Don't say you're green, show it

I loathe hypocrisy. You see it every day in most areas of life ... politics is a given, religion pokes up frequently ... there are many sources.

The movement to "go green" is currently an ever popular one. Especially in government and other public venues. The city in which I live, Elgin, which, as do so many municipalities, claims to be "green," to be planning on "going green," yet you can drive through the city at any time and see city trucks idling, police vehicles roaring around when not necessary, streetlights on all day - the list can go on and on.

If the city was truly committed to "going green," would not management see that these concepts are followed in areas they control?

Also in Elgin (but an independent political district) is the Gail Borden Public Library, which clearly publicizes its commitment to "going green." Yet one can drive by at nearly any hour of the night and see the entire building brightly lit. Inquiries elicit the response that cleaning crews are in the building at night, yet does this necessitate lighting the place up like a Christmas tree? No, I don't think so.

One of the two hospitals in town is building a new facility, which is purported to be green, green, green, right down to the massive geothermal heating and cooling system, for which they built a large pond. Yet recently I was at their Cardio Rehab unit on East Chicago Street, and the parking lot lights were ablaze ... at 8:30 on a July morning.

Yes, shouting and hollering about "going green" is good PR, it is not PC to argue against it. I think that conservation and the ecology are of the utmost importance to us. But I get ever so tired of hearing our officials, both public and private, touting with virtually religious fervor their "going green," yet the lights are glaring in the backroom. C'mon, folks, treat us like adults, pay more than lip service to these matters.

Gene Waugh

Elgin