Admittedly, my blog posts occasionally take a skeptical view of climate change and the (sigh) plight of the polar bear – and consequently (sigh) get picked up by right-wing blogs. This is primarily due to the constant hysteria over polar bears that I feel has overshadowed the intrinsic value of the animal itself. I get frustrated that every polar bear is now seen as a sad, starving bear doomed by humanity’s folly. Doomed – possibly but over 12 bear seasons, not much has changed other than the fact that the bears seem in a lot better shape than they were ten years ago.
The problem is that, while an innate skeptic and weekend conspirator (Sorry folks, Paul McCartney IS dead.), I still consider myself an environmentalist even a ‘moss hugger’ (hence, the rest of the blogs are ranting about Churchill’s landfill/recycling fiasco). I would say I have given eco-freako the old college try. Over the years, I have redesigned my cabin for passive solar heating, scavenged wood and materials for most of that renovation, bought an electric bike (never did end up using it…), bought a composting toilet (don’t even ask…), brought the first four stroke snowmobile to Churchill, introduced eco-friendly products to Churchill tour companies (with really no success at all) and, most importantly, I own a van that runs on used vegetable oil. Some stuff works, other stuff completely wastes your time and energy. That being said, I have never bought carbon credits, I think giant monster trucks are awesome and, technically, am totally okay with a generally warmer climate.
Given that I have alternately been referred to as ‘moss hugger’ and ‘tundra trasher’ occasionally in the same day, I would prefer this blog be considered as a redneck hippy (or rippy) perspective or, if you like, an unvironmentalist manifesto. Actually, I just like using the word manifesto.
