Millie and Max Mouse were excited about the prospect of a special event at City Hall just beneath the Dodgeville Public Library.  A “listening session” by Rep. Pocan heralded the potential for crumb-dropping humans leaving treats for mice.  They listened intently as speaker after speaker related concerns about the potential new high capacity power line slated to cut through Iowa Co.  It was by far the central topic of discussion.

     “Those folks are sure worked up about that power line,” marveled Max.  “They said the lines would look like those along Madison’s south beltline highway.  It was almost as if folks could picture those looming lines and towers marching across the Iowa County countryside.”

     Later…migrating to the library upstairs Millie logged in (clever mouse!) and while surfing the web came across an on-line article from ScientificAmerican.com.  It explained how the Earth had just experienced 11 consecutive (now 12!) hottest months on record worldwide.  The article went on to detail the recently recorded largest year-to-year jump in CO2 levels ever measured and also the record low level of sea ice in the Arctic this past winter.  In places like the Midwest temperature increases are less severe, but in the Arctic where folks depend on ice and permafrost climatic warming is happening at twice the rate of the rest of the planet with devastating effect.  

     “Wow!” exclaimed Millie.  “We can’t just let the Earth keep getting hotter and hotter catastrophically changing the climate.  Yet many humans don’t seem to be getting all worked up like they are about that power line for instance.” 

     “Yeah,” replied Max.  “Even though 400 parts per million of CO2 in today’s atmosphere is WAY over the millennial average of about 280 ppm, many folks just shrug.  Maybe it’s because they can’t picture greenhouse gasses like they can those towers and lines.   Just imagine if those gasses were inky-gray.  People would see their beautiful clear skies slowly darkening day by day.  I’ll bet then they’d be pouring into these Congressional listening sessions demanding that something be done!”

     Millie and Max talked about “darkening skies” long into the night.  They nodded off just as the first hints of dawn streamed through the library windows secure in the knowledge that humans are too wise to continue to brush aside this challenge.  After all, this planet is the only home people will ever know.  They’re forever…Earthbound.”

     Dateline 1962 – Chief Executive Officer B. Iggy Bucks enjoys a long drag on his TOXIC
(Tobacs - One Xceptionally Incredible Cigarette!) filter-tip cigarette. “Come on in!  Good to see you!  Tell me all about your findings.”
 
      Head TOXIC scientist Ima Ree Sercher shuffles in. “You’re not going to want to hear this sir.” Ima informs B. Bucks that their product is a health hazard that addicts, sickens, and even kills its users. 
 
      Two weeks later  - B. Bucks holds a private meeting with his public relations chief, T. Rick Ster.  “You understand the gravity of our situation.  Others will no doubt replicate this research.  We have to… shall we say, ‘cloud’ the issue.  I want you to find ‘doctors’ and ‘scientists’ who are willing to bend the facts.  We’ll pay them plenty!   Have them spread just enough misinformation to cause doubt in people’s minds.  If suckers think the science is unsettled they’ll figure they might as well keep smoking, and TOXIC’s coffers will continue to overflow!  We can’t let our shareholders down now can we?  And Rick…we never had this conversation (wink).”
 
     Dateline 1982 – Chief Executive Officer Phil T. Rich of SMOG (Sucking-up Millions Oil Group)  “Come in, come in.  Let’s hear what you’ve got.”
 
     Head SMOG researcher Cy N. Tisst relates the bad news that the burning of petroleum products fills the atmosphere with greenhouse gasses unleashing untold detrimental effects on the environment.
 
      Two weeks later  - Phil T. Rich meets secretly with his public relations chief, Heidi Facts.  “You understand the gravity of our situation. We can’t let this information interfere with our quarterly earnings.   I want you to spread a little confusion so the public will think that the science is still unsettled.  Every time someone publishes a scientific article about global warming have one of our ‘experts’ write a counter piece.  Pay them plenty; money is no object!  John Q. Public won’t know what to believe so nothing will change and our profits will continue to soar.  Remember, we have an obligation to our shareholders.  And Heidi…we never had this conversation (wink).”
 
      Dateline 2016 - As fate would have it, researchers Tisst and Searcher meet on a park bench watching their grandchildren play.  “I just couldn’t work for them anymore,” sighed Sercher.  “Me neither,” Tisst remarked,  “because I love this place. It’s the only home we’ll ever know.  We’re forever…Earthbound.”

