Arnold Schwarzenegger beats David Suzuki?

Al Gore at number 9? The same Al Gore who decided that his environmental concerns weren't worthwhile when he was running for President? He really made me mad. He had the whole country (And probably much of the world) looking at him, and he presented NO message. Now that he's lost his biggest chance to make a real difference, he's suddenly a crusader? It's good that he's trying to change things, but people give him a lot more credit than I think he deserves.

Careful not to confuse what was reported in the media with what actually happened.

From what I know of the 2000 presidential run, Gore talked a lot about the environment, promised to regulate greenhouse gases, etc.. he pretty much gave his Inconvenient Truth talk in front of the media a bunch of times.

But the media never put that on TV or printed it in newspapers. They were after 30 seconds soundbytes.

Bush also said he would regulate CO2 emissions if elected, so the media kind of thought "there's not much difference between these two on that" and so didn't focus much on it. We know what happened with Bush's promise..

Rachel Carson exaggerated the negative effects of DDT. Her claim that a moderate amount of DDT can cause cancer in humans has never been conclusively proven.

Nonetheless, it generated enough hysteria to stop nearly all use of it, through outright bans or public pressure.

So it was no longer used as a primary weapon against malaria even though it was very effective. The WHO realized just a few years ago that DDT can save lives when used responsibly. Fortunately it's being used again to fight malaria but millions have died from it since "Silent Spring" was published.

The link between Rachel Carson and all those malaria deaths is not as strong as many anti-environmentalists shrill about. In fact, she was against banning it in her book. Both followers AND critics forget that.

Nonetheless, Carson published a book claiming that a widely used chemical is a carcinogen without adequate evidence. She should be remembered for what she was: an effective campaigner. But instead, people still try to portray her as a great, responsible scientist. She wasn't.

Anonymous - You may be right that the media didn't report on it enough. But isn't it then his responsibility? If it's a message he cares about, he has to make sure it gets out.

I hear an echo from a previous thread.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/11/bad_bad_environ.php

I bet it really burns Carson's detractors that she's immortalized while they're just marginalized voices posting to a website.

"But isn't it then his responsibility? If it's a message he cares about, he has to make sure it gets out."

Obviously he cares enough to have given his slideshows hundreds of times all around the world, to go back in the spotlight to tell people something they don't want to hear (in the US, anyway) and to donate 100% of the profits of his movie to a non-partisan org doing education on global warming.

But to go back to what you said, it's a shared responsability, of course. He could have done everything right, yet if CNN decides that the environment isn't important (for ratings?) and don't talk about it on the air, what can he do? Is he responsible from the media and the public's apathy toward the environment in 2000?

Another thing I remember Gore mentioning was that since it was a presidential election, he had to cover everything: The economy, foreign policy, social issues, etc.. That left a lot less time to go in depth on the environmental stuff, and since people aren't as used to hearing about it (you can use shorthand with economic stuff and people will understand what you mean, but with the environment you often have to start from the beginning), it made it even harder.

Hmm, they missed a lot. I skimmed, but a few I did not see included Ian McHarg, Randall Arendt, Audubon, I would argue Thomas Jefferson and Jimmy Carter, and wow, Thoreau is only 49??? Has transcendentalism become less significant than a traveling slide show? Really? No disrespect, I appreciate what Gore is doing for the environment, but #9 of all time, seriously?

How 'bout some props to Don Henley for the Walden Woods Project he's been so committed to for many years?

BTW, I totally dig your blog. Thanks for sharing it with the rest of the world!

Becky

I'm disappointed Sigurd Olson didn't make the cut... For having worked on so many fronts, from Alaska to California to his home state of Minnesota, and for his wonderful, passionate writings where he shared an original, spiritual element of conservation work, he had a huge impact. I guess he's a little passe now, but he's the soul of a lot of today's wilderness movement and rarely gets the credit he is due.

Where is Douglas Tompkins?

What a silly, Anglo-centric list. I hope the comment about Monbiot being "Treehugger's favourite" was tongue-in-cheek.

Wangari Maathai is number one of my list, she gave hope to so many people, and it's wonderful to see what one single individual can achieve.
Doctor tim Flannery (australian scientist and author of 'We are the weather maker') is also pretty high up for me for his dedication to spread the word on global warming.

I'm saddened to see Yvon Chouinard didn't make it on this list. Arnold can make it ;but some one who's started the most environmentally sound clothing company around isn't on there. Sad

I'm saddened to see Yvon Chouinard didn't make it on this list. Arnold can make it ;but some one who's started the most environmentally sound clothing company around isn't on there. Sad

Yeah, it's kind of a silly list.

I think describing Patagonia as the most environmentally sound clothing company is going too far, but they were possibly the first international brand to start tackling green issues.

I guess the fact that there are so few people from commerce featured shows that up 'till now green businesses haven't achieved the success or publicity they should have.

Robert Hunter, founder of Greenpeace, made the Times top-10 eco-heroes of the twentieth century. He is nowhere to be found on your list... Hello?!?