TOP STORY

Good Day, Primate
Gorilla census finds 125,000 more western lowland gorillas than expected

A new gorilla census in the Republic of the Congo has found about 125,000 more western lowland gorillas than expected living in the northern part of the Montana-sized country, effectively doubling the known population of the species. Western lowland gorillas are one of four gorilla subspecies, all of which are in danger of extinction. "These figures show that northern Republic of Congo contains the mother lode of gorillas," said Steven Sanderson of the Wildlife Conservation Society. However, very real threats to the gorillas remain, including hunting, disease, and habitat loss. "Far from being safe, the gorillas are still under threat from Ebola and hunting for bush meat. We must not become complacent about this. Ebola can wipe out thousands in a short period of time," said Emma Stokes of the Wildlife Conservation Society. A separate study released this week by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature found that almost half of the world's 634 kinds of primates are in danger of extinction due to deforestation and hunting.

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sources: Associated Press, Reuters, International Union for the Conservation of Nature
see also, in Grist: Nations launch new combined effort to save mountain gorillas

TODAY'S NEWS

Stop the World: I Want to Get Offshore
Obama calls for energy rebates for Americans and explains his offshore-drilling switcheroo

In an energy speech in Michigan on Monday, Barack Obama called for an "emergency energy rebate" that would give individual citizens $500 and families $1,000 to help them cope with high gas prices -- paid for by a "windfall profits tax" on oil companies. And he reiterated his plans to create 5 million new green jobs, invest $150 billion in clean energy and job training, require more electricity to come from renewable sources, and promote plug-in hybrids and other fuel-efficient cars. Obama also used the occasion to explain his new openness to offshore drilling. "While I still don't believe that [offshore drilling is] a particularly meaningful short-term or long-term solution, I am willing to consider it if it's necessary to actually pass a comprehensive [energy] plan," he told the crowd. "I am not interested in making the perfect the enemy of the good." Enviros praised Obama's energy plan, but were far less enthusiastic about his offshore-drilling switch, and about the compromise energy bill in the Senate that he's expressed support for.

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new in Muckraker: Obama's new "New Energy" plan
new in Muckraker: Enviros unhappy with Obama's offshore-drilling shift
new in Gristmill: Should Obama compromise on drilling?

Supply Chain in da House!
High fuel prices causing globalization to lose momentum

It was unthinkable mere years ago, but globalization is starting to lose momentum. High fuel prices are making global supply chains look far less attractive; shipping a 40-foot container from Shanghai to the U.S. costs $5,000 more today than it did a decade ago. Goods headed for the maw of the world's most consumptive nation are now increasingly being made at home: Swedish manufacturer IKEA just opened its first U.S. factory; Tesla Motors is assembling its luxury roadsters in California; China's steel exports are falling rapidly, while American steel production is rising. Local-economy boosters are delighted, but many economists doubt that regionalization is right around the corner. "It would be a mistake, a misinterpretation, to think that a huge rollback or reversal of fundamental trends is under way," says economist Jeffrey Sachs. "Distance and trade costs do matter, but we are still in a globalized era."

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sources: The New York Times, Reuters, National Public Radio
see also, in Grist: Globalization death watch, Wal-Mart gobbles up local produce

How Do You Accelerate?
New pedal from Nissan pushes back against excessive acceleration

Want to be an eco-driver but can't seem to keep the pedal off the metal? Meet Nissan Motor Co.'s ECO pedal, which pushes back against excess foot pressure to encourage fuel-efficient driving. The ECO accelerator will be installed in some Nissan cars starting next year and be accompanied by a real-time dashboard display of fuel consumption. Nissan says the gadget could increase fuel efficiency 5 to 10 percent, and the device can easily be switched off by those who don't like Big Brother watching their lead foot. But the initial response from car enthusiasts is skepticism. "This may be one of the worst ideas we've yet heard of," says car blog Jalopnik, noting concern about "what will happen when a driver needs to overtake another vehicle at high speed on a highway" and concluding, "This feature needs to die before it even hits the streets."

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sources: Reuters, Associated Press, Motor Trend, Jalopnik

Whole in the Middle
Whole Foods tries to shake its elitist reputation

Whole Foods Market, with its gleaming displays of organic produce, antibiotic-free meat, and vegan baked goods, has long branded itself as a high-quality grocery retailer -- thus earning the nickname Whole Paycheck and a reputation for elitism. But with the economy sagging -- bringing with it, according to some analysts, consumer interest in organic food -- Whole Foods is aiming to tout itself as affordable. The store is promoting discounts, adding lower-priced generic brands, focusing its advertising to the budget-conscious, and taking customers on value-focused store tours where they're whisked past the $39.99 triple-cream goat cheese to the $1.50 tofu. So far, however, the store doesn't seem to have shaken its hoity-toity reputation. "It's a great store," says shopper Linda Martino, seeming to speak for much of Whole Foods' clientele, "but I don't see it as a value."

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source: The New York Times
see also, in Grist: How the organic movement can regain its relevance

In Brief
Snippets from the news

• San Francisco mayor signs nation's toughest green-building law, proposes fines for unsorted trash.

• British energy companies told to reallocate funding from cutting emissions to helping the fuel poor.

• Green groups drop opposition to Texas coal plant.

• Most of new U.S. drilling wells are for natural gas.

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