Dallas, Tejas and the Environment

Our class discussion brought up some interesting points about identity and the role 'home" plays in how we identify ourselves. When asked where I was from I answered "Canada" (I felt like contributing something different than the rest of the class or I probably would have said Dallas). I spent the majority of my life in Vancouver, British Columbia but have since lived in California, Texas, Cayman Islands, Montana, and New Orleans (most recently). So when people ask where I'm from the answer is not as simple as it could be. I usually answer Texas because for some reason I really identify with the Dallas culture. I feel like "home" to most people is where they want to make it. For some, the answer is easy-- wherever they grew up, where their "roots" are in a sense. For others, like myself, it's more about where you fit in and the culture you most identify with. My personality quirks are very Canadian. If you have spent time in Canada you would probably notice. I notice the most when I'm around other family members who still live there (and make fun of me for saying y'all!).

The articles I found were from The Dallas Morning News. I noticed an extreme lack of discussion of environmental issues in all the top Dallas online periodicals. Dallas isn't exactly known for being environmentally conscious. The only relevant and recent article I found combined football and the environment (go figure). It talked about planting trees to make up for the harmful effects Super Bowl XLV will have on the city. Kindof not much else to say about the article itself except that the extreme lack of concern for the environment in the archives of the Dallas Morning News was shocking. As one of the largest cities in the United States with 5 million people, Dallas contributes greatly to pollution in the South (not to mention the booming industrial areas of the city). I always assumed more was going on in terms of prevention. Of course environmental issues may not be considered as "newsworthy" as something as popular as football, but I think everyone would agree it's a topic on most people's minds these days with global warming, oil spills, obesity, and so many health/environmental issues.