Archive for November 25, 2008
Still Too Soon to Buy Those (Green) Curtains
The election of Barack Obama was good news for environmentalists, as he is likely to diverge from the Bush Administration’s policy of rape, pillage, dump and drill. Ever since November 4th, many of us have been drooling on our shirts and letting our eyes roll off into space as we daydream about the green curtains, solar panels and organic garden that the President Elect is no doubt planning to install in the White House. We shiver with anticipation at the thought of his newly empowered EPA, and giggle with glee as we count off possible USDA and EPA heads as if we’re reciting our Christmas list.
It’s an exciting time for the greenies (and for Americans, in general), but I’m writing to warn everybody that we aren’t there yet. He’s not really our president until January 20th, and there’s a lot of havoc that the Bush administration can wreak between now and then.
For example, (more…)
Return to the Big Green Apple
Ah, New York. I’ve been away for nigh on a year, now, and it’s good to be back. Despite the cold, wet November day, despite being unemployed during an economic crisis, and despite the sad reality that I still haven’t found my own place yet (I’m crashing at my sisters’ place), I really am happy to have returned to this massive, colorful city of opportunity.
Over the past eight months I’ve visited about 40 US states and a couple of Mexican and Canadian provinces, and as much as I enjoyed the beauty and diversity of this great continent, no place I saw could compare to New York City. Including the Grand Canyon.
What is it I love about New York? There are several answers to this question:
1. It’s my home. Although I was raised in Massachusetts, I’ve been living here (on and off) since I was 19, much of my family and many of my closest friends are here, and I consider this city my “home base”.
2. It’s wicked diverse. There are people from everywhere here, and everyone lives side-by-side in peace and harmony with respect for one another. And there are about a million hole-in-the-wall ethnic restaurants with the best food you’ve ever had.
3. It’s easy to be green here. A lot of people think of New York as a big, dirty city with trash everywhere and millions of tons of carbon pumping into the air each day. This is basically true, however, living in the city is really a lot greener than living in the suburbs or the country. (more…)
