Stop complaining and share what makes you optimistic in 2010

Angry about global warming, deforestration and every other environmental issue? Take an afternoon break from the bitterness.

Thu, Feb 04 2010 at 5:19 PM EST

Photo by gaminrey/Flickr

Whenever I tell someone I’m lactose-intolerant, I remember this funny quote from Chris Rock: “We’ve got so much food in America, we’re even allergic to it …. Do you think anybody in Rwanda is lactose-intolerant?”

Obviously, lactose intolerance and food allergies do exist. But I certainly often forget to be grateful for the wealth of options I still have. From organic probiotic soy yogurt to gluten-free “live” sprouted bread to raw kale chips, my local co-op’s got it all — and I’m pretty much free to buy and eat what I like.

Considering what’s going on in Haiti, and more locally for me, the fact that nearly 10 percent of L.A. county residents need food assistance (via LAist), I’m incredibly lucky. That’s why SFGate columnist Mark Morford’s latest piece — “Why are you so terribly disappointing?” made me LOL — and think (via kottke). If you’ve been pissed off and raving mad about all that’s wrong with the environment and the world as you see it, you’ve got to take a break from the anger and read his funny column, which pokes fun at the constant bitching and moaning we Americans tend to do:

Global warming? Total effing letdown. Americans are no longer believing in it. Do you know why? Not because the mountains of scientific proof aren’t there. Not because it’s not happening. But because it’s not yet happening to us like they said it would in the movies and those worst-case scenario books. Where are the zombies? The ice forests? Where’s the tidal wave crashing over the Himalayas? I want my ******* apocalypse, and I want it now ….

My God, did you hear that pathetic State of the Union? That guy, that President Obama? Disappointing times a thousand, am I right? What the hell happened to him? Why is he so weak and ineffectual? Why the hell can’t he step up and fix the entire planet in under 400 days like he promised he would, in my dreams and fantasies and impossible liberal grass-fed organic tofu greengasms?

All this is to say — Maybe we can share what makes us happy or hopeful about the environment and environmental concerns today. I shared three things that make me optimistic about 2010 — so now it’s your turn to share in the comments!

Before you spout off about why I’m an idiot for feeling hopeful about something so banal and small as a sign encouraging people to bring their own bags, pay heed to what Mark says about comment sections on blogs:

The anonymous comments section of any major media site or popular blog will be so crammed with bile and bickering, accusation and pule, hatred and sneer you can’t help but feel violently disappointed by the shocking lack of basic human kindness and respect, much less a sense of positivism or perspective.

Now, let the positive commenting begin –