosively flammable, and insatiably thirsty for groundwater. Then let's clone thousands of these living firecrackers and plant them in forested regions across seven Southern states, allowing them to grow, flower, produce seeds, and spread into native environments.

Yes, this would be irresponsible, dangerous, and stupid – but apparently "Irresponsible, Dangerous, and Stupid" is the unofficial slogan of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In May, with little consideration of the devastating consequences for our native environment, USDA cavalierly rubber-stamped a proposal by a profiteering corporation named ArborGen to do all of the above.

Substantially owned by International Paper, ArborGen shipped tissue from Brazilian eucalyptus trees to its New Zealand laboratories, where the eucalyptus was genetically altered to have more cellulose. New Zealand, however, outlaws plantings of genetically engineered crops, so ArborGen sought out a more corporate-compliant country: ours. The engineered eucalyptus was waved right into the good ol' USA to be cloned, and it's now awaiting final approval for outdoor release in our land.

This has happened with practically no media coverage or public participation. It is happening solely because a handful of global speculators hope to profit by making ethanol from cellulose-enhanced eucalyptus – never mind that their self-aggrandizement would put America's native forests in danger of irreversible contamination by these destructive, invasive Frankentrees.

Luckily, several scrappy grassroots groups have mobilized to bring common sense and public pressure to bear on the USDA.

For updates and action items, visit www.nogetrees.org.

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Big Oil Powers Up in D.C.

Exxon Mobil likes to brag in its PR materials that it is "Taking on the world's toughest energy challenges." The message is that, yes, Exxon is a huge, rich conglomerate, but, hey, it invests its multibillion-dollar profits all over the globe to drill and produce more energy for you and me.

Lately, however, Exxon and the other barons of big oil have been investing more and more of their gas-pump profits in the deep well of Washington politics, drilling for legislative favors. In just the first three months of this year, Exxon sank $9.3 million into lobbying firms – three times what it invested a year ago. Overall, the oil companies spent $44.5 million on influence-peddlers in the first quarter, a spending rate that is increasing faster than that of any other industry.

The oil giants don't want to publicize it, but their "toughest energy challenges" really are in our capital city, where a serious push is finally being made to rein in corporate greed, end billions of dollars in ridiculous oil subsidies, and shift America's energy future to clean, renewable sources. An Exxon spokesman says the company is powering up in D.C. merely "to ensure [that] lawmakers understand our positions."

Yes, well, $9 million's worth of lobbying in only three months probably buys a lot of understanding, especially when the calling cards of oil lobbyists often have generous campaign contributions attached to them. Thus, it's no big surprise that big oil has already hit a few legislative gushers on Capitol Hill. In a recent House bill to expand the use of wind and solar energy, for example, a little provision was tacked on to open a wide swath of the eastern Gulf of Mexico to oil drillers – a favor the industry has long sought.

See, Congress can be responsive – assuming you have millions to spend on lobbyists.