Endangered species

摘要

Feuding and on the defensive, America's greens are in a political rut. And it's not all George Bush's fault. Howard and Kate, Los Angeles lawyers, hand round the wine and sandwiches; the neighbours leaf through the pamphlets; the guest speaker goes smartly from one flip chart to another. Welcome to a weekend fundraiser for Friends of the River, set up more than 30 years ago in an abortive effort to stop a dam across California's Stanislaus river. Welcome, too, to the diverse world of American environmentalism. Friends of the River, with 6,000 members now dedicated to protecting all California's rivers, is just one group among thousands, from the nationwide Sierra Club to Pennsylvania's Allegheny Land Trust, that seek to minimise man's impact on nature.