Heroes of the Environment
The political leaders, entrepreneurs, activists and scientists leading the fight to save our planet

To Our Readers
TIME correspondents and guest writers hail our Heroes of the Environment


Kevin Conrad
He took on the U.S. government and proved that smaller nations can lead the way in fighting climate change

Arnold Schwarzenegger
The action hero turned politician plays a starring role in the global war on carbon emissions

Sheila Watt-Cloutier
As the Arctic's ice melts, an Inuit woman speaks out for those who are losing their way of life

Alice Waters
This pioneer of cooking with fresh, local ingredients proves that going green can be a source of sublime pleasure

Marina Silva and Cristina Narbona Ruiz
As politicians, they spoke with rare passion about the environment, provoking the ire of powerful enemies

Kim Stanley Robinson
Whether set in Washington or on Mars, his novels inspire optimism about what the future could be

Ted Nordhaus and Michael Shellenberger
They dare to ask pragmatic questions that challenge the received wisdom of more mainstream thinkers

Habiba Sarabi
War-torn Afghanistan is an unlikely environmental role model. But don't try telling that to the trailblazing Governor of Bamiyan province

Bharrat Jagdeo
Guyana's President takes a novel approach to defending his nation's pristine rain forest


Jean-François and Jean-Charles Decaux
A hit in Paris, their bike-rental scheme is ready to be rolled out worldwide

Mick Bremans
A Belgian company's soaps and washing powders are cleaning up in more ways than one

John Doerr
His visionary dot-com bets made him a billionaire. Now this venture capitalist is bankrolling tomorrow's green-tech stars

Peter Head
From China to Azerbaijan, a British engineer lays out radical plans to make cities more sustainable

Peggy Liu
Can one woman (and her remarkable Rolodex) connect the experts needed to meet China's challenges?

Shai Agassi
A former software wiz envisions Israel as the first country to shift entirely to using electric cars


Annie Leonard
With wit and poignancy, she reveals the real cost of our throwaway culture

Wang Yongchen
This Chinese journalist pushes to ensure that "environmental protection" isn't an empty slogan

Gidon Bromberg, Nader Al-Khateeb And Munqeth Mehya
They foster peace by coaxing Arabs and Israelis to team up on projects that benefit them both

Jack Sim
A toilet expert's campaign for better sanitation in the developing world could save countless lives

Balbir Singh Seechewal
A Sikh holy man inspires volunteers from dozens of Indian villages to clean up a sacred river

Silas Kpanan'Ayoung Siakor
His courageous investigation exposed human-rights abuses — and helped preserve a vast African forest

Craig Sorley
This eco-evangelist calls on fellow believers to care for God's creation

Marina Rikhvanova
Her defense of Siberia's Lake Baikal stirred a new wave of awareness in Russia

Van Jones
He saw that building a green economy could be a huge boon for minorities and the working class

Soren Hermansen
To help a Danish island go carbon-free, he harnessed its most sustainable asset: the power of community

Lonnie Thompson
The world's leading paleoclimatologist ventures to the highest glaciers to drill out the truth about global warming

Mohammed Dilawar
An Indian scientist devotes his life to saving the sparrow, and warns that its disappearance is an ominous sign

Jurgenne Primavera
By promoting sustainable seafood farming, a Filipina scientist saves mangroves that are ecologically vital

Joachim Luther
Colleagues were appalled when he abandoned nuclear physics — but he became a solar visionary

Vo Quy
He protected Vietnam's flora and fauna from the ravages of war. Now he fears the toll of torrid economic growth


The Moment: Johannesburg
Thabo Mbeki's resignation as President of South Africa exposes the ANC's crisis of purpose


Francis Bacon: Tragic Genius (Exhibition)
A stunning retrospective confirms Francis Bacon as the master of twisted flesh and exquisite pain


Red Tide at the Casino
Stunning stock-market losses and turmoil in the financial sector are raising questions about the resilience of Russia's economic boom


Europe's Changing Places (Photos)
Stuart Franklin's photographs offer a haunting yet beautiful vision of our radically altered landscapes


Here to Help (Check In)
Nowadays, there's a concierge for every kind of guest need

Community Chef (Amuse-Bouche)
Quentin Pereira fuses together both sides of his heritage through his creations

Flower Power (Curtain Raiser)
Taiwan's Cloud Gate Dance Theatre Celebrates 35 Years

Shanghai (Sense of Place)
As seen through Qiu Xiaolong's cult mystery, Red Detective Dress


Introducing Sarah Palin (Inbox)
Art Smarts; Palin's Progress; McCain's Choice; Green Gas; A South African Success Story