A Modest Proposal...
Bryan at
Truck and Barter got an email from a celebrity and talks about it:
bq.
Arctic Refuge
I received an e-mail from Robert Redford forwarded to me this weekend. The text of the message can be read
here. Mr. Redford, speaking on behalf of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), argues that oil exploration should be stopped in this country. Right or wrong, using the political process to inhibit exploration does not address the underlying issue of oil consumption.
bq. I enjoy the beauty of Alaska, Montana, Utah and the rest of this great nation as much as anybody. However, these areas have only been opened to our exploration and enjoyment because of industries pouring billions of dollars into airports, roads, utilities and building a local economy. Allowing any special interest to deny economic self-sufficiency to these areas will effectively cut off access to all but the richest adventurers. In Alaska, the oil industry has single handedly built the economy and attracted thousands of workers, residents and visitors who would otherwise have never seen that great state.
Bryan then talks about the results of Mr. Redford's proposal and offers this alternative:
bq. If the FCC can auction off the national resource of bandwidth, why not auction off public land.
Certainly Robert Redford could pitch-in to help his environmentalist organizations to buy a few hundred acres of the Arctic Refuge.
bq. It is an honorable effort to preserve beautiful land and protect wildlife. However any effort which ignores the welfare of our human family is short-sighted.
Put your money where your mouth is -- excellent idea! Some organizations are doing that already with private lands; what could be done with our public lands?
Posted by DaveH at January 16, 2005 3:16 PM