Posted on 05/31/2005 12:59:17 PM PDT by Apolitical
The thing is, Earth Day is over. I know it’s over because when it was still going on, I suffered through the painful media coverage of every last cutesy school project designed to “celebrate the trees” or “reclaim the land".
If Earth Day is over, though, what is all this about houses made of scrap metal and environmentally-sound sculptures created from used chopsticks? These sound like the things one would usually only encounter on Earth Day, making me wonder if the whole thing has somehow repeated itself early this year.
It turns out, upon further investigation, that Earth Day has not returned early to harass environmental grouches like myself. No, the latest reports are about a different day, United Nations World Environment Day, which is an “international holiday” that will take place on June 5 (though whether the day really deserves the “holiday” mantle when it won’t get most American kids out of school is debatable).
Predictably, the UN has a lot of highly dubious suggestions about what a person might do to celebrate World Environment Day – indeed its website lists at least one idea for each letter of the alphabet.
One of my favorites is “Ratify international environmental conventions,” which seems to imply that the only current hold-up for environmental schemes such as the Kyoto accord are a few Joe Schmos from Middle America who remembered to “reuse” and “recycle,” but somehow forgot to “ratify:”
Is it World Environment Day again, Sal? Damn. Where am I going to find an environmental convention to sign on to at this time of night? .....
(Excerpt) Read more at theamericanenterprise.org ...
Hey! I bet my boss doesn't know.
Sure, make it a sunday so I don't get it off. Bummer.
There is no surrender until you provide notarized evidence that you've composted your vegetable peelings for at least 5 years.
There is no surrender until you provide notarized evidence that you've composted your vegetable peelings for at least 5 years.
Sounds like a good day to cut down some trees and get my winter firewood pile started.
These environmental "holidays" are just stupid. Next thing you know, we'll have Gaia Worship Day, or Have You Hugged Your Tree Today Day or something more ridiculous.
Which commie founder are they wishing honor now?
World Environment Day website:
http://www.wed2005.org/0.0.php
Mayors from around the world will meet in San Francisco to celebrate Green Cities and create a plan for a sustainable urban future: the San Francisco Urban Environmental Accords.
United Nations World Environment Day 2005. Significantly, 2005 is the first time in the event’s thirty-three-year history that the big show will be held in United States. 2005 is also the 60th anniversary of the United Nations, which was founded at a charter convention in San Francisco in 1945.
"As cities grow--from migration or from increases in population--their inhabitants need a well-planned, clean, healthy and safe environment in which to raise their children and pursue their dreams."
--Kofi Annan, UN Secretary-General
http://www.wed2005.org/3.1.php
The latest version of the Urban Environmental Accords appears below.
DRAFT
Green Cities Declaration
United Nations Environment Programme
World Environment Day, June 5th, 2005
RECOGNIZING for the first time in history, the majority of the planet’s population now lives in cities and that continued urbanization will result in one million people moving to cities each week, thus creating a new set of environmental challenges and opportunities; and
BELIEVING that as Mayors of cities around the globe, we have a unique opportunity to provide leadership to develop truly sustainable urban centers based on culturally and economically appropriate local actions; and
RECALLING that in 1945 the leaders of 50 nations gathered in San Francisco to develop and sign the Charter of the United Nations; and
ACKNOWLEDGING the importance of the obligations and spirit of the 1972 Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment, the 1992 Rio Earth Summit (UNCED), the 1996 Istanbul Conference on Human Settlements, the 2000 Millennium Development Goals, and the 2002 Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development, we see the Urban Environmental Accords described below as a synergistic extension of the efforts to advance sustainability, foster vibrant economies, promote social equity, and protect the planet’s natural systems.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, today on World Environment Day 2005 in San Francisco, we the signatory Mayors have come together to write a new chapter in the history of global cooperation. We commit to promote this collaborative platform and to build an ecologically sustainable, economically dynamic, and socially equitable future for our urban citizens; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we call to action our fellow Mayors around the world to sign the Urban Environmental Accords and collaborate with us to implement the Accords; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that by signing these Urban Accords Environmental Accords, we commit ourselves to moving vital issues of sustainability to the top of our legislative agendas. By implementing the Urban Environmental Accords, we aim to realize the right to a clean, healthy, and safe environment for all members of our society.
"DRAFT
Green Cities Declaration
United Nations Environment Programme
World Environment Day, June 5th, 2005
RECOGNIZING for the first time in history, the majority of the planet’s population now lives in cities and that continued urbanization will result in one million people moving to cities each week, thus creating a new set of environmental challenges and opportunities; and
BELIEVING that as Mayors of cities around the globe, we have a unique opportunity to provide leadership to develop truly sustainable urban centers based on culturally and economically appropriate local actions; and
RECALLING that in 1945 the leaders of 50 nations gathered in San Francisco to develop and sign the Charter of the United Nations; and
ACKNOWLEDGING the importance of the obligations and spirit of the 1972 Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment, the 1992 Rio Earth Summit (UNCED), the 1996 Istanbul Conference on Human Settlements, the 2000 Millennium Development Goals, and the 2002 Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development, we see the Urban Environmental Accords described below as a synergistic extension of the efforts to advance sustainability, foster vibrant economies, promote social equity, and protect the planet’s natural systems.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, today on World Environment Day 2005 in San Francisco, we the signatory Mayors have come together to write a new chapter in the history of global cooperation. We commit to promote this collaborative platform and to build an ecologically sustainable, economically dynamic, and socially equitable future for our urban citizens; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we call to action our fellow Mayors around the world to sign the Urban Environmental Accords and collaborate with us to implement the Accords; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that by signing these Urban Accords Environmental Accords, we commit ourselves to moving vital issues of sustainability to the top of our legislative agendas. By implementing the Urban Environmental Accords, we aim to realize the right to a clean, healthy, and safe environment for all members of our society. "
How appropriate. Why wouldn't I believe that this was concocted in the Blue States. Now, how many of these people will kill and smoke hemp plant in solidarity.
Protect the environment - build more golf courses.
WAY ahead of you there.
Dragged 3 cords home from a post mfr near my folk's place 2 weeks ago. NO SPLITTING at all, but I did have to use my $1000 TABLESAW to buck it all down into 14" lengths.
Oh, the trials of heating with wood, I'll agree! (LOL)
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