All Those In Favor of Dirty Air and Dirty Water, Please Raise Your Hand!

Okay, put your hands down now, you filthy conservatives who are only concerned with raping the planet! That's the picture the Left paints, isn't it? As long as you can make a buck, it doesn't matter how many streams you pollute or how dirty the air gets, because...well, I'm not exactly sure why, because no one I know likes dirty air or water. It's been said that the anti-capitalist Left became "environmentalists" so that as they destroy our nation's economy, they could say they're doing it to "save the earth".

Balderdash! Capitalism has enabled the technology to keep our emissions down and keep the environment cleaner, because we can afford to! Back in the days of the old Iron Curtain and a partitioned Germany, some of the filthiest spots on the planet were in Communist countries that did not have the wealth to afford safeguards on pollution.

Obama's recent rescission of ludicrously high standards for "parts per billion" of ozone in this country, where even the air above our national parks might not meet the standards, got me to thinking, what would individuals who want to "save the earth" be willing to give up personally to make improvements in air quality that are nearly too small to measure?

(Think: Al Gore with his limo idling outside one of his global warming speeches, so he doesn't have to get into a cold car, to drive to airport where a private jet is waiting to take him back to his mega mansion with all the lights burning while he's gone, but on a smaller scale.)

And I thought, what can a good, honest (stop laughing!) green weenie do personally to improve the environment? First thing? Unplug the 'fridge. Your refrigerator runs 24/7 and is probably the largest energy consumer in your house. Unplug it and don't buy anything perishable that will not keep unrefrigerated.

Some of you will find this to be an inconvenience. (Talk about your "Inconvenient Truths"!) You may find that you need to go to the store a little more often. Perhaps daily. But, don't drive to the store. You cannot waste what precious little ground you gained by unplugging your 'fridge, if you pollute the air making multiple trips to the store. Find a store within walking or biking distance. Or work on those calf muscles, because you're not going to let a little thing like this deter you from saving the planet, are you? Think about it!!! The WHOLE PLANET!!!! That's better! Must keep things in perspective!

Buy locally. A typical modern supermarket has a wondrous assortment of fruits and vegetables from around the globe. My last trip, I noticed some wonderfully fresh rhubarb that had been grown in Canada. DO NOT BUY IT! Do not buy anything that is not in season where you live. Some diesel belching truck brought those here and in good conscience, you must avoid contributing to that mindset.

Unplug your furnace and your air conditioner. This is a way to stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in the third world.
Think of those poor, benighted people burning cow chips for cooking and heat. Of course, you could fire up the woodstove or a fireplace or a barbeque grill, but you know the prodigious amounts of soot put into the air by them, so you forego them. Wrap your self in a nice quilt in the winter (so long as all the fibers were grown and sewn locally) and console yourself with the fact that you are SAVING THE PLANET. Not just a portion of the planet, but the entire freaking planet. Feel free to shake your fist at your neighbors who are oblivious to the planet's plight.

Boycott "Big Water". Daily showers are overrated. It takes power to pump that water into your household. Try digging a well. Buy water from the store if you have to (whatever will fit on the back of your bicycle) but be sure to take a reusable container. Preferably not plastic, since those are made from byproducts from the evil petroleum industry. And you can turn off your water heater, too. That also runs 24/7 for most of us, whether we're using it or not. You can get a solar shower from most good camping stores. How often you take one is up to you, but, we are saving the entire planet!!!


Sit in the dark when the sun is not shining. Living off the grid used to mean using candles and kerosene lamps to avoid using electricity. No more. Light a candle sometime, invite your friends over (if you still have any after not showering so much), and watch the smoke that comes off them. Sometimes, people who burn a candle repeatedly in one place may notice a darkening on the ceiling above it. This is pollution. Your fireplace pollutes, your candles and oil lamps pollute (and just where did you think that oil came from, hmmm?). If you live in a city where there are streetlights, petition to have them turned off. In these tough economic times, cities are on a budget, too. This will lower their carbon footprint and might even save you a little on your property tax (or your evil Republican landlord's taxes, as the case may be.) Of, course, it will be a little harder to ride your bike to the store at night, but they've got these tiny generators you can attack to your bike's wheels to power a light. Some nights, you might even want to bring it inside and treat the family to a few extra minutes of carbon free lighting?

