personal responsibility & the climate crisis

[dr. zooeuss]

So...

here we are the day after Live Earth...

I spent a few hours on here hoping to enjoy some conversations about the music and the cause.

I was somewhat disappointed not to have found a more enlightening conversation. Any threads that seem to be going somewhere constructive or enlightening were frequently derailed.

Several interference members told me to try this section, that I'd have more success here.

I considered this, tried looking for a message board on Live Earth, or on climatecrisis.net (the site Al Gore set up to go along with 'An Inconvenient Truth')... I don't think they exist.

So anyway...

I appreciate a good joke as much as the next person, but I'd also like to see this thread stay on topic.

I've known about:

www.climatecrisis.net/takeaction

for about a year, since seeing the film, but still haven't used it to calculate my carbon impact. (Yes, I'm a horrible person)

I guess I want to take this opportunity to let people here know about it, and to remind myself that I need to take this step and get more serious about taking this issue on.

So there's a concrete impact the concert had on me, one person. It's reminded me of something that I can do as an individual, a drop in the ocean, about this topic.

anyone else?

 

[anitram]

Yeah, I'd say I'm pretty aware of my impact and what I can do to reduce it. I don't own a car at the moment (but dear God I do miss it), so that's a biggie for me. I also live in a super efficient building because it was built last year and so that's another good thing. All of our appliances are highly efficient.

I'm currently housesitting (and dogsitting) at my parents' while they are off in Europe. They are pretty environmentally minded - for example they don't use a dryer and have a clothesline, recycle everything and have a compost. At the same time, my father is cheap so in an act of rebellion while they are gone I will replace all the lightbulbs with CFLs. Unfortunately it's a huge house and this will take me a while. I wonder when they'll even notice.

 

[redhotswami]

there's also www.newdream.org which i really find resourceful. i think overall the best and perhaps easiest thing we can do as individuals is consume less. not just eating. but all the other stuff we buy too.

oh and check out freecycle as well! you'd be surprised what all you can get there!

 

[No spoken words]

I do a little, but am aware of how much more I could do.

I now live in Chicago, so I take mass transit everywhere, so that's a big step as compared to how often I was using my car in Los Angeles.

I of course recycle.

I try to keep my electricity use to a minimum.

I use CFL's.

I do not use heat in the winter, and this goes back to when I lived in NYC.

I've reduced my red meat intake drastically, and I try to buy organic when I can, and I also stick to fresh foods.

I am fanatical about switching items not in use off, immediately.

Again, I can/should be doing tons more, but, I am glad that I've tried to change my ways for the better.

 

[redhotswami]

Again, I can/should be doing tons more, but, I am glad that I've tried to change my ways for the better.

It is entirely possible to move a mountain just a few rocks at a time

 

[No spoken words]

It is entirely possible to move a mountain just a few rocks at a time

Amen. I hope to do more and more in the near future.

 

[struckpx]

well, according to Al Gore's theory, us using the computer is bad for the environment, for it requires energy and it also outputs heat.

 

[Lila64]

I recently bought several CFL bulbs. I've noticed that the output is less than the comparable regular bulbs, so when I go to purchase more for the house, I will buy stronger ones. The question I have is that I've so far only replaced a few burnt out bulbs in my house with the new ones. Should I throw out the old bulbs that are still working, or wait til they burn out and slowly replace them with the new CFLs? I'd hate to waste the ones I already have

Hubby does all the bottle, plastics, cardboard and paper recycling. I did notice I was turning off lights and TVs today even when I'd leave for a short time. And tried pointing out to the little one to turn the lights off/TV off when she leaves a room. I've tried before, but now I tell her she's killing the planet Maybe that will get her to do more as well

 

[BVS]

well, according to Al Gore's theory, us using the computer is bad for the environment, for it requires energy and it also outputs heat.

In fact, I think that's exactly what he said, stop everything you enjoy.

This is the problem I have with those that either don't "believe" in global warming, or just don't care.

They try their hardest to point out how everyone is a hypocrite by snarking remarks such as these.

The point is no one is telling you to move in a cave and stop your life. They're just trying to get people to be more responsible with their actions. No on is suggesting don't use the computer or don't throw rock concerts, just be as smart as you can when doing so.

