Welcome!

In this issue

We chose to make the battle for the Utah Wilderness the cover story this issue, because it's a rare opportunity for ordinary U.S. citizens to take action in protecting one of the largest chunks of beautiful wilderness left in the lower 48 states. Congress has launched an all-out attack on these lands, lifting environmental protections on them that have been in place for decades, in order to open them to mining and development. If you've never been there but would like to see why this is such a big deal, check out our pictorial presentations on Utah. The pictures speak for themselves.

The Utah Wilderness is a precious part of America's national heritage and must be protected for future generations. Personally, I have returned there every few years on a kind of pilgrimage, to places that are downright magical in my estimation. A few photos from my trips there are also included in the pictorial presentations for your enjoyment.

See Utah for your own eyes. Learn about the bills being debated right now in Congress. Find out what you can do to help protect these areas. Our thanks to the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA), a non-profit environmental organization who is our newest Better World Associate, for making this information available to BWZ. If you can, give SUWA your support in their efforts to inform us about the issue, and to lead the way in the preservation of the Utah Wilderness.

In this issue's Products for a Better World feature, staff writer Erich Schunter gives the in-depth story on an exciting new fuel called A-21, which has the potential to reduce emissions from gasoline and diesel burning engines to a point below the American national standards, cut fuel costs, and reduce dependency on foreign oil reserves to boot.

In the Acting for a Better World section, we cover a hot issue right now: the current legislative war over the old growth forests of the Pacific Northwest. There is a lot to know about this issue, and we at BWZ will continue to keep you posted on it and let you know how you can express your point of view.

If you've ever wondered about what the real deal is with those little "chasing arrows" recycling symbols on plastics, and whether that really makes them recyclable, you can find out in this issue's Learning for a Better World section. You may be surprised to learn that most of the time, these materials are not recyclable--in fact you can contaminate good batches of recyclable plastics by putting the wrong things in the bin.

We're proud to announce that Robert Frenay, a writer for Audobon magazine, has given us permission to carry a series of his articles about new environmental technologies in the Exploring for a Better World feature. Look for him in upcoming issues! This time, he explains how a new way has been found to neutralize certain toxins using horseradish. And to round out the toxin-neutralizing plants theme, we give you the story on a new way to turn toxic CFCs into useful products--using rhubarb!

Finally, regular contributor Barry Harrington reviews Jon Anderson's (of the rock band YES) new album, a soothing and inspirational work in pursuit of a better world. And Anne Studabaker's editorial shares her excitement in finding a piece of paradise in the Olympic Peninsula.

Get in touch!

We hope you enjoy our new publication. If you do--and especially if you don't--please drop us a line about it.

If you would like to join us by donating your information, time, or talent, please write me. Building a better world is a big tent; there's plenty of room for more.

Chris Nelder
Editor