Mean Green

I picked up two books from the library today: "Greening Your Small Business" by Jennifer Kaplan and "Green Hell" (GH) by Steve Milloy. Consider me "fair and balanced" in my business planning.

From the moment I picked up GH it made an impression: lots of black with a an American flag crossed out in a green circle. The subtitle is "How Environmentalists Plan to Control Your Life and What You Can Do to Stop Them." Already this book sets up a them versus you mentality. Poor you, getting picked on by the big bad environmentalist bully. A quote at the top highlights that this book can save you from "global warming alarmism and environmental hysteria."

Here is a point that I find interesting. I agree that we would not want our government overreacting or shoving its weight around simply because of "global warming alarmism and environmental hysteria." In a similar manner, I would not want our government overreacting or shoving its weight around simply because of global terror alarmism or security hysteria (I wonder how the author would feel about that...?).

Like a standard hardback, the back cover lists praise including the aforementioned quote and others from conservative media outlets. The general theme I notice is that this book is a line of defense in the war against those who would like to see "Soviet-style command-and-control environmentalism." My personal opinion is that this seems like a lot of fear-mongering.

I enjoy reading a book literally from cover to cover so the next parts I saw were the flaps. It is here we are warned about the Green "threat to our economy, our civil liberties, and the entire American way of life." We also get a nice picture of the author, some smug, rich white guy (surprise!).

The Introduction proceeds to present the them versus you tactics again. How dare the Greens demand that people live in an environmentally responsible way!? It seems the author demands his right to convenience, comfort, and a high standard of living regardless of the environmental cost because after all, global warming is nonsense.

I do not pretend to know whether global warming is an accurate theory or not. What I do know is that if we the people continue to consume, consume, consume that yes, one day there will be nothing left to consume. That is a fact my friend, the resources on this planet are finite and the more we use now the less there are later.

There is also some poorly explained argument about how the Green movement is run by people with a lot of wealth (most movements with major media exposure are as a result of our government imposed limits on who can be the media). It seems like the author is saying, "do not support the planet because these 6 guys will get rich" as opposed to supporting big oil where 6 other guys get rich (who am I kidding, they are probably the same 6 guys).

At this point I put the book down because I can not stand the vitriol and propaganda being espoused. At the same time I want to know I gave it an earnest effort so I randomly flip to page 89 where I learn "Slow Food Means No Food." First the author issues a blanket dismissal of Slow Food USA because they engage in "global warming alarmism." Then he makes an absurd assertion that because Slow Food threatened a boycott of New Mexico chile products if the legislature passed a bill providing money for genetic engineering that they were responsible for keeping the state dependent on Peruvian chilies. Huh?? So the only way that New Mexico can grow chilies is through genetic engineering? That does not even begin to make sense.

I consider myself politically independent and I certainly do not associate with either major party. At this point in time I am astonished by how hateful and ignorant the so-called "conservatives" in this country act. I wanted to post this mini-review because to me it exemplifies how their actions seem to defy Common Sense. Public discourse is important to me and I would not tell anybody that they do not have a right to their individual ideals. I draw the line where one party goes beyond disagreeing and attempts to denounce their opposition. Let all people be free to develop their own thoughts and let logic prevail!

What is Common Sense?

Common sense seems rare and valuable these days, hardly common at all. As a brewer, it is only logical for me to want to craft beer for myself. This is my attempt to get that ball rolling.

The title carries a message of hope in it as well. Living in the greater Portland metro area I see signs of awareness growing in the general population. This common sense that is so critical to our survival and success does seem to be brewing around the region.

Thus it is in these pages I will attempt to grow your faith in my abilities to produce a high quality fermented malt beverage. I also hope to share a little of my personal philosophy in hopes that it will encourage deeper thinking all around.