If we start being more responsible we'll start to force corporations and manufacters more responsible.

 

[redhotswami]

I'm curious, is the resistance to the issue of global warming dominated by americans? I think I've heard that the rest of the world has higher environmental standards than we do regarding energy use. I mean, there is, after all, and international treaty that for some reason this country refuses to be a part of.

I was just wondering.

 

[anitram]

I'm curious, is the resistance to the issue of global warming dominated by americans?

I think it's largely dominated by Americans.

Consider the fact we have a conservative PM in Canada, who recently said that climate change is "perhaps the biggest threat to confront the future of humanity today." He also added that he was giving thought to how to make Canada a "green energy superpower."

This is not a guy who is an environmentalist at all. In fact, he was until very recently just as indignant about the topic. However, public opinion here is such that he cannot win a majority election without taking an environmental stance. That's how far we have come as a society.

Europeans are even further along. I can't speak of Australia, since I'm unfamiliar, but my old boss was from NZ and he felt there was a definite and positive environmental movement there. So yes, in the Western world, it would seem that the US is particularly and specifically resistant in ways that other nations are not.

 

[LJT]

Anyone who denies there is a problem for the most part I have noticed are Americans...though I know individual states are doing better than the federal government on environmental issues....China and India for example don't deny there is a problem, they just believe it is unfair to deny them the same standard of living as the west in order to reduce carbon output.

 

[MaxFisher]

It is entirely possible to move a mountain just a few rocks at a time

but if environmental catastrophe is as imminent as Al Gore and other enviromentalist tell us then the "few rocks at a time" strategy isn't really effective, right?

 

[redhotswami]

but if environmental catastrophe is as imminent as Al Gore and other enviromentalist tell us then the "few rocks at a time" strategy isn't really effective, right?

It is better than nothing. What more can we do? It is clear that there are just some things that some people in this country absolutely refuse to acknowledge. It is frustrating that it is that way. But at least when people ARE doing something, that warrants encouragement and praise.

 

[redhotswami]

I think it's largely dominated by Americans.

Consider the fact we have a conservative PM in Canada, who recently said that climate change is "perhaps the biggest threat to confront the future of humanity today." He also added that he was giving thought to how to make Canada a "green energy superpower."

This is not a guy who is an environmentalist at all. In fact, he was until very recently just as indignant about the topic. However, public opinion here is such that he cannot win a majority election without taking an environmental stance. That's how far we have come as a society.

Europeans are even further along. I can't speak of Australia, since I'm unfamiliar, but my old boss was from NZ and he felt there was a definite and positive environmental movement there. So yes, in the Western world, it would seem that the US is particularly and specifically resistant in ways that other nations are not.

Anyone who denies there is a problem for the most part I have noticed are Americans...though I know individual states are doing better than the federal government on environmental issues....China and India for example don't deny there is a problem, they just believe it is unfair to deny them the same standard of living as the west in order to reduce carbon output.

I can't say I'm surprised, but that is just really really frustrating. It should be quite obvious if THE REST OF THE WORLD has made steps to reduce energy consumption.

 

[Vincent Vega]

Well, it's like going the wrog way on a motorway. First you think, "Why is everybody else going the wrong way?" Then you realize, it's not them going the wrong way, but you. For some it takes a while longer to come to that conclusion.

And then they think, "Well, I'll take the next exit."

 

[Marien]

I'm not so sure Europeans are very much futher away in reality, it's true that people awareness is wider, especially in Germany, and all politicians talk about the issue while campaingning, but as soon as ellections are over they forget about it.
There have been two large ecological disasters in my country in the last few years, they've been opening the news programmes for a time, yet no positive measures have been taken afterwards, the companies responsible of them continue their activities without any change, oh, yes I recycle, I recycle as much as I can, but meanwhile large companies are polluting the sea, natural parks, protected areas... I try to be energy efficient, but I have to take a jacket to the supermarket because airconditioning is so low I can't wear a t-shirt in there in the summer. These are just a few examples, I could go on and on, and it is not only in my country, I travel quite a lot because of my job and it's more or less the same all over Europe. At the end you realise it's a question of money, of how much money a few will earn or not.