American Morning: Slow Down To Save The Environment


Last week at NewsBusters we noted how conservative commentator Pat Buchanan on MSNBC’s "Morning Joe" summed up global warming hysterias as just another "neo-Marxist idea for the transfer of wealth and power from people to elites." Now it seem that rival cable morning show "American Morning" has proved his point by highlighting a Japanese group fighting modern-day convenience with a vengeance.

On today’s "American Morning," CNN highlighted a group taking global warming hysteria to a whole new level of absurdity. The group called "Slow Life" says "the earth can't keep up with the speed of modern living. The environment losing ground to conveniences like the power hungry vending machines found on every Tokyo street corner, gas-guzzling cars and life’s outright excesses."

CNN’s Kyung Lah tried to link fast-paced lifestyles to global warming. Aside from interviewing one regular person on the street who claimed she could not afford to live a slow life, the only other person interviewed by CNN for the story was a professor sympathetic to the "Slow Life" gospel. The irrational professor claimed, "The problem is wealth. Actually it is wealth that has been producing poverty and that has been causing environmental crisis."

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Lah not only failed to interview any critics of global warming but CNN reporter Kyung Lah ended her report by claiming, "Carrying your own utensils like these portable chopsticks can over a lifetime save dozens of trees. A small step towards repairing a seemingly insurmountable problem."

Of course, there are dissenting opinions, such as Wall Street Journal columnist Bret Stephens noting the hysteria is a "mass neurosis," but those voices are muffled, if not muted in everyday CNN coverage.

CNN appears to be quite the dutiful disciple of founder Ted Turner in fanning the flames of global warming hysteria. A NewsBusters blog from April quotes Turner arguing, "We’ll be eight degrees hotter in ten, not ten but 30 or 40 years and basically none of the crops will grow. Most of the people will have died and the rest of us will be cannibals." Fear not America, "American Morning" has informed us that we can steer clear of Turner’s predictions by staying away from power hungry vending machines, gas- guzzling cars and all of life’s other "outright excesses."

The relevant transcript is below:

Kiran Cherty: And the issue of climate change will be a key topic during the G8 Summit. So we're taking a closer look at an environmental movement that's sweeping Japan. It’s called "The Slow Life". And it's urging people to move out of the fast lane to help save the planet.

Kyung Lah: Good morning, John and Kiran, the world's leaders are gathering here in Hokkaiddo to try to solve the world's problems at the G-8 Summit. But one Japanese movement says the solution isn't with them, but with you at home. Everything moves so fast these days, in a 24/7 global economy the scramble to be first, the richest, never let's up. And then, there is this place the slow café where the coffee comes with tranquillity and customers slow down and think.

Keibo Oiwa: We are too fast. So we have to slow down again.

Lah: Professor Keibo Oiwa calls this slow life and it's a movement now sweeping Japan. Slow life says the earth can't keep up with the speed of modern living. The environment losing ground to conveniences like the power hungry vending machines found on every Tokyo street corner, gas-guzzling cars and life’s outright excesses. Slow life asks, does Japan really need a 20 million energy sucking electric toilets that warm and wash your rear end?

Oiwa: People used to say the poverty is the problem but I disagree. The problem is wealth. Actually it is wealth that has been producing poverty and that has been causing ah, environmental crisis.

Lah: The solution doesn't lie with the government leaders attending this week's G-8, says Slow Life, but with the individual willing to walk instead of drive, reuse instead of throwing away, conserve and adjust life to earth's natural pace. Electronics like the Blackberry --

Oiwa: What does this do?

Lah: -- They don't even know about here.

Oiwa: You must be tired.

Lah: If you have to carry one just to keep up, slow life is easier said than done. "I want to lead a slow life", says this woman, one of japan's millions mid-level salary workers "but I can't actually do it, not in reality." Even if you can't quit your corporate job and grow your own food, slow life says you can make small strides. Carrying your own utensils like these portable chopsticks can over a lifetime save dozens of trees. A small step towards repairing a seemingly insurmountable problem. John, Kiran?

John Roberts: Beautiful setting like that, a slower life does seem possible.

Cherty: How about it. Can you imagine though trying to hand your Blackberry back. I am sorry, it’s part of my new slow life mission.

Roberts: Don't call me. I'm not available on weekends. I don’t think that would fly.


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The slow life?

Sounds more like slow-witted to me:

Oiwa: People used to say the poverty is the problem but I disagree. The problem is wealth. Actually it is wealth that has been producing poverty and that has been causing ah, environmental crisis.

How idiotic.  And Kirin Chetry chose to just chirp right along.  Pathetic.

