Dog Days of Summer
Sunday July 13, 2008
The financial news of late is troubling to be sure. Oil prices are escalating to new highs, and the wealth of the middle class in America is falling in lock step with home values. Like the cocaine craze of the eighties, the party is over, the disco is closing down and the hangover is all we have left. Oh and the debt, lots of debt. More debt than some are able or willing to repay. The sad news is that America is not alone in this situation. We have successfully exported the American dream around the world to one degree or another and our neighbors in Europe find themselves in dire straits as well. Incidentally, I love the band Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler's album with Emmy Lou Harris is quite enjoyable.
So what are we to do? One might ask. My personal solution is to work out more and eat healthier food. It may not solve the financial crisis but better health is certainly a benefit. I returned from the local grocery store this morning and I can tell you that food costs are on the rise, quite dramatically is some areas such as poultry and just about anything manufactured from grains. Thanks to the corn ethanol boondoggle we all pay more for food. Well, not all of us, the poor among the population of the world face a much bleaker situation. The poor are faced with starvation and famine.
We desperately need leadership on all levels of government that will look toward energy and environmental sustainability for the future. This includes government at the local, state, and federal levels. I looked at strawberries this morning that had ice crystals around some on the lower levels. I did not buy them. They have ice because they were trucked across the country an maintained at an improper temperature either in transport or in warehousing. In any case, quality would suffer. Not only did quality suffer with these strawberries but the environment suffers as well. The carbon emissions in getting those strawberries to market are huge when compared to those grown locally. We need to support local agriculture whenever possible.