"Happy Feet" is one of the worst animated films of our day. That movie was horrible, full of left-wing propaganda and should not have been targeted toward children! Don't get me wrong, I am a firm believer in utilizing our resources wisely. We are stewards of the earth, after all, and where conserving, recycling and reusing makes sense, we ought to participate. But that film and others like it goes too far, making fun of organized religion, showing young children how animals in captivity can start to lose their minds if not properly cared for--in short, it was completely inappropriate for young audiences.
I am all for kindness towards animals and stopping abuse when possible. The animal cop television shows often reveal animal hoarders to be mentally disturbed individuals, people in dire need of companionship and therapy. The presence of these abused animals point toward bigger issues, and both owner and pet are rescued. When adopted and cared for properly, animals can provide much-needed companionship, they can teach responsibility and they can even perform vital services, such as guarding, sniffing out drugs or assisting the disabled. But when you ask me to donate my hard-earned money toward saving animals from hunger and abuse when there are just as many hungry and abused children out there, I start to have a problem. Animals are not more important than humans.
The resources put on this earth are meant to be used. Animals are meant to be eaten, to provide food and sustenance for us. I don't like to hear about cows or chickens being killed with unnecessary violence, but I'm also not going to go on strike and no longer eat what they produce. That's not the natural order of things right now.
It's like the vast oil reserves in Alaska that the US government refuses to touch. All the politicians say to us is that the pipeline would look ugly, marring the natural beauty around it. Look ugly to who? The moose and bears? As long as it doesn't leak, it shouldn't matter. Heck, I'm sure they could paint the pipe white to blend in with the snow. Of course, whenever oil is harvested, there is always the risk of a spill, but I don't think that risk should matter more than gaining economic independence from the oil-rich Middle-eastern countries. In this case, preserving a vast, icy and otherwise unused portion of land is conserving to the point of ridiculousness, and I have a strong feeling that this "green" argument is just a smokescreen. Politicians could care less about the ugly pipeline; someone doesn't want us to gain oil independence.
Whenever I see a company boasting a new "green" achievement, I don't think, "Oh, how nice, they're concerned about the planet." I see it as, "Oh, how smart, they're saving money. That might save me a few bucks in the end, too." Different kind of green. It's a good thing conserving saves money or we wouldn't have quite so many participants. As it is, places like Idaho don't have very many recycling programs because it costs more money to establish a recycling program than it does to just keep dumping everything into a landfill. Having grown up in California, it still feels strange to just chuck an empty can or plastic jug into the garbage, even after living in Idaho for six years.
When I went on my school's British Literary Tour in 2007, I hadn't heard about the green grocery store movement. In Ireland, you can't find a plastic grocery sack to save your life. Everyone brings their own bags or they can purchase a reusable one at the store. It makes sense for a country as small as Ireland to be so vested in that program, but it was quite new to me. Since then, I have seen all sorts of stores move in that direction, including--surprisingly--a small local Idaho grocery store chain. Pretty soon all dog owners will have to purchase their doggy poop bags instead of just reusing grocery store bags.
I love the natural beauty in our world, and I want to do my part to care for it. Extremism is just not the right way to go about it. Wood from companies who plant new trees as they go, bamboo flooring or furniture, reusable grocery sacks and CFL light bulbs (the twisty ones that last for a very long time) are all things I am willing to purchase, if those materials are reasonably available. Spending my money wisely is also part of my stewardship, and if I can't afford those specialized items, I won't beat myself up. Balance in all things!
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