h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm sorry to read about your problems with your neighbour, you have my wholehearted support in this.
I hope you are successful in your forthcoming legal battle. Some people think they have the divine right to ride roughshod over others, and I really despise such people.
I wish you the best of luck against them KAT.
....
Dave.

Thank you so very much Dave - your support is tremendously welcomed. As of this past week many other environmental horrors have been unfolding in this country - i.e. opening the dunes in California to ATV's. This is enormous - both in area (50,000 acres + )and potential loss of endangered flora and fauna. This is only one small example. The Pentagon wants to be exempted from ecological laws so they can use certain large land tracts for "War Games". It doesn't matter if there are a number of endangered species STILL existing (though in some cases only barely) - they feel extremely empowered since America IS at war. When will people GET IT? We ALL live on the same planet. Events that occur here do not operate independently of each other. Everything is inter-related and each affects the entire earth. This balance is unbelievably delicate and must be acknowledged and respected. Do these people not care for the well-being of their children and the subsequent generations? Too many powerful people are murdering Mother Earth! Doesn't anyone care that an ice shelf, as large as the state of Rhode Island, simply disintegrated? Exactly what has to happen before folks get the message? The omens are surrounding us - is no one noticing? Again I thank you Dave - your message really helped just when I needed it. xo KAT

Hello KAT,
Everything you say makes sense, and I agree with all of it.
A great deal of talk takes place about the environment, but not much action is taken to preserve it.
I am afraid that the rape of Mother Earth looks set to continue.
Perhaps someday something WILL be done, but by then, it may be too late.
Where I live, coastal erosion has wreaked havoc with the beach, three levels of sand dunes are now all gone. Now the powers that be are trying to do something about it, but they are years too late. The damage has been done, and probably can't be reversed.
If more people in authority, had feelings as strong as yours, then I'm sure the world would be a better place.
....
Dave.

Good to hear from you Dave, how's the family and how was your Easter? All good I hope. Another major problem the earth is facing is our current administration which keeps becoming a greater ecological horror show! You might have noticed that Junior (bush - lack of caps intentional!) seems to suffer from the delusion he has been elected king of the world ! While campaigning he took a marketly moderate viewpoint on the environment which suddenly and immediately evaporated into unknown regions once he was in office. Simply amazing is the arrogance of this man ! Since 9/11 things have drastically changed in this country. Unfortunately, most priorities are directed towards combatting terrorism and the war. This has pushed the environment down to a much lower level than before - and it hadn't been all that high. Many people who in the past would have been very "pro" legislation etc. which favored the planet are now saying sacrifices must be made so we can win the battles ahead of us. An example is the renewed push to drill for oil in Alaska to reduce the dependency on the arabs. And that's just the beginning . I used to live on Long Island and went to the beach very frequently so I do understand your concerns about erosion. It is rampant and people simply do not seem to care. The apathy transcends too many populations and quite frankly I often think I'm fighting a losing battle!! But then an angel is sent ( such as yourself Dave) and it invigorates and bolsters me. You couldn't know this, but today I have to go to the county offices for some legal paperwork. (It never ends). There is a group of folks who work there that despise me since I am a "troublemaker" and looking to destroy money-making ventures and that would adversely affect the area. They think I "Don't Get It"!! I've explained to them that once these loggers have taken as much as they possibly can they will be GONE and what will be left? Total devastation. Miles and miles and miles of tree stumps and wasteland, previously unknown erosion, loss of habitat for all the so-called "lesser" creatures (talk about misnomers!) and the list continues. They refuse to see it. No foresight to next year or five years or even twenty years down the road. Forests do not spring up over night. This is long-term and must be addressed now while there's still something left to save. So thanks again Dave - your message was exactly what I needed this morning KK

Hello KAT,
your message made interesting reading, and tells it like it is.
Here in the UK there is very strict controls over logging. There is not the vast tracts of forests like there is in the USA, but they are all controlled by the Forestry Comission, who make sure that as trees are cut down the balance is maintained by the creation of new forests. It must be a tremendous task to plan like this for the future, and perhaps in the USA it would present an impossible task. I don't really know.
Such is the control over trees here, that you can't even cut down a tree in your own garden, without first getting permission from your local authority.
Ther surely has to come a day though, when something must be done.
....
Dave.

Right on Dave! Earlier this week, the U.S. Secretary of the Interior came up to Albany (the capital of the state of N.Y.) to explain why we should have Alaskan oil drilling. This despite a negative report issued by a section of HER OWN department that vigorously advised against it! (This was also reported in the N.Y. Times). We also have the head of the EPA who never seems to have a clue on what's going on. She's so ill-informed that for quite a while she made no public appearences ! These people are supposed to be in the forefront for environmental protection. Things are very much deteriorating and don't look as if they'll improve any time soon. So thanks again for the support. Do you belong to any environmental groups? And how's Maureen? Kat

Hi KAT,
no, I'm afraid I don't belong to any evironmental groups, but I do really care.
Maureen told me she would be in touch with you herself, I'm not sure whether she has done so or not.
She doesn't even answer my msgs lol.
....
Dave.