The other day I came across this article by Eric Adler that originally appeared in the Kansas City Star. While the couple described in the piece as “young”, “smart”, and “green” thinks they do their part in saving the planet, you can also color them skeptical about a number of the so-called “green” products out there. The article also goes on to describe how picky consumers are about the sincerity of corporate America in embracing this trend.
Of course if you’re a skeptic like me you never bought into the hype anyway. Sure, I do a little bit of recycling now and then and don’t drive an SUV, but I’m not going to run out and buy a Prius either. (For one thing, they’re butt-ugly.)
When Senator Gaylord Nelson first inaugurated Earth Day in 1970, there wasn’t too much concern about climate change. It was more about things like recycling, reusing, and preserving open space – things that aren’t too bad on their face. Unfortunately, what once was a nice idea in the spirit of volunteerism turned quickly to lobbying and advocacy. Cars polluted too much, so we needed to get rid of leaded gasoline. Then they used too much gasoline so we had to regulate how many miles to the gallon they had to achieve. Next came the idea that gasoline taxes shouldn’t go to highway maintenance but to bikeways and mass transit. Then the gasoline had to be made at least in part from renewable sources and it broke the food chain. Do you see how things progress on a slippery slope?
Unfortunately, the Hambrechts are well-meaning but may be contributing to their own misery later. It’s one thing for them to choose to have one car, ride a bike to work, clean with soap and water instead of detergent, etc. but if they vote for certain politicans as part of that commitment they may be contributing to taking away the choices others have, like those who may prefer to drive solo to work via car or think as I do that detergent is a much better product for cleaning because it’s made for the purpose.
When the nation was founded, many folks recycled and reused out of necessity. As prosperity took hold because of the freedoms afforded by our method of government, people found they didn’t have to do that as much and eventually the pendulum swung over to the throwaway society we have today. While in my opinion there is some excess to our lifestyle, I’m not one to begrudge another’s choice to live that way. Although I may suggest otherwise they do have that right to carry on with life as they wish.
What makes me sickest about the green thing is the idea that our choice needs to be taken away because we’re not making what some deem as the proper one. It’s time to stand up to those American watermelons (green on the outside, red on the inside) and demand more choice and less regulation in our lives.
I am all for a cleaner and healthy environment however, I think the “green movement” is getting too much hype. I think those environmental socialists are the main cause of raising the price of food and energy. They are part the current economic crisis.
I do use cloth shopping bags when I go grocery shopping because I find those plastic bags very annoying and take too much space in the kitchen cabinet. Mike you are right we should make the decision for ourselves whether if we want ot use paper, plastic or cloth.