My Carbon What - ?

So Queen Elizabeth is visiting the former colony of Jamestown today. To demonstrate her environmental acuity, she opted to compensate for her "carbon foot-print" ~ the energy usage/pollution represented by her trans-Atlantic flight yesterday ~ to the tune of $20,000.

Well, cheerio! I can just picture her sitting in Buckingham Palace surrounded by Louis XIV furniture and servants offering tea and crumpets whilst she studied the theoretical concerns of green house gases. Prince Phillip, I imagine, "fresh" from a morning romp on the polo field might have contributed to the discussion; at least as far as it related to pesky pony doody and the accompanying methane risk...

The $20,000 we are told, is going to "various agencies that deal with environmental issues" such as efforts to save the rain forest and the like. The wording in the news report was characteristically nebulous.

You'd think it would have been a much more productive P.R. move on 'Lizzie's part to present a homeless shelter or a children's aids clinic with her royal generosity once she arrived in the States after so many years of ignoring us. On the other hand, she might explain what she's doing with the treasury; is that really her money to feel environmentally guilty about? What in the heck are Brits thinking to be so incredibly indulgent of a defunct monarchy? I'll bet the "carbon foot print" for the pampered royal set is a whopper...seems like there should be genuine and vigorous outrage over that.

What about real issues that effect every day life - no theory, but fact: where's the public outrage for $3+ per gallon gas? Illiteracy? Five hour waits in filthy emergency rooms? Meth addiction and horrific birth-defects? Banishment of play-ground games because they might injure a child's self-esteem? Diamond-studded cat collars?

We have become a society of the ridiculous. Let's put a carbon price tag on STUPID; like our breathless anticipation for the latest celebrity sighting, inane political statement or celebrity 3rd world country adoption. For starters, something like $150,000 per each rehab exit photo, and maybe $250,000 for a shaved head. We could have a rotating duty on a volunteer people's committee allocate the resulting funds flooding in to real causes...

Now we're talkin' relevant carbon.