Why don't they understand the importance of driving huge trucks, burning lots of gas, and not cleaning up after ourselves? We have a RIGHT to dump pollutants into our environment!

Ok, well, except for the fact that we have to live in this environment of ours, and if we dump pollutants into it, we have to drink contaminated water, and breathe contaminated air. And then we will all get cancer.

Although most Americans are in denial of such things (we have a right to drive big SUVs!), the French seem to grasp the concept. They have AMENDED THEIR CONSTITUTION to include an "Environmental Charter". According to this article in Grist,

"'Decisions made responding to today's needs should not compromise the capacity of future generations and other populations to satisfy their own needs," the document's preamble proclaims. In 10 articles, it then outlines a series of environmental rights and responsibilities incumbent on the French people, ranging from the right to access information about the environment to an obligation upon political leaders to promote sustainable development."

The article goes on about the ways in which this may or may not induce reforms, and other various pros and cons. It's certainly interesting. But my attitude is that it's better to reach for the stars and only get halfway there, than to not try at all. And it's nice to see a government express the view that a healthy environment is a human right. Because after all, you can't very well pursue Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness (weren't we just talking about this?) if you have cancer or a bad case of athsma, or if your baby has a deformity because there is nuclear waste leaking into your groundwater.