It's interesting how you bring up the categorization of the issue according to political belief (republican vs. democrat). So true. That so often seems the case, or it is portrayed that way in the media.
The opposite seems to be true as well. People assume that if you care about environmental issues that you must be some hard-core tree-hugging leftist (democrat or liberal).
I don't see it that way personally. I find people assume my politics based on the fact that I write a lot about sustainability or environmental issues. Most of them couldn't be further from reality as my politics are entirely independent of my environmental beliefs. People also automatically assume I will be on board for any "eco" project they have, and this is just not true. I see a lot of flaws in many of these projects. If it makes no sense or isn't efficient-- I will not endorse it just because it has an "eco" or "green" label on it. I think that Earth Hour may have actually caused more pollution than it saved overall-- which is definitely a negative. But I like the idea of getting awareness out and starting a dialogue on the subject, which it definitely has done.
I really hate how it has solidified this way in the last couple of years. Just because you see flaws in one system or the benefits of another does not automatically categorize your politics or assume that you are on board for everything else in the categorization. Thanks for bringing that up Perky. An important point.

[quote=RC21] Just because you see flaws in one system or the benefits of another does not automatically categorize your politics or assume that you are on board for everything else in the categorization. Thanks for bringing that up Perky. An important point.
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I agree, people may agree or disagree on individual issues, but have many of the same philosophies.

As RC21 stated, Earth Hour was symbolic. It is just another way of drawing attention to our environment's problems and showing support for working toward a solution. Earth Day...that is another matter altogether. Earth Day has made a major impact on spreading the word. I'm expecting next week to have a lot of Earth Day activity in the retail segment, similar to President's Day or Labor Day...that kind of thing. We should take all the help we can get to spread the word.

Regarding politics...RC21 again stated the logical...wanting to save Mother Earth doesn't give away your political party or lack of one. Saving Mother Earth is supported by people in all parties...you can see them coming together more and more. Which reminds me...we need a political analyst on here to keep up with legislation.

One more point...some of those jumping on the Eco bandwagon to benefit their pocketbooks may include some of our own, taking the "quickie" Eco courses and calling themselves fancy titles meaning "environmentally friendly real estate agents" when they truly have no personal habits that reflect that attitude. I hope this group is very, very small.

I guess it's safe to say that tons of things have been going on in the background to help the environment while Americans have been watching reality shows and visiting Vegas. It's going to take some noise to convert everyone. I'm happy this group cares enough to come onto this forum and post.

Today I met a young man who has decided to turn his love for organic gardening into a livlihood...with his in-laws supporting his decision. He won't be rich, but the compost he makes is very rich. He said he was actively looking for an "old hippy" to help him learn more about community gardening. I'll bet there is an old hippy out there who never thought his talents would be appreciated this late in life. This young man is a product of his school taking Earth Day and running with it. The next generation will be brought up being taught to respect the environment. So things will continue to get better.