The folks at the Clean Air Foundation recently announced this year's version of Mow Down Pollution. It's a campaign, started in 2001, that encourages Canadians to turn in their old and busted lawn mowers. When I first heard about this project I was, like, really? Lawnmowers are big polluters? As it turns out, they matter:
Democracy is utterly dependent upon an electorate that is accurately informed. In promoting climate change denial (and often denying their responsibility for doing so) industry has done more than endanger the environment. It has undermined democracy.
There is a vast difference between putting forth a point of view, honestly held, and intentionally sowing the seeds of confusion. Free speech does not include the right to deceive. Deception is not a point of view. And the right to disagree does not include a right to intentionally subvert the public awareness.
