Where is the country’s mind?

The country’s mind is on the war; the country’s mind is on its money. But little is being said about the global crisis facing the environment.

There seems to be little mention of farmers, healthier food, methods to preserve the rainforest, or wildlife. What is being brought to the attention of the American public is lipstick jokes and flag pin accusations.

It is entirely understandable that much focus lately has been on the economy. After all, on Monday, September 15, the Lehman Brothers declared bankruptcy. Merrill Lynch merged with Bank of America. The Dow Jones index fell 500 points.

The stock market has not been this shocked since 9/11, and people want to know what their investments will look like in the future now that the economy is more unstable. And to top it off, the nation is currently trillions of dollars in debt.

But while the economy is extremely important, there was little mention of the future of the environment in McCain and Obama’s acceptance speeches.

Both McCain and Obama agree on reducing carbon emissions, but environmental issues include everything from rainforest destruction, to processed foods, to wildlife, even to cosmetics and personal care products.

The environment is already significantly damaged, but this should not distract people from paying attention to the things that can still be done. It is not an entirely hopeless situation.
It only seems right to focus on what directly affects everyone: the economy and the war.

However, people do not realize how intertwined the economy is with the environment. Billions of dollars are being spent on oil.
The presidential candidates, and all voters, need to realize how important environmental issues are, and how big a role it plays in other major issues.

If McCain and Obama are so centered on the future, they should realize that by taking care of the problems in the environment now, they are giving Americans a better future to look forward to.