This is Brad speaking. . . er, typing. . .
When Peter and I first started creating "The Green House", we saw it as an opportunity, not to educate the audience on our environmental beliefs, but to portray the journey we've taken to the place we're at now. Which is not solely about environments. . . but that's a part of what we wish to speak to. . .We both realized that it would also be a good opportunity to create characters that represent the polarized views we the public are barraged with daily. I'm basically a mass media hater, but what I do is create characters to tell stories and within the context of a comic strip, find humor in what they do and who they are- just as we all have to examine ourselves every so often- which is usually good for a laugh or two (if you have a good sense of humor). I was hoping that creating this comic strip would bring about some informative conversation. And I also won't miss an opportunity to have our characters piss somebody off once in a while. I mean, the media, politicians and certain self-pronounced expert piss me off a lot. . . but that's when we go out and educate ourselves.
Unfortunately, many turn to the radio, nightly news or the talking head shows to get their information. Talk shows. . . when someone with some real knowledge gets on to talk, the talking head host usually just starts talking louder, calling them an idiot and hangs up. Probably why Rush only takes a few well screened callers.
Other folks get their news from newspapers. A better choice, but not perfect. I TRULY hope no one goes to the Comics Page for their news or for an environmental education.
To get to my point, there was an entry on our Guest Book from Robert Johns, from Farmington, CT- where he took exception to our use of "An Inconvenient Truth" in our third comic. I asked Robert for permission to post our e-mail conversation here, as it really addresses some important points- from both of our perspectives. Peter and I would talk for an hour about each one of Robert's e-mails, and I'd reply with bits of both our opinions. Let's see what you think. . .
Robert's Guest Book Entry:
I'm passionate about our environment, but I was disappointed when I read today's strip. If "An Inconvenient Truth" is to be your baseline on environmental issues, your credibility as a defender of the environment is not to be taken seriously. Both Al Gore and Kyoto take all the air out of the room with their political, non-environmental agendas. They distract attention from working on specific issues, such as the rape of the mountains in Appalachia, the destruction of the rainforests to plant palm trees for ethanol, and the massive pollution of the air, earth and water by Kyoto-exempt nations like China and India. You have a great opportunity to educate your readers if you don't fall prey to simplistic and emotional feel-good platitudes of the type spouted by Mr Gore and his ilk.
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Reply: Hi Robert,
Thank you for the comment you left on our guest book this morning. We appreciate that you took the time to send us your thoughts, whether positive or negative, we're both thankful that you're sharing your concerns with us.
So, we'd like to reply:
Use of "An Inconvenient Truth" in Friday's strip was to make a smaller point, that in the character's opinion, there hasn't been any truth about the environment coming out of the White House. There was no "baseline," endorsement of a book, person or agenda intended. I could tell you more about what the character, Link is all about, but that's part of developing a character in the strip. . . you get to know them bit by bit through their actions. It's really unfair to read into a character's motivation based on one comic. If you were to try to do so, one observation might be that Link's the type of rat who looks for tidbits of info from the White House waste paper recycling. On this day, he found a book that the occupants of the building thought was "waste." Just one possible observation. Yours was another.
We are not creating this comic with the intent of being environmental educators. We don't know everything, and will not pretend we do. Nor will we try to convey our opinions or those of a well-informed individual or group. Our goal is to show the journeys, the experiences, concerns, mistakes and revelations of the characters we create. If along the way we ignite a spark that encourages someone to go out and educate themselves, become more conscious of their place on this planet - that would be amazing. I might also add that we are learning as we go also. This is our way of of being involved, active, passionate and compassionate as we learn about the environment.
For better clarification, please check out our Mission Statement. Just click on the ink bottle on the right hand side of that main page.
It's a simple statement that means something very personal to us.
Thanks again for coming by the web site and sharing your thoughts.
We sincerely appreciate them.
Brad & Peter
http://www.greenhousecomics.com ___________________________________
Robert: "Which Way Will You Go?"
Thank you for your response, Brad. I will watch with interest the "development" of your strip and it's characters. You COULD do some good things, but I fear you will go for the cheap and easy "consensus" viewpoint, and that your efforts will help shut down critical thought rather than encourage it.
Mr. Gore's self-serving zealotry and the widespread acceptance by those susceptible to his rabble-rousing, fear-mongering hyperbole and misinformation lead me to despair that serious focus will ever be given to our enviornmental problems. From what I have seen so far, I'm sorry to say that I think your strip will join him in trapping even more people into believing that their self-righteous agreement is enough. Instead of making the effort to educate themselves, think critically and THEN become pro-active, they will think they've done their part by urging the fanatics to continue...because it "feels" right. I hope I'm wrong in that belief.