And since I'm sure you're going to unplug your computer and sell your TV right after you finish reading this, one last thought:

A large, coal fired generating plant, generating power for 10,000 homes, puts out far fewer emissions than 10,000 homes with woodstoves, candles, and oil lamps. So much less, that you can even plug in your 'fridge, if you want, and enjoy a few of the creature comforts we take for granted. Like the glowing screen you're staring at now.

No one wants dirty air or water, but some of us realize that regulations that cripple our economy are actually counterproductive to keeping the environment clean. I think our cities can live with the same amount of ozone found naturally over our national parks. I seem to recall a story about a small Alaskan town where they actually had to introduce small amounts of pollution into their waterways to keep them in compliance with what the federal government required of them. (Please don't ask for a citation, I've slept since then!)

We have made great strides in reducing pollution in our country over the last several decades. At some point, the diminishing returns of larger and larger investments for smaller and smaller gains should provide a wake up call for the green weenies.

Sometimes good is good enough. If not, I look forward to your reports on what you are doing personally to turn it around. Hand carried, of course, on paper made locally from locally grown fibers. Because, I'm sure you want to be consistent.

Cross posted at Proof Positive

Like Cleveland...Dayton, Ohio Should Get Ready for the Green Police

"It would be a stretch to say that Big Brother will hang out in Clevelanders’ trash cans, but the city plans to sort through curbside trash to make sure residents are recycling — and fine them $100 if they don’t.

The move is part of a high-tech collection system the city will roll out next year with new trash and recycling carts embedded with radio frequency identification chips and bar codes.

The chips will allow city workers to monitor how often residents roll carts to the curb for collection. If a chip show a recyclable cart hasn’t been brought to the curb in weeks, a trash supervisor will sort through the trash for recyclables." ~Cleveland Plain Dealer, Mark Gillespie, 8/20/2010

"The city [Dayton] received $500,000 to track large recycling bins with microchips." whiotv.com 8/4/2010

Thanks EPA!

A Friendly Future of "Clean" Energy Debate

Me: The only way to make wind and solar viable is to some how harness it and the only way to do that is to store the energy in a battery. Anyone want to tell me how having massive amounts of lead acid batteries is better than just using our own gas and oil that at least occurs naturally in the earth.

Friend of the Environment Facebook Friend: Electricity would be stored the same way that it is in the power grid today, in capacitors. Good question though. And we do need to utilize all of the resources that we have.

Me: My understanding is that the power grid MOVES electricity , it doesn't ST0RE it.

Friend of the Environment Facebook Friend: I had to delete my earlier response. After researching this issue further, your statement is more true than mine. The large scale electrical storage facilities in use today are storing energy in batteries.

Me: I have to say that I have some personal experience with lead acid, so that's why I know. My hometown, in rural Ohio, was one of the the top 10 worst polluted sites in the nation back in the 1970's. Why? Because my hometown housed a battery dump. I know they have since made the acid so it breaks down in like 3 years, but I'm passionate about it. How can so called "friends of the environment" advocate for technology that would be 100x's worse on the environment than oil and gas which occurs naturally in the earth. Yes, an oil spill is horrible to think about but what do these "friends of the environment" think a lead acid spill would look like ...

UPDATE

A resident of my hometown: [Name withheld]’s basement has to be monitored because of the battery acid pollution in the area from the dump site that you referred to. Really makes you rethink gardening in the area…

Global Warming Update

ManBearPig Quote o' The Day

"So on an ABC webcast, Charlie Gibson tossed to a U.S. intelligence report that suggests global warming is helping the Taliban and al Qaeda. The logic: temperatures rise, droughts continue, folks are desperate – and lo and behold, they become suicide bombers. This is nothing new, of course. Global warming is the Kevin Bacon of root causes: you can link everything back to it, including "Hollow Man." Hilariously, you can even blame terror on global warming, even if the current science suggests the globe may be cooling! But you know what's causing global cooling? Global warming. But you knew that" ~Daily Gut

You were wondering where I've been? The Earth has a temperature.

Global Warming Fails To Show Up in New England

These pictures are taken from Tasha Tudor, but were too beautiful not to repost. Nothing like a little Power O' Nature to put a little ice on the whole Global Warming thing.

Be afraid...be very afraid

I found this in the Canada Free Press. Go figure.

Houston County, Minnesota, Government tyranny that ignores private property rights

“Smart Growth” is un-American By Henry Lamb Sunday, August 24, 2008

America’s founders believed:
“The moment the idea is admitted into society that property is not as sacred as the law of God…anarchy and tyranny commence.” (John Adams, A Defence of the Constitution of the Government of the United States, 1797.)

