One of the consistent thoughts I’ve had in recent months — both before and after buying Big Red — is Big Red-era coming to an end? Big Red, as those who regularly read my blog know is my Chevy Silverado pickup truck, which is my big truck, and primarily my toy for camping.
Gas prices are up big time this summer. They are significantly higher then a five or ten years ago. Some analysis suggest that gas prices will only continue to increase, as global petroleum stockpiles decrease — especially the easiest sources of petroleum are tapped. Some peak oil folks are almost in a panic.
At the same time, the signs of Climate Change are becoming more pronounced. We have had a record warm spring time this year, with record temperatures being smashed throughout the spring. We have also seen increasingly violent weather touching many parts of country in the past year.
There are those who advocate more conservation now. We should immediately all take steps to reduce our climate footprint. Indeed, one of the reasons I take public transit around time, is to reduce my carbon footprint (plus driving in town is so annoying).
Yet, I have to ask, why did they get to have their fun when they were young, driving Mustangs and other Big, Fast, and Powerful Cars. while I don’t? Their response is we didn’t know better back then, even though they should have known better.
The Albany Pine Bush Preserve as seen from the Frontage Road on Washington Avenue …
And view from the Overlook Dune…
And the Albany Pine Bush Preserve from the Alfred E Smith Building Observation Deck …
Walking in the preserve, I noticed the Albany Pine Bush Commission’s dumper, very full, and very full of recycables.
Exploring the dumpster, I found it full of junk mail, office paper, and plenty of other recycables …
The more you dug around there, the more aluminum cans and office paper you found in the dumpster.
And even more recycable trash …
… so if the Albany Pine Bush Commission is such a green organization, then why don’t they recycle paper, tin cans, magazines, junkmail, and so many other recycables ?
..here’s Some Tip “Green” Sheets for the Albany Pine Bush Commission, brought to you by the New York State Power Authority Recycling Exhibit.
There are something like 965 towns, cities, and villages in NY State, along with 64 counties. All of them have elected officials, and civil servants providing mostly state and federally mandated services.
The question is why do we even have local government anymore?
Nobody questions that the services of counties and towns are important, but in many cases they duplicate what the state currently does. Few governing decisions are made locally anymore. Most local government decisions are made with significant state involvement or influence, in the form of state regulations, state permitting, or in many cases actual laws passed by the state.
Local governments have a lot less freedom to make decisions that many pretend. All are highly dependent on state to go along with them. Most so-called local decisions are essentially decided at the state level. Local governments like to pretend they have significant control and power, but the reality is as creatures of state, and due to economic competition by surrounding towns, they are essentially powerless to decide their futures.
Local government is an idiom of an earlier era before modern communication techology, and modern transportation. Local government is from an era of horse and buggies. Local government tends to be stocked with well-connected political families and patronage. Local government tends to be totally ineffective, in an era when regional and indeed nationwide planning is needed, when any local decision can have vast impacts far beyond it’s own borders.
In a modern technocratic era, local decision making makes little sense, and squanders important public resources.