Could you be so lost in ideology that you really believe your strip's suggestion (in spite of your denial) that one party (and this President in particular) is responsible for all, or even most, of our environmental problems? Politicans from both parties have for years been giving lip service about the environment, while feeding the base emotions of their constituencies with feel-good legislation that does little to go to the real problems. By encouraging people to believe that one party represents the bogeyman holding back environmental action, you close the door on real, over-arching, actions that can be taken to improve the situation.
If you are really serious about the environment, I hope that you take the time to educate yourself on what is really going on, rather than relying on the banalities that have been coming daily from those who blindly trumpet the latest alarmist junk science. Try to remember as you move forward that "consensus" is NOT science!
They will deny it, but virtually all Kyoto endorsers are operating through a political agenda and/or ignorance, and they should be ashamed of the way they divert attention and resources from areas where we can make real progress. Since they have the bully pulpit on the subject, the silence from the media and the environmentalists about what China is doing to the environment is nothing short of criminal.
Brad, you said "we don't know everything, and will not pretend we do." Want to begin educating yourselves? I hope you do, because the subject is very serious. Here's a start....
Toxins, Endocrine Disruptors And Carcinogens That Migrate (put down that water bottle and begin with some REAL environmental scare stories!)
http://www.ecologycenter.org/ptf/toxins.htmlThe collapsing scientific cornerstones of GW theory
http://www.ncpa.org/ba/ba299.htmlSmearing of anti-GW scientists
http://washingtontimes.com/commentary/20030825-090130-5881r.htmtilting of the earth's axis and it's effect on weather
http://earth.usc.edu/~geol150/variability/orbitalchanges.htmlJunk science
http://www.junkscience.com/news/robinson.htmMyths of Global Warming
http://www.ncpa.org/ba/ba230.htmlDebunking Modern Climate Myths
http://www.tysknews.com/Depts/Environment/debunking.htm----------------------------------------
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Brad:
Robert,
I honestly admire your passion for the environment. It is the most important issue facing the world today and you are obviously well educated and well spoken on the subject. You also appear to be an expert on the “banalities that come from those who blindly trumpet . . . “
I seriously object to you insinuating that I’m “so lost in ideology,” that I’d suggest that one party is responsible for all or even most of the environmental problems. The truth is quite the opposite. I’m not going to get into an involved discussion of politics but essentially, I believe that we have 2 huge corporations running our country, that will tell us anything, as well as create any situation that they feel will increase revenue toward their “party.”
There are a lot of great writers, speakers and experts on the environment, but unfortunately, they are quieted and relegated to “cult” followings. I’m not using that term to diminish their relevance.
How can you presume to know what I stand for as a person, or where I send funds to aid the causes I believe in? I don’t buy whatever is put on my plate from Al Gore or George Bush or anyone else whose main concern is their stock portfolio and legacy. The fact is that there are MANY of those Anti-Bush, environmental activists who are just out there because they need a cause. They don’t know their own truths or sought to learn from all sides to find their own voice.
Yes, I have been one of the folks who hears about some cause and jumped on the bandwagon, just because I thought that was the way to be, and possibly could do so in the future, but I’ve been growing and striving to be an authentic, open-minded person who sees every voice as one that is teaching me. The websites you’ve highlighted are some of those I’ve already visited. There is a great deal of honest, experienced information out here that the mainstream media pushes aside for the sexy story. I’m well aware of that. I feel that I can make the greatest difference, by doing what I do best- and supporting those whose work I believe in.
As for Al Gore and “An Inconvenient Truth,” there is good and bad in what he’s doing too. The reality is that there are those who have no interest at all in the environment, as you well know. If Al Gore is appealing to them in some small way, that’s a step in a positive direction. Maybe they’ll just join the mass populous and simply start using compact fluorescents, cut back their driving and take shorter showers, thinking they are doing their share. That’s probably more than they would have ever done without being sucked in by 'Al’s hot air'. On the other hand, there are those who will see or watch “AIT” and say, “is that all true?” They’ll do some internet searching and find out a lot more than Al could ever tell them and find out some real truths. You really should give people more credit for being able to think beyond what they are being fed. You did- and so have I. I’m not however, going to start believing everything I read on the internet either.
I think the truths are somewhere in the middle.
Now, on a subject that I do know quite a bit about, comic strips.. . Don’t tell me what I’m going to write, or what you think I’m going to write. I would never tell you what to write and I’d expect the same consideration.
What I do know is that I can only write about what I’ve experienced. As I said before, I’ve been growing and learning and educating myself and will continue to do so. That’s why I value your opinions and how you express them. Because of the main stream perception of issues, it’s not possible to get a newspaper to take on your comic strip if they don’t find something humorous in the content. Green ideas are becoming “sexy news” now.
The idea for this strip started about 7 years ago, and several “not so authentic” versions later- Peter and I have finally found what we (and the strip) are about. I’m not about jumping on that bandwagon. I’m about expressing my own voice and showing it in my characters. Link is developing as a typical, left-wing activist. . . Bush-hater, Gore follower and semi-conspiracy theorist. Am I saying that’s the way to be? I hope not. I hope our readers will see the other side of the issues and the errors in single-mindedness. There are other characters coming as well. There will be balance. I and my characters couldn’t exist without it.
Also, the simple messages we’re delivering in the EarthWorm Comic ARE INTENDED to give a simplistic, idealist version of “how to make our planet better” for kids. That stuff appealed to me as a kid and has helped lead me to the paths I’m walking now. I’m sure you started out getting excited about some generalized media hyped issue and then sought your own information. We all need to start somewhere. Whether or not you agree with what I do with my characters doesn’t really matter a whole lot to me. It’s what I believe I need to say and what I think will bring readers to a web site where we can share information. I think it’d be a great thing for us to share all kinds of web sites in our Links. Oh and before I forget, no, I’m not a Global Warming nut. Global Worming could be misconstrued. . . But it’s really about getting back to the earth and reaching out globally.
I’ll check out the rest of the sites you suggest and continue to inform myself and act where I see I can be of most benefit to the causes I believe in most. Thanks for the honest E-mail and for giving us a chance, even if you think our strip will join 'him' in "trapping even more people into believing that their self-righteous agreement is enough."
In my opinion, Those who want to be trapped, will. Others will understand that we’re showing them all the options, and suggesting they take the path that is right for them. Everyone has to start somewhere. Where they finish is up to them. I really don’t think I’m persuading you, and that is not my intent. I do think that I’ve already started doing what I set out to do by inviting comment and expression. Another day, another lesson, another note in the bank of ideas.
Take care and please feel free to suggest web sites we should include on our web page, if you feel we’re something you want to be associated with.
-Brad
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Back again From Robert:
Brad, I apologize if I wasn't clear when I asked if you were "lost in ideology". My intent was to ask the question, not condemn. In the same vein, I wasn't trying to tell you what you're going to write. I said I would watch with interest the "development" of your characters, while voicing my fear about the direction. Those are honest opinions, not judgments, predictions or statements of fact. My subject line even asked "which way will you go?"
I'm no expert, just very, very concerned about the obvious waste of time and effort caused by the misdirection coming from both the agenda-driven and the uninformed. Think of the time and effort that is wasted when every change is turned into a new alarm on the flimsiest of reasons.
Here's a few snippets off the top of my head that only scratch the surface, but should catch your attention. Take your pick: people being sucked into feel-good environmental passivity, the "solutions" that create their own problems, phony charlatans with their own agendas, the environmental dumbing down of our children....
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Ethanol is a massive disaster in the making. It's usage has begun adding significantly to deforestation which probably negatively affects the weather and the environment. And ethanol is poised to begin devouring corn stocks, which will likely cause serious world food supply problems. Are you aware that filling a vehicle's 25 gallon tank with ethanol will consume enough grain to feed an Egyptian peasant for a full year?
In another unintended feel-good environmental disaster, when MTBE (another "pollution control" gasoline additive) was required by the government, it ended up massively polluting the groundwater in many areas.
The creation and transportation of "bottled" water (which is not any better tasting or more healthy than most tap water) burns huge amounts of fuel. The plastics that are used for bottled water (and many other food products) contain many nasty chemicals that migrate into the food and liquids we ingest.
Using energy-saving bulbs and appliances can be good, but if they come from China or one of the Kyoto-exempt countries, you've probably added more to the pollution of the world than you'll save in the usage of your new item.
Buying any Chinese goods (not just WalMart...we all know it's becoming harder and harder to find goods from any store that aren't made in China) adds significantly to the pollution of the globe.
We refuse the building of nuclear plants, but allow the rape of Appalachian mountains and the massive collateral destruction that it causes...
Ted Kennedy fights tooth and nail against wind farms because it interferes with his view, but rails against the "environmentally unfriendly" administration...
Al Gore spews and foams about the environment, but his own "carbon footprint" is huge. For example, he has multiple homes that he keeps warmed and cooled, but he's usually not there because he's constantly flying everywhere. He is driven to rallies and speeches in SUVs, but stops a few blocks short to change into a hybrid.
Speaking of flying, the worldwide increase in air transportation is a significant cause of growing pollution.
In a show of massive environmental feel-good stupidity, we won't allow offshore drilling for oil between Florida and Cuba, even though Cuba and China are already drilling there. Incidentally, our environmental regulations are much stricter than theirs...
Polar Bears have increased by many thousands in just the past hundred years. They are losing numbers in some areas but increasing in others. Our response is the hysterical feel-good act of placing them on the endangered list. (By the way, Polar Bears are a fairly recent evolutionary response to Global Cooling.)
I could go on and on and on...
Robert
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Very good stuff. . .
Tags: al gore, an inconvenient truth, global warming, junk science, mtbe
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