OK, for this off-the-wall, posting, I really need some comments!

One of my father’s favorite TV shows in the late 1960s was Green Acres starring Eddie Albert and Eva Gabor. This memory was conjured as I researched the history of Earth Day and learned that the first Earth Day observance, in 1970, was set specifically on April 22 because it was the birthday of Albert, who was a leading advocate for the environment. (I hope I’m not spreading an urban legend — I came across the Albert factoid in several places. And, I’m not saying they created Earth Day in honor of him; they didn’t. They just needed a specific date for the observance, so they picked his birthday.)

So let’s stay with this funny show for a minute and think about the absurd characters and the roles they might play in today’s eco-debate. Imagine you are the casting director for Green Acres 2008. Who would you cast for these roles?

Oliver: A bit idealistic and impractical, but earnest and intelligent and utterly frustrated that nobody around him seems to see things his way.  Pick any extremist on either side of the environmental debate. They all have a little Oliver in them. Who’s your suggestion?

Mr. Haney: Definitely a pitchman for any company guilty of greenwashing! Go ahead, name your 2008 Mr. Haney.

Eb: Clueless. Look at anybody or group needs to wake up to what’s happening to our planet and the creatures on it. Who’s your Eb?

And if you’re a Green Acres trivia expert and would like to cast other modern-day equivalents to Lisa, Mr. Drucker and others, go right ahead!

Looking forward to your comments. I reserve the right to not post anything that’s mean in spirit. We need people from all political walks of life to rally behind Amphibian Ark.