That's a fair point at one level. Quite a lot of our "environmental protection" is really about keeping up the aesthetic value of our own vicinity while transfering undesirable activities elsewhere -- whether you're talking about that at a municipal or national level. Aesthetics are a legitmate concern, but not the same as saving the planet from pollution.

That being said, if you're going to use that argument against restrictions on drilling, shouldn't you also be saying that it's hypocritical to put a single dollar into health care or education here until we've helped the impoverished masses of Africa? I haven't seen you making all that many cosmopolitian arguments before, TB, you've been perfectly willing to talk about American interests and to privilige them over interests of other nations. Which is reasonable for Americans. What's wrong with someone being an "aesthetic nationalist"?