&8220;Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, it&8217;s not.&8221;

&8212; The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss

The famous children&8217;s book, &8220;The Lorax,&8221; written by Dr. Seuss in the early 1970s, tells the story of corporate greed and the impact of turning a blind eye toward the environment.

In it, the Lorax stands as the lone voice for the trees and all the other environmentally sensitive creatures here on earth, but in the end, he too must leave in search of clearer skies and drinkable water.

The message, told in a tone only found in Dr. Seuss books, is still relevant today.

It would appear the leaders of the City of Hoover have spent some time reading this childhood classic.

In the time since the city&8217;s creation in the late 1950s leaders seem to have taken to heart the author&8217;s message that growth and prosperity do not necessarily run counter to taking care of Mother Earth.

A list of Hoover&8217;s environmentally focused efforts certainly would include their creation of a facility to convert used cooking oil into fuel and their use of alternative fuels to run city vehicles.

Hoover&8217;s work was recognized internationally earlier this week as they received honors in the finals of the LivCom contest.

The contest centers on environmentally focused projects created and sustained on the local level. Some two-dozen cities from around the globe competed in this year&8217;s competition.

Hoover&8217;s award is the first for an Alabama city, which in and of itself is reason for celebration.

In announcing the award, Hoover also made mention of their next &8220;green&8221; project.

The city plans to create nearly 250 acres of green space to be used for hiking trails, wildlife and forest management and public greenways connecting neighborhoods to area shopping centers.

Caring for the environment is certainly everyone&8217;s responsibility, and it is quite an accomplishment when one of Shelby County&8217;s cities takes the lead in fulfilling that responsibility.

And certainly, any time someone is recognized on an international level it gives cause for applause; such is indeed the case with this prestigious award.

The Lorax, I expect, would be quite taken with what the City of Hoover has done