EARTH MATTERS

Remodel cities, save the world; challenged by Chevron; future of the car; Tim Spicer objects; and more

Like it or not, the environment is the most important issue of our time. Nuclear proliferation comes close, but that’s because nuclear destruction is an environmental problem. We need to limit population growth and radically limit consumption of precious, irreplaceable resources. The way forward is with frank talk; immediate action, with those possessing the most sacrificing the most; and a recognition that it is better to live on borrowed land than on borrowed time. Your second annual Green Issue [May] is a keeper, never to be recycled.

FRED PLOTKIN New York, New York

I CONSIDER MYSELF a relatively “aware” person, and I try to always be considerate of others. Your articles often expand my knowledge or enhance my consciousness; they had never changed my behavior. After reading your May issue, I find myself turning out lights and using less water.

CINDY O’DONNELL Havertown, Pennsylvania

I WAS STUNNED by the mixed messages your Green Issue conveyed: articles about the looming struggle over water resources alongside an ad for Fiji water imported from halfway around the world, and serious pieces about the ways our lifestyles are implicated in climate change in the same issue as Diesel’s appalling “Global Warming Ready” campaign, which trivializes the very issue you’re urging us to think deeply about. This is the schizophrenia of capitalism, urging us to keep blithely consuming even while we attempt to confront the looming catastrophe we’ve consumed our way into.

CATHY STANTON Athol, Massachusetts

I AM WRITING TO COMMEND you on your second annual Green Issue. I was disappointed, however, that in your discussion of the problem and of potential solutions you fail to touch on the most fundamental and effective of all: reconfiguring our cities, towns, and neighborhoods to encourage as little energy expenditure as possible. This may sound radical, but in reality it is merely a return to the way we lived before the era of the automobile. This increased density will result in more efficient mass transit, more vibrant retail centers, and the conservation of millions of acres of open space otherwise chewed up by status-quo suburban development. Hybrid cars and green toilet paper are important, too, but they may be too little too late.

ARI S. HECKMAN Development associate, Cornish Associates Providence, Rhode Island

YOUR GREEN ISSUE was packed with the things that need to be said on an important topic for our time. The articles were well researched and informative. Thanks for doing your part to wake people up.

JUDITH ANODEA San Rafael, California

AMAZON JUSTICE

I FELT SHOCKED, sickened, guilty, hopeless, depressed, and angry after reading about the horrible situation at Lago Agrio in “Jungle Law,” by William Langewiesche [May]. I can’t imagine having to live in that community day after day after day. If I could trust that the money would flow directly to this region and be used to legitimately fix the problem, I, as an oil consumer, would be more than willing to help pay for this environmental tragedy. I believe a lot of oil consumers feel the same way.

TRISH FUCCENECCO Quesnel, British Columbia

WILLIAM LANGEWIESCHE presents a tale that is long on implication, innuendo, and unsubstantiated claims, but falls short on the sort of thing a court would require to render a judgment—namely, credible evidence. He merely repackages the same claims and stories the plaintiffs’ attorneys have been selling to the news media for well over a decade.

Langewiesche makes a telling confession (even though it is buried in his story)—“The truth is that neither Chevron nor the plaintiffs have a solid basis for the claims that they make about the residents’ health or the legacy of Texaco.” What Langewiesche states is precisely the point that Chevron has been trying to make to the superior court in Lago Agrio. But he is only half right. What Langewiesche fails to acknowledge is that, within those hundreds of thousands of pages of filings he describes, Chevron has presented a mountain of credible and scientifically valid evidence to contradict the plaintiffs’ claims. (Readers wishing to learn more about this case can visit www.texaco.com/sitelets/ecuador/en/.)

Because the plaintiffs have been unable to prove their case, they have resorted to distortion and fabrication of evidence, obstruction of justice, and illegitimate attempts to persuade the Ecuadorean administration to interfere in the trial on their behalf, all seemingly designed to create an environment in which the judge feels compelled—by pressure rather than by evidence—to render a verdict against Chevron.

Chevron is defending itself rigorously in this case because we have a duty to our shareholders to do so. Texaco did the right thing in Ecuador. It operated responsibly, followed its contractual obligations and the law, made a significant contribution to the economy and to social, health, and education initiatives, and carried out an effective remediation program.

The residents of the Oriente region of Ecuador deserve a fair trial as much as Chevron does. In a court of law, evidence should prevail, not pressure tactics or deceit.

DONALD CAMPBELL Manager, Media Relations, Chevron Corporation San Ramon, California

E.V. RIDER

THANK YOU for Michael Shnayerson’s excellent article on the Tesla and other electric sports cars [“Quiet Thunder,” May]. The grandfather of these, G.M.’s EV1, produced in 1997, actually got most of its charge in 1 to 2 hours, not the 8 to 10 hours publicized by the car-makers. According to the power utilities, 150 million of them could have been charged at FORMORE night without the need for LETTERS TO one additional power plant. * THE EDITOR. Fear of long charging times made consumers worry, while the car’s true advantages were rarely mentioned: relative freedom from parts and service (the automotiveaftermarket industry was $269 billion in 2005 alone), no foreign oil, and less pollution even when using coal-fired power plants. I look forward to a new generation of plug-in cars and cleaner electricity to power them.

FORMORE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. GO TO VF.COM.

CHRIS PAINE Director, Who Killed the Electric Car? Culver City, California

A COMPANY FOR ALL WAR ZONES

I WAS SURPRISED to see a respected magazine like Vanity Fair publish such a factually inaccurate article about individuals performing dangerous work on behalf of U.S. and coalition forces [“Iraq’s Mercenary King,” by Robert Baer, April]. Robert Baer cobbled together an unscrupulous story in which he attempts to make it seem as though I were interviewed. I was not.

