Do most people who try to be "green" only do it up to the point until it's an inconvenience or too costly?

Question

I have no problem with people doing that. That's your choice. That's why a free market is great. I myself only do a few things, not because I believe in the cause, but because it saves money. But do most "green" people preach that it's what we should do to save the planet only do it to a point? If they were truly believers, wouldn't they hold off on that new 52" plasma tv as it uses more energy than a standard projection or lcd tv? Shouldn't they get rid of that electric can opener or battery-operated toothbrush? Shouldn't they install energy efficient windows and doors? And when they do, how do they dispose of the old one's without polluting the environment more? And shouldn't they not drive a car at all since even a hybrid still pollutes? Why not hold off buying that Prius and invest in a car with solar panels? If they are so concerned, why not lead by example instead of telling me what I need to do while they do the bare minimum and parade around as if they're so noble?

Answer 1

I like your question and I used to think the same way. For me it was small steps. I tend to be the type of person that if I try to change everything (no matter the issue) at once I'll make a mistake and just give up. So, when it came to going "green", I've made myself do baby steps. I currently recycle our household items pretty well, I believe. Not much actually goes into the household garbage. I've tried now to look at how things are packaged and make that change. This way one thing becomes a way of life then I add another. I've tried to keep it simple and I know I have a lot of work ahead of me. Good Luck and remember every small change can make huge ripples. (I'm not the poetic type-that's as close as I get!)

Answer 2

You raise a lot of questions...

and some of the measures you mention make sense, some others do not have a large contribution.

For this reason, in the EU, as we assume that the common citizen is not sufficiently educated and conscious. On the other extreme, some people might be over acting at a level at which they might waste their time...

Therefore, we rely on experts, laws and technologies... to implement what makes sense, is viable and share the burden fairly.

And about "how much should we do?"...

I think that it is presently pretty safe (even financially) to do much more (than the present situation would imply) since the price of all raw materials will increase.

For most countries which became poorer, this was mainly the result of a net less of the only asset they had: their environment.

Answer 3

Star for you!  I 100% agree with you!  I was feeling pretty cynical yesterday, when I answered a question about someone wanting to be "green."

Here's the link to THAT question:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

For my husband and I, who really DO live very "green" lives, I get pretty tired of the folks who do one little thing, and then think they have saved the earth.  

CFL bulbs happen to be one of my big pet peeves right now.  I too was suckered into them.  When I found they were not holding up to their promises, I did some research, and found they are made in China, use more electricity to produce than they will ever save, of course are shipped over the ocean, are toxic waste, since they have mercury in them, last only about 7 months in my house (vs 3 years for the incandecents!), and certainly not the seven perdicted years, and to top it off, are packaged in plastic clam shells instead of the highly recyclable cardboard of incandecents.

And yet people are trying to pass LAWS that state I MUST use them (here in the U.S.)?  Oh please!

No vehicle my husband and I drive is newer than 20 years...not a single one.  Some are over 40 years old.  The tractors we use are even older than that (1930's for some).

Our vehicles all did their manufacturing environmental damage more than a generation ago.  Every one of them can run on the biofuel we produce right here on our farm.  If my husband and I needed or wanted to, we could become nearly totally indepentant of foreign oil.  Of course funny enough their are laws that prevent us from driving our biofuel on the roads, so we don't.  Be green!  Oh no, wait...it's illegal to be green!

Shall we talk about the fact that I produce very humanely raised and cared for meat goats, and meat rabbits?  It is however totally illegal for me to butcher an animal for our customers, right here in very clean, very sanitary open air, and sunshine outdoors.  I can however take my animals to be butchered at a slaughterhouse that processes 400 or more animals an hour and allow my customers to pick the meat up there.  Of course I know which is cleaner, and much more humane, but that does not matter...it is still illegal for me to butcher for my customers in environmentally green ways.  Thank heavens in my state it is still legal for customers to come to my farm and butcher the animals themselves....I'm sure that loophole will be closed eventually.

I agree with you, that a free market is great.  Funny thing is, the greener your lifestyle, the more likely you are to run into laws that make it illegal.  

Let's face it....the Government only wants people to become so independant.  If people were suddenly driven to become very independant, living green lives, in a mostly agrarian way, it would drastictly lower the taxes the Government brought in, and there-by lower the amount of power the Government has (just think of it!).    No, wait...don't think...it makes the Government nervous when people turn off the TV and think for themselves.

What really drive me nuts are the hypocrits.  People who tell me I'm cruel and heartless for killing and butchering a cute widdle bunny wabbit, or widdle goat I've raised....while freely admiting they eat meat!  So they will consume the flesh of some animal they have no idea what was fed to it, what drugs were pumped into it, nor how it was treated...yet I'm the cruel one?!  Oh please!

I hate the hypocrits who preach living a green life, and yet do not do it themselves, indeed spend time jetting about the world (think Gore).  I am really botherd by the new trend of people and companies toward buying "carbon credits."  What a HUGE load of horse pucky!  Bloody well clean up your own act, don't pretend it's all better, because you purchased carbon credits from someone else who REALLY does live a green lifestyle!  

Ok....I think I'm going to stop right there, before I say something I shouldn't.

Great question!

~Garnet

Homesteading/Farming over 20 years

Answer 4

I think allot or most people just just don't give a d**n . I can walk around in my city and not see one solar panel . Nobody has has energy saving light bulbs on there porch . Gas guzzling SUV,s in allot of driveways .

I really don't believe people are going to do anything until there is some kind of crises like no energy at all or we simply can not breath the air .

Me myself feels like you . I do every thing i can . Build solar panels for my home ride a bicycle as much as possible wile people in cars blow there horns for me to get off the road .They don't stop for you at an intersection guess they would rather run you down .

Bottom line is im sick to death of being the only person for thousands of miles trying to make a difference. Let them all cry what they want to cry im going back to driving my gas guzzler its got to be better then getting run over

Answer 5

I know what you mean. People are very hypocritical take P.E.T.A. and there death van for example. I try not to be. There are disposale places where people can dispose of electronics, oil, batteries and other hazardous matierials porperaly and there are many recycling center but the problem is They very hard to find. It is very hard to find a center that will take hazardous chemicals and waste and sometimes those places are far away. Inconvince plays a big part. As for T.V. Hybrids aren't cost effective because of the battery replacement and solar panels are really inefficant and they would only work on a sunny day.

Poeple want to look like and feel like they are doing the correct things without to much inconvince on their lives. If it was something they truly belived in they would go to the exterme no matter the inconvince.