Now that all that celebration of earth and green-ness is out of the way, it's time to sit back with our feet in the grass and ponder what it all means.

To me, it means we fear change. And it all comes down to some tough choices.

Even though I grew up in an era when it was OK to throw things like paper bags and bottles out of your car window or drop them on the sidewalk, I do believe in - and practice as best I can - recycling and non-pollution and energy conservation, because they are good things for me and my kids and my grandchildren and then some.

But I don't believe I'm saving the earth.

The earth has seen worse. In the aeons-long big picture, our favorite planet has been frozen and molten and everything in between. What we are really up to is saving earth the way we like it. It's me-centric not geo-centric.

And while we need to clean rivers and pick up litter and toss those poisonous plastic bottles in the recycling bins, we do it for ourselves.

Is the globe warming? Sure. But it's been hotter and survived.

I can mourn with those who lose their loved ones or life's belongings in forest fires and floods, but I wouldn't let them babysit my grandkids because I don't trust their judgment.

They traded scenery for safety.

That's one of those tough choices I was talking about.

How about choosing to never eat an ear of corn again so we can be gasoline-free? Tough one.

How about fighting high prices by eating less. Another tough one.

How about choosing between a wind farm or saving some birds or, again, some scenery.

And isn't there some way we can convince a billion or so Chinese people they don't need cars? If you're going to worry about global warming, you have to look at it with a global perspective.

Whether you believe in a god or Mother Nature, they both punish you for doing wrong. We live and act forewarned.

You know, that's about all you can ask for.

And by the way...

The word "Earth" is Germanic in origin, and about a thousand years ago it seemed to refer to dirt and the entire ground we stand on. It wasn't until about the 1400s that we started talking about Planet Earth.

And here's another point: Why is our moon the only one in the universe without a name? The Moon. How bland.

Let's have a moon-naming contest. Send me your entries. Anyone or anything in the universe is eligible to enter.

Political update

I just love to listen to all the people that are complaining because one of the Democratic candidates won't step aside and give the other one a free ride to the nomination.

It's so draining and bothersome and, well, boring.

Ain't democracy a drag ...

We're so used to the way it seems it's always been, with the top candidate placed in front of us by those who pull the strings, that we just don't get it when two hopefuls remain hopeful as long as they can.

Thanks for the papers

"My wife Barbara and I just returned from a trip to Greece and Turkey," writes Aime Turgeon of Attleboro.

"While we were in Greece, the Olympic Flame was brought from Mount Olympus to light the torch for the 2008 Olympic Games in China. The ceremony took place in the Athens Acropolis and then the torch was run through the streets of Athens. It came by us almost close enough to touch.

"There was a heavy presence of military and police protection in anticipation of protests," he writes, "but none occurred."

See you next week.