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4A – Daily News – Monday, April 18, 2011 Opinion Ideas for Earth Week and Earth Day 2011 D NEWSAILY RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Greg Stevens, Publisher gstevens@redbluffdailynews.com Chip Thompson, Editor editor@redbluffdailynews.com Editorial policy The Daily News opinion is expressed in the editorial. The opinions expressed in columns, letters and cartoons are those of the authors and artists. Letter policy The Daily News welcomes let- ters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All let- ters must be signed and pro- vide the writer’s home street address and home phone num- ber. Anonymous letters, open letters to others, pen names and petition-style letters will not be allowed. Letters should be typed and cannot exceed two double-spaced pages or 500 words. When several letters address the same issue, a cross section of those submit- ted will be considered for publi- cation. Letters will be edited. Letters are published at the discretion of the editor. Mission Statement We believe that a strong com- munity newspaper is essential to a strong community, creating citizens who are better informed and more involved. The Daily News will be the indispensible guide to life and living in Tehama County. We will be the premier provider of local news, information and advertising through our daily newspaper, online edition and other print and Internet vehi- cles. The Daily News will reflect and support the unique identities of Tehama County and its cities; record the history of its com- munities and their people and make a positive difference in the quality of life for the resi- dents and businesses of Tehama County. How to reach us Main office: 527-2151 Classified: 527-2151 Circulation: 527-2151 News tips: 527-2153 Sports: 527-2153 Obituaries: 527-2151 Photo: 527-2153 On the Web www.redbluffdailynews.com Fax Newsroom: 527-9251 Classified: 527-5774 Retail Adv.: 527-5774 Legal Adv.: 527-5774 Business Office: 527-3719 Address 545 Diamond Ave. Red Bluff, CA 96080, or P.O. Box 220 Red Bluff, CA 96080 This year Earth Week started last Saturday and culminates on Earth Day, Friday April 22. Inter- national Earth Day addresses environmental hazards, such as plastic pollution, polluted rivers and toxic smog. The serious health consequences such as can- cer and smog-induced asthma are emphasized while addressing the seriousness of pollution induced climate change. Go Green Earth Day 2011, is a day to appreciate our planet and respect the fragile state of the earth. Green Earth Day initiatives will attempt to change the importance that people place on the environment. Concerned governments, companies, and individuals will rally together to find greener alternatives and sus- tainable solutions. Together our actions add up. How can you celebrate Earth Day 2011? Begin by engaging in new habits that reduce your water or energy consumption like turn- ing off the tap as you shave or brush your teeth, recycling and reusing items instead of throwing them in the garbage, unplugging electronics when not in use, and walking, bicycling, and carpool- ing or riding the bus, or at least driving less frequently and less aggressively. Next investigate and apply resource saving technolo- gies such as hybrid or electric automobiles, drip irrigation sys- tems, tankless water heaters, heat pumps, thermal pane windows, attic ventilators, and efficient lighting and appliances. Finally invest in wood and solar heating devices, wind and photovoltaic electric systems, or more compact and efficient vehicles, homes and businesses. Here are some other ideas to help protect this blue orb called earth. Use vinegar, baking soda, and natural cleaners, purchase and use canvas grocery bags, buy Fair Trade and organic products, eat less meat, do your laundry with cold water and biodegradable soap in a fully loaded front load- ing washer, repurpose and buy previously owned items when possible, and support government and utility efforts to implement efficiency and renewable energy technologies. While this may require effort and added costs to implement, the resource savings can be long term and the environ- mental and health benefits price- less. Parents might want to celebrate Green Earth Day 2011 by taking the kids to a movie. See Disney- nature's African Cats at theaters starting April 22 (Earth Day 2011) and read more about the true-life adventure of the African lions. Google "Earth day movie" and you will find plenty of informa- tion on the Earth Day documen- tary and if you see African Cats during opening week, Disneyna- ture will make a donation in your honor to protect lions and cheetahs and the land they call their home. If you would rather stay at home here are some inexpensive and great books to read. By ordering online you can save money and gas or you might go a step fur- ther and purchase a Kin- dle, Nook, or use your computer to view elec- tronic versions. To entice you I provide the Amazon and list pricing below. Fancy Nancy: Every Day Is Earth Day (I Can Read Book 1), Amazon: $1, List Price: $3.99; The Day the Earth Stood Still, Amazon: $6.63, List Price: $14.98; Day The Earth Stood Still The (1951) - 11 x 17 - Style A, Amazon: $1.99, List Price: $16.99; Rain Forest Silly Bandz 24 Pack (Earth Day Style), Amazon Price: $0.01. Richard Mazzucchi Positive Point streets. With Congressman Wally Herger on tap it might be timely to ask him to defend his head in the sand view of global warming, his tepid sup- port for renewable energy, and why his environmental protec- tion voting record is among the worst. Also, the Shasta College Sus- tainability Conference runs from 9 till 5 this Friday and is free and open to the public. Call (530) 242-2248 or email pspoto@shasta- college.edu for more information. In any event I hope everyone takes time this week to think about the safety and future health of our planet and how to be a better stew- ard of our unique global home. You might start by acting upon some of these ideas for Earth Week and Earth Day 2011. If you are interested in local, state and federal environmental action you are invited to attend the public meeting of the Corning Tea Party Patriots this Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Corning Senior Center, 1015 4th and South Richard Mazzucchi is a retired research engineer specializing in energy efficiency and renewable energy. He has travelled extensively and now makes his home in Los Molinos, where he is striving to manifest a sustainable and spiritual lifestyle. He can be reached at living-green@att.net. Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Jim Nielsen (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 6031 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 319-2002; Fax (916) 319-2102 STATE SENATOR — Doug LaMalfa (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 3070 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 651-4004; Fax (916) 445-7750 GOVERNOR — Jerry Brown, State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 558-3160; E-mail: gover- nor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Wally Herger (R), 2635 Forest Ave. Ste. 100, Chico, CA 95928; 893-8363. U.S.SENATORS — Dianne Feinstein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393-0707. Fax (415) 393-0710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (415) 403-0100. Fax (202) 224- 0454. Fictions, realities often in eye of beholder Commentary How’s that saying go, that fig- ures and statistics don’t lie, but liars sometimes use them anyway? I’m not questioning anyone’s veracity when they engage in fiscal argu- ments laden with numbers; I sim- ply find that the reality of Califor- nia’s budget doesn’t conform to the conclusions of the writer on the left half of this page. I’ll happily assist readers with mathematical analysis, and have no desire to foster an endless dis- cussion over the eye-glazing use of numbers. However, when loaded pejoratives and insults ("far right Tea Party wingnuts") are tossed around in a shameless attempt to de-legitimize an entire movement of honest citizens, who sincerely believe that governments must not spend themselves into insolvency, I will respond. Most folks reading this paper understand the simple concept that if one’s personal or family income declines – loss or change of job, injury to breadwinner, etc. – the last thing you do is just go on spending as if nothing has changed. A weekly family dinner out may have to be cancelled sav- ing hundreds, even thousands, of dollars over time. If a person or family looked at that dinner like progressive sup- porters of deficit government spending do, they would say that the restaurant owner and workers had been depending on the money so just go ahead and keep spending it. Doesn’t make any sense, does it? Or, they would go to their employer (i.e. taxpayers) and demand more money … such is the ludicrous liberal mindset. We’ve been told California has a $15-25 billion deficit; our pro- gressive writer has informed us that the revenues have declined by "$33 billion" or maybe "$35.4 bil- lion" or maybe "a shortfall of over $43 billion." I do thank the writer for directing our attention to the online database at the Legislative Analyst Office (LAO). There are numerous links, including one from Governor Brown’s Depart- ment of Finance (DoF). Finding consistent numbers for even cur- rent or recent budgets is not easy. There are the "General Fund," the "Special Funds," "Selected Bond Funds," and "Federal Funds," "Major Revenue Total" and "Grand Total." Whew! LAO and DoF were about $80 million apart for 2009-10 revenues. I was chastised in a comment by the above writer as follows: "Your selective use of statistics provides (sic) does not support your argument that the budget problem is not due to reduced rev- enues … What we have in Califor- nia is clearly a revenue crisis – not a spending crisis as you suggest." Well, let’s just peel away some of the data and see what it shows. "Special Funds" revenue has remained around $25 billion (LAO) for 5 years – no decline there (DoF, Schedule 8, says those revenues increase from $23 bn in 2009-10, to $33 bn in 2011-12). "Selected Bond Funds" spending went from about $6.2 bn in 2009- 10, up to $13 bn currently and is projected to fall to less than $8 bn in the 2011-12 budget (DoF, Schedule 9). DoF estimates the "2011-12 Fiscal Year Cashflow" (Schedule 5D), at almost $94 bn in revenues, $87.5 bn of "Disbursements," for a surplus of about $6.5 bn. No $15, $25, $35, or $43 billion deficit there. Now, my fellow columnist was clearly referring to a drop in rev- enues over several years – that happens in an eco- nomic downturn – and there was a decline of almost $20 billion from 2007-08 ($102.5 bn) to 2008-09 ($82.7 bn). However, revenues then rose for the next 2 years to over $94 billion (esti- mate) for 2010-11. The only logical, mathematical way to add that up shows that revenue dropped a cumulative $8.3 billion over three years. I almost forgot to mention that Don Polson The way I see it only grow by inflation plus popula- tion growth. Voters later foolishly exempted infrastructure bonds, which opened the door for more spending. However, with minimal population gains and inflation, you could grow the budget annual- ly by 3 percent. Start with the 2004-05 "Grand Total" income of $82.2 bn, multiply it by 103 percent, repeat- ing that calculation for 5 years up to the current fiscal year. You would have a current budget of about $98.2 billion. Yes, that’s about a $4 billion shortfall com- pared to 2010-11 income. However, bud- get surpluses would have accrued up until before revenues climbed to $102.5 bn, they were about $95.5 bn, so when you add in the increase from 2006-07, revenues only dropped by about $1.3 billion over five years. One-point-three-billion-dol- lars total decline in revenue over 5 years! You see why I take excep- tion to all the hysteria, doom say- ing and name calling over Califor- nia’s budget crisis, together with calls for tax hikes from liberals. As they say, "that’s not all!" Part of Prop 13 required that budgets 2008, followed by some deficits. That would have left a "rainy day fund," accumulated surpluses, of almost $8 billion. Would Sacra- mento legislators be arguing over budgets? Yes, but it would be a much easier discussion. Instead, they have spent every dollar, given no thought for reasonable limits and expect all of you to give them more. These published budgetary numbers don’t lie. Paraphrasing Bill Clinton: "It’s the spending, stu- pid." Don Polson has called Red Bluff home since 1988. He can be reached by e-mail at donplsn@yahoo.com.