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We're So Vain, We Think This Party's About Us
Emily Gertz reports on environmental issues from her home base in Brooklyn, N.Y. She has written for Grist, BushGreenwatch, The Bear Deluxe, and other independent publications. She contributes to Worldchanging.com, and recently launched OneAtlantic.net.
Emily Gertz.
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N.Y. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand answers Grist’s questions on the Kerry-Boxer bill
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bookerly Posted 9:42 am
20 Apr 2006
The menu is lovely, and just goes to show that the rich truly are different!!! Sigh, it made me hungry and I am trying to diet...
It also made me wonder what they were serving in nearby soup kitchens that night...
(Wanting to keep the contradictions in mind!) (smile)
patrick
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David Roberts Posted 9:42 am
20 Apr 2006
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Emily Gertz Posted 1:48 am
21 Apr 2006
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Tom Philpott Posted 2:58 am
21 Apr 2006
I have to point out that, though, that from my experience, NY raw food organic fanatics can be nearly as clueless as McDonald's eaters about where there food comes from. If all of those veggies were of the quality I imagine they were, they likely grew in rich beds of well-composted animal manure. That's all. Wish i had been there.
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bookerly Posted 12:23 pm
21 Apr 2006
You are absolutely correct! I have many friends in NYC, and actually love the city. It is a great place, and I don't really begrudge people the right to indulge from time to time....
But I always want to remember the contradictions!
(And I have them too in my life.) (smile)
Umm, next time, you can send a doggie bag to Beijing, I wouldn't mind.
BTW, there are some fantastic vegetarian restaurants here, and the number of them is increasing, and they are growing in popularity. Many of them try to use as much organic produce as they can (which makes them a bit pricier).
patrick
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amazingdrx Posted 10:54 pm
21 Apr 2006
The king of plastic trash bag recycling at one chinese mega city landfill said he was living and working in the trash (against the wishes of the austrailian company that manages it) in order to put his children through school. A communist nation without public education, go figure?
He made 7 times as much as he could with a regular factory job there. From plastic bags!
Keep up the glamour Grist staff. That may be the only way to make the eco-fight popular. we don't hate you because you are beautiful, wealthy, successful, and popular. Honest, hehehey.
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amazingdrx Posted 10:58 pm
21 Apr 2006
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bookerly Posted 3:34 pm
24 Apr 2006
China is a developing country. That means roughly that it has less money than developed countries. Which means that free cradle to grave anything is not not affordable. There is a certain amount of free education available, but many Chinese families sacrifice (this may not be a word Americans understand) in order to give their children educational extras. And there are places where what should be free isn't.
BTW, the idea of land fill salvage gangs should appeal to us. we might think of them as "recyclers". We could hange the negative word "gang" (meanlingless here) to team and think about it. We might also look at people pushing shopping carts full of bottles on American streets for any of who think getting our hands dirty is a bad idea.
I travel frequently past a local dump/go through it area, and watch people "rescue" items that can be re-used. It's not a bad thing.
China has opened most of it's markets up, and is working on the rest (while trying to create 10 million jobs a year and deal with income discrepancies). That is what allows people recycling to make money (they are small business people, entreprenuers).
Umm, I personally don't have enough money to pay New York Times Select anything, much less 50 bucks. So, I can't comment on the accuracy of the report. The CSM has some of the dumbest reporting on China (the articles I have seen) and the WPost usually suggests the whole place will fall apart any minute (without quite saying so!).
Last night I gave a lecture on American culture at an ultramodern beautiful new campus on the outskirts of Beijing. The students were bright, and knew a lot more about America than most Americans know about China (they watch Donald Trump's show on TV at night (I had to tell them I have never seen it)).
patrick
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