To the editor:

The upcoming Lawrence Earth Day celebrations and the Step-It-Up action of the past week are local activities in what is clearly becoming a global awakening of the naturalist-conservation movement of the 1960s and ’70s. To many of us older naturalists, the sea change is evident. We see it in the gathering corporate green retooling of manufactured products. Even retired military leaders are warning that military planning for global warming is necessary and that a green military would be prudent. The replacement and retrofitting of our homes, appliances, transportation, etc., is also an opportunity for incredible amounts of corporate profit.

My concern is that self-serving, self-deceiving groups will lead us to false solutions. Hybrid SUVs that get 18 miles to the gallon or corn ethanol that only produces a 34 percent energy gain over the fuel needed to produce it would be two examples.

A poorly planned chaotic greening of our society and world, in my opinion, could be avoided. We need leaders who have worked for the reawakening and have a long involvement in the environmental movement.

Personally, I believe that we should now be looking for experienced people like Al Gore to be the CEOs who would gather wise leaders who are aware of the complexity of these green choices, which appear to be on the horizon sweeping toward us like a green tsunami.

Rex Powell,

Lawrence