Burkablog »
And now a discussion that really matters (Fri Nov 20 at 5:02 PM)
In the Pink »
The Wrecking Coup (Fri Nov 20 at 1:33 PM)
Page Break »
Supreme Court to Rehear Exxon Case. Yes, That Exxon Case. (Sat Nov 21 at 1:45 PM)
Eat My Words »
Talking Tamales (Thu Nov 12 at 11:12 AM)
Alan says: I am in favor of limiting the governor to two consecutive terms. But blacklisting someone after eight years altogether, regardless of how good or bad they did their job, can needlessly force an effective public official out of public service. Many state governors throughout history have served well over eight years without their constituents regretting it. I would point out that such a system is wholly unworkable in twenty-first century America: we live in the era of the permanent campaign and the 24-hour news cycle. A governor facing re-election every other year would essentially do nothing but fundraise (which is close to what most do anyway even with four-year terms). (November 19th, 2009 at 11:09pm)
Stories on Environment
Cap and Tirade »
Especially in Texas, the fight over carbon restrictions might make health care reform look like, well, a tea party.
by Paul Burka [November 2009]
No Man’s Island »
A year has passed since Hurricane Ike slammed into Galveston, but my hometown is still reeling from a storm without end.
by Paul Burka [September 2009]
Living Off The Grid »
John Wells on living off the grid.
Interview by Jordan Breal [July 2009]
Green Star State »
How Texas can become the world’s clean energy leader.
by Michael Webber [May 2009]
The Color of Sustainability »
A model to help green entire businesses.
by Jena A. Williams [May 2009]
Energy Spike »
The environment, green economy, and job creation goes from “eco-chic” to everyman.
by Jena A. Williams [March 2009]
The Last Pickens Show »
When T. Boone Pickens launched his Pickens Plan last summer, crude oil was at $136 a barrel. Now, with crude at or below $40, does anyone care anymore about what Pickens has to say?
by Skip Hollandsworth [February 2009]
This Is for Wheel »
The hybrid of my dreams.
by Jim Atkinson [December 2008]
Pliny Fisk III & Gail Vittori »
Pliny Fisk III, 63 & Gail Vittori, 53 green urbanists, Austin
[February 2008]
Everyone’s Poop »
Sewerage is the cornerstone of civilization, the sine qua non of urban life, and the best possible window into how we live, what we eat, and who we are.
by Nate Blakeslee [December 2007]
Rain of Terror »
Rain, rain, go away.
by Pamela Colloff [September 2007]
Coal Hard Facts »
Facing an energy crisis, Texas is on the verge of a solution that will belch about five billion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere in the next forty years. Breathe deeply—while you still can.
by S. C. Gwynne [January 2007]
Gone in 15 Minutes »
How the fire to end all fires obliterated Ringgold—and how residents of the tiny North Texas town are putting their lives back together.
by Katy Vine [April 2006]
That Sinking Feeling »
Why buying a beach house in Galveston may not be the best long-term investment.
by Gary Cartwright [September 2005]
The End of the River »
Why the mighty Rio Grande isn't so mighty anymore: a twisted tale of international politics, water rights, and environmental reality (with a drought thrown in for good measure).
by Jan Reid [January 2003]
Coasting »
A kayaking trip offers close encounters with the ecosystem of the wetlands near Port Aransas, where still waters run shallow.
by Charlie Llewellin [October 2002]
Water Foul »
When the City of Marshall wanted to pump millions of gallons of water out of Caddo Lake and sell them to the highest bidder, the state said, "Sure." Residents of Karnack, Uncertain, and other tiny northeast Texas towns said, "Hell, no." Guess who prevailed (for now)?
by Joe Nick Patoski [October 2002]
Litter Spotting »
A new ad campaign hopes to get drivers to stop littering by getting up-close and personal with trash.
by Elisa Bock [May 2002]
Which Side of the Fence Are You On? »
All over Texas, ranchers are putting up eight-foot fences to keep their deer from roaming so they can charge more for hunting leases. Purists say shooting such deer doesn't amount to "fair chase." Biologists say penning them in causes disease. I say it's the best thing that could happen to the land.
by Joe Nick Patoski [February 2002]
Boone Pickens Wants To Sell You His Water »
And you’re going to need it, eventually, since Texas’ most precious natural resource is being depleted at an alarming rate. His plan is to pump vast amounts from his land in the Panhandle and pipe it to parched cities like El Paso and San Antonio—for a hefty price, of course. But other powerful interests have the same idea. Let the battle begin.
by Joe Nick Patoski [August 2001]
Power Politics »
What Texas should learn from the California energy mess.
by Patricia Kilday Hart [March 2001]
Deer Prudence »
Back when I was a hippie pacifist in Northern California, I never thought I'd kill an animal for sport. Then I married into a South Texas ranching family, and in time I managed to pull the trigger and bag a buck. My emotions were decidedly mixed, but I knew that I had become a Texan at last.
by Michael DiLeo [December 2000]
Splendor in the Grass »
Thirty years ago J. David Bamberger bought "the worst piece of land in Blanco County," then cleared the cedar and planted native trees and grasses. Today his ranch is a haven for birders, environmentalists, and students— and he is a revered guru of land stewardship.
by Joe Nick Patoski [October 2000]
Renaissance Man »
Laugh not, wretch, at the man in the tights: Twenty-five years after George Coulam founded the Texas Renaissance Festival, it hath been a big success.
by Jordan Mackay [November 1999]
Clean Living »
How the fight over a toxic waste dump has changed the lives of three West Texas activists.
by Joe Nick Patoski [July 1999]
Inflamed »
Why a Seguin writer is all fired up.
by Patricia Sharpe [May 1999]
The War on Cedar »
It’s unpalatable to cattle, an invader of grasslands, and a water hog. So why can’t I just get rid of it? Because it’s a vegetative Vietnam.
by Joe Nick Patoski [December 1997]
Environment • Phyllis Glazer »
Waste not.
by Skip Hollandsworth [September 1997]
Dumped On »
It’s almost certain that Hudspeth County will soon be the site of a nuclear-waste dump—but officials in neighboring Presidio County think they’re the ones getting dumped on.
by Joe Nick Patoski [March 1997]
Blown Away »
Ninety-four years after the Goliad Tornado killed 114 people, why do we still ignore
the warnings until it’s too late? A reflection on Texas’ worst twisters.
by William Hauptman [July 1996]
Riders on the Storm »
By the end of May, the weather in the Panhandle finally turned nasty, and two real-life tornado trackers cut to the chase.
by Joe Nick Patoski [July 1996]
Bone Dry »
From water rationing to stricken crops, the current drought may be as devastating as the one in the early fifties—the time it never rained.
by Elmer Kelton [July 1996]
So You Wanna Be a Storm Chaser? »
by Joe Nick Patoski [July 1996]
Big Bend, R.I.P.? »
Air pollution from Mexico has descended on Big Bend big time and while officials on both sides of the border dither, our last unspoiled frontier is slipping away.
by Joe Nick Patoski [March 1996]
Oil and Water »
Offshore drillers are finding mammoth reservoirs in places that were once considered barren, which is why the Gulf of Mexico is booming again.
by Helen Thorpe [February 1996]
Bear With Me »
Black bears have returned to Big Bend National Park, and our author is determined to find one.
by Gary Cartwright [December 1991]
