22 April 2009

Earth Day: Celebrating My Second-Favorite Planet After Gallifrey

When I was young, the only people I can recall discussing "Earth Day" were pushing zero population growth and/or anti-immigration policies. Or they were named "Ed Begley, jr." Needless to day, a broader environmental consciousness seems to have taken root in America these days and Earth Day is now closer to being a national day of observation than are actual holidays like Columbus Day or Labor Day. The source of all elementary schoolchild wisdom (nonparents, that would be Nickelodeon, not elementary school) has been relentlessly promoting its "Big Green Help" messages, wherein the channel's stars offer tips to save the planet, including remembering to turn off the lights when you leave the room. Sure, these tips are geared toward seven-years-olds, but they're right in my wheelhouse as well. I know the message is getting through to the younger set, because my daughter has turned out lights in rooms she's left even when I'm still sitting there.

If Nickelodeon is raising my daughter's consciousness about Earth Day, folks like Eric Lane are raising mine. Lane hosts this week's Blawg Review #208 at his Green Patent Blog site. As his blog is generally "at the intersection of IP law and all things green, clean, or renewable," Lane's focus on this Earth Day special edition of the carnival of legal blogging is all that's "green and earthy." Highlights include the EPA's move to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act, determining the environmental impact of spam e-mail, and trademarking trees.

If, like me, you were otherwise occupied last week, it's not too late to get caught-up with Jordan Furlong's excellent Blawg Review #207 at his Law21 site. Next week, John Hochfelder will handle hosting duties at his New York Injury Cases Blog site.

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