You've heard of whitewashing, but what about greenwashing? It's a PR tactic that helps industries appear earth-friendly, while they go on polluting. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, reframing the debate: why the environment crisis is really a political crisis.

SEGMENT 1

Tom Athanasiou is the author of "Divided Planet: The Ecology of Rich and Poor." He tells Jim Fleming that serious environmental reform is stalled by political and economic realities, and explains how corporate polluters engage in "greenwashing" to make themselves appear environmentally friendly.

SEGMENT 2:

Charles Mann writes for The Atlantic Monthly and Science and is the author of "Noah's Choice: The Future of Endangered Species." He tells Steve Paulson that environmentalists are wrong to try to save everything; that choices have to be made; and that world leaders should get on with making them. Also, environmentalist Norman Myers, a fellow of Green College at Oxford University, talks with Steve Paulson about the growing problem of environmental refugees.

SEGMENT 3:

Sara Stein tells Judith Strasser about creating alternatives to the typical American lawn. Restoring the biodiversity of native plant species can do wonders for the plants, soil and wildlife in your backyard. Stein is the author of "Noah's Garden" and "Planting Noah's Garden: Further Adventures in Backyard Ecology."

Distribution dates:

• week of 08/10/97 - hour 2
• week of 07/05/98 - hour 2