nycowboy
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- Name: nycowboy
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re: soy concern, low on the food chain still h
Regardless all forms of pollution are not equal for the environment's ability to sustain it. A 20-cattle head grazing operation on 50 non-brittle acres back east, probably has minimal environmental impacts.
Pollution is a problem with the overuse of land, where more resources are taken from a parcel of land then are put back. While maybe your own 50 acres won't fix the world's woes, they don't necessarily have to make it worst either.On Umbra on homegrown meat posted 10 months, 3 weeks ago 33 Responses
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Low-Fat Cars
The problem with energy efficiency is it's too often like a severely obese person stuffing his or her face full of low-fat Twinkies in an effort to lose weight.
It doesn't work.
A lot of the reason why the automakers are broke is because we've been forcing them to sell cars that the public doesn't want, and moreover aren't profitable to sell.
While Toyota was marketing it's Prisus to keep the politicians happy, it was revving up production of a mid-size pickup, the Toyota Tacoma and making it's Toyota Tundra bigger. Toyota saves face, while bigger portions of it's profit come from bigger cars.
I like my Ford Ranger, and I'm actually going to buy a bigger truck next year. I impressed my friends when I pointed out my Ranger cost only $10 a week to fill up -- when gas was $4.25 -- because I only drive about 50 miles a week -- all up to state forest, to go camping, to my parents farm, or a few small trips around town. Big cars with big engines are fun to drive.
The only way we are going to reduce energy consumption is to drive less. To invest more in mass transit. I ride city buses about 80 miles a week, and it's a wonderful relaxing experience. Snow is so delightful when you don't drive.
Cars should be for fun, not commuting.
The global warming problem is an "urban problem". It's largely the fault of the people who live in New York City, Los Angles, Chicago, and Houston, who have no reason to be commuting in private automobiles. Mass transit works well in populated areas. If those cities halved their car millage driven in a year, greenhouse gases emissions from cars would be reduced by at least 25%. On Bob Lutz: Fuel-efficient cars, like global warming, a crock of sh*t posted 11 months ago 7 Responses
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Energy Conservation
I always hear about this wondrous technologies that have technical problems and energy efficiency, but rarely about energy conservation (the act of driving less).
There is nothing wrong with improving the efficiency of automobiles, but that's a lower priority then decreasing their use. Investing in mass transit is a far lower