David Gregory, do you know which damn network you lie for? ~ Uncle Jimbo, @Blackfive

 

They don't want the people

They don't want the people in India or China to have a good life. That's selfish. They want them to return to dirt poor and stay there

Heaven forbid that folks in Africa would want to eat every day. That's self centered.

"There is a clear attempt to establish truth not by scientific methods but by perpetual repetition."
- Richard S. Lindzen, Ph.D. Professor of Meteorology, MIT

How Kiran depresses now!

Another reason to avoid CNN: I don't want to watch Kiran Chetry's reputation unravel further.  It is too damn depressing, especially after her time on Fox News, where she impressed me as a journalist who actually took her profession (gulp!) seriously.   

Res tantum valet quantum vendi potest.

"Global Warming" is a

"Global Warming" is a frivolous political "issue" that's a luxury during good economic times.  Bad economic times like these expose the eco-weenies for the Marxists that they really are.  Completely detached from reality, these socialists march on with their "environmentalist" talking points in an effort to destroy capitalism and the American economy.  This presents a perfect opportunity for Republicans to stand up for the American people against the economic parasites in the "Global Warming" movement.

"Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it." -Ronald Reagan

fitzfong.blogspot.com

Okay, I'm on board. From now

Okay, I'm on board. From now on, I'll carry my own chopsticks.

McNotObama '08

Yes, I have mine. Made of

Yes, I have mine. Made of pure ivory.

And if you carry them all

And if you carry them all your life, you'll save dozens of elephants!

  OK.. the 'slow life' is

  OK.. the 'slow life' is why I never left my rural sort of area.  But I have ended up bitter, clinging to my guns and faith and I am surrounded by 'low information voters'. 

OK, if driving slow is

OK, if driving slow is really the only way to save the planet, then I'm afraid I'm just going to let the planet die. Despite the excellent music selection I have in my car, I'm just anxious to spend as little time there as possible.

Those slow ninnies irritate me to no end. God invented the right hand lane for a reason, use it!

Chopsticks?

Chopsticks to save trees?  I'm no Asian specialist, but I always thought most chopsticks (and most disposable ones) were made from bamboo?  Which isn't that one of the fastest growing plants on the planet (except for the weeds in my front yard of course)?

 

True enough, but even if

True enough, but even if they were wood, how does she get "dozens of trees"?

Damn small trees, I guess.

"The Slow Life". And it's

"The Slow Life". And it's urging people to move out of the fast lane to help save the planet.

This sounds more like  a Cheech and Chong movie instead of the news.

"Liberalism is a mental disorder" -Michael Savage

I think Simon and Garfunkel

I think Simon and Garfunkel proposed this lifestyle philosophy already in "Feelin' Groovy" (The 59th Street Bridge Song). :)

McNotObama '08

WHAT USED TO TAKE 2 HOURS, NOW TAKES ALL DAY...

Sorry Chris, that ain't my lifestyle, or my music style, & if you have not figured out my subject line, "I can't drive, 55"(from the album "VOA" by Sammy Hagar). Not that I'm a chronic leadfoot, but 55 is so slow.

 

"...it's still We The People, Right?"  Megadeth 

No dany....I prefer

No dany....I prefer "Nothing can beat my 409", by the Beach Boys. Not that I am a lead foot, but I use the clearest lane.

Save a SeAL, club a liberal!!

BASSNDUDE...

All classics in their own right, & to each their own.

 

 

"...it's still We The People, Right?"  Megadeth 

Lah...

 

Lah lah lah lah lah ain't that far from blah blah blah blah blah

www.benbarrack.com

Slow children at play

I'm sure the tell Jeeves to "slow down" the stretch Escalade on the ride to the helipad where they catch the chopper in every morning for the broadcast of their Libfomercial.

STFU D-bags 

 

"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference.
The MARINES don't have that problem."
President Ronald Reagan - 1985

Spanish Pipedream

I knew that topless lady had something up her sleeve.

"Blow up your TV/Throw away your papers/Move to the country and build you a home."

That's from John Prine.

My wife and I did it, but I no desire to force my choice on the rest of the nation. I used to live in the downtown of a large metropolitan area, and one day I chunked it all. I was at a convention last month and someone asked me what I do for entertainment.

I had to think for a long time. "I watch the kids ride their bicycles up and down the road and build campfires on the back of our land." That's it. It's the slow life.

In no way am I arrogant enough to think that its for everybody or that my action will save the stinkin planet. It probably has saved my own life.

Also, those folks who have decided that they can save money by driving 45 miles per hour on the interstates need to have their heads examined. First of all, we have a system of federal highways that are ideal for slower traffic. USE THEM!!

Another interesting thing to me is the number of people I see driving Prius at 85+ MPH. What's the point? And, just what is the plural of Prius? Pri-i?

