Filed under: News
Learn something new every Earth Day, that’s what I say. Have you ever seen this?
The fact that a holiday has its own flag is astounding. It’s green, it’s bright, it’s got some Greek lettering. And that’s cool, but my real question is: the environmental movement likes the fact that the flag of the country producing a fifth of the world’s pollution is the basis the environmental movement’s flag?
This is more a condemnation of the US than anything. However, we have our bright spots. I noticed President Bush is finally putting together some real legislation. While it’s very little, it’s still better than what he WAS going to leave our next president.
The US is starting to put hybrid cars out on the road in bigger numbers than thought possible on our roads. Maybe it’s the fact that gas hit $3.50 a gallon average, but us American green troopers will take it as a victory.
And let’s never forget the most important part of the greening of America: CNN putting a little green logo in its corner for Earth Day.
Filed under: Opinion
With the Pope in the US for precious few more days, I figure the guilt trip is more than enough for me to post about an older statement by Benedict.
A month ago, the Vatican announced environmentalism was a spiritual responsibility, much like Sen. Obama declared even more months ago. Polluting is one of the deadly sins of our times.
While often seen as a conservative force in the world and not conservationist (a bad stereotype discussed in my last post), the Church’s stance does not surprise me.
Catholics are known for seeing technology as a force for evil. Computers and cellphones interrupt our peacefulness and retreats. The constant bombardment of electronic signals disrupt our lives and arguably our health. Not to mention, Rome will definitely be the last church to ordain online.
We need the world to survive and knowingly harming the world with every little piece of trash is a sin. How can a person care so little about everyone and everything surrounding them to not find a recycling bin for that pack of aluminum cans? I cannot disagree with this position: I am heartily for a modern crackdown on gluttony and sloth, though I doubt the rush to confession Benedict might hope to see.
I’ll remember though. Every time I pick up a piece of trash, it’ll be a bit of a genuflect to get it.
Filed under: Opinion
Newt Gingrich is a dyed-in-the-wool conservative, leading that 12-year Republican Revolution that led us to the current Democratic revolution. He is not against the Earth though, as liberals tell you. He simply has a different view of how to save the world, which I guess is a microcosm for the whole Culture War.
A liberal myself, I was skeptical to check out a book about environmentalism by a former Republican Speaker of the House. While I don’t agree with all his more specific ideas (many regulations would go down the drain), the concept that it is not the government’s job to save us. The private sector–that is, us–has to be the driving force for environmentalism.
Grassroots work, and not just grassroots campaigning, works. The Forest Preserve helps woodland restoration, but much of the labor and saving is done by the Desplaines River Valley Volunteers in my trend story (to be published very soon!).
In a case Gingrich mentions, the formerly publicly-owned Atlanta Zoo fell apart under government leadership. Taken control of by private yet declared non-profit groups, the Atlanta Zoo is said to be thriving. I have not visited there for a journalistic inspection, but I will take Gingrich’s word for it.
Closer to home, Lincoln Park Zoo has tricked itself out in advertising. It is a similar private model, relying on advertising and donations more than government funding to keep the zoo free of charge. Sometimes this looks disgusting, but it is tolerable for the ability to see a penguin waddle for free.
Hear me, Morgan Freeman? $9? I waited for March of the Penguins to be syndicated on Animal Planet. With commercials.
