The December 14 edition of the "Mini Page," a weekly children's print supplement that appears in newspapers across the country, relied on tips from the left-wing National Resources Defense Council [NRDC] for a story entitled "Going Green for the Holidays." The four page publication, written by Mini Page editor Betty Debnam, regularly includes innocuous connect-the-dots puzzles and other games for kids. However, in a Christmas-themed edition, Debnam lectured on artificial trees: "If you already have a plastic tree, it is fine to keep using it. But don't buy a new one." [Emphasis added] And while adults may snicker at such admonishments, remember, this section is designed for impressionable children.
She added, "Making metal holiday trees does not cause as much pollution as making plastic trees. However, a live tree is still the best choice." Debnam offered seemingly impractical advice. "The best choice for the environment is a living Christmas tree that can be replanted. Keep the tree in a pot and bring it outside. Plant it outside after the holidays," she prompted. The Mini Page editor also told her young readers, "Buy or ask for gifts that are packaged in a green manner."
The NRDC, which Debnam credits for helping with the December 14 issue, is an aggressively left-wing organization. The group is currently lobbying for an expensive cap and trade program for carbon dioxide and has previously attacked the Bush administration while advocating for stronger nuclear arms control polices. Of course, nowhere in the story did Debnam mention the liberal agenda of the NRDC.
Instead, the article featured hectoring suggestions such as e-mailing one's Christmas card. Debnam wrote, "The greenest card to send is an electronic card." After admitting it might be "fun" to actually send a physical greeting, she insisted, "Try to send cards that have been made with recycled paper."
(A PDF file of the current Mini Page can be found here.)
—Scott Whitlock is a news analyst for the Media Research Center.




















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Comments Policy
I wonder
December 15, 2008 - 16:57 ET by 10ksnooker... did they tell the little kiddies what to do when the ice turns the power off or there isn't enough coal power plants to run everyone's heater?
A friend and his family have been sitting in a house since 12/11 with no heat. We talked to them today on the cell phone and they said the temperature inside was right at 30 degrees. They live and sleep in their blizzard wear, taking turns throwing logs on the fire all day and night to generate some heat.
One important fact of life, warm you sweat, cold you die.
Time for Greens to be Bold
December 16, 2008 - 06:41 ET by ThisnThatI'm surprised the greenies aren't coming out and telling us the New England ice storm is a good thing, and tell the electric utility companies they should take advantage of the opportunity to permanently shut down their power plants; ban Lowes and Home Depot from selling generators; close down all the shelters (if they have power); and force everyone to use hand-saws to clear the tons of fallen trees rather than chain-saws. After all, there's no sense in being PC unless you're really willing to be bold about your recommendations.
On a personal note, I was without power for days. Temperature: 16 degrees. No water. No heat. Roads blocked. House damage. Downed powerlines everywhere. Deaths due to carbon monoxide poisoning. Quite a mess, and it's still going on, with some people expected to be without power for another week. And, oh yeah -- a winter weather advisory has just been issued for tonight and tomorrow.
___________________________________
If you can read this, thank a teacher. If it is in English, thank a Soldier. - My barber
thisnthat
December 16, 2008 - 07:00 ET by littlemissmuffinPrayers coming to you and your family.
"If we conservatives moved to those seven non-existent States, the government couldn’t find us and tax us to death!"
That's nothing. Spongebob
December 15, 2008 - 17:02 ET by ApacheThat's nothing. Spongebob Squarepants has a multiplayer video game on the Nick website where you fight "global warming" by fighting "CO2 Monsters". They are having a hard time getting adults to believe in imaginary bogeymen so lets brainwash children with their beloved cartoon characters. Who knows, by the time they reach voting age we might be in another warming cycle. Or they will suffer from the "cry wolf" effect and not believe any real danger the media or "some scientists" might try to warn us of in the future
It's never too early to
December 15, 2008 - 17:11 ET by mattmIt's never too early to start brainwashing the future democrat voters.
mattm, that is exactly why
December 16, 2008 - 01:29 ET by ConservativeRexmattm, that is exactly why kindergarten started. Chancellor Bismarck wanted the German kids away from the family unit as soon as it was deemed possible so the state could inculcate them on the states way of thinking.
And so it continues today. Except the Americans have taken it a step earlier and called it "Head Start", that my friend is your democrat voting base.
Why do you think they bad mouth home schooling so much? They can not get their hands on your kids then. If more folks home schooled we may actually have a whole class of independent thinkers. That, I assure you, the government would not like.
I am glad my kids are grown.