The United Nations believes:
“Private land ownership is a principal instrument of accumulating wealth and therefore contributes to social injustice. Public control of land use is therefore indispensable.” (U.N. Conference on Human Settlements (HABTAT I), 1976.) Houston County, Minnesota has rejected John Adams’ belief and instead, adopted the United Nations belief as reflected in their Land Use Plan. “Smart Growth” is the name given to the result of comprehensive planning that ignores the sanctity of private property by taking control of land use away from the property owner and placing it in the hands of government – as prescribed by the United Nations. John Adams was right; the result of government control of land use is nothing short of tyranny.

Item: A young couple bought a home with a few acres of land. The sale was completed and the deed recorded by county officials. Sometime later, county zoning officials notified the couple that they would have to tear down their home or buy sufficient adjacent land to comply with the county’s one home per 40-acre requirement.

Item: A man owned acreage that included a stream. The owner wanted to build a home on a bluff overlooking the stream. The county zoning administrator denied the permit, because “fishermen won’t want to look up on the hill and see a house.”

Item: A widow wanted to sell a wooded parcel as a home site to provide money for her retirement. The prospective buyer was told that a home could not be built on the property because it was too flat (prime farmland classification), even though the parcel was wooded and could not be farmed. Item: A landowner wanted to build a home using stone found on his own property. County zoning officials denied the permit claiming that such a building would be “too permanent.” These are but a few of more than forty examples of government tyranny that ignores private property rights itemized in a letter to the officials of Houston County, Minnesota. Houston County is in the extreme southeast corner of Minnesota, bordered on the East by Wisconsin, and on the South by Iowa. Fewer than 20,000 people live in the county that is essentially rural farmland. Local residents see no need for such restrictive regulations on the use of their private property. For two years, local property owners have tried to encourage county officials to be more reasonable in developing the county’s Land Use Plan. The letter of intent to sue claims that a petition containing more than 700 signatures, as well as the comments filed by the plan’s opponents were not considered and that many of the official letters and comments had been “lost” or destroyed. In a last ditch effort to stop what many see as tyranny of government, property owners turned to the Budd-Falen Law Offices of Cheyenne, Wyoming. After reviewing dozens of individual cases, and the procedures used by the county, the notice of intent to sue lays out a compelling case of multiple violations of both the State and U.S. Constitutions. Legitimate use of private property has been denied arbitrarily and capriciously, without due process and without just compensation, according to the intent notice. Nearly every community in America has been invaded by this same type of so-called “Smart Growth” policy. Proponents of “Smart Growth” have taken over the planning profession and have won seats on local governing bodies. These people claim to “respect” the notion of private property rights, and often include such language in the planning documents, but the actual policies put the lie to these claims. What is the source of wisdom that declares no more than one structure may be constructed on 40 acres of land? What is the source of wisdom that declares an “urban boundary zone” beyond which no water, sewer,
electricity, or other services will be provided? What is the source of wisdom that presumes to dictate where, and under what conditions, free people will live? Why is this source of wisdom accepted as better, or more authoritative than the wisdom of free people exercising their right to use their own property as they see fit, in their own “pursuit of happiness?” The source of this wisdom is sustainable development, a philosophy of social organization built upon the principle that government must manage the activities of people and the use of resources to insure environmental protection, and social and economic equity, for the current and future generations. There is no room for America’s founders in this philosophy. There is no room for private property or individual freedom in this philosophy. Wherever this cancerous philosophy spreads, tyranny follows.

Celebrating the Heterosexual White Male

Okay, I had to steal another one from Proof, but only because I wanted an excuse to find pictures of Mike Rowe. It's Friday, what do you expect, substanitive political commentary?

Proof's Blog Quote du jour
"When people are motivated, instead of lectured, they're more likely to do right by the environment."Mike Rowe- Dirty Jobs , on a story about recovering timber submerged for over a hundred years.

Quote O' The Day

Deindustrialization is the Democrats' only plan.

~Hugh Hewitt

New Update to Boehnerland Update

A bird in my ear mentioned that my man Boehner might be traveling to Alaska to see first hand if there is infact any wildlife in the mosquito barren landscape of ANWR. Since that is the sole reason we're not allowed to tap those oil fields. So I did some checking and found a "Defenders of Wildlife" press release lambasting the trip. Seems like a bit of effort on the "Wildlife Defenders' part, which makes one wonder. It would be hard to defend wildlife against nasty oil drillers if there is no wildlife. Heh.

