OPINION

I am often preoccupied by the news and entertainment media and with keeping pace with my momentary, daily, weekly, monthly and life long itineraries. All of these insure that I have created little available time to truly consider my “carbon footprint.” When I was making my second trip to the refuse station one day last week I saw this scene clearly. It is not as if I had not driven past these two symbols a hundred times or more over the past three years. However, it was while I was pondering my latest contribution to global environmental pollution that their significance stood out clearly.

This tree and power line transmission tower stand side by side adjacent to Slater Road, on the way to our county garbage dump. I saw this oak tree symbolizing natural earth forces while the power grid provider attested to our tremendous physical necessity to live “comfortably” on our planet. Air, water, oil, timber plus an endless variety of mineral, plant and animal life are dissipated daily to appease the human population’s material needs. Pathetically adding further to eco-damage I joined the masses directly responsible for refilling our fragile earth with my own undesirable waste.

When we reach out and embrace our neighbors we see pictures that enhance everyday life in our own international community.