Happy Earth Day!

 

Today is Earth Day and, as is my habit, I intend to celebrate it, as I have every year, by spending the entire day on Earth.

Other than that, it’s business as usual. I’ll continue consuming our abundant natural resources at my normal rate. My Yukon gets 16 miles per gallon on a good day, less in city driving. (I drove in town today.) I took #5 son out to lunch: we went to Five Guys and ate cow.

Locally and globally, the planet is doing well. The places that are really miserable, ecologically speaking, are generally places where collectivists (socialists and their ilk) hold sway. We’re fortunate here in America to have well-defined property rights and an economic system that produces enough surplus to allow us to do inherently dirty things in a clean, if somewhat more expensive, way. That could change: the Green New Deal, for example, would put an end to both property rights and surpluses, and give us the crippled economy of a third world country and the ecological deterioration to match. (If it’s any consolation, the GND would at least replace the Affordable Care Act as the most ironically misnamed bit of nanny-state overreach.)

Enjoy the day. Go outside and appreciate this beautiful environment that the wealth of our free-market economy affords us.

And eat a steak.

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  1. PHenry Inactive
    PHenry
    @PHenry

    Earth day – enjoy it while you can, in 12 years it will all be gone! 

    • #1
  2. Hugh Inactive
    Hugh
    @Hugh

    I bought pants and took the dog to daycare.  This evening I will drink beer and eat a steak.  Three cheers for capitalism!!

    • #2
  3. Hoyacon Member
    Hoyacon
    @Hoyacon

    A pox on the cynics.  Every Earth Day I make a special effort to save the planet by making sure that I use the stop/start feature on my vehicle at stop lights to preserve fuel. You have to press down hard on the brake pedal, so it’s no mean feat (feet?).  I will also run the light if at all possible, although that’s not Earth Day-specific.  We have to do our part people.

    • #3
  4. Hugh Inactive
    Hugh
    @Hugh

    I also emptied the dishwasher at work.  That should count for something.

    • #4
  5. OldDanRhody Member
    OldDanRhody
    @OldDanRhody

    Every Earth Day I say, “Next year I’m going to display an aluminum Earth Day tree adorned with curly-fry lights.”  I’ve forgotten to make preparations again this year, so next year “for sure.”

    • #5
  6. Aaron Miller Inactive
    Aaron Miller
    @AaronMiller

    Disney has put its nature films on sale. Conspicuously absent are Walt’s old nature films made before humanity became villainous.

    • #6
  7. DonG Coolidge
    DonG
    @DonG

    Yes, this is drive-thru and cheeseburger day.  Go big and sloppy and thank earth when you are done.

    • #7
  8. thelonious Member
    thelonious
    @thelonious

    I figure the steak I just ate means there’s one less cow standing out in a pasture farting and stinking up the atmosphere. I’m a hero right?

    • #8
  9. Seawriter Contributor
    Seawriter
    @Seawriter

    The founder of Earth Day, Ira Eichorn, killed and composted his girlfriend.  So, male or female, and whatever your gender orientation, if you feel compelled to off your significant other on Earth Day, dispose of the body in an environmentally-sensitive way on Earth Day as a tribute to its founder.

    • #9
  10. Bishop Wash Member
    Bishop Wash
    @BishopWash

    Should I murder my girlfriend and compost her to get into the spirit of the first Earth Day’s master of ceremonies.

    • #10
  11. Vectorman Inactive
    Vectorman
    @Vectorman

    Here is the original 1970 Earth Day Cartoon from Walt Kelly:

    • #11
  12. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    We celebrate “Lights Out Day” by turning on every freakin’ light on our property.  To hell with “Earth Day” . . .

    • #12
  13. Western Chauvinist Member
    Western Chauvinist
    @WesternChauvinist

    Stad (View Comment):

    We celebrate “Lights Out Day” by turning on every freakin’ light on our property. To hell with “Earth Day” . . .

    Beat me to it! I was going to suggest a proper celebration is to turn on all the lights tonight to produce the maximum CO2 for the greening of the planet.

    • #13
  14. tigerlily Member
    tigerlily
    @tigerlily

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):

    Stad (View Comment):

    We celebrate “Lights Out Day” by turning on every freakin’ light on our property. To hell with “Earth Day” . . .

    Beat me to it! I was going to suggest a proper celebration is to turn on all the lights tonight to produce the maximum CO2 for the greening of the planet.

    #Metoo.

    • #14
  15. Randy Webster Inactive
    Randy Webster
    @RandyWebster

    Hugh (View Comment):
    I bought pants and took the dog to daycare.

    At least you’ve got that on Jonah Goldberg.

    • #15
  16. Aaron Miller Inactive
    Aaron Miller
    @AaronMiller

    A poem for Earth Day: 

    REINCARNATION
    by Wallace McRae

    “What does Reincarnation mean?”
    A cowpoke asked his friend.
    His pal replied, “It happens when
    Yer life has reached its end.
    They comb yer hair, and warsh yer neck,
    And clean yer fingernails,
    And lay you in a padded box
    Away from life’s travails.”

    “The box and you goes in a hole,
    That’s been dug into the ground.
    Reincarnation starts in when
    Yore planted ‘neath a mound.
    Them clods melt down, just like yer box,
    And you who is inside.
    And then yore just beginnin’ on
    Yer transformation ride.”

    “In a while, the grass’ll grow
    Upon yer rendered mound.
    Till some day on yer moldered grave
    A lonely flower is found.
    And say a hoss should wander by
    And graze upon this flower
    That once wuz you, but now’s become
    Yer vegetative bower.”

    “The posy that the hoss done ate
    Up, with his other feed,
    Makes bone, and fat, and muscle
    Essential to the steed,
    But some is left that he can’t use
    And so it passes through,
    And finally lays upon the ground
    This thing, that once wuz you.”

    “Then say, by chance, I wanders by
    And sees this upon the ground,
    And I ponders, and I wonders at,
    This object that I found.
    I thinks of reincarnation,
    Of life and death, and such,
    And come away concludin’: ‘Slim,
    You ain’t changed, all that much.’”

    • #16
  17. Clifford A. Brown Member
    Clifford A. Brown
    @CliffordBrown

    Darn, I entirely forgot this neo-pagan holiday. There was a tire floating in an canal near my home the other week. I should have fished it out in preparation for Earth Day, it would have made the perfect burnt offering in the desert this evening.

    • #17
  18. JustmeinAZ Member
    JustmeinAZ
    @JustmeinAZ

    I have received numerous packages from Amazon, Walmart and Bed Bath and Beyond this week, all packed to the hilt in cardboard boxes, bubble wrap and heavy wrapping paper. I will, however, do my part and put the paper stuff out for the recycle truck – even though the city probably can’t afford to recycle any more.

    Aside from that I’m contemplating turning the AC on, even though it’s not quite hot enough yet.

    • #18
  19. Western Chauvinist Member
    Western Chauvinist
    @WesternChauvinist

    JustmeinAZ (View Comment):

    I have received numerous packages from Amazon, Walmart and Bed Bath and Beyond this week, all packed to the hilt in cardboard boxes, bubble wrap and heavy wrapping paper. I will, however, do my part and put the paper stuff out for the recycle truck – even though the city probably can’t afford to recycle any more.

    Aside from that I’m contemplating turning the AC on, even though it’s not quite hot enough yet.

    Just do it! Think of the plants.

    • #19
  20. Paul Erickson Inactive
    Paul Erickson
    @PaulErickson

    Henry Racette: Today is Earth Day and, as is my habit, I intend to celebrate it, as I have every year, by spending the entire day on Earth.

    Made me wonder – how do they celebrate here?

    • #20
  21. James Gawron Inactive
    James Gawron
    @JamesGawron

    Henry Racette:

    Enjoy the day. Go outside and appreciate this beautiful environment that the wealth of our free-market economy affords us.

    And eat a steak.

    Henry,

    You go boy! Yessssss!!!

    Regards,

    Jim

    • #21
  22. E. Kent Golding Moderator
    E. Kent Golding
    @EKentGolding

    Most any Bar Burger is better than Burger Fi.  Burger Fi is better than 5 guys ( sells beer , for one thing ).  5 guys is better than almost any other fast food burger.   And a nice steak is usually better than a burger. 

    • #22
  23. AUMom Member
    AUMom
    @AUMom

    I blew the pollen off my driveway with an electric leaf blower today. The massive white oaks in my yard will be grateful I’m sure.

     

    • #23
  24. The Lost Dutchman Member
    The Lost Dutchman
    @TheLostDutchman

    Remember to set out milk and cookies tonight for Al Gore when he comes down the chimney to give you presents.

    • #24
  25. AUMom Member
    AUMom
    @AUMom

    The Lost Dutchman (View Comment):

    Remember to set out milk and cookies tonight for Al Gore when he comes down the chimney to give you presents.

    Does he still give out coal? Asking for a friend. 

    • #25
  26. Skyler Coolidge
    Skyler
    @Skyler

    Henry Racette: We’re fortunate here in America to have well-defined property rights

    Relatively speaking.

    • #26
  27. Django Member
    Django
    @Django

    Seawriter (View Comment):

    The founder of Earth Day, Ira Eichorn, killed and composted his girlfriend. So, male or female, and whatever your gender orientation, if you feel compelled to off your significant other on Earth Day, dispose of the body in an environmentally-sensitive way on Earth Day as a tribute to its founder.

    If you are going to do it, do it in Washington. 

    https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/washington-could-become-first-state-legalize-human-composting-n952421

    • #27
  28. Sweezle Inactive
    Sweezle
    @Sweezle

    …………..okay. But do you recycle???

    • #28
  29. JamesSalerno Inactive
    JamesSalerno
    @JamesSalerno

    Sincerely wishing all of the Earth Day worshippers a blessed day! 

    • #29
  30. Al French, sad sack Moderator
    Al French, sad sack
    @AlFrench

    And don’t forget that Earth Day is also Lenin’s birthday. Coincidence?

    • #30
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