May Day

It's not quite yet May Day, but the biosphere is shrieking of imminent disaster anyway.

These leaves and buds of the tupelo tree are unnaturally transparent.

The trees over these farm sheds are in tatters, as is the orchard in the background.

The high branches exhibit abnormal tufts of leaves at the tips of the terminal growth.

Tree lines have alarming numbers of bare individuals, and conifers that have been turning brown for the past two years are increasing in number.

Some scientists have ranked nitrogen pollution as one of the top threats to global biodiversity...I have no way of knowing if that report is relevant or pertinent to the wholesale death of trees, but it is certainly indicative of the complete lack of coordinated, comprehensive research. The scientists are like the proverbial experts touching parts of the elephant, with not a one having a clue as to the whole of the beast...

AND another thing! I am getting SO fed up with news reports about the oil spill, er, massive gush. Tonight a commentator on NPR suggested that if we regulate offshore drilling to make it safer, that will only increase the amount of oil that we import, and would thus lead to more spills from tankers...without a single mention that maybe, maybe we could all just STOP USING QUITE SO MUCH OIL!? Stop driving quads, powerboats, and snowmobiles for pleasure and entertainment?? Maybe we could save some on coal emissions if we didn't just have to burn Christmas lights for 6 weeks, or leave open shop doors in the summer with the A/C running. Oh, perish the thought!!

I guess most people won't make even the most minor gesture because to do so would be to admit that the way we are living now is unsustainable.

Along those lines please enjoy this video, found here: