Hippy-crits

[Segnosaur]

I have a friend that lives in a "pro-Environment co-op" building that I teasingly call "A nest of hippies".

Supposedly a requirement to live in the building is to be pro-environment. (They have rules, for example, that air conditioners are not allowed, there is no parking, and recycling bins are everywhere.

Yet when visiting the building I see plenty of "no nuclear power" signs (despite the fact that nuclear may be one of the most "green" sources of power we have, and posters for "organic food" (even though organic food requires more land to grow the same food, and thus might ultimately harm the environment more.) So, basically they've taken all the "popular pro-environment messages" and failed to do any research on whether they're true.

My motto.. if you truly want to help the environment, start by getting rid of the hippies.

 

[I Ratant]

...

My motto.. if you truly want to help the environment, start by getting rid of the hippies.

.
Why do so many solutions to problems involve getting "rid" of those with the problem?
Why not edumucate them out of their error, instead of sending them to FEMA camps to become part of the countryside?

 

[Segnosaur]

My motto.. if you truly want to help the environment, start by getting rid of the hippies.

Why do so many solutions to problems involve getting "rid" of those with the problem?
Why not edumucate them out of their error, instead of sending them to FEMA camps to become part of the countryside?

I'm assuming you do recognize my comment wasn't to be taken totally seriously. (Besides, all those FEMA camps are supposed to be used once the Illuminati start to take control and ship everyone off who questions the conspiracy.)

Of course, you're assuming you could educate them out of their errors. I've pointed out these sorts of things to my friend in the past, to no avail. She's got her mind set on what is right and doesn't even want to entertain information that might change her views.

 

[I Ratant]

50 years ago, when I was a hippie.. kinda.. I never met any that I considered were playing with a full deck to start with.
At the love-ins in Griffith Park, I'd see just a buncha stoners grokking on living... really simple basic minimal effort living.
Discussing Scientology with them, waste of time, they had no idea what it was about, or its origins.
Just a chance to ask someone with a clean shirt and pants for spare change.

 

[tourmaline]

I have a friend that lives in a "pro-Environment co-op" building that I teasingly call "A nest of hippies".

Supposedly a requirement to live in the building is to be pro-environment. (They have rules, for example, that air conditioners are not allowed, there is no parking, and recycling bins are everywhere.

Yet when visiting the building I see plenty of "no nuclear power" signs (despite the fact that nuclear may be one of the most "green" sources of power we have, and posters for "organic food" (even though organic food requires more land to grow the same food, and thus might ultimately harm the environment more.) So, basically they've taken all the "popular pro-environment messages" and failed to do any research on whether they're true.

My motto.. if you truly want to help the environment, start by getting rid of the hippies.

Funny, the friend I mention in the OP believes strongly believes in AGW and is strongly against nuclear power. He always cites 3 Mile Island, Chernobyl, and now Fukushima. He ignores the magnitude of 3MI and the fundamentally stupid nature of the other two. Some how he never considers which is worse meltdowns or the plethora of consequences of AGW.

 

[Tsukasa Buddha]

I have a friend that lives in a "pro-Environment co-op" building that I teasingly call "A nest of hippies".

Supposedly a requirement to live in the building is to be pro-environment. (They have rules, for example, that air conditioners are not allowed, there is no parking, and recycling bins are everywhere.

Yet when visiting the building I see plenty of "no nuclear power" signs (despite the fact that nuclear may be one of the most "green" sources of power we have, and posters for "organic food" (even though organic food requires more land to grow the same food, and thus might ultimately harm the environment more.) So, basically they've taken all the "popular pro-environment messages" and failed to do any research on whether they're true.

My motto.. if you truly want to help the environment, start by getting rid of the hippies.

To be fair, nuclear waste is green in a different way a and pesticides have been known to cause environmental damage. I'm not saying your friends are completely right, but there are a lot of value judgements to be made.

 

[Varanid]

I just finished a 60+ hour work week as an environmental educator, and don't have the energy to do any more preaching.

I have two points:

1) Don't lump dumb hippies in with dedicated, thoughtful environmentalists. I don't want them on my team (except for their herb).

2) You are responsible for your job. I don't buy the "I am just doing my job" argument. You are responsible for your actions, regardless of whether it is actions that feed your family or not. However, I think there are bigger fish to fry than those in your industry. Though, to be honest, I haven't researched metals / mining very much. I would start first with developers destroying habitat faster than you can blink, were I to get uppity about it.

ETA: This is directed mostly at the OP. Sorry, forgot to quote.

 

[Varanid]

Ugh...sorry...one more thing.

Pesticides / Herbicides can and do cause damage to local ecosystems, so I tend to embrace (in theory) organic farming.

The fact that there are too many friggin people on the planet makes this a complicated issue though.

I don't really (well, maybe on a grumpy day) want people to starve, but I don't want to live in a world bereft of the natural habitats that I (and gagillions of others) enjoy.

 

[jayh]

I was at a lecture given by a local college professor. He talked buzzwords about local planned communities, etc. Except that he had a nice little home deep in the woods and a 50 mile commute.

On the other hand, much of the stuff labelled 'save the earth' is basically genuflecting. Nice in concept, but would not change much (often things that would not change much even if everybody did them).

 

[jayh]

What do I do for the environment ? I don't consume too much fossile fuel, mostly : I go everywhere using bicycle (below 40 km), and long distance using train (above 40 km). I do not heat much in winter, I put another wooly pull over instead. I try to avoid any stuff in a packing with a lot of plastic. What's nice about all of this, is since I don't have much money, the same method can be used to spare a little every month, for a gift, or christmas. That's about it.

In my younger days I was somewhat like that (I'm still selectively frugal, but only where I choose to be). But I began to realize that I only have one life and that my self flagellation was only hurting me. I decided I was no longer going to be guilted into trying to atone for other peoples behaviors. I realized I was being driven by the secular version of Catholic guilt. Now, if I walk, or ride a bicycle it's only for my own personal exercise, not some personal need to 'save the planet'. And if I need to drive (like my work commute) I do it. I won't give up my job (the fact that I can travel means I can make a lot more money), and I won't give up my home.