December 15, 2008 - 17:11 ET by thebutlerdiditBut I am ready for my daughter to take my grandkids and go and live with her Amish relatives. I think they would probably be better off! I am so sick of this kind of crap, I took my kids out of the public indoctrination years and years ago, but these days you cannot watch a cartoon or play a game w/o this crap thrown at your kiddies. All I can say is, teach your own kids, no one else will.
Gosh, it wasn't that long
December 15, 2008 - 17:39 ET by SpaceManSpiffGosh, it wasn't that long ago that we were told that cutting down a live tree was killing the environment! Never mind that a fake tree can last for 10+ years, which is just about enough time to replace ONE live tree. They both have their pros and cons, and overall I don't think it makes a difference which you use.
Brainwash 'em while they're young.
Hooray for the Minestery of Information.
I really don't know why
December 15, 2008 - 18:04 ET by MidAmericaI really don't know why they don't just take the most logical Green step and have Christmas trees outlawed.
Christmas trees must go...
December 15, 2008 - 18:29 ET by Bob in TampaDon't put it past the current crop of greenies (or the ones just coming onboard) to make it a seemingly viable and an easily enforced rule/law.
Republicans are always accused of being sharks; I wish they'd rise to the level of minnows... Ann Coulter
Tree replanting comments
December 15, 2008 - 18:29 ET by nkviking75Most kids have neither the inclination nor the physical strength to replant a tree, so that task will fall to mom or dad.
Where are apartment dwellers going to replant a tree?
Good luck planting a tree in early January in the colder parts of this country.
Welcome to the era of unity, you racist!
Teach a young child to hate liberals!
December 15, 2008 - 19:10 ET by jefflebowskiSo now the Mini Page is trying to get in on the brainwashing of America's youth with global warmi....oops...climate change (the term du jour)? Teach your children to save a beautiful, living tree by not reading dirty, mean, tree-hating newpapers. They can find lots of good conservative pages on the internet.
Teach a young child to hate liberals!
Jeff Lebowski
www.angrywhitedude.c...
Good evening Jeff
December 15, 2008 - 19:15 ET by cocodrieYou're cold Jeff. Liberals love children.>/p>
They love them so much they want to spare them the ordeal of living in this terrible world by killing them all before they are born.
The Obama Youth
December 15, 2008 - 19:25 ET by littlemissmuffinThe Obama Youth is starting early, isn't it? Just another step in total control.
"If we conservatives moved to those seven non-existent States, the government couldn’t find us and tax us to death!"
I'm burning my plastic tree
December 15, 2008 - 19:26 ET by the strugglerI'm burning my plastic tree next earth day
Biodegradeable Christmas Tree
December 15, 2008 - 19:48 ET by PopularTechBuy a new plastic one each year and throw it in the trash (don't recycle) on earth day. If anyone asks, tell them you could of bought one of those biodegradeable ones that grow back but you are trying to save the trees.
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is Not Pollution
This is just the tip of the
December 15, 2008 - 19:47 ET by dboThis is just the tip of the iceberg. In a year or two these eco groups will be telling us that they're not Christmas trees but rather "seasonal trees".
Heck, in a few more years
December 15, 2008 - 19:49 ET by bigtimerHeck, in a few more years they all will be banned.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
don't stop there, bigtimer
December 15, 2008 - 19:54 ET by Mica the Magnificentand in a few more years after that, bigtimer, you will be prosecuted by the eco-police if a tree dies in your backyard.
Murrr-derrrr-errrr!
Mica... I wouldn't doubt
December 15, 2008 - 20:00 ET by bigtimerMica...
I wouldn't doubt it either...we aren't far from so many things we are just joking about now.
If you knew the area I lived in it's bad enough to what they have done to tiny little towns having to have eco-friendly wood-stoves that are EPA inspected, it will be coming to us in the woods soon...not as though these towns aren't to begin with, that is what is left of them, their destruction (the towns and their economy, not needing govt money once upon a time) brought on by the greenies in the first place.
I'm just stopping here....I am so furious with what is happening already, although I knew some of this would with McC too.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
How about this, bigtimer
December 15, 2008 - 20:13 ET by Mica the MagnificentBack in the early '90's I watched the House of Reps on C-Span. They were discussing a bill that would have federal eco-agents visit every single property in the U.S.
They would inspect your property and if they found a specie of plant or animal or insect that they considered endangered, they could take posession of your property in order to protect that specie.
Out you go!
I watched as the votes were tallied and mercifully, the republicans and a few dems defeated it. Not sure how it would have played in the senate at the time.
Not ONE newpaper in my area (upstate New York at the time) covered it. Not one mention on the local or national news.
Nothing.
Wonder how long it will be into the Obama administration before something like this is discussed again.
Mica... Part of this law
December 15, 2008 - 20:20 ET by bigtimerMica...
