An open letter to the producers of Sesame Street: 1974.GENTLEMEN: On the morning of March 9, Sesame Street Sesame Street is an American educational children's television series for preschoolers and is a pioneer of the contemporary educational television standard, combining both education and entertainment. portrayed, in an animated cartoon animated cartoon: see Nontheatrical Film under motion pictures. , a cruel woodcutter who chopped down all the trees in a certain forest. A genie genie: see jinni. An online information and bulletin board service that closed its doors at the end of 1999, much to the dismay of its many users, some of whom were still chatting when the plug was pulled. then changed him into a tree so he could learn the tree's viewpoint. A few minutes later, you showed a film of men building a log cabin--a positive thought. You have presented an inconsistent picture for the children. Reality ties somewhere between the two portrayals. The cartoon was done far more dramatically and gave the impression that cutting down a tree constitutes an immoral act. The truth is that proper harvesting of mature timber creates a social good and children should learn this at an early age. A forest that grows to maturity becomes a one-species forest and crowds out all undergrowth and all wildlife because the higher forms of life cannot find food in the dense shade. A forest with clearcut patches supports low vegetation on which animals come to feed. Humans use wood for thousands of useful and beautiful objects, and when we must discard them, they degrade TO DEGRADE, DEGRADING. To, sink or lower a person in the estimation of the public. 2. As a man's character is of great importance to him, and it is his interest to retain the good opinion of all mankind, when he is a witness, he cannot be compelled to disclose readily into humus humus (hy  `məs), organic matter that has decayed to a relatively stable, amorphous state. It is an important biological constituent of fertile soil. to support new life in the
soil.
Compare that desirable picture with what we will have if we eliminate the use of wood. We then would use plastics and metals to build our furniture, housing and objects we use in our homes and workplaces. Metals--non-renewable resources--require tremendous amounts of energy to convert. Smelters pollute pol·lute v. 1. To make unfit for or harmful to living things, especially by the addition of waste matter; contaminate. 2. To make less suitable for an activity, especially by the introduction of unwanted factors. the air and water. Then consider plastics manufacturing. First, plastics require a petroleum as a feedstock feed·stock n. Raw material required for an industrial process. Noun 1. feedstock - the raw material that is required for some industrial process raw material, staple - material suitable for manufacture or use or finishing . Then, in the processing, they pollute. When we try to throw away a piece of plastic, we permanently litter the earth. Even if the plastic object is "properly" disposed of in a dump, that area of earth is permanently lost to cultivation. You have numerous opportunities to present a balanced picture of the beauty and practicality of wood cultivation and use. Your superb writers, artists and directors could present this story in ways that would stimulate the imaginations of children and help mold their attitudes in the direction of true conservation--the wise use of natural resourses. Editor Wood & Wood Products |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion