But perhaps you forgot. Don’t feel bad. Most people did.
There was a time in this country when we actually cared about environmental issues. Automakers were moved to build fuel efficient vehicles and we bought them. Average citizens fought to keep area waterways clean and free of industrial dumping. People banded together to clean up parks, abandoned lots, prevent toxic emission sites from being placed nearby. We were informed, active and philosophically in synch with the belief that we could make a better world environmentally.
Boy have times changed. Everybody’s got to have their full-sized SUV, despite the price of gasoline hovering around $3.00 a gallon. Federal and many state lawmakers, hungry for campaign contributions, have allowed big business free reign and eliminated regulations governing emissions, dumping, fuel exploration in nature preserves, and the like. Earth Day, Schmearth Day! Who cares?
Meanwhile increases in asthma among urban residents is on the rise. A report this week told how bad smog was in our major cities. As a nation, we are even more dependent on foreign oil, while government and corporate investment in alternative energy technology has been drastically reduced or eliminated. Does anybody care?
While we’re strategizing to get the asshole-in-chief out of the White House, let’s put environmental issues back on the American agenda.
1 comment so far ↓
i forgot about earth day, i can barely keep up with relatives birthdays and such, i almost forgot about ‘administrative professionals day’ :).
yes gas is steady going up thank goodness i do not own an suv.