If Boehner is going in person to find and identify non-existent wildlife, I say FINALLY the Republicans are showing some of their old fire. It's about time.

Defenders of Wildlife

For Immediate Release
July 15, 2008

Rep. Boehner claims Arctic National Wildlife Refuge contains no wildlife
Defenders of Wildlife recommends an eye exam
WASHINGTON – At a news conference today, Congressman John Boehner of Ohio made it clear that his fact-finding trip to Alaska is in fact a publicity stunt aimed at undermining supporters of the pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. “We’re going to look at this barren, Arctic desert where I'm hoping to see some wildlife,” Boehner told reporters. “But I understand there’s none there. But I’m still going to look for it. If I find any, I’ll let you know,” said Rep. Boehner.

Boehnerland Update

But Representative John Boehner of Ohio, the Republican leader who is escorting a delegation to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge this weekend, said...Pelosi, in insisting on preserving the drilling ban, was putting Democrats in the cross hairs of voters furious about gas prices. 'I think Speaker Pelosi is walking her Blue Dogs and other vulnerable Democrats off a cliff and they know it,' said Boehner, referring to the coalition of Democrats representing more conservative districts. He accused the speaker of using procedural maneuvers to thwart votes on expanded drilling...'Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi are standing in the way of what the American people want,' Boehner said.

Hat Tip: Pat Dollard

This is absolutely priceless

Okay for some reason I'm on a "government planning" kick today. But I couldn't pass this one up. Can't afford gas? Buy a second home closer to where you need to go.

Conventional wisdom says that soaring fuel prices as leading people by the droves to abandon the automobile and get on the bus (or light rail, or subway, or street car, etc.)! Yet one couple in the St. Louis metropolitan area has taken a different approach. Says the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Carol and Robert Miles recently realized that they were spending nearly $800 a month on gasoline. For that money, they figured they could buy a second house. So they did.

(Hat tip: Planetizen and American Dream News)

The Great and Wonderful Alz

I officially like the Czech President Vaclav Klaus

From the Earth Times

"Klaus, an economist, said he opposed the "climate alarmism" perpetuated by environmentalism trying to impose their ideals, comparing it to the decades of communist rule he experienced growing up in Soviet-dominated Czechoslovakia.

'Like their (communist) predecessors, they will be certain that they have the right to sacrifice man and his freedom to make their idea reality,' he said. "

Wow, this sort of sounds like fascist Islam as well and sounds a lot like any branch of our modern Democratic party. They feel they have the right to sacrifice man and his freedom to make their idea reality. Let's just take a moment and absorb that.

Be afraid...be very afraid...part VII

It's primary day here in Kentucky and I could write about Marxist Light candidate B. Hussein Obama but I read a blog that is much scarier. It's all fun and games until they find a way to tax the air you breath and water you drink.

Placing polar bears on the endangered species list sounds innocent enough. We all like polar bears, especially the cute Coke commercial kind and not the real life human eating kind. But it's not all about the cute and cuddly polar bear.

AP reports that Interior Department is declaring the polar bear as a threatened species. "The Interior Department has decided to protect the polar bear as a threatened species because of the decline in Arctic sea ice from global warming, officials said Wednesday."

Frightening because once the "natural habitat" of the polar bear is deemed "threatened" then global entities and other government bureaucracies can step in and regulate it. Guess what the polar bear's natural habitat is? Ice a.k.a. water. It's all going to be a slippery slope and various forms of government and global interference with the water supply. They can tax it, ration it and even redistribute it. I doubt it will flow freely, that's for sure.

More scary verbiage...

"This is the first time that the Endangered Species Act has been used to protect a species threatened by the impacts of global warming. "

They forgot to mention that GLOBAL WARMING IS A BIG SCAM!!!

Hat Tip to The Chilling Effect

Headline of the Week

You think it can't happen here? Breaking news from Estonia. Turning air into taxation. That should work out well for Estonia. Plus I don't get the reasoning of these people. Vegetables have rights, yet what about these poor cows? And what about goat farts? bumble bee farts? elephant farts? Do fish fart? AND WHALES? Surely they too are "polluting" the water.

Hat Tip to Michelle Malkin