The Future of Politics: Eco-Scandals?
We all know that politicians have to be careful about their personal lives if they don't want the media or their political opponents to create scandals. What they usually worry about are things like how much they drink, do they pay their taxes, who they associate with, do they have extra-marital affairs, etc. But as the citizenry and media becomes greener, could we witness the birth of the eco-scandal? It is nothing new to point out hypocrisy, but is it possible that, in the not-so-distant future, all politicians will have to make certain that they are spotlessly green (hiring teams of eco-consultants)? Maybe this little gaffe by Sir Menzies Campbell, the British Liberal Democrat leader, is a preview of what is to come: "He warned that everyone had a personal responsibility to contribute to the fight against global warming [...] Mr Campbell singled out changing the light bulbs that people use as an example of the sort of personal choice consumers should be making. But then he admitted up that every light fitting at his home in Scotland uses the standard filament bulb designed over a century ago, that emits 20 times as much heat as light. He promised that in future he will substitute energy-saving bulbs." :: Lib Dem leader admits he uses wasteful lightbulbs, ::User Tips for Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs, ::What About Mercury From Compact Fluorescents?A few readers pointed out in the comments this other eco-scandal. Thanks!
