It’s really hot outside. We hit 100 degrees yesterday (June 27th) which was our 4th time to hit 100 this summer. Sadly, it’s not even July yet. But one thing we can all agree on, in this time of political debates, technology debates and any other debate… it’s hot outside.

Dallas, from the four years I’ve lived here, has always had hot summers. Most everyone knows that. But doesn’t it seem to be getting hotter as each summer roasts by? I recall moving here in August 2004 and instead of frying and praying I wouldn’t get a heat stroke, I was actually pleasantly surprised to see the temperature gauge read 81 degrees! It was 4:00pm when I read the temperature. It was truly an amazing, beautiful and not-hot day! Now, I realize, that was an anomaly.

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Having read Michael Callaways excellent article entitled It’s Not Easy Being Green, I thought that I would weigh in on my own recent thoughts concerning the alleged climate crisis, and the emergence of green technologies that have resulted from this alarmist sentiment.  Let me state out right that I am a conservative.  I am also a capitalist.  While I don’t believe that capitalism is perfect, I do feel that it is one of the best practical modalities for promoting fairness in society.  I wrote a previous article  on this topic, so I won’t go into my reasoning.  Let it stand that I am a proponent of capitalistic society. 

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My fellow Culture Feast blogger, Michael Callaway, has commented in this space on the many ways television celebrated “Green Week”. But television isn’t the only media that has sworn to raise your consciousness on what an evil polluter you are and how we’re all going to die from drowning in the melted ice caps. In honor of Earth Day (actually, month), several magazines have also launched green issues and as is often the case when it comes to the media and the environment, hypocrisy abounds.

It seems like every magazine must have a “green” or Earth Day issue these days. My favorite story on this subject is about the New York Times Magazine which just published its first “green issue”. It called itself a “low-carbon catalog” and dispersed bon mots for living an environmentally conscious life. The only thing is, according to foliomag.com, the magazine wasn’t printed on recycled paper. The magazine’s editor, Gerald Marzorati was quoted as saying, “Our printing is a very particular method, and these machines use a very old, not terribly good paper stock. It just wasn’t feasible…”   

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I know that this will sound just awful so brace yourself.  What I am about to say could make you mad so know that you have been warned.  I believe that there are those who will consider me a heathen unworthy of life itself!  But I am sick, and I mean sick of all the “green” crap that we are exposed to every day.  I can not stand seeing the green NBC logo on the bottom of every show, I guess they are hoping as I watch “Scrubs” or “My Name is Earl” that the green logo will send subliminal messages to my polluting brain.
 
 Also, is it necessary for Anne Curry (or anyone for that matter) to talk to me like a kindergarten teacher every time she talks about going green?  Listen for it the next time you watch the Today show, Anne’s voice changes from sophisticated news journalist to kindergarten teacher every time the subject of the environment comes up.  Finally, the phrase "going green" has got to stop. I have no reasons, it just bugs me. Continue Reading

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Celebrities. God love ‘em.

How could we average schmoes live without the benefit of their wisdom and expertise on everything from global warming and environmental issues to the US policy on the war in Iraq?

And why is it the media is all too willing to keep giving these self-anointed experts air-time?

I pondered these questions on April 1st as I watched Charlie Rose, on PBS, interview the founder of CNN and founder and chairman of the UN Foundation, Ted Turner. Continue Reading

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It's October 15th, which means today is Blog Action Day. Hundreds, if not thousands of websites and blogs are promoting environmental-friendly topics. Visit the link I just provided to read more about what organizations like Google, Reddit, LifeHack, GigaOm, and the United Nations are doing to promote actions that preserve our fragile earth. 

So here is my plea/contribution to Blog Action Day: it's a plea to you to change JUST ONE THING in your life that won't cause you much money or discomfort.

Are you ready for it? Here it is: Go buy 2-3 cheap canvas bags to do your grocery shopping with. It's that simple. No more paper or plastic! If you use paper, you're using up trees. If you use plastic, you contribute to the massive pollution that plastic plants produce.

The solution is simple. Reuse canvas bags, and drop off your collection of plastic bags to a recycler! If you can't find one, look for a local Whole Foods Market, where you can drop off your plastic bags AND buy canvas shopping bags. It's simple. It's cheap. And over the course of the next 20-50 years that you shop, you'll save a LOT of product and nature from being wasted.

Why NOT do it? It's so easy that it's not even an inconvenience. I bought one last week, and I'll buy another canvas bag or two. Then i'll leave one in my car at all times, and after emptying my groceries, I'll leave the bags by the front door so I'll remember to put them in the car for the next trip to the grocery store.

See?!?!?!? That was easy. You can make a difference too.  

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