Comments on: Why Don’t More Americans Give a Damn About the Environment?

By: Chuck

Chuck — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:08:55 +0000

@DR
In response to this comment….”For example, the cost of gasoline should reflect not only the cost of the oil and refining process, but the environmental impacts of burning that gallon of gas, too.”
According to this site….
….http://www.taxfoundation.org/publications/show/1139.html
oil company profits from 1977 to 2004, adjusted for inflation, were $643 billion, while tax revenues were $1.343 trillion for the same period.

By: Frugal Babe

Frugal Babe — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 23:44:07 +0000

While I know that a huge number of Americans DO give a damn about the environment, it amazes me how many honestly don’t. I don’t think they’re doing it on purpose, rather they just aren’t making the connections between their own actions and the overall result. I know people who drive a mile each way to work, buy a plastic bottle of water every day, fill a paper cup with coffee at work each morning and toss the cup by noon, drive large SUVs that never leave the city streets, and throw newspapers into their garbage instead of the recycling. I don’t think that they set out to be environmentally “bad” but they sure aren’t making much of an effort to change things. The fact is, it’s very easy to be wasteful in our society, and so much of what we have is disposable and designed for short-term use.
That said, I spent two years in Africa with the Peace Corps in the late 90s, and in many ways things were worse there. There wasn’t nearly the level of pollution that we have here, simply because people didn’t have access to things like clothes dryers and cars – everybody walked or biked because it was the only option. But for the small stuff, there was almost no envirnomental awareness at all. Littering was a way of life, forests were clear cut to make charcoal… people were too focused on feeding their families and making a living to be concerned with how their actions were impacting the planet.

By: Chuck

Chuck — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 13:43:56 +0000

Had to leave for work when I posted earlier. Should have waited. Anyway, over 400 scientists is far from unanimous.

http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Minority.Blogs&ContentRecord_id=f80a6386-802a-23ad-40c8-3c63dc2d02cb

By: Chuck

Chuck — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 09:22:57 +0000

Peer reviewed research has NOT concluded the latter.

By: M3

M3 — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 21:24:46 +0000

I completely disagree with your initial premise that Americans don’t give a damn about the environment. I think a more accurate statement is that Americans are tired of being told they are evil human beings because of their lifestyles. Lots of us have switched to CFLs, green cleaning, home gardens, recycling, gone organic where feasible, use recycled and renewable products, cooking from scratch and composting, but that isn’t enough. We’re told we have to give up our cars, turn off our lights, etc., etc., etc. and then we still haven’t done enough. Until the system is changed, there is little the individual can do to effect change beyond the steps outlined above. I would love to switch to solar power, to have grey water water my plants, and to have viable alternatives to gasoline. I am tired of being told I don’t care. We’re doing the best we can with the choices we have.

By: DR

DR — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 10:15:53 +0000

Chuck, bad things start to happen at an increase in temperature of 1 degree. At about 3 degrees increase much of the U.S. becomes a desert. At 5 degrees millions die. I do agree that the temperature fluctuates over long periods, the question is whether the current increase is simply part of earth’s cycle or a result of human activity. Peer-reviewed scientific research unanimously concludes it’s the latter.

By: Chuck

Chuck — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 03:28:40 +0000

Global warming is not a myth. Ground-based and oceanic temperature records show warming of about three-quarters of a degree Celsius in the last century. About half of that warming, however, occurred before World War II and is widely thought to be related to solar activity. And is it just me, or doesn’t 3/4 of a degree rise in temperature seem pretty stable?

By: DR

DR — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 12:21:20 +0000

Jesse, I could be wrong, but I think your article proves me point. FYI, I’m not exactly off the grid. There is a lot more I could do to conserve energy. It’s only been in the last few years that I’ve really focused on energy conservation. But bit by bit I am trying to do better. With that, I’m off to mass transit for the trip in to work.

By: DR

DR — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 12:07:24 +0000

Boomie, thanks for the info. FYI, congestion pricing is “typical” in other countries. In London a few years ago I was surprised to learn that you have to pay to drive downtown during rush hour. Now I know that’s more common. As for who’s at fault, I suspect there is plenty of blame to go around.

By: boomie

boomie — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 21:22:38 +0000

If you will note: that photo at the opening of your blog is of New York City. Please be advised that our mayor, Michael Bloomberg has been trying for years now to get ‘congestion pricing’ for downtown Manhattan. Every single political figure has been fighting him tooth and nail, including the Federal govt. Congestion pricing will charge a premium to permit cars to pass through our congested downtown. The pricing will deter cars from entering and polluting our environment. The type of pricing is already done in large European cities (like Paris, London and Rome).

It’s NOT the people who are at fault. But the politicians, lobbyists, big corporations, etc. Stop blaming the little guy. We’ve got to go after the ‘real’ entities that are hindering us.