Post traumatic

Here at the eco-blog of a tabloid newspaper, we sometimes wonder about how best to convey what's going on with the planet and what people can do about it. I like to think Earth to Philly has come up with some appropriately brazen ways to draw attention to the climate crisis, but I have to admit we're pretty far behind the New York Post.

Or rather, the parody New York Post that was put out earlier this week by the Yes Men. As it's Climate Week in New York City and a UN climate summit opens, the satirical provocateurs had hundreds of volunteers hand out an ersatz Post with the headline reading... well, you can see for yourself.

The real joke is that the main story takes off from a real report commissioned by Mayor Bloomberg and released in February to little media attention. The stunt thus achieves a second level of humor, that of the court jester being the only one able to speak the truth, a la The Daily Show's Jon Stewart.

Replicated on a spiffy Post-like site, the main story shouts, "According to a high tech study commissioned by a concerned Mayor Bloomberg and generously funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, climate change caused by human-created greenhouse gases is threatening the health, livelihood, and security of New Yorkers—especially those who take the subway to work."

Unless the imminent disasters are something localized to Manhattan, it's probably worth all of us down here paying some attention to the report too. Hey, maybe we could do our own anti-authoritarian stunt and... wait a minute, police detention? Hmmm. Maybe this kind of thing is best left to those gutsy New Yorkers.

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About Earth to Philly

Earth to Philly is a weblog focusing on earth-conscious technology, trends and ideas, from a Daily News perspective. We look at the "green" aspects of your home, business, food, transportation, style, policy, gadgets and artwork. If you have a Philly-related story, Click here to let us know about it!

The experts at Philadelphia's Energy Coordinating Agency answer your energy questions in our regular feature Stay Warm, Stay Green. Send in your question or questions to energy@phillynews.com.

Look for Jenice Armstrong to supply tips on green living as well as occasional columns on the subject of Green. She also blogs at Hey Jen.

Becky Batcha stays tuned for the here-and-now practical side of conservation, alternative energy, organic foods, etc. - stuff you can do at home now. Plus odds and ends.

Laurie Conrad recycles from her ever-growing e-mailbag to pass along the latest travel deals, fashion statements, household strategies, gadgets, cool local events and other nuggets of interest to those who appreciate a clean, green world.

Vance Lehmkuhl looks at topics like eco-conscious eating, public transportation and fuel-efficient driving from his perspective as a vegetarian, a daily SEPTA bus rider and a hybrid driver, as well as noting the occasional wacky trend or product. Contact Vance with your 'green' news.

Ronnie Polaneczky sees the green movement through the eyes of her 12-year-old daughter, who calls her on every scrap of paper or glass bottle that Ronnie neglects to toss into the house recycling bins. Ronnie will blog about new or unexpected ways to go green. She also blogs at So, What Happened Was...

Sandra Shea and the DN editorial board opine on any green-related legislation or policy. And we'll pass along some of the opeds on the subject that people send us.

Jonathan Takiff will be blogging mainly about consumer electronics - those things that we love to use and that suck too much energy. He'll spotlight green-conscious gizmos made in a responsible fashion, both in terms of materials used and the energy it takes to run them.

Signe Wilkinson draws the comic strip Family Tree, which follows the Tree family as they try to live green in the face of nattering neighbors, plastic-wrapped consumer products, and the primal teenage urge to spend vast quantities of money on hair care products of dubious organic quality.

In addition to these updates from our newsroom bloggers, watch for an occasional feature, Dumpster Diver Dispatches, from Philadelphia's original "green" community of artists, the Dumpster Divers. You'll learn about creative ways to reuse and recycle while you reduce, and about the artists who are making little masterpieces from what others throw out.