Blow up your TV!

renamed to make it simpler

Just like the A-10 Thunderbolt was renamed the Warthog by those who know it well and love it, we have decided to rename the Prius to something more representative of its true nature. It will now be known as the Toyota Lame-ass. Therefore the plural is Lame-asses.

Carrying your own utensils

Carrying your own utensils like these portable chopsticks can over a lifetime save dozens of trees.

  Use a fork!  Use them, wash them and use them again!

Self-defeating

 Carry my own utensils? 

I'm a single guy, dammit!  What other reason do I have to go to a restaurant other than to have someone else do the dishes???

Res tantum valet quantum vendi potest.

I don't hate anyone

But as a group,,, hippies make me come real dang close..

NOBAMA 08 !!!

dittos

I'm with you papa.

50% less exhaust

If these people think it's such a good idea,why don't THEY do it?Aren't there gazillions of liberals that think this is the way to go?Make them a car.Call it The Liberal,or The Tree Hugger or something.Make sure you can cram at least four people into it.Give 'em their own lane(The Tree Hugger only takes up as much room as a bike lane)and let them putt along on the side of the road with their solar panels and windmills.We'll meet them half-way.We'll drive trucks and they can drive Tree-Huggers.

 

And stay outta the fast lane.

how about

If they really care for "mother earth" they just off themselves and do away with their carbon footprint and drain on resources... 

 

NOBAMA 08 !!!

If they really care for

If they really care for "mother earth" why don't they just off themselves and do away with their carbon footprint and their drain on resources... 

 

 

NOBAMA 08 !!!

Balance

While the overall point is completely absurd, there is something to getting people to walk (or bike) more at least for health.  Reusing when reasonable isn't a bad practice either.  Seems to me there's a good balance between being a gluttonous wasteful fatty and some misanthrope who thinks we're raping the Earth by using toilet paper.  I have no idea why people tend to go to one of the poles on this issue. 

Yes, let's all follow the

Yes, let's all follow the slow bus to a greener earth. 

*****

"People only insist that a debate stop when they are afraid of what might be learned if it continues." - George Will 

Japan is moving so slow...

that it will inevitably move itself out of existence.

Japan has one of the world's lowest fertility rates, a strict immigration policy, and increasing emigration of affluent Japanese.  Soon, there will be very few people left to pollute Japan. 

<insert witty signature here>

finally showing their true motives

These people are unable to live and compete in the modern world so their solution is to drag us all down to their level of life incompetence. It's a continual blame game. I mean, "wealth creates poverty." What kind of lame idea is that? It makes the world a zero sum game when it is not. The billions that Bill Gates made came from 'out of the ether'. He created wealth from nothing. In the process he's helped raise the level of our entire society. Think of all the places computers make life better. The microprocesser is ubiquitous. It runs your car and your microwave. That's more wealth created from nothing but an idea. Something these clowns rarely ever have.

These losers should just shut up and go away.

While I believe that global

While I believe that global warming is overhyped, I don't think this message about conserving our resources is any way political. If you strip away everything, the Earth is all we have. What harm does it do to try to take care of the environment and stop and smell the roses? I applaud this message.

I think when you make this message political, it makes the right look stupid because they are often against messages about taking care of and conserving Mother Earth's resources. Just like the left is often against the patriotic spirit of America, and is labeled anti-American; you could use the same argument against the conservatives that always rail against someone who has a patriotic spirit about the Earth; and could be labeled anti-Earth. Sounds ridiculous I know, but the Earth is going to do a lot more for us in the long run than America ever can.

I suggest giving up on this argument ridiculing those that spread the non-partisan message (unlike global warming alarmists) of slowing down and taking care of the environment. It only causes more independents to go left on the issue because the right appears like they don't recognize or appreciate the fact that everything we have has come from Mother Earth.

Wisdom...

 "...it makes the right look stupid because they are often against messages about taking care of and conserving Mother Earth's resources."

Where did you find this little pearl of wisdom?

45 Communist Goals for America http://www.nationmakers.com/com_goals.htm

Your ignorance is showing

Apparently you never met many conservative hunters, fishermen and outdoorsmen.   

Res tantum valet quantum vendi potest.

Help, I got dirty hippie

Help,

I got dirty hippie on me 

"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference.
The MARINES don't have that problem."
President Ronald Reagan - 1985

No facts.  No real

No facts.  No real critical thinking.  Just a host of meaningless feel-good platitudes and baseless ad hominem attacks.  That's the best you and the self-appointed "environmentalists" can come up with.  Sadly, that's often enough to convince the captive audiences among the schoolchildren and some of the unprincipled "independents".

"Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it." -Ronald Reagan

fitzfong.blogspot.com