Part of this law has been and is implemented now, I am not necessarily talking about the particular one you are, but that already has been in effect and has hurt tons of property owners...(I watched the House back then too, more than the Senate, just always depends what is going on and who has the power in each chamber...lol)
I wished I had more time, I don't at the moment, but believe me, this is not something that hasn't been done, I could go into things that have happened just in my area, the NW has been under assault that way for a long time now.
It is going to revive big-time with Browner and crew.
I used to have links to this...don't anymore...I have to get off to here for a bit...dang-it all anyway, but I will catch you later if still here.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
OH, NO!
December 15, 2008 - 20:08 ET by littlemissmuffinWe have over a dozen fruit trees in our back yard. Think we should cut them all down now? LOL
"If we conservatives moved to those seven non-existent States, the government couldn’t find us and tax us to death!"
no shock here
December 15, 2008 - 21:43 ET by katainkentbeen having to deprogram my children of this crap for the last 10 years.
"part of what I'm hoping to introduce as the next president is a new ethic of [government enforced] responsibility" - B. Obama
Students, the subject for today is - how to hate America.
December 15, 2008 - 21:58 ET by pocomocoRecall how communism started in those great Utopian countries of Russia, China, Venezuela, Cuba, and North Korea – with the indoctrination of the children, exactly what is occurring in the U.S. school system NOW!!!
Kids, "If you already have
December 16, 2008 - 00:22 ET by jdhawkKids, "If you already have a Mini Page, it is not fine to keep using it. And don't ever buy a new one."
Next, we will discuss the "right" way to community organize . . .
No, Johnny, it isn't proper to say that the NRDC sucks. They do, but we don't use that language here.
Hmmm, isn't it these folks
December 16, 2008 - 00:51 ET by SvenHmmm, isn't it these folks on the left who constanly complain about Christians, Jews and other religious folk shoving our religions down their throats? Good grief, I constantly feel like these people are preaching at us! The only difference is, their religion is the environment, and their God(dess) is mother earth!
To be honest, whenever I see a green commercial, or tv show, I switch the channel immediately! Just like the magget invested hippies rebelling against authority in the 1960's, I'm rebelling against these green weenies!
Hey Greenies, do us a favor, find a rain forrest and get all wet!
Sven... same here...if I
December 16, 2008 - 00:59 ET by bigtimerSven... same here...if I see that older, supposedly rugged guy in the forest service colored green pick-up one more time I am going to scream... I hate those WE commercials...(I can't think at the moment what their proper title for the greenie group is, but they have a lot of these commercials) they drive me NUTS!
Btw...he always has a road he is going down with a bunch of windmills along the way..he is probably a relation of T-Boone's...full of hot air....making $$$ along the way.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
The antidote to this is simple: Be a parent
December 16, 2008 - 08:35 ET by JohnMcGrewThis isn't exactly new. As a gradeschool student of the '70s, the eco-agenda was already there. Back then, the threats were "global cooling" and "nuclear winter". "Global cooling" was supposedly the result of industrialization and the owning and driving automobiles, and "nuclear winter" was to be the consequence of voting for Repulicans who dareded standing up to the global expansionist ambitions of the communists.
When I'd come home with this sort of mis-information, my parents had a very simple antidote to this: If you think that polution is bad, then you should not do most of the things you enjoy as they contribute to them. This pretty much solved the problem.
So today if my children would come home with this kind of propoganda, I'd say, "Fine. No more television & movies, as they are a complete waste of carbon, and it also encourages and enables overpaid celebrities to live their unsustainable lifestyles." Of course, no computers, video games, iPods, vacations, or Christmas for that matter. Perhaps home schooling would be a better idea too, on multiple levels. Think of all the carbon that could be saved by not having to go back and forth to a government indoctrination center every day.
Pretty much their lives would consist of reading books and playing hackey-sack in their emptied out rooms. If you think that harsh, keep in mind that this is nothing less than what the new world order is threatening to do to us adults, with the possible exception of pulling the liberal controlled media. The threat alone should be enough to re-align a child's thinking.
It's not working.
December 16, 2008 - 22:34 ET by danboI just got back from a week at Disney World. While going to see the Osborne lights, I saw the Green man.
He really was quite pathetic. Sitting on a bench alone. Either trying to make us feel guilty for seeing the lights or for him working for a company that uses more electricity than many towns
No one seemed interested in sitting with, or talking to the Green Man.
Cinderella's step sisters had a line of kids waiting to see them. Gisselle's step mother had a line. The Green Man? Nada!
Limited Disclosure: I used to belong to the Sierra Club untill they went crazier. Worse of all, I was bribed by Exxon with free New Orleans Saints glasses with fill ups in the 70's.
This is really great news.
January 6, 2009 - 16:30 ET by joeAnneThis is really great news. And I know what would go after doing something like that. Some Hawaii hotels would be the perfect solution!