     Mr. Robin has decided the maple tree at the corner of our house would make an ideal nesting location.  There’s just one difficulty; he has a rival.  Another bird just his size refuses to leave the area.  It’s a problem Mr. R is willing to overcome for the sake of his future offspring.

      At dawn each morning he begins his relentless attacks to drive off the intruder.   Over and over Mr. R charges, crashing into his opponent.  But inevitably, after each attack the interloper remains rooted, boldly staring back at him.

      One can only admire the qualities this bird displays – courage, determination, and sheer doggedness as day after day he labors to secure safe harbor for his future family.  But a simple human device, the double-pane glass window, has fooled him.  No matter how diligently Mr. R struggles, he will never overcome this opponent – his own reflection in the glass.  Driven by instinct he unwittingly strives tirelessly against his own best interest. 

     Most folks here in Iowa County share Mr. R’s admirable qualities.  Up early, hard working, and willing to sacrifice for their families’ futures.  And those qualities have helped us reach unprecedented levels of comfort, convenience, and abundance.  But like Mr. R we too may unwittingly trust a human construct that deflects us from a genuinely secure future.  Our comfortable society has been built on rampant resource exploitation and consumption.  But in today’s world of over 7.1 billion humans this formerly useful economic model is unsustainable.  Calculations indicate that if all of Earth’s inhabitants consumed at the same rate as Americans it would take 4 planets to satisfy our demands.  Perhaps like Mr. R we too work tirelessly but against our own best interests.

      If we expect all our hard work to secure for us a safe and prosperous future the extract – consume - throwaway model needs modification.  Earth Day’s founder, our own Senator Gaylord Nelson, stated that the truly “sustaining wealth of the world” is in its healthy biological systems.  There in lies our genuine source of security.

      With the aid of fluttering strips of cloth strung across our windows Mr. R is gradually learning to ignore his reflective rival.  Likewise, may we learn that a healthy environment is an integral part of a secure future here on this one and only planet where we’re forever…Earthbound.

      Dateline 1962 – Chief Executive Officer B. Iggy Bucks enjoys a long drag on his TOXIC
(Tobacs - One Xceptionally Incredible Cigarette!) filter-tip cigarette. “Come on in!  Good to see you!  Tell me all about your findings.”
 
      Head TOXIC scientist Ima Ree Sercher shuffles in. “You’re not going to want to hear this sir.” Ima informs B. Bucks that their product is a health hazard that addicts, sickens, and even kills its users. 
 
     Two weeks later  - B. Bucks holds a private meeting with his public relations chief, T. Rick Ster.  “You understand the gravity of our situation.  Others will no doubt replicate this research.  We have to… shall we say, ‘cloud’ the issue.  I want you to find ‘doctors’ and ‘scientists’ who are willing to bend the facts.  We’ll pay them plenty!   Have them spread just enough misinformation to cause doubt in people’s minds.  If suckers think the science is unsettled they’ll figure they might as well keep smoking, and TOXIC’s coffers will continue to overflow!  We can’t let our shareholders down now can we?  And Rick…we never had this conversation (wink).”
 
     Dateline 1982 – Chief Executive Officer Phil T. Rich of SMOG (Sucking-up Millions Oil Group)  “Come in, come in.  Let’s hear what you’ve got.”
 
     Head SMOG researcher Cy N. Tisst relates the bad news that the burning of petroleum products fills the atmosphere with greenhouse gasses unleashing untold detrimental effects on the environment.
 
      Two weeks later  - Phil T. Rich meets secretly with his public relations chief, Heidi Facts.  “You understand the gravity of our situation. We can’t let this information interfere with our quarterly earnings.   I want you to spread a little confusion so the public will think that the science is still unsettled.  Every time someone publishes a scientific article about global warming have one of our ‘experts’ write a counter piece.  Pay them plenty; money is no object!  John Q. Public won’t know what to believe so nothing will change and our profits will continue to soar.  Remember, we have an obligation to our shareholders.  And Heidi…we never had this conversation (wink).”
 
     Dateline 2016 - As fate would have it, researchers Tisst and Searcher meet on a park bench watching their grandchildren play.  “I just couldn’t work for them anymore,” sighed Sercher.  “Me neither,” Tisst remarked,  “because I love this place. It’s the only home we’ll ever know.  We’re forever…Earthbound.”