So much to write about in this strange day and age- the economy's tanking, China's poisoning its babies, and Moose meat is suddenly ALL the rage.  I'll get to all those things in their time, but first things first: we really need to talk about how finally, FINALLY, it's cool to be a hippy....

See, the other day, while idling away in my lovely apartment in a particularly left-wing portion of Brooklyn, I received a knock on the door from a charming, clean-cut couple who handed me a pamphlet with a polar bear on the cover and then were on their way.  I figured that they were trying to save the arctic, as many hipsters in my neighborhood attempt (from, mind you, Brooklyn), though they were infinitely better dressed than your typical Brooklyn canvaser.

So a little scrutiny of the pamphlet told me that the Polar bears are in peril, and the environment balances on the edge of a knife, and that I must do something about it.  What, pray tell, should I do about it, according to the pamphlet?  Give money to Greenpeace?  Vote for this guy or that gal?  Stop driving our cars and instead use dog sleds?  No, the pamphlets REAL idea about how to save the Polar Bears was....

Jesus?

The pamphlet came courtesy of the 7th Day Adventists, who, in a move that shows that some of their "higher-ups" have their fingers on the pulse, have decided to use Global Warming as a way to attract new members to their faith.  To be fair, were I to receive a pamphlet that talked about giving up my Saturday to bible study, I might have bristled, but I certainly couldn't resist a polar bear, now could I?

Of course, it was cool to be hippy around the year 30 AD, which may be the 7th Day Adventists' point in their new marketing material that focuses on saving the environment.  But until I received that pamphlet, I hadn't associated any religion with environmental causes.  This really isn't too far from what Peeled Snacks is doing trying to give people a new association with Healthy Snacking.

While I'm not a 7th Day Adventist, and while I have nothing for or against them, I tip my hat in their direction for employing an issue key to me and my neighbors in order to get some attention.  I checked out their website, and found THIS fascinating digestion of WWJD about Polar Bears.  Frankly, I felt, as I often do, that I am nothing but a consumer, and my number, so to speak, is in the book.

All of our numbers are listed.  We are all target markets.  Anytime you want something, ANYTHING, take a moment to wonder how you heard about it.  Now pardon me, I've got to go save some Polar Bears.

Greetings from the melting North Pole,

Peeled Skinny