>Jeff
>
>Ridiculous, isn't it. Sometimes "being a good global citizen" goes too far... after all, huge herds roamed much of America and Europe in the recorded recent past producing greenhouse gases without destroying the world... it is the belching factories, industries and convoys of SUVs which produce much of the problem.
>
>Regards
>
>JR

John;

While in college (around 1975) our EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) had new laws and standards governing the emission of hydrocarbons. Specific standards had to be met from not only vehicle and factory emissions but according to the “Clean Air Act”, communities were responsible for the quality of air.

Federal funding (taken from local gasoline taxes) would be withheld if standards were not met. This would lead to loss of funds to build or repair hiways, bridges, etc. We were writing papers on the subject for one of our classes.

With my usual sense of humor as my guiding light, I did a bit of research and found that the greatest source of hydrocarbon emission in the United States came from trees located in the "Great Smoky Mountains", (Tennessee, North Carolina) and is a National forest. I suggested that all the trees be cut down and that funds to the park cease until this action had been taken!

Anyway, I got a good laugh from the teacher and students. I do not think government officials would like my idea or why I said what I did! But then the government can never do anything that is wrong - it just makes the laws.

Tom