Monday, Lafayette, Indiana

As an average citizen I only know what is available to me through the news outlets in the paper, on television and the Internet. Consequently I am at the mercy of the media’s reliability. So when I saw Al Gore’s documentary: An Inconvenient Truth, it was certainly alarming. But subsequently I have heard passionate skeptics like Rush Limbaugh rail against the notion that we are on the verge on ecological collapse.

Who’s right?

Is the melting ice in the North Pole a routine planetary cycle?
Have polar bears experienced drowning in centuries past?

I don’t know! … Do you? … How?

The fact is we choose sources and grip them, holding on against the heresy of opposing sources. All in all, not an intellectually viable position. Pragmatism would suggest that we listen and take precautions. I am optimistic that there is a consensus building that we ought to act with openness to ideas for helping our globe chill out.

Again, how?

One strategy is to buy a hybrid car. Some convert their house to solar energy. We can recycle, use earth friendly products and a hundred other ways. More people are becoming aware and starting to participate in solutions. As an individual it’s tempting to wonder whether these little efforts will have any real impact. But, when in doubt…why not try?

Some go to extreme measures.

It was announced this week that a Swedish University received a half million dollar grant to measure the environmental impact of…are you ready…cows belching!

Yeah, burping cattle and the impact on greenhouse gases!

Well, if the Swedish Government thinks that cutting down on cow belching can help save the earth, who am I to refuse to recycle!?

I think the cows are just saying that they enjoyed their meal. I guess we all need to do our part, because who are we to deny cows this pleasure? I’m not sure I want to live in a world where cows are prevented from belching. That just seems wrong.