Monday, October 04, 2010

The Environmental Freudian Slip

For the most part, I'm a tree-hugger. I became a member of Greenpeace when it was pretty much only concerned with saving whales. Big fan of solar power, eco-travel and the potential of technologies that can lessen the negative impact of humanity on the planet while making our lives better.

But I'm a skeptic when it comes to Anthropomorphic (Man-made) Global Warming.

Not saying Climate Change isn't happening. Just not sure that we've fingered the real culprit (us) and confused that the most promoted ways of turning things around (Cap and Trade, Kyoto Accord, Copenhagen Proclamations, etc) are all based on wealth transfer.

There are a million things everybody can do to make the world a cleaner and more hospitable place. Most of them cost next to nothing or just mean spending your money in a different way.

And I simply stop doubting the veracity of people like David Suzuki, who drives around the country on a diesel spewing bus while refusing to even engage on "settled science" anymore, or Al Gore, who buys ocean front property while preaching a future of drowned cities.

But somehow, in the world of the new Greens, even doubting makes you a target and not just one that True Believers should pelt with bio-degradable bags of kitchen compost.

Last week, environmentalists in Great Britain launched a video campaign to encourage people to design their own program to lower their carbon footprints. It was pulled within days after outraging not only those opposed to the message but many profoundly concerned with Green initiatives.

The group responsible immediately raised the "Oops PR Goof" flag. But anybody who's ever tried to get 30 seconds of anything on television knows how much discussion and consideration takes place as the project is planned, sharpened and aimed at the intended demographics.

Nobody involved didn't know the message that was being sent. And you have to wonder if pulling the spots wasn't the result of suddenly realizing that maybe the outside world wasn't ready for their inside voice.

I've got a lot of people I disagree with. But not quite this much. Welcome to the Nanny State in full control.

In the words of Deepak Chopra: "Follow those who seek the Truth. Run away from those who have found it."

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I agree with Mr. James. If I hadn't known from your blog that it was a pro-environment message, I would have assumed it was an anti-environmentalIST message.



Perhaps instead, "Oh, well, if we're not all helping, we're all going to die anyway, so, take out your cyanide pills everyone. There you go, bottoms up. Oh, fine, Wilkins, be all Socrates and take hemlock instead! Right then. Agrh! "