Friends in need are friends indeed

Published 12:00 pm Saturday, April 15, 2006

This paper has been called a lot of names over the years. Bird cage liner. Fish wrap. Biased. A leftist media rag. Anti-Republican. Anti-gay. Intolerant. The list goes on and on. And on. And that’s just the first page.

It seems that whenever someone disagrees with an article, column or editorial, name calling isn’t too far behind. We’ve even been called “Greenies” — i.e. too pro-environmental.

True, the Herald is printed with recycled paper and environmentally friendly soybean oil-based ink but that’s just common sense on our part, we feel. But “too” pro-environmental. Can there be such a thing? Yes and no.

Honestly, it’s difficult not to be concerned about our natural surroundings when development seems to be closing in on every side. Even so, thinking growth can ever be curtailed completely is a total pipe dream. Growth is going to happen. We just feel how it happens is something we should all be paying more attention to. Much more.

Should developers have their hands tied completely by environmental regulations and builders face such stringent rules that they can’t possibly navigate the sea of red tape? No, but they shouldn’t be able to do anything they desire at the expense of the environment, either.

Compromise on both ends in needed but it seems the middle ground lies somewhere on the San Andreas fault and no one is willing to venture there for too long. Even so, there has to be a continued attempt to balance the needs of residents and nature.

And while developers are pushing their agenda, citizen groups are doing their share as well, working to preserve wildlife corridors before they’re no longer around to protect.

Folks involved with the Hansville Greenway, Heritage Park and numerous other sites in North Kitsap know this all too well and are setting a grand example for all.

The latest success was Friends of Miller Bay’s purchase of 13 acres. That might not seem like a whole lot to some but parcels of such pristine wilderness are something all can enjoy. Are we “greenies” for applauding such groups? Maybe, but that’s simply because we feel their work is some of the most important going on in North Kitsap right now.

And to those who do wrap your fish in the Herald or use it as bird cage liner, we say this: Thank you for recycling.