I have conversations with some young relatives re this topic. Their view is that some technological innovation will come along and take care of the issue. I have seen folks on the Right side of the divide who are pretty non chalant abt this. Some go so far as to say God gave us this planet for our consumption. No need to conserve.
I have heard right wing shock jocks actually tell their listeners to NOT turn lights off when u r in a hotel and leaving the room. Cause u paid for it.
Not everywhere recycling is mandatory. I have seen those big garbage bins on pick up day overflowing with stuff that can be recycled. I see people idling their humongous gas guzzlers in drive throughs. I see folks letting tap go on full while cleaning a spoon. Sometimes they r talking to another. So tap keeps running. Parents coming to pick up kids. Idle for 15 min waiting for the kids.
I see people buying more than one Sunday paper for coupons. And throw rest of paper away.
I see people driving like lunatics. Lead footed. 80 mph. Wasting fuel.
So this thread will be abt simple ways to Conserve. Improve our environmental hygiene.
Good thought. These efforts will probably not make much difference compared to controlling the industrial practices, though we shud still try and save mother earth.
The good news is at least in the west industry has started to pay attention to increasing efficiency of their processes. Whether the process is smelting glass processing crude oil processing, every possible energy content is extracted from the waste streams. Because it affects the bottom line of the company.
Renewable are gaining foothold. The US wind and solar production is growing at rapid rate. Europe already leads the way.
Industrial production is function of demand. That is we control demand by our consumption. If we consume less there is less industrial production.
India pak folks don’t consume as much..waste generation and consumption unfortunately is spreading there from west.
Europe I think is a good model when it comes to environmental balance. Good public transoort. People use bicycles. Growing up we used to use bicycle. But kids these days in india too good for cycles. They need mobike. Or car. Result. Higher diabetes poorer heakth..and environmental destruction
All my pakis if you want to do one thing to save the planet. Stop eating meat from big stores.
Find farmers/farmer-markets where people let their animals walk and grow naturally.
Even better visit your farmers talk to them. They love talking.
From top of my head I think its take 1000litter of fresh water to provide I lbs of big-chain meat.
If you do that, I would personally send you a congratulation cards.
Please…
here its even worst
"
March 1, 2001 – To date, probably the most reliable and widely-accepted water estimate to produce a pound of beef is the figure of 2,500 gallons/pound. Newsweek once put it another way: “the water that goes into a 1,000 pound steer would float a destroyer.”
"
Here is one example of how each of us makes a difference
World population is 7.227 billion. 3 billion make less than 2.4 billion a day. Let us assume 2.5 billion belong to families that make enough to live ok life. Let us assume family size 4 per family. Assume each weak supermarket they use 12 plastic bags. Assume they also use abt 8 plastic bags for vegetables. That is 20 bags per week for family of 4. 52 weeks. 1040 plastic as per family.
Now assume miscellaneous purchases such as pharmacy , Mr. Monk and Ms. Schebatskys farmers market, mall shopping electronics fast food take out adds to 25 plastic bags per month. Or 180 per year.
There are 2.4/4 or 0.6 billion such units. That is 730 billion plastic bags per year.
Now these are large numbers, friends.
Of course in “liberal” places- here is that hated word - such as San Francisco, they have eliminated.inated plastic bags. Where I live 95 pct don’t bother.
As to the comment abt li ing in wood houses and preaching, as I have repeated umpteen times - we in the west are the biggest polluters per capita. Rich folks across the world (maybe except europe).consume more than fair share. So this thread not preaching to poor citizens from 3rd world countries. It’s abt raising awareness of what each of us can do.
I agree with your relatives, we are spearheading NET ZERO HOUSING in North America, these houses produce as much energy as they use, they are super insulated and require minimal energy to heat, and Solar will generate as much energy on yearly basis as required, the hope is that in 15 years it will be mandated that every house be NZH house, that would be a massive step, Solar energy in near future will be cheaper than coal energy.
In principle I agree with you. But my relatives r misguided - in the sense that they don’t recycle and do other low tech things . They use technology as a escape hatch - to avoid doing other basic stuff that’s also needed.
Keep us updated on ur experience with solar power.
.and Thanks for stopping by and contributing to this important issue. Not too many show interest in this topic - more interested in debating perceived slights
simple things we can all do is basically reduce, reuse and recycle which is not hard at all. using energy efficient lights and appliances. use less plastic bottles and buy filter instead of buying bottled water.
Do you have anything positive to contribute? I personally don’t claim to be as smart as you are. I have acknowledged that. How about taking that chip off your shoulder and sharing your knowledge with those of us who are so uneducated on this matter?
I gladly acknowledge my limitations on this topic. Step up to the plate with a positive contribution.
Having said that, I don’t mind your taunts. Any attention is good attention. So if constructive suggestions are not ur cup of tea , offend away. You will be doing ur part!
It’s funny. Always something one can do that one doesnt. Laptops don’t work as well for me. I do have one but I use it for reading one doc at a time. Multiple docs back and forth I find it difficult with laptop.
CFL we have bad luck. They haven’t lasted nearly as long as advertised.
The only luxury we afford ourselves environmentally is two 2 liter plastic sparkling water. We like soda feeling. Have been planning to get a carbonator. Just yesterday we were discussing this $ chastising ourselves for not following thru on this.
if you want to do one thing to save the planet. Stop eating meat from big stores.