Glaring omissions, false insinuations, and misrepresentations pervade Baer’s article. It misstates even the most basic facts: We do not have an “army of 48,000” (we have 1,200). I do not live in a South London mansion. I do not own an Aston Martin. I certainly never earned $20 million—as our company accounts, which are public, indicate. And I have never supported any “coup plotters.”

Much more important, the article denigrates a group of people who don’t deserve your disparaging remarks. Aegis employees in Iraq are made up of highly competent, professional ex-servicemen from coalition countries who have served their governments and who are now fulfilling a vital role which otherwise would require thousands of extra troops. Aegis employees have professional skills of the highest standard. In the last three years they have driven nearly three million miles, been attacked 170 times, and never had a single client killed or injured. Eight of our colleagues have been killed protecting others. Baer’s reproachful portrayal in the article is both unfair and dishonest. Our men and women risk their lives not only to protect others but to provide fresh water to Iraqi schoolchildren, build health clinics for Iraqi women and children, and supply generators to Iraqi orphanages. Aegis personnel are not cold-blooded mercenaries, as this article implies, but a courageous group of dedicated people. Baer and Vanity Fair have done these people a disservice. Baer should keep his fiction to his filmscripts.

TIM SPICER C.E.O., Aegis London, England

ROBERT BAER REPLIES: Tim Spicer takes issue with some things that I do not in fact assert (such as that he has an army of48,000), with some things that I correctly say have been reported (about which he would not comment when asked), and with the entire tone of the article (which I leave to the reader).

THE INFERNO REVISITED

OH, LOOK, there’s Michael Crichton holding his severed head in “Dante’s Inferno: Green Edition” [May]. He’s not in the pocket of the energy industry, like many of the other villains featured. Rather, he’s someone who approached the problem of global warming like a scientist and, after studying the data, dared to suggest the sky isn’t falling at quite the reported velocity. Then he spoke and wrote of his concern that science is becoming sensationalized in the race for grant money—that when scientists join the fray, rather than stay above it, results get skewed. Hmmm, doesn’t quite fit our agenda, does it? Summon the inquisitors.

SUE TAYLOR Pacific Grove, California

ONE KNIGHT IN HOLLYWOOD

AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR of the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF), I am concerned that your recent coverage of Vanity Fair’s Oscar party mischaracterizes the nature of Sir Elton John’s participation [“Fairground,” by Krista Smith, May]. Your statement “Even Elton John skipped his famous post-awards bash and took up residence at Mortons” implies that Sir Elton neglected his own EJAF Academy Awards fund-raising dinner, and its many guests, in favor of the Vanity Fair party. Quite to the contrary, Sir Elton’s personal involvement in all aspects of this annual EJAF fund-raiser is critical to the success of the evening, and both he and his partner, David Furnish, devote themselves fully to it.

In fact, this year EJAF changed the format for its Academy Awards viewing party, choosing to significantly expand and enhance the dinner during the actual televised awards show and to eliminate the separate post-show party. Sir Elton and David Furnish remained at the EJAF benefit until its conclusion and were delighted to attend the Vanity Fair party afterward.

I am thrilled to report that EJAF’S 15th annual Academy Awards viewing party raised a record-breaking $4.3 million.

SCOTT CAMPBELL New York, New York

CORRECTION: "When Galanos Spelled Glamour” (April) contained two inaccuracies. The Ambassador Hotel was demolished in 1967 to make way for what is now 345 Park Avenue.

Letters to the editor should be sent electronically with the writer’s name, address, and daytime phone number to letters@vf.com. Letters to the editor will also be accepted via fax at 212-2864324. All requests for back issues should be sent to subscriptions@vf.com. All other queries should be sent to vfmail@vf.com. The magazine reserves the right to edit submissions, which may be published or otherwise used in any medium. All submissions become the property of Vanity Fair.

MORE FROM THE V.F. MAILBAG

'Graydon,” says Glenn (who, like Graydon, has a last name), writing from Katy, Texas, “since I know you cherrypick the Letters, I will understand if you cut and paste this missive to further your lefty agenda.” How do you mean, Glenn? Oh, like taking the sentence from your letter that begins, “I’m a bit worried that when George W. Bush is no longer in office ...,” and making it “I’m a bit worried that ... George W. Bush is ... in office"? Nah, we'd never do that. Too much bother.

It's not easy being the Green Issue. Here’s how it feels: People-lots of people -object to what Vanity Fair's arguing for, find the inclusion of certain ads inappropriate, wonder why the pages (a) aren't recyclable and (b) are wrapped in plastic, speculate on what environmental havoc was wreaked just in getting Leonardo DiCaprio to Iceland for the cover shoot, and in general voice skepticism about most celebrities’ genuine commitment to a green lifestyle. (Fortunately, other people—lots and lots of other people—think that being the Green Issue is pretty great. If not easy.)

Beth Sale, of Escondido, California, has written regarding Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “The Falcon’s Call" (May): “Now, granted, using a falcon to kill one sage grouse may seem insignificant, but I fail to see the difference between that and using a gun to kill one elephant.” Um... bullets?

Sometimes, to relax, the Mailbag loves a good poem. “A Voter’s Lament." shared with us by Norman Geller, of East Norwich, New York, begins, “Of Bill and Hill / I’ve had my fill,” then proceeds through some standard overkill/will/thrill and wise/rise rhymes before delivering a final, unprintable verdict on the entire field of candidates in the last line (hint: it rhymes with “Mitt”).

"I get really nervous when I see ads for The Wall Street Journal in Vanity Fair," writes Marshall Swanson, of Columbia, South Carolina. Well, see a specialist.