The PEEPSHOW celebrates EARTH WEEK / Day 2

imagecourtesydesiretoinspire

Peeps,


Today, a friend and devoted blog reader remarked that the focus of the visual treats (blog-posts) seemed to have shifted considerably since our launch back in June of last year; he noted that my short essays on interior design, art, and gardens had gradually expanded to a wider range of topics, of which an emphasis on social equalities seemed prevalent.  And I must admit that perhaps his observation is spot-on.  While I certainly enjoy gazing and rhapsodizing about a beautiful room, it just seems to me that I would be a bit of a Pollyanna if I failed to acknowledge the challenges faced by all of us today, whether or not we are inhabiting the said room.  A lovely modern beach-house on a private stretch of sea-shore is certainly inspiring--for a few moments or more.  Then my thoughts turn to the tsunami that swept over parts of the Japanese coast, and the nuclear disaster that occurred shortly after, leaving most of the affected area contaminated and unfit for habitation.  I also consider the devastation on Gulf Coast shores after the BP Deepwater Horizon incident in which 4.9 million barrels of oil spewed in the waters while the world watched helplessly, and in horror; almost two years later, scientists and environmentalists are slowly beginning to understand the extent of the impact on marine life, as fishermen's catches reveal increasing amounts of clawless crabs, eyeless shrimp, and scarred fish (probably the result of the oil and 'cleaners' (two millions gallons of the dispersant Corexit) released to control oil drifts).  Yes, I admit it's pretty hard to just look and write about pretty pictures while our House of Representatives stalls on passing the RESTORE Act, legislation which would have mandated that 80% of all court-ordered fines paid by BP go toward Gulf Coast cleanup and restoration.


All of us can make the beauty (we glimpse on the pages of blogs and magazines) an integral part of our everyday lives by demanding more of our elected officials who are responsible for policies concerning health and safety standards, environmental soundness and pollution controls, and ensuring that the American pie of plenty is fairly and equally distributed.  Idealistic, perhaps; realistic--well that depends on all of us.  If you want to be part of the change from 'all that's wrong with the world' to 'what's right now,' let's start by letting your congressperson(s) know that you support getting the RESTORE Act passed without further delay.  Cause you demand it, and so does the planet.


Best,
Shane




PS:  Today's soundtrack is KENNETH GRAHAM:  Isis