Chico, Sustainable

It is always sobering for me to gaze on the California state flag and its depiction of the grizzly bear, which has not been seen in the wild in our state since 1924.

A flag can be a symbol of many things.

For the most part, I am very pleased with Chico's royal blue Earth Flags which have been put up along our town's main thoroughfares for the second spring in a row. For me they symbolize a commitment to sustainability, and a reminder that we are all citizens on the same small planet.

But even while I admire the blue flags against the backdrop of green canopy above the Esplanade, every once in a while I cannot help to I think back to the Grizz. Are the Earth Flags a symbol of hope and unity for an enlightened future, or, like the Bear Flag, do they depict an image that may cease to exist sooner than we hope?

For an answer, check this blog in 50 years.