07/11/07 Barbecue and Global Warming

So subtly big brother chips away at our personal freedoms. Less than a generation ago we could use our cell phone (and it was a big one) wherever and whenever we pleased. Our vehicle was our own private haven, one free if we so desired from regulated child seats, safety locks, seat belts and air bags, and to the delight of my dogs the back window went all the way down. On long road trips my kids slept and played in the back of a camper and when they acted up in public they got good swat on their bottom. It truly is "A Different World," like Bucky Covington's song says so poignantly and while it makes sense to forgo Fourth of July fireworks for the sake of safety, are you ready to give up the back yard barbecue for global warming? Environmental activists are warning colleges and universities not hold welcome back barbecues after the Sierra Club reported that a typical family barbecue emits significant levels of carbon dioxide. (The way my husband grills it's a wonder we aren't listed right up with China's emission). So trust me, it isn't a stretch to think that in the near future little "green " hovercrafts could be sent to detect renegade backyard barbeques .