Hi Hobbers!

I have no issue with a program to reduce CO2 emissions, and all airborne pollution for that matter. I consider myself an environmentalist, and I walk the walk in the choices I make everyday as an individual. But I refuse to participate in trendy campaigns that usurp the legitimate environmental issues to promote whatever cause of the day may be at hand. Just watch 10 minutes of TV on any network and note how many ads are now geared to manipulate people based on 'green' choices, and most of that association is pure nonsense, hype, and marketing.

Very little of the information distributed through the usual media outlets puts any of the story in context. For example, how much CO2 comes from normal processes in our complex ecological system. Case in point, so much of the 'green' behaviour that Olympians and talkings heads brag about comes down to planting trees, or funding that sort of initiative. Now I have no problem with planting trees... But those trees die, and the carbon that was 'neutralized' just comes right back into the environment. So those who jet around and carry on carbon-intense lifestyles, that justify this with some token contribution to a tree fund, are just foolling themselves.

How much carbon is emitted from every forest fire? How much from every volcano? How much from algae blooms? These natural inputs completely dwarf the net impact of the big oilsands projects that are constantly presented as evidence that we are bad for the environment...

Now if we stopped wasting all that money and effort on issues that man makes a relatively small contribution to, and instead divert that towards cleaning up real environmental toxins that we ARE completely responsible for, I think the world would be a much better place. Go after sulphur from diesel exhaust. Ban the widespread use of industrial solvents, heavy chemicals, toxic pesticides, etc, each of which represents a more acute threat to the health of the planet. Think how much ground water quality could be improved with just a fraction of the money that is wasted on this GW scam.

I apolgize for the distraction on the forum regarding this OT discussion, it is something that I cannot resist sounding off on. I will not reply to any further discussion on this matter here, but I do have an active thread on my website for GW and all are welcome to (both for and against) to post there anytime.

I am off to shred the rockies later today for several weeks of travel, so I wish everyone the best of the holidays and lets hope ECU gets moving higher in the new year.

cheers!

mike