For years, my pals AC and DB have been warning me about global warming. As usual, I pretended to listen while wondering silently to myself which hair spray really gave my shiny locks the best hold. By the way, I favor Pantene. I know it's passé, but sometimes the classics work best.
I saw my pals recently in Boulder. It was darn cold there; meanwhile Vegas was enjoying another late start to spring. AC and DB read me a story about disappearing bee colonies in Florida, and how that could well mark the beginning of the end. Turns out the disappearing bees may be linked to cell phones.
They've been telling me for years that we've been ruining our environment, and our bodies. I had no idea what they were talking about. I mean I'm a healthy 46 year-old gal going through menopause, suffering the early effects of osteopenia, arthritis and debilitating headaches; all normal signs of aging, right? I dunno . . . I sure like my processed food and chemicals.
I have only myself to blame. However, on the bigger issue of global warming, I can't take credit for that alone. No, to share in my guilt there is that wonder of PR, that master of spin, the protector of large marketing departments: Exxon.
In 2006, Exxon doled out dough to 41 climate skeptic groups to groups like American Enterprise Institute, the Heritage Foundation, the Heartland Institute, Frontiers of Freedom and others. Collectively, the groups are known among their nay-sayers as the Carbon Cabal.
The CC has spent the last ten years trying to "inform" the public about global warming due to manmade CO2 pollution. These groups help Exxon color op-ed pages with "arguments against action to curb rampant carbon emissions, they appear on Fox and right-wing talk shows to blast "liberal" or my favorite, "owl-hooting, tree hugging, morons" for "alarming" the public on global warming.
Since 1998, Exxon has spent $23 million proving denial-ain't-just-a-river.
Oh Exxon, it's not global warming that is the issue. Don't you listen to your own conservative spin-masters? It's climate change. Climate change. Remember those words, Exxon. You wouldn't want to scare the world, would you?
