April 22 is officially known as Earth Day. The mission of Earth Day is an admirable one: environmental protection and sustainability. The first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970, which can now be viewed as the birth of the modern-day environmental movement. Though it has become a regular phrase in our society, “going green” has been a slow process.

This year’s theme for Earth Day is “A Billion Acts Of Green”. That’s a lot of green.

With thoughts of green on my mind on this day, I present to you four random thoughts about Earth Day 2011. Perhaps one of them will get you thinking about “going green”.

1. We have one pretty darn big solar system, and imagine this – as it stands right now, Earth is (currently) the only planet we can inhabit. Ponder that for a moment, if you will. If you ever needed anything to test your humility, that should do the trick. It also serves as a reminder of how important it is to maintain what we have in the here and now. If we don’t, we’re not running off to Saturn or Uranus any time soon.

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The health care system is the source of one of the greatest legalized monopolies in the history of this country. The worst part is, you didn’t even realize it was happening.

The current health care system utilizes a couple of different types of “gatekeeper model”. One is aimed at cost control, in which a gatekeeper is in place to help regulate referrals to specialists and other investigative or testing procedures. The second is aimed at the level of clinical practice, in which a gatekeeper is required to provide referrals in order for another health care provider to practice to the extent of their training and scope of practice.

The latter issue is a critical one in our health care system today. Why? It promotes a legalized monopoly, one that ultimately prevents patients from their right to choose a provider, while actively removing a number of professions from a truly free marketplace.

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I will start off by saying that I am a cyclist. There. I said it. Go ahead, Texas motorists, get pissed off with me riding on the wide shoulders of the highways and bi-ways of the great state of Texas.

There are some crazy things that take place between motorists and cyclists on the roads of Texas. Yes, there are times when it seems like it is the Wild West out there.  I can say that I have had clients report to me that they have been shot with BB guns by passing motorists (among other craziness) – all while minding their own business. And there are far too many cyclists injured by motorists who are simply not paying attention.

But there are also far too many cyclists that simply don’t use their heads, and don’t follow the rules of the road. Regardless of who has the right to be on the road, cyclists don’t win any friends when they choose to ignore the rules of the road.

Who’s problem is it anyways? The cyclists, or the motorists?

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Lance Armstrong has become, once again, the focus of a doping investigation. A two year-old federal Justice Department investigation, which concluded in February, could not find a reason to file charges against Armstrong. Now, lo and behold, we are told that the USADA has filed charges against Armstrong and he has been immediately barred from triathlon competition.

Interesting timing, I’d say. Ironman France – Armstrong’s first Ironman - is just 11 days away. Coincidence?

Yes, doping in sport should be addressed aggressively. But let’s start moving forward, shall we? This is all starting to become a little old and stale.

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