It was a simple gesture…The driver’s side window of the rather generic looking silver Chevrolet sedan slid down just a few inches, the left hand was raised, and the blue, white, and black object slid down the window and door coming to rest on the street just as the window closed again. The right hand, holding a phone to his ear never moved. Indeed, the gesture wasn’t even acknowledged by the one who made it, so engrossed was he in his call. Sitting in the car behind him, I fumed.

Remember when it was sinful to litter? When our mothers or grandmothers, or fathers, or siblings, told us it was a bad thing to do. When our after-school television screens—in the days before deregulation when mandatory public service announcements were common—were filled with a tear drop sliding down a lined Native American face…

What has happened to the moral imperative of treating the environment with respect…even hallowing it? The powers that be give lip service to environmental issues and then change the rules to allow mountaintop removal mining companies to just toss whatever toxic substance their digging exposes off the side of the mountain—with the justification that “it’s natural.” (Funny I don’t hear them willing to use the same stupid logic with legalization of peyote or marijuana—neither of which I’m necessarily advocating, just pointing out the inconsistency.)

I understand that in the conflict between preservation of creation and maintenance of our economy pro-ecology decisions result in economic consequences…but so do safety regulations on cars, and food quality standards, and educational standards for doctors….cars cost more….food is more expensive….there are fewer doctors, making the price of treatment higher…but we decided long ago that the economy is not the be all and end all of our existence.

What lessons are we teaching our children when we as a society say…my way of life is more important than preserving creation? What is the message we send to the billions who have less than they need when we insist on more, more, more—the earth, the water, and the air be damned?

Is there a morality that attaches to that young man’s tossing his Mounds candy wrapper out the window of his car without a second thought? If so, where is that conversation in our public discourse? Have you noticed…we don’t talk about the earth anymore in politics…we talk about natural resources…creation has become a commodity…at least for some.

In his latest round of speeches, Shrub has been suggesting that we dramatically expand refinery capacity, and create new indemnifications and protections to promote the building of additional nuclear power plants…essentially calling for public subsidy for two of the most profitable industries in America—power generation and oil and gas refining and distribution. Where is the suggestion that perhaps…just perhaps…we might want to consider public transportation….or mothballing the SUV’s…or (and I hear my Mother talking) turning of the f-ing (not that Mom said that) lights once in a while?

There is so much talk these days about morality and the public sphere…but it only seems to be about sex….or marriage….or house ethics rules…or, sometimes, drugs. If we are going to talk about public morals…when do we start talking about the morality of our consumer culture as it relates to the environment? How many wrappers have to litter the streets before we care again…before we hold ourselves and those who represent us accountable to the future…to our maker…or to our children?