OT: Conservation ** Passion ** Reality

[Guest guest]

Hey Jody,

 

> Hi Butch,

> I would like to respectfully disagree with your statment that

> conservation is no more than warm fuzzies and can only do a limited

> amount.

 

I too would disagree with such a statement .. and I wouldn't and didn't

make such a statement .. in that context. I made it clear in one post

that I have supported (with dollars .. not words) two conservation

groups for over 40 years now .. Ducks Unlimited and the Cousteau

Society. I was too late to support the Save Our Dinasaurs Society.

 

Your understanding of what I wrote is an example of why its necessary to

OVER EXPLAIN oneself (sometimes) when writing on I-Net and there's no

face-to-face communication .. written communication creates opportunity

for folks to select portions of writings, overlook the context and then

misunderstand them. I wrote .. prefacing my comments with a statement

that some day the world would become more overpopulated and some tough

decisions were going to have to be made ..

 

" QUOTE: That's not to say that we should accept this as inevitable and

do nothing about conservation today .. but whatever we do is but a

temporary measure that will give us and our kids and grandkids warm

fuzzies to see all that natural land around us .. but our grandkids will

also have grandkids and things are not going to be so easy at that time.

 

And that is a fact. When our grandchildren have grandchildren .. 50-60

years from now .. the world population will have long since exceeded SIX

BILLION people .. forests will be cleared for agriculture .. seas will

be overfished .. air will be super-polluted .. streams/lakes will be

more polluted .. global warming and acid rain will be a norm .. and in

spite of all this .. people will live longer and create greater need for

homes, food production, energy, transportation and other infrastructure

that will directly harm the natural environment.

 

Meantime .. the Greens are screaming for organic this and that and we

have a helluva time feeding the world now with enhanced growth, modified

foods. They CANNOT have it both ways. Makes me wonder if they give a

crap about dealing with reality.

 

> Conservation is the single most powerful environmental strategy that

> there is ...

 

That's certainly not overstated .. but where do we go from there?

 

> implemented throughout the developed world, nothing else could

> reverse eco-waste more quickly, efficiently and economically.

 

It is generally the developed world that pollutes .. and conserves. But

to get all countries singing from the same sheet of music is an ideal we

have never experienced .. not since the beginning of recorded history.

Therefore .. the reality I mentioned .. the reality that we might not

like to face .. is that there are tough times ahead and there will be a

need for tough decisions that folks are not going to like. Even now, in

the face of the inhanced security measures taken by the US Gummit, folks

pee and moan .. people resist change .. they like the status-quo on some

things but demand change without cost on the other.

 

> The trouble with conservation as a strategy is that because it's

> incremental it's hard to connect with the potential cumulative effect.

 

That's when governments have to step in. America successfully stopped

the slaughter of birds of prey .. it was done by making penalties so

high and enforcement and investigation so serious that folks were afraid

to shoot eagles and other raptors.

 

> So folks don't feel their contribution will add up.

 

Folks didn't stop killing eagles because of idealistic motives .. they

stopped because of fear. Its not a lot different than tax evasion. We

can say that the same thoughts enter folks mind when they consider a bit

of cheating. " What difference will the loss of my $300.00 make in the

grand scheme of things? "

 

> It's also not a sexy strategy because it hinges on personal

> responsibility and behavioral change and that's a toughie.

 

I believe that in the absense of a significant emotional experience ..

and we can take that as far as we wish .. its very rare that behavorial

change occurs in humans. Even more rare is teaching irresponsible folks

to become responsible.

 

> It's much easier and more comfortable to sit and wait for the silver

> scientific bullet. But here are some facts I learned when I was part of

> an environmental lawsuit a while back (on the green side of course!):

> If every single person in the U.S. alone used low flow flush toilets

> they would save 3 gallons with every flush (40% of homeowners water

> costs are for flushing) which would mean a daily savings of at least

> 300 million gallons!

 

Outstanding! And if wishes were horses then beggars could ride. ;-p

Those stats are but one set of thousands of stats we could quote that

would make life better for all concerned .. IF THERE WAS A WAY TO MAKE

IT HAPPEN. And they do give warm fuzzies to those who voluntarily abide

by them .. that's about it.

 

I watch folks pitch coins in the hats of crippled beggars every day ..

in Moslem countries one does not refuse a beggar if they can afford to

help.

The hell of it is .. I've seen these same beggars for 20 years and they

are just as pitiful looking now and they were twenty years ago. It does

make folks feel good to pitch them a coin .. but of all the thousands of

business folks who pitch a coin daily .. none of them hire the scutter

to do some menial task in their company. So .. the warm fuzzies are

real personal and felt only by those who participate in events designed

to give warm fuzzies .. the beggar ain't one of them folks.

 

> If we all put a brick or two in the toilet tank (1.2 gals saved every

> flush). A seeping toilet wastes 30 gallons, a leaking toilet wastes 250

> gallons and a running toilets trashes 6,000 gallons all of which adds

> up to some serious water and sewage charges.

 

BUT .. rather than have 280 million folks agree to buy a brick (which

would certainly make the brick factories more wealthy) would it not be

more effective for the Greens to PROVE their case and then lobby the

government and try to get upport in passing legislation saying toilet

tanks must be smaller?

 

> Fix leaky faucets ... a slow drip wastes 36 gallons, a steady drip 180

> gallons, 1/4 open faucet us 684 gallons per day. If we wait a month to

> fix that faucet? Same figures per month? 1,080. 5,400 and 180,000.

 

I hear you .. though I'm not too sure I am willing to buy into the

totality of conserving fresh water as being a number one environmental

concern. In some ways I can buy it .. as far as it being connected to

the use of energy .. but pure water is not a national problem and its

certainly not a universal problem .. at least not in developed

countries.

