Good Riddance!

I’m sure most of you were very excited with the results of the American elections. At least someone’s country is getting a new government.

The Democrats just seem to be much more friendly to the environment than the alternative. They made real efforts this year to green-up the Democratic convention. Good job guys!

Well, this post is to fuel the flames lit under George W Bush’s butt to get him the heck out of here.

Some of the executive orders he’s working on getting put through before he leaves:

– Lessen the endangered species laws

– Take factory farms’ word for it that they’re not polluting water; no forms, no inspections, no fines (Honest Mr. President, those deformed babies down river from our farm aren’t our fault!)

– Put a large chunk of Utah and Alaska for sale for oil and gas drilling

– Getting rid of the stream buffer zone

WHAT! If you’ve ever taken an ecology course, this is one of the most well studied things you learn! You need a buffer zone of trees/natural habitat around streams or it will over heat, erode, and lose a bunch of species who live both in the stream and around the stream. This one makes me the most mad. Grrr.

When I heard about these I just couldn’t belive it. Polluting the water his people have to drink! Reversing years of positive environmental legislation that protect his people from nasty toxins! Makes you wonder if he sees them as ‘his people’ at all.

There is some hope. Obama has said he’ll be reviewing all of these executive orders shortly after he takes the throne and will overturn ones he doens’t like. Yay!

Now, just to give credit where credit is due, I got all this information from More Hip Than Hippie, a great podcoast I listen to. Two hilarious ladies get together over beer and chocolate and spread all kinds of good environmental tips, news and information twice a week. And they do it in a realistic, non-judgemental kind of way. Check them out. They keep me company on the bus.