So much for the water they drink

Last week was National Groundwater Awareness Week and while I exhort anyone out there reading to take a look at the website related to this event and do what they can, I have to bring the sorry news that a local jurisdiction in Central Oregon (Deschutes County) decided last week to roll back the clock on groundwater/drinking water protection for a portion of its population by rescinding a rule specifying that people need to clean up the sewage they are pumping into the ground. While I say this was "decided" last week, the vote of the three person commission is still to come, but based on the decisions last week, the deed is fait accompli. Lovely way to celebrate National Groundwater Awareness Week, Central Oregon! Rah, Rah, Go Team! ("Groundwater protection ordinance to be scrapped," Bend Bulletin, Thursday, March 10, 2011)

My local sources say that one of the three votes needed to rescind this rule is a mole in the Republican party installed by the local tea party ideologues and the other comes from a pushover posing as a Democrat. Good old boys to the core. The third vote, and I actually have not heard how this vote will go, is a good new girl that actually seems to think about issues rather than vote according to election statistics.

So, while I like to bring positive exhortations of how we can make a difference in this world, my first posting after a bit of hiatus is a look into short-sightedness and essential greed.