 

> Collected and use rainwater, bought the new tumble washers which use 20

> gallons per load instead of 55, used shower heads with timers, only ran

> dishwashers with full loads, stored drinking water in the frig instead

> of letting run 'til cold, turned off the water while brushing teeth or

> shaving, compost instead of using trash compacters which use about 5

> gallons every time, used mulch, did drive ways with porous pavers which

> quickly return ground water to its sources, plant local varities in

> landscaping, use desertscaping instead of grass & trees in hot areas,

> plant for shade, use windbreaks and worked with the 49 other

> recommened watersaving strategies on

> http://www.americanwater.com/49ways.htm

> a real difference could be made.

 

Jody .. there is no question that doing ALL the above would help save

energy and in some ways assist the environment. But the person who is

EVER able to make it happen will have to be a benevolent dictator.

 

And .. the URL above .. take the /49ways.htm away and you have left a

commercial company targeting two things .. the emotions and desire to

save money of the average American .. plus their motives are not to help

the world but to make a profit .. so they gotta outline a problem that

can be eliminated by you spending money with them.

 

> And these are only residential strategies. Industrial, mining and

> agricultural conservation strategies could add equally impressive

> savings.

 

And .. we don't do it now cause folks are mean hearted? Or because it

would cost a lot of money and shareholders would be upset when profits

decreased due to the new infrastructure expenditures?

 

> I firmly believe that one person can make a difference.

 

I believe one person can make a difference .. but only to themselves and

their friends and relatives .. not to the nation. Nor do I believe the

efforts of one person are likely to catch on like AIDS and spread.

 

There are some exceptions to the above statement .. I believe that one

person can sometimes make a difference in protesting events if they

douse themselves with gasoline and then strike a match .. but they

should call the news media first as it would be a waste of gas and

matches to do it in front on only a small handful of folks.

 

> In fact, I guess I believe that's the only way to effect change .. one

> committed person at a time.

 

Evolution takes a long time .. like I've often said about teaching the

lion to lay down with the lamb. Its not impossible .. mebbe .. long as

we don't run out of lambs afore the lion learns his lessons correctly.

 

> Because the government and big business sure aren't beating the drums

> on this one.

 

The government certainly isn't. And if they did we would likely see a

revolt in the USA. If some Green President comes along and says s/he is

gonna raise taxes by 50% to pay for all these conversions, and we should

smile and accept it cause it will make life better for those who come

after us .. how many folks would smile? Hell .. Americans would revolt

now if the US Government tried to tax them the way folks are taxed in

the European Social Democratic system.

 

> Sorry for the soapbox but this is a something about which I feel

> incredibly passionate.

 

Its obvious that you feel passionate about it. Feeling passion is what

drives folks to choose causes .. and we all have causes .. rare it is

too

that causes are based on realism .. moreso on idealism. There are many

exceptions to this statement .. but they are not the norm.

 

Some folks come across as having passion for the use of essential oils.

I've not picked up on that one myself .. anymore so than I have the use

of Kentucky Bourbon .. but I like to use both .. a lot.

 

Some on this list have passion about being a homemaker and mother .. it

comes across in their domestic posts. They have their own reasons for

this passion .. but everybody will not agree with their lifestyle. I'm

in agreement with them but some folks will see that as selling out to

the traditional femine role .. and become passionate in their

opposition.

 

Others have passion about being left-wing Democrats .. even in the face

of any economy that is in better shape than its been in two decades.

I've often written that those who have philosophical leanings that are

extreme (Right or Left) should go sit in the woods for a while and talk

to themselves .. ask if they really believe all the line they put out.

 

Many Europeans no longer have feelings of Patriotism .. Patriotism is

taught to be a negative thing in Europe as they have confused it with

Nationalism and Nationalism has resulted in too many wars there. So

Europeans have passionate thoughts about Globalization cause its more

secure than their past and they have passion toward the Green side of

things because they see how they have destroyed their own environment.

 

And I have passion toward the US military and the United States of

America as a nation. I know my reasons .. and they are far more deep

than anyone on this list has ever been able to understand. But I know

and accept that everybody will not share that passion.

 

> Jody

> DayBreak Lavender Farm

 

While on the subject of idealism or Utopian dreams .. someone sent me

a poem written by a Dean of Theology in a Christian school. Basically

it was a plan for solving all the problems of the world. It started

with all the nations digging a big hole miles and miles long and dumping

all their bombs, rifles, grenades, ammo, etc., in the hole. Then they

cut up their warplanes and tanks with torches and made all kindsa nice

things from them .. then they spent all their money on research to cure

illness and feed the poor .. and men all across the world who had more

than they needed gave the excess to those who were in need .. and I'll

stop here cause y'all got the jist of it.

 

First thing came to mind was how do folks who write such shit hold a

job? What are they teaching the kids? Are we training martyrs to walk

around and play Jesus or training ministers to deal with the REAL

problems in the lives of their parish or church?

 

And what do we do with the hundreds of millions of people who will be

out of a job if we were to have such revolutionary changes? Probably

most of the list members reading this post have a livlihood that comes

from dealing with the events in our now imperfect world.

 

Take this from an old cop who has dealt with many traffic engineering

surveys. There is no way to change the flow of traffic on ONE STREET in

a major city and not have it effect the flow of traffic miles and miles

away. This holds true for societies in general .. each minor change has

an impact that cumulatively becomes more significant than that change.

 

Sorry .. but I'm into realism .. I've done what I could throughout my

life to have an IMPACT on events .. more of an impact than just giving

me personal warm fuzzies. One dedicated sniper can do far more for the

world than all the Hare Krishnas and Rainbow Coalitions standing on the

hill holding hands and telling the world to sing in perfect harmony.

 

Y'all keep smiling. :-) Butch