"Do trees make it OK to drive an SUV?"

"If you plant some trees, is it OK to drive an Escalade? The question isn't as silly as it sounds. People worried about global warming increasingly are trying to "offset" the carbon dioxide — the leading greenhouse gas — they spew into the atmosphere when they drive, fly or flick on a light. One idea popular with the eco-conscious is to have trees planted for them. You get to keep driving and flying, but those trees are supposed to suck in your trail of carbon..."

Well - while it's nice to plant trees (I've planted 100's of trees) - that isn't a reason to think it's OK to be ridiculous - ie. wasteful.

I noticed this line in an article on Hummer mileage:

"Gas mileage figures are not posted on Hummer window stickers because the car weighs so much it is exempt from mileage-reporting requirements."

It also quoted someone as saying, "I need a car that no matter what happens in this town earthquake, civil unrest, fire, flood -- I can get through it, under it or over it."

So that is some people's reaction to the state of the world. It's also like buying temporary immortality - the same with extreme medical care. 100 years ago - people would have been more likely to think that "things happen" or "/God/prayer will see me through it".

What worries me is that it seems that the more people feel that they are removed from nature - from the natural cycles of life and death (and such things as the speed at which animals normally travel), with less of a sense of being a part of nature and connected to it - that people don't feel the need to protect nature - even as they desire to protect themselves.

So plant trees. Plant wildflowers. Drive the most economical vehicle that makes sense for you (reduce and/or avoid driving when possible) and don't be wasteful. And if you want to protect yourself - help protect the world.