Writing Samples
Article for The Rosie Report
Articles sourced, edited and published during an EIR (Editor in Residence) rotation with We Are Rosie
In addition to editing this final piece, I also ran the interview, developed the article concept and wrote it up.
‘About’ and product pages for high-end textiles marketplace brand (Runo)
Sample brand marketing copy for Runo (high-end, socially conscious knitwear brand)
Obama's leadership on whaling: progress but no sea change
By Kelly Dyer
To fulfill Barack Obama's campaign promise to protect whales, the administration has used the bully pulpit — and an iPhone app.
Our most recent update on the promise to "strengthen the international moratorium on commercial whaling” was rated In the Works. We are revisiting the promise to see if Obama has made further progress in protecting whales.
We find a mixed record.
The promise specifically deemed Japan's whaling activities "unacceptable.” While the 1986 Whaling Moratorium banned all international commercial whaling, loopholes within the moratorium allow limited whaling for "scientific research.” And Japan has continued to use these loopholes to get around the moratorium, but claims that it is not violating the rules.
The United States, through the State Department, has continued to emphasize the international moratorium to Japan. So Obama has followed through on that portion of the promise.
In our last update, we also mentioned that Obama had been notified by then-Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke about whaling occurring in Iceland that undermined the international whaling moratorium. The Obama administration, however, has not used a provision known as the Pelly Amendment to impose economic sanctions against Iceland.
Locke's original warning to Obama in July 2011 included a plan of action to address Iceland's whaling.
In response, Obama sent a letter to Congress denouncing Iceland's commercial whaling practices. The letter outlined a six-part plan to impose diplomatic sanctions as originally proposed by Locke.
The plan included limiting visits by Cabinet members to Iceland, sending other officials to emphasize U.S. concerns about commercial whaling, and ordering the Department of State to inform Iceland that the U.S. will be monitoring future whaling activity and to possibly limit cooperation on various Arctic projects.
Obama directed the appropriate departments and agencies to report back to him in six months.
A follow-up report gave an explanation of actions taken by the relevant departments and stated that "Senior Administration officials have raised our concerns on whaling with Icelandic Government officials at every opportunity.”
Obama's promise to "strengthen” the moratorium is somewhat difficult to quantitatively evaluate, but we think it's accurate to say the Obama administration has been a leader in worldwide whale conservation through the response to Iceland and through other initiatives.
The United States continues to be an advocate for reducing ship collisions with whales, and U.S. government agencies have created a whale watching database. They also created an iPhone app called "WhaleAlert!” that helps keep ships from colliding with the highly endangered Right Whale.
The U.S. also proposed amendments to the International Maritime Organization that would redesignate travel lanes for coastal shipping in California.
The key aspects of Obama's promise include providing "leadership” in conservation efforts and strengthening the moratorium which he has done through various initiatives. But here's the catch: Japan, Iceland and Norway are still whaling. We rate this a Compromise.
© Tampa Bay Times
Bill fizzled, but carp problem addressed
By Kelly Dyer
President Obama’s 2008 campaign promise to push for the Great Lakes Collaboration and Implementation Act brought Great Lakes Restoration efforts back onto the national scene. Environmentalists hoped the promise would lead to increased funding for the Great Lakes would lead to substantial improvements in restoration programs.
According the the EPA, more than 30 million people live in the Great Lakes basin. But the region has been affected by chemical pollution and the spread of invasive species in the lakes.
The Great Lakes Collaboration and Implementation Act was proposed in order to reduce the impact of invasive species in the lake, help native fish and wildlife, and improve water quality by removing sediments and pollutants.
Nearly four years later, the bill has made little progress. The Great Lakes Collaboration and Implementation Act itself was a compilation of reauthorizations for existing Great Lakes programs.
The bill would have also created a Great Lakes interagency task force and increased regional collaboration on Great Lakes issues.
As we mentioned in our previous update, the bill died in Congress, but Obama managed to act on the bill’s goals through temporary funding.
Chad Lord, water program director at NPCA who is also the policy director for the Healing Our Waters Great Lakes Coalition, said that President Obama has tried to implement aspects of the proposed legislation by requesting additional resources for selected projects.
President Obama has specifically recommended additional spending on sewage infrastructure in the Great Lakes region, and has increased funding for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, which funds water quality protection projects.
The Obama Administration has also launched a "comprehensive Asian Carp control strategy” that includes 45 different initiatives that stop the fish from ever entering the lakes while also targeting and eliminating existing carp populations.
Obama has dedicated $1.3 billion for Great Lakes restoration in the past four years.
At present, Great Lakes funding hinges on Obama’s commitment. Great Lakes advocates told us they would prefer a bill that guarantees funding instead of relying on the support of the current administration.
Aside from simply appropriating funds, President Obama has taken further action by appointing a Great Lakes Coordinator who coordinates the restoration efforts across more than a dozen federal agencies, local governments, businesses and nonprofit organizations.
President Obama has also proposed nominations to a Great Lakes advisory board through the EPA, which actually would have been created by the Great Lakes Ecosystem Protection Act if it had passed through Congress.
Obama sought to get a law passed, and failed. He then used temporary funding to restore the Great Lakes during his administration. We rate this a Compromise.
