Ecologically sound healthcare

A post by Art Caplan who is a pseudoeditor but not an editor at blog.bioethics.net alerted me to Alternet, a website that is rich with blogger material. We could begin by contrasting the article complaining of the environmental toxin of the production of chicken for food with the one in support of abortion and abortionists. (Of course, those of us who are pro-life know that abortion is not "healthcare.")

But, in the spirit of "Crunchy-cons," let's start with the ecosystem.

I'm always complaining that we seem to have forgotten the '70's. But, Alternet reminds me that some of the politics are still alive and Stan Cox seems to want to turn what I agree is a lack of sufficient environmental awareness and stewardship into a matter of class warfare and denying healthcare.

We could decrease the packaging and layers of packaging - both in the grocery store and the hospital and clinic. We could stop decorating and scenting everything - start with the single-use items. I shop on-line, search out items with less packaging and less waste, reuse, recycle, repair and "make it do" when I can. I hate waste and enjoy doing it myself. (another article on the site is suspicious of that aspect, too. I think we're all supposed to be reading Alternet and following their script for organizing around their causes and in their way.)
But, the author is convinced that we should all do less, expect less and give up more - and that the rich must give up more than the poor. (If I were going to be sarcastic - and of course I won't do that - I'd note that only the rich can afford recycling centers and the space for them in their kitchens.I've noticed that the expensive organic veggies come with less packaging in the supermarket. And I have room for my salad and herb garden in my yard. I haven't had trouble with leaking oil since I traded in the 20 year old used car for a newer used car, when I could afford it, after residency.)

But in the rationing of healthcare, environmental concerns don't seem to be as urgent in the media and "bioethics" activism as first dollar coverage, on government payer plans (did I mention how unefficient those are with money and resources filtered on the way to the captital and all the way back?), even for self-induced disease. And even for William Buffet and every other Medicare eligible billionaire.