Houston, we have ourselves a problem.

Seems that Houston Mayor Bill White woke up this morning and decided to have himself an Austin Moment. What else to explain the man’s sudden penchant for words like “sustainability,” “quality of life” and “energy efficiency” in a town that couldn’t be happier with the smell of petroleum on the air and gridlock on its freeways?

It appears, from the front page of this morning’s Houston Chronicle, that White is suddenly on the bandwagon for making Texas’ smog capital a Truly Green City. He’s talking a hybrid city fleet, a citywide recycling program and a fight over benzene emissions from local power plants.

It’s like a sudden incarnation of Will Wynn, just without the good hair.

But not to worry. Houstonians have this strange malady figured out. White must be running for Governor in 2010. Well that explains it.

This article appears in May 23 • 2008.

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