Environmental Series
PBS has always been aware of the environmental challenges we face, but it is a good idea to have programming that give specifics of issues (in particular, how to measure success or failure, what is the severity of a given situation [without leaving the viewer depressed at the enormity of an issue; finding something positive or a goal within reach, or how individual action can affect a problem], tackling the oft-overlooked issue of overpopulation (national and world), reporting the hard science and politics of the environment. One example is Now's coverage of the phthlate ban in San Francisco and the E.U., and that because our country doesn't demand the safest plastics, we get the cheapest; I was surprised to learn that China has two lines of plastic goods, those with phthlates coming to the U.S., while the more expensive, safer phalate-free products go to the European Union. (Unfortunately, U.S. citizens rely on government agencies such as the EPA, FDA, etc. to do their jobs without oversight by the "ordinary" citizenry). It particularly struck me that the E.U. had complained that the U.S. had asked the E.U. to LOWER its environmental standards, rather than raising our own -- I suspect that most citizens, if polled, would put health and environment first -- the race to "go green", at least in appearance, testifies to that.
