pollution

[monk3]

im pretty sure most people have seen those weird movies that they show in science but what do you really think about it? i think pollution is horrible and we should try to stop but of course people in today's society are too lazy to actually try to stop polluting. i think people should try to at least recycle more. i went to NYC once (not to be mean to the NYC people out there. NYC roxors) and i saw that they dont have recycling. in that big of a city, they must pollute so much that could be easily recycled. but ya i dunno thats just my opinion

[D34th Ch1x0r]

I don't think it's even so much because of people being lazy, but there are too MANY people to clean up after. If you think about it, the worlds populations put out too much waste too fast (well, places with huge economies). Even if everyone does their part and cleans up what they can, the pollution will be dumped somewhere else (ex: dumps and waste facilities). There may be ways to get rid of most pollution/waste but it's hard when the entire world pumps out more than can be handled. I dunno, maybe I'm thinking too much...maybe we're all just lazy, lol.

[k_angel_iii]

Are you really prepared to do away with all that "modernity" has given you. Would you really be okay with yesteryear's gadgets when you can have today's newest ones .... (of course, lots of electronics containing heavy metals goes into the trash).
Will you be okay with having to take your own durable bag to the supermarket instead of having the convenience of getting paper/plastic each and everytime you buy something.
Will you really be okay with waiting for the bus instead of hopping in your car and driving where and when you want.
Will you really be okay with reducing your consumption and not buying every new fad when it comes out.
Will you be okay with buying second hand goods (yes, even clothing) to prevent the depletion of resources.
I could go on. But I know you all love new stuff. Doesn't everyone.
And everyone loves convenience. Why wait to get home and recycle when you can toss that plastic bottle out the window of your cadillac or honda or whatever is hot these days.

Everyone has to have one of whatever the advertisements show us.

But you shouldn't worry so much about pollution. This is the new ecology we're creating. Think of it as merely rearranging the molecules and having them end up in different places :D . That's how I would rationalize polution.

Eventually, the creatures who will survive will be the ones who can live with it. At that time, all the changes we're making to the environment will seem normal.

[D34th Ch1x0r]

I'd rather have everything that I have than be a worry wart about pollution, lol. I like having a car to take me places at my whim and new clothes to keep me warm in the winter. So, I can't really argue with you there, heh.

[gogo]

Eventually, the creatures who will survive will be the ones who can live with it. At that time, all the changes we're making to the environment will seem normal.

yeah - ****roaches will be the ones who can live with it.

i don't know much about the mechanics of pollution, the actualy global effects, etc. but i know that when i have kids - i don't want to leave them living in a **** hole b/c they're going to have so many other things to worry about and fix. so i do what i can - recycle everything, car pool, pump gas at night whatever, keep the temp low in winter and high in summer, etc.
yeah i like convenience and some fads so i'm not a tree hugger or anything, but i still feel like i have to do something
people not doing anything about pollution - i think it's a mix reasons- laziness, rationalizing why pollution is ok, helplessness (what can i, just one person, do) or people who just don't care,
i don't know what can be done. bush obviously doesn't care - kyoto treaty, wanting to drill in the alaska preserved wildlife - so if the gov't isn't going to try to force companies or encourage states to adopt program (and if states don't do it themselves) - then i don't know what's going to happen
there are some businesses pooling together to try and cut back on pollution - so there are people doing something i guess


----what?! i can't say ****roaches?!

[k_angel_iii]

yeah - ****roaches will be the ones who can live with it.

i don't know much about the mechanics of pollution, the actualy global effects, etc. but i know that when i have kids - i don't want to leave them living in a **** hole b/c they're going to have so many other things to worry about and fix. ...

Mmm. I suppose you do have a point. There is a rate at which the earth can absorb the damage we do (sort of like how trees can absorb some of the CO2). But the truth is, human beings are in competition with each other. So long as somebody feels that another person is using resources, they won't feel the need to limit themselves.

The best solution is to find a balancing point, but the problem is that everyone has to come to an agreement. But we know human beings can't even agree to not kill each other, so I very much doubt they'll ever agree to put limits on resource use.

Imagine telling China to slow down its current economic boom to allow procedures and measures to be put in place to reduce long term impacts of pollution. Or telling George Bush to enact laws to force industries to reduce pollution when he already has to worry about trade deficit, debt and unemployment.

It's very funny that the Id that drives us to survive can also drive us to destroy. As for the children of the future, they'll not miss what they have never had. I come from a village (originally) and the elders talk of times when rains were abandunt and people could live off the land. Of course, these days the rain is so unpredictable a farmer cannot survive without artificial irrigation. I grew up with wells and water tanks and can only imagine what the elders describe. So too, our descendants might hear about the time when everyone didn't have to wear gas masks, and wear protective clothing, and filter their urine to drink. But whatever they're born into, they'll not miss what they never had.

[gogo]

It's very funny that the Id that drives us to survive can also drive us to destroy. As for the children of the future, they'll not miss what they have never had. I come from a village (originally) and the elders talk of times when rains were abandunt and people could live off the land. Of course, these days the rain is so unpredictable a farmer cannot survive without artificial irrigation. I grew up with wells and water tanks and can only imagine what the elders describe. So too, our descendants might hear about the time when everyone didn't have to wear gas masks, and wear protective clothing, and filter their urine to drink. But whatever they're born into, they'll not miss what they never had.

but i'm sure they would want clean air and water and trees. they wouldn't miss it, true, but even if they didn't grow up with those things they would want it. when it gets to that point of gas masks and protective clothing - i would imagine the survival rate would be so poor even if they never grew up with it they would probably be cursing us for screwing them over.
but i agree with you - on a global and even just a national scale - people have to agree and that rarely happens. and for so many people this isn't a priority. so you know, whatever the little people can do - like i said i'll try and contribute.

[kunoichi]

Are you really prepared to do away with all that "modernity" has given you.
Would you really be okay with yesteryear's gadgets when you can have today's newest ones .... (of course, lots of electronics containing heavy metals goes into the trash).
Will you be okay with having to take your own durable bag to the supermarket instead of having the convenience of getting paper/plastic each and everytime you buy something.
Will you really be okay with waiting for the bus instead of hopping in your car and driving where and when you want.
Will you really be okay with reducing your consumption and not buying every new fad when it comes out.
Will you be okay with buying second hand goods (yes, even clothing) to prevent the depletion of resources.
are you serious? yes to all of the above!!! it takes so little effort to do these things, there's no excuse not to when the systems are all in place for you. it's one thing not to recycle when recycling isn't available in your area, but not to do it just because it would require slightly more effort than tossing everything in the garbage is another thing altogether.

it's true that the reason pollution is such a problem is because people are lazy and don't do anything to stop it, but that doesn't work as an excuse to just give up and let the world go to hell: the point is that we have to stop being lazy and do what little things we can to make a difference.

The best solution is to find a balancing point, but the problem is that everyone has to come to an agreement. But we know human beings can't even agree to not kill each other, so I very much doubt they'll ever agree to put limits on resource use.

Imagine telling China to slow down its current economic boom to allow procedures and measures to be put in place to reduce long term impacts of pollution. Or telling George Bush to enact laws to force industries to reduce pollution when he already has to worry about trade deficit, debt and unemployment.
doesn't seem so unimagineable to me. 144 states and organizations (including china) have ratified the kyoto protocol to date, agreeing to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. i really don't think it's too much to ask that the government pay attention to pollution along with other concerns.

[k_angel_iii]

are you serious? yes to all of the above!!! it takes so little effort to do these things, there's no excuse not to when the systems are all in place for you. ...
doesn't seem so unimagineable to me. 144 states and organizations (including china) have ratified the kyoto protocol to date, agreeing to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. i really don't think it's too much to ask that the government pay attention to pollution along with other concerns.

There are two ways to teach a child wisdom. Allow them to see the consequences of their actions, or advise them and hope they listen. Human beings will eventually learn either way they go.

The question is, when will they learn - before the advice, or after witnessing the consequences of their actions. I'm not advocating one path or the other. It isn't my place to make judgement or advocate.

[gogo]

yeah but bush didn't ratify the kyoto protocol!....and now he wants to drill in an alaskan preserve!.....*trying hard to not think about that man*

[k_angel_iii]

yeah but bush didn't ratify the kyoto protocol!....and now he wants to drill in an alaskan preserve!.....*trying hard to not think about that dumb*****
I definately believe the oil reserve shouldn't be drilled. Like all good strategy games, it is a good idea not to start using resources on defensible territory if possible. That's why it's called a reserve. The idea is to use up resources on other territories till it's finished. The value of scarce resources (the ones in reserve) goes up and viola, money money money :D .