Green Options

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All of us at GO Media wish a happy Independence Day to our US readers! Here’s our contribution to the celebration: a reminder that we’re still fighting for independence…

From the administration that brought you:
* A weakened Clean Air Act
* A weakened Clean Water Act
* A weakened dollar
* An unjust war
* An increase in logging contracts
* Strained international relations
* The border fence
*And much, much (MUCH), more…

Now brings you:
*A solution to floods and fires

GOP candidate John McCain has his eyes on nuclear energy to address our current climate crisis.

Nothing like solving one problem while creating another. I can understand that he may hate the sun for what it does to his pasty white skin. And that he may hate the wind for messing up his well placed comb-over–but if he could just look past all that and see that both the sun and the wind could provide our country free, clean energy he’d have many more fans in the REAL world.

Could it be the one time cost for a wind turbine and/or solar panels that’s keeping the energy industry, John, and many of his right-wing good-old-boys from falling in love with the right alternative? Without the option for a wide base of customers to gouge repeatedly (ie. fuel costs) they all may be thinking–what’s the point?

I can’t believe I have yet to do a cartoon with Cheney as the subject. Actually, now that I’ve done one I can safely say I’d never like to do another. Staring at his picture for roughly 15 minutes (in order to draw him correctly) was enough to make my blood boil. This man is concentrated greed and evil. He made headlines again this week with some more quote-worthy material. Some more good old xenophobic (this time) fear mongering (all the time)…

Finally, the wait is over. Congratulations to Barack Obama!
Go get ‘em!!!

The New York Times had a brief and POOR-ly titled article on the White House’s recent (and surprisingly factual) report on climate change.
The article’s title “White House: Poor Face Health Risks From Warming” may cause a reader to dismiss the article, and thus the report, in a “phew-atleast-I-don’t-face-health-risks” manner. In fact, the 271 page report forecasts coming severe weather, water shortages, heat waves and a whole slew of bad tidings for the entire world and all who dwell in, on, and over it (not just the poor). It’s a shame the report took so long–but I think it should be required reading for every american.
If only to search for Bush’s many spelling and grammar errors…

I read this terrific article in the LA Times last week. It had handwriting experts analyze the signatures of the three presidential candidates. One glaring exclusion was the analysis of our current commander in chief. So, I called (drawed) in an expert to fill that void. Here’s what he had to say:

I am typically an optimistic, hopeful fella. But, a recent look at NRDC’s Bush Record, and a peek at Bush’s Orwellian “Clear Skies Act“, and this recent study on the environmental apathy of US citizens have turned my blue skies gray.

This bout with pessimism led to the poem and morbid cartoon after the break. But, let it be known that writing and art are outlets–we all need outlets or we’ll go MAD!–and I’m feeling optimistic again.

I have faith that Barack Obama will get elected. And that he’ll make a change for the better (it could hardly get worse). The biggest thing I like about Barack is the excitement he brings to our democracy–hopefully enough so that people will become an active part of the political process each day, as opposed to each election cycle. Afterall, that is the worst time to get a feel for what being a part of a democracy is all about. As Mark Twain once said:

“If we would learn what the human race really is at bottom, we need only observe it in election times.”

Note: The following poem and cartoon are a direct result of reading the “Clear Skies Act” and the NRDC Bush Record on air quality, and then wondering: “When will a change ever truly take place?”

We learned it in Kindergarten–”If you make a mess, CLEAN IT UP!”

Especially if that mess is the gasoline additive MTBE, a possible carcinogen that has leaked into our groundwater. It’s been around since 1979 (ironically, when I was in kindergarten) and is now banned in 23 states, and has not been used by oil companies since 2006.

For more on the 423 million dollar law suit requiring Big Oil to pay big money, check out this article in Grist–after you take a peek at my cartoon, of course…

HG Wells said, “When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the human race.” I agree.

Hate rising gas prices? Ride your bike! In cities like Copenhagen and Amsterdam they seem to outnumber cars. Portland and Chicago are catching up. People of all ages, all over the world ride them daily to school, work, the store, a friend’s house…

It’s THE #1 solution to rising gas prices, yet our fearless leader won’t even mention it.

Stupid, weak, bicycle lobbying groups…

Melting ice makes life difficult for those who live on it. Just ask the Polar Bear. There are endless signs of the reality of climate change (global warming). Few more definitive than the plight of the polar bear.

There’s great info in this Treehugger article by our very own Jeff McIntire-Strasburg, and the NRDC has created polarbearSOS.org so you can get involved and stay informed about the reality of climate change as it relates to the polar bear.

Life as they once new it, is ending. And they never had the opportunity to see it coming…