Carbon Neutral and whether it is a good idea?

Question

First of all I have already decided that global warming is occuring partially due to humans so we can just skip the arguments for and against the theory ok.

My family is trying to take steps to be more eco friendly, and whether or not carbon emissions lead to global warming cutting our energy useage and recycling is good for the environment in many other ways. However we have habits and a way of life that we are not willing to give up at this time, and although I understand in an ideal world we would, this is reality we are living in. We are still going to go on our vacations despite the damage our traveling does to the environment, but I was wondering about what carbon neutral programs there out there so we could make up in some other way.

Just for the record I view someone that throws trash out the window and picks up exactally the same amount of trash later in the week as just as moral as someone that doesn't throw trash out, and doesn't pick up trash.

Answer 1

Since you have already decided you believe Al Gore's lies I'll just enrage you by saying I'm burning everything I can just to offset AlGore's offsets. I'm being as carbon positive as I can because we need global warming to save Greenland from the ice that has covered it since the beginning of the industrial revolution. When Greenland was discovered it was green because the earth was warmer then, and now we need global warming to save it. Being carbon neutral is bad because Greenland need us.

Join me in making Greenland green again!

  Will, does WA ring a bell from a few years ago?

Answer 2

Just so I understand your morality better...... If you were a doctor it would be no different if you killed someone and saved another's life later than it would be for someone else who killed no one and saved no one.  Have I got that right?

Answer 3

Trade-offs are nonsense in ecological terms.  We all need to contribute to a net gain in betterments, not trading death for life, as someone pointed out in another response.  

There is no moral superiority involved in this, actually.  It is about the longterm survival of the eco-system.  But there is an ethical component, and a selfish one, too, that dictates that you don't leave excrement where you or others eat.  Leaving a message on the plate that you will pick up the waste of others next time is hardly an answer.

Answer 4

People feel guilty. Also, people hate admitting they are wrong. If you tell someone that they have been killing the planet for X years and now please admit it was wrong and change your ways... then people get shirty.  Also, in reply to the last question, it does seem that republicans/conservatives just like being jerks for the sake of it.  I really don't understand how they think they way they do - I suppose they must have a Jerk Gene or something.

Answer 5

arguing about global warming is a state of denial i don't live in...



switch out your incandescent ligthbulbs with compact flourescents. they cost more, but last longer and can use up to 70% less electricty for the same amount of light produced.  this eliminates the need to burn as much coal, natural gas or oil to prodice your eletrical need so there are less carbon emissions. recycle them when they finally burn out



try to buy products with the least amount of packaging as the production of the containers takes a lot of electrical energy and adds no value to the product. you might also try buying reuseable cloth grocery backs to solve the 'paper or plastic" question in the grocery store checkout line.

plan your daily driving to combine trips instead of a lot of back and forth driving.

on your vacations, try to plan them so you don't have to drive everywhere. a trip to the beach or a place like a national forrest or grand canyon can give you a lot of things to duo without having to drive 300 miles a day to see things that are far apart.  if you are vacationing in a city like new york or washington d.c.,  take the subway instead of driving (especially in new york city!). cable cars are a great way to see san francisco.

the union of concernd scientists publised a book back in 1999 called the consumer's guide to effective environmental choices.  the authors are michael brown and warren leon.  see if you can find in at the library.

i know this sounds hokey, but go plant a tree ....or a whole lot of them.  this reduces carbon emissions and helps cool the planet, hold down soil erosion and prodces more breatheable oxygen all at the same time!  kids still like climbing in them too.

as to your littering equilibrium, please consider that not all trash is equal just because of its weight or volume.  a banana peel isn't a beer can or a plastic wrapper.

Answer 6

the 2 thing 's i find funny about global warming is that the last 2 big events out west were post poned do to weather being to cold??  and 1 is that we have been studying our planet for only about  what 200 yrs? but yet we are told that it is well over 1,000,000,000's of yrs old.  so how do we really now what happened 1,000,000 yrs ago. is it really just 1 big guess. or are we really to blame for the neighboring planets temp. rising also?