In a Belmont Club post entitled "A nightingale choked in Berkely Square" Wretchard describes the premature deaths of over 4000 people from smoke-laden fog that blanketed London for five days in 1952. The post contains a valuable history lesson for those who, as Wretchard says, are "accustomed to imagining a cleaner environmental past:"

Club regular "Charles Martel" shared this observation:

"I had a friend in college. Your typical leftist wingnut. I asked him if it cost 50% of the gross national product to clean up the air an additional 1% and if there was no proof that that additional 1% would demonstrably improve life expectancy or quality of life would he be willing to make the expenditure. He answered as all leftists must- in the affirmative."

My somewhat facetious comment was:

"Now, in addition to answering in the affirmative, it would seem that positive acts of obeisance to the omnipotent and omniscient Japanese goddess (of the environment), Kyoto, are also a must."

I later remarked in an "update" to my "The Dirty Half Dozen" post:

It seems that my insinuation that Greens and environmentalists would invoke God to their side in the fight to save the planet was not so far off. According to Australian blogger Tim Blair, Greens in South Australia are telling voters that Jesus would vote for them. Tim doubts, however, that Jesus would do such a thing. Why, he asks, would he vote for a rival faith?