Presidents' Column
by Rob Hewitt

With the Presidential race heating up I'll take this opportunity to provide you with a few ideas that I've been working on that would be the basis of my platform.
If I were running for president:
…I would give a tax break for planting trees.
…It would be illegal to put compostable material in the trash.
…Curbside recycling would be compulsory for all municipalities.
…Local cooperatives would be set up to encourage organic produce sales and consumption.
…All sewage would be treated the "Arcata Way."

Hold on, hold on! I hear you say. We don't need laws to require these things, we just need a good sense of social responsibility. So in that case, its a good thing I'm not a citizen and can't run for president—especially as I hadn't got to the part of my platform about binocular wearing being compulsory at school! The thrust of this message is social responsibility. I've found that a good litmus test for most of one's actions is: Is it the socially responsible thing to do? I'd like to see political correctness replaced with social responsibility. It is also a good way to express oneself as an environmentalist. I'm not an extremist for wanting wildlife habitat to be protected for the future; it's not eco-crazy to seek natural solutions to human induced problems such as flood control and sewage disposable. I'm not a tree-hugger if I like to see trees in my surroundings. I like to think that I'm a socially responsible person who cares about his actions and how they may eventually impact others. Everyone gets lazy sometime, but when you go to put that newspaper in the trash, or forget to compost, or can't be bothered to car pool, think to yourself: Is this the socially responsible thing to do?

So this November 5th go out and vote, it's the socially responsible thing to do.

Redwood Region Audubon Society
P.O. Box 1054, Eureka, CA 95502
Last updated October 1996