Do you know what's going on with energy and the environment?

Question

No you don't. No level of efficiency is going to change the fact that a two ton vehicle is going to use more energy to move a 160 pound person the same distance. You're probably fat, make that 400 pounds. Why, and this is a serious question, does nobody understand this? Why are people knocking down perfectly good houses, throwing away good appliances and electronics to replace them with "green" products? That's not "Green!" Equally, does this "a little better" feel good campaign make any sense? Is that like: "If we can get rapists to rape a little less..." or "If we can lower the number of children maimed in Iraq, just a little bit, that will be good enough for now." If you want things to get better, make them better now! Park your car and walk. Then please answer my questions, I'm interested in your (plural) feedback.

Answer 1

Well, you are right in saying that throwing stuff away is bad for the environment.  but the green appliences are better inthat they use less energy.  We probably need to recycle the old appliences to complete the benefits of the green appliences.  And you are correct that a heavier car will always be hard to move--it will always be the gas guzler, even once everthing is incredibly efficient and not running on fossil fuels.  They will always use the most energy.  You are correct--small vehicles are better.  

But what you said about not taking it one step at a time i do not agree with.  It would be virtually impossible to do all of our green revolution at once--the technologies are not all ready, and nobody has that much money.  We need to take it one step at a time, and gradually those steps will get bigger as we work towards our goal of an ecofriendly world.  It can't all happen at once.  There is no big red button to push for the green movement.  America could just push a button and wipe any city of the face of this planet; that's military, not a green revolution.  They work differently.

Answer 2

Throwing away good electrical appliances for new "green" ones can save in the long-term.

On the other hand, I think that people are a bit misguided these days. All they want to do is make comfort for themselves without thinking about future generations. People just want to have the best houses, make the most money and save some time by using private transport but they do not realise that this is not sustainable behaviour.

I personally think the world does need to advance in new technologies and structures (such as new appliances and homes) to keep the world "moving".

However, even though I see this as acceptable behaviour, we should do it with restrictions. Find ways for reduced-power recreation, or even power-generating recreation.

Energy from the sun's rays will probably last many years into the developing world and past.

If you know the answer to your question, don't ask it. I do know, to a certain extent, about what's going on with energy and the environment and if you care about the environment that much, you wouldn't be asking this question on Yahoo!Answers. Get off your computer and go live in a shack!

Jks.

=)

Stick to your beliefs but modify them!

Answer 3

That's quite a rant. It doesn't make sense to tear down a house just to build a green one. You can make the house you are in Environmentally friendly by upgrading the windows, sealing heat leaks, adding solar panels, rain collection devices to water your plants, only planting native plants and not invasive species, Upgrading your heating systems to low energy heat pumps,  hot water on demand or passive solar hot water tanks, daylight through roof lighting magnification systems and LED lighting (saves electricity), upgrading appliances,recycling, proper waste disposal, walking if you can, riding bikes when you can, and car pooling. Indoor plants for oxygen and don't forget venting for radon gas. And for those with a bit of scientist in them, using waste bio-mass you find in your neighborhood to produce bio-fuels for your vehicle. These can be made from almost any bio substance with the right bio-engineering for less than what you pay for fuel now.

If you were to have your new house designed this way, it would cost about 15,000.00 extra from your basic house cost. but divide that by 30 years of less utility cost and you will see yourself coming  out way ahead in money and being environmentally responsible.