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For 40 years environmentalists have been calling attention to the impact of polluting factories, oil spills, toxic waste, pesticides, polluted water ways and oceans, and wildlife extinction on our environment. Global warming, water shortage, and food supply issues are hot topics at the forefront of discussion around the globe. It would seem that the majority of the world educated or not have recognized the impact, and many are feeling the impact first hand. Air quality, water quality and food/water shortages are becoming serious issues in many areas with limited or no solutions currently available. Seattle claims to be and frankly has been one of the greenest cities in the nation in recent years. But recently the green vote in Seattle has been disturbingly absent. Over a year ago Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels ordered a ban on bottled water in public buildings and offices. His announcement of the bottled water crackdown garnered national headlines. I was walking down the street in Seattle today and was approached by a young man asking me to donate to the League of Conservation Voters. He was full of energy and enthusiasm for the cause he was promoting. I stopped and chatted with him about what the League of Conservation was all about. The LCV’s mission is to advocate for sound environmental policies and to elect pro-environmental candidates who will adopt and implement such policies. The citizens of Seattle will have an opportunity to support or reject a 20-cent plastic and paper bag fee. This bag fee was approved in July 2008 by the Seattle City Council with a 6 to 1 vote. Shortly after the bag fee was approved the American Chemistry Council started an all out media blitz portraying the bag fee as a tax and imposition on the residents of Seattle. Yesterday Seattle hosted the last of only two public EPA hearings on climate change at pier 66 on the Seattle waterfront. The hearings were designed to allow public comment on the impact of global warming and pollution to public health and welfare. This April 22nd is Earth Day! Seattle has roots in the creation of this day designed to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth’s environment. In 1969 at a conference in Seattle, US Senator Gaylord Nelson announced that in the following spring their would be a grassroots demonstration designed to draw attention to the environment and protecting the planet. Wouldn’t it make sense that for every public trash can there be a recycle can next to it? Earth Hour is March 28th at 8:30pm local time…wherever you may be on the planet…flip the switches and turn your lights off to fight global warming! This year the focus and theme of the World Water Day on March 22nd is sharing water resources, specifically trans-boundary water. Leaders from around the world are attending the World Water Forum in Istanbul hosted by the World Water Council. The forum’s purpose is to raise awareness, develop solutions and foster political support to address the the looming water crisis |
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