31 March 2008
The Environmental Pendulum
Posted by Joy Bischoff under: Rejecting Herd Mentality .
Chuck C. found a PDF on US Forest cover and other pertinent data. As Chuck wrote to me, Al Gore should be glad to know that we have the same forest coverage today as
we did in 1907.
Here is some more information Chuck went on to share:
Of course we have only 70% of the forests that were here in 1630. So,environmentalist would complain that our population explosion and urban sprawl has eaten up that forest land…
…
on page 17 of the PDF it states that
1. Urban Areas (cities, towns, or villages with at least 2,500 people) occupy 3.5% of the total land area in the U.S.
2. Urban areas have an average tree cover of 27.1%
3. 28% of U.S. forests are in counties with urban centers greater
than 20,000 people.
If only 3.5% of the land is under urban development, then where have
the forests gone? Well, we’ve got some great farms that feed the
population pretty well. The U.S. has done a very good job of husbanding our
natural resources and the Forest Service is working hard to improve.
This is one good example of how the pendulum has swung too far in environmentalism. If we asked most young people, they would tell us that there are far fewer trees in America than there were a hundred years ago. Scare tactics tend to entrench people and close their ears to facts.
None of us want dirty air or dirty water. There are things we can do, but the damage that is done to industries because of over-regulation is real. We have friends who lost range land for their cattle because of the desert tortoise. There was zero proof that cattle stepped on turtles or damaged their habitat in any way but extremism trumped logic. In order to take away range land where the tortoise had never even been seen, we personally saw BLM trucks and employees relocating the tortoise to areas they wanted to come under government protection. There are many other examples I could give but I think I am preaching to the choir.
My final point is what I made earlier regarding liberals. We shouldn’t be reactionary simply because they are. To have no concern at all for the environment is self-defeating and makes conservatives look cold and inhuman. So in our interactions with liberals we can let them know we care about the environment but we feel it is being exaggerated and used as a political tool to empower big government. Reason and not fanaticism to either side is the best way to communicate. Using a few facts like the ones Chuck shared above helps and also to let people know that farmers and ranchers have always practiced environmentalism in a balanced way can calm any open minded liberal (no, …liberal and open mindedness is not always an oxymoron - look at the comment SGS made this morning under the Addressing Liberals blog).
33 Comments so far...
Stumpy Says:
31 March 2008 at 1:34 pm.
Hell my views change all the time about envirnment crap. Ever time I looked out the window when I lived in the city I saw a population explosion and bad air and bad dressers.
Ever time I look out the window out here in the country my view is that folks oughta get busy and make babies ta suck up all this sweet air. An folks dress just fine.
Ever time I look out the window in my pickup when Im drivin around the country I see whatever the hell I wanna see dependin on whether Im in a conservative mood or in a liberal mood. I only get in my liberal view when I gotta see my ex-wife. Thats when I wish her folks had practiced population control and not polluted good ole mamma earth with her.
We see what we wanta see. Human nature.
Chuck C Says:
31 March 2008 at 1:35 pm.
By the way Joy, we were in St. George, UT a few weeks ago and I was told by an old timer that the sacred Desert Tortoise is not indigenous to that area, that it is a transplant from Arizona or somewhere else. Is he right?
The Realist Says:
31 March 2008 at 1:42 pm.
I remember all the hoopla about the spotted owl and old growth forests and then years later they found out that the spotted owl does just fine in new growth forests. It’s all political hype.
Joy Bischoff Says:
31 March 2008 at 1:46 pm.
That’s right, Chuck. I asked a BLM worker in Nevada about that and he admitted that they were introducing them into the environment here. Our kids have spent a lot of weekends helping on projects that cost a lot of tax payer money to put up desert tortoise fences along the freeway to protect their natural habitat. But it wasn’t their natural habitat until the government decided to introduce them. It keeps a lot more land under government control.
Chuck C Says:
31 March 2008 at 1:47 pm.
We need more Realist approach to these things that Stump us and take away our Joy.
The Realist Says:
31 March 2008 at 1:53 pm.
I agree with the first part but I don’t want to get stumped. He scares me (jk) and I don’t want to take away our Joy. I don’t always agree with her but she is pretty cool most of the time. We shouldn’t chuck you away either.
Stumpy Says:
31 March 2008 at 1:56 pm.
Hey dumby - he was sayin Im the answer to all things that confuse us. Get with the program.
Stumpy Says:
31 March 2008 at 1:57 pm.
I meant that with the upmost respect Realist my dear ole friend.
The Realist Says:
31 March 2008 at 2:09 pm.
Hey don’t pick on me. Wait for Cameron to come around or flirt with Pickles. I’m innocent!
SGS Says:
31 March 2008 at 2:10 pm.
Chuck! Good one! LOL! This is a good way to get over the food stamp madness! At least, for the moment.
Stumpy Says:
31 March 2008 at 2:15 pm.
Oops - looks like we all gotta be careful of ole Realist. He is the sieensiative type. Its okay sweetie pie. We will be nice ta y’all.
The Realist Says:
31 March 2008 at 2:18 pm.
Okay okay, I guess I’ve been initiated around here because I’ve been stomped by the stump.
