I just read an article on LATimes.com that just chafed my hide. I believe that everyone has a right to their opinion, even if I think they’re total crackpots (”opinions are like assholes…”). However, I fail to see the point or benefit of demonizing environmental activism.

In September 2007, Scholastic will release The Down-to-Earth Guide to Global Warming by Laurie David and Cambria Gordon. The book pages will be printed on paper that contains 100% post-consumer water fiber as well as use soy inks. Scholastic’s press release describes the book as:

Written for ages 8 and up, is the comprehensive resource young readers can look to for understanding why global warming happens and how we can work together to stop it. Irreverent and entertaining, and packed with essential facts and suggestions on how to effect change, Down-to-Earth offers a message of hope.

Then on the other side of the spectrum, there’s World Ahead Publishing, publishers of titles such as Caucus of Corruption: The Truth About the New Democratic Majority and Help! Mom! There are Liberals Under My Bed!. Like Scholastic, they also plan to publish their own environment-themed book. Except instead of encouraging responsibility for our own impact on the Earth, World Ahead’s book will be “intended to debunk global warming and discourage environmental activism.”

They’ve got cojones, I’ll give them that, but it almost seems as if World Ahead delights in publishing their books for the sole purpose of sticking their tongues out at liberals. Can we grow up here? Being aware and taking care of where we live has nothing to do with the left or right, it’s simply about being responsible for our actions. It’s one thing if you don’t believe that global warming is taking place, or that humans are the main perpetrators. It’s another to paint “environmental activism” as a bad thing and to discourage it, putting faith, instead, in the doctrine that IF global warming becomes an issue, capitalism will be the answer.

I’m curious to see just exactly how they will go about telling kids that “it’s OK to chill about global warming” (which is actually part of the book’s title). I’m picturing a scene where a father and son are having a heart-to-heart conversation about how it’s OK for mom and dad to drive Hummers, because despite what those kooky environmentalists might say, ginormous vehicles have no negative impact on the environment. But even if they did (which is doubtful, of course), then it’s still no cause for worry because MegaCorp, Inc. will come up with something snazzy to fix everything!

Filed by Maria in books, environment