Just imagine climbing Mt Rainier to find that it was "Sponsored by Ford". Or hiking the Pacific Crest Trail "Brought to you by Coca-Cola". Impossible? Perhaps not.
The Bushies are intent on privatizing our public lands. As you probably know, they're already planning to sell hundreds of thousands of acres of our public lands.
And we know the Bushies like to work in a "foot-in-the-door" manner. Get a little tax cut through, and then use it for an even bigger one. Get a Patriot Act through with expiry date, and then push that expiration date further back.
And, now, billboards in national forests??
That's what the forest service is
now proposing.
The U.S. Forest Service has proposed temporary new rules on public lands advertising and sponsorships that would specifically authorize the use of ads on chairlift safety bars and within ski area lodges and restaurants on national forest lands.
You might say, billboards in ski areas, big deal? But, remember, almost all ski resorts are private concessions on YOUR public lands. If billboards are allowed in ski resorts, how long before trails are "sponsored", or whole mountains?
Indeed:
"When I think about the most beautiful places I've been, none of them includes outdoor ads," Martin said, going public with his concerns about the policy shift. According to Martin and other Forest Service ski area administrators, the chairlift ads could conceivably open the floodgates to many other types of on-mountain advertising.
This commercialism must be stopped before it leads to bigger, more obscene sponsorships of our national lands.
The above image is taken directly from the Web site of one of the proponents of this commercialism.
TAKE ACTION!
The government is seeking comment.
- Step 1. Write an email to rhr2300@fs.fed.us
- Step 2. In your own words, describe how you OPPOSE advertising in our public lands. You might comment on how it threatens the scenic beauty, provides vandalization points, and disturbs the natural environment. Make sure to include "oppose" somewhere in the Subject.
- Step 3. Include your NAME and HOME ADDRESS.
- Step 4. SEND IT and RECOMMEND THIS DIARY! Your own personal comments are far more effective than form letters.
- Step 5. Please consider joining DailyKos Environmentalists.