Hey Stumpy, go play with Cat. I think he’s hungry for a rat.
Jan W. Says:
31 March 2008 at 2:24 pm.
This is good information. My sister in law is so liberal and I can use these figures when she starts in on me. Thanks and I agree that we are doing a good job with our resources.
Chuck C Says:
31 March 2008 at 2:45 pm.
Here is the link to the information from the US Forest Service:
http://www.fia.fs.fed.us/library/briefings-summaries-overviews/docs/ForestFactsMetric.pdf
Cameron Says:
31 March 2008 at 2:55 pm.
Chuck, the word in green on the blog: “Source” has the same link.
Chuck C Says:
31 March 2008 at 2:57 pm.
oh. sorry.
Stumpy Says:
31 March 2008 at 2:57 pm.
Sssshhhh Realist. Its okay son. Y’all will be all right. We will all help take care of ya.
Cameron Says:
31 March 2008 at 3:00 pm.
No need to be sorry. Looks like you were just wanting to help Jan out with her ammo defense for the sister-in-law attack. Good luck Jan. You go girl.
(I was referring to Chuck about no need to be sorry. Stumpy you have a lot of need to be sorry.)
Cameron Says:
31 March 2008 at 3:01 pm.
My wife is sending me out on errands now so don’t even try it Stumpy. Got my hands over my ears…I can’t hear you!!!
Chuck C Says:
31 March 2008 at 3:02 pm.
Gee. I ‘pologyze ‘n git ole Stump in truble.
Stumpy Says:
31 March 2008 at 3:06 pm.
Its all right Chuck. I can take it. An all I wanted ta do was invite him over ta my place. I was thinkin bout addin some poultry to my little farm an I thought he might work out. Cat just loves chicken.
Chuck C Says:
31 March 2008 at 3:14 pm.
Your Chicken comment just brought back some memories from my days on the farm. My sisters used to hate it when I would chase them with the newly chopped off chicken legs while pulling the tendons making the “claws” grab for them. I hated it when the chicken would chicken out and move just as the ax was descending. Only half their neck would be severed and we would chase all over the woodshed trying to finish it off. Then when we killed it we would squeeze it and it would squawk with no head. No wonder my sisters hated me! I miss the old farm.
Stumpy Says:
31 March 2008 at 3:34 pm.
Chuck - yer jist the kinda guy I need on my farm. Come on down son. Leave yer sisters though.
E.E. Says:
31 March 2008 at 3:45 pm.
Oh those poor girls. I would have freaked out if my brothers had done that but luckily I grew up in the city.
Nalvy Says:
31 March 2008 at 4:35 pm.
Well as one the the young people mentioned in the article I had no idea about all of that… dang nabbit!!! LOL
Well I am glad things are not as bad as I have always been told…. but I do have a question.
Why is the government tormenting those poor tortoises and making them come live here?
Chuck C Says:
31 March 2008 at 4:40 pm.
Initially it was an attempt to see who would survive nuclear fall-out from Nevada. Tortoises or people.
The tortoises won.
Matt Says:
31 March 2008 at 4:55 pm.
LOL
HerculesMulligan Says:
31 March 2008 at 8:12 pm.
This blog has received the “Interesting Blog” award from me. My blog, Alexander Hamilton Patriot, received the award, and now I get to pass it on to other blogs. This blog is one of them. Come over to this post to learn more:
http://ahpatriot.blogspot.com/2008/03/alexander-hamilton-patriot-is.html
If you wish to accept the award, write a comment at that post to accept, and then post the picture in the sidebar of your blog. Also write a post acknowledging that the blog received the award, who gave it to you, and to whom you wish to pass the award on.
Congratulations! God bless you all.
Joy Bischoff Says:
31 March 2008 at 11:09 pm.
Wow, Hercules, thank you so much. I’ll try and get a hold of Terrie to do that. We are honored and thanks to Chuck for the good info for the blog.
God bless you too and everyone who comes here.
Ghost Says:
31 March 2008 at 11:23 pm.
With my work and school (Mondays are my long day) I miss out on a lot of fun conversations here. I have to confess that I probably have ridden that pendulum too far myself. I get so darn mad at the environmentalists (hey, I kept myself from calling them wacko…I’m improving) that is is very easy to get pushed far the other way. I can see that we can’t let ourselves be reactionary and that by taking an enemy stance makes the whole problem worse and makes us conservatives look bad in the eyes of liberals. A few months ago I wouldn’t have thought that was important but now I see that we need to try and calm down the war of words and find common ground even with the liberals.
Ghost Says:
31 March 2008 at 11:25 pm.
I hadn’t read the comments when I made mine. That is so cool about the award. On behalf of all the regular old commentors, thanks Hercules.
HerculesMulligan Says:
1 April 2008 at 10:31 am.
You’re welcome. 
This is a good blog.
Angela Rogin Says:
1 April 2008 at 11:06 am.
That’s great. I do love coming here every day. It’s amazing that so many different religions and so many different conservative views can be expressed without people freaking out or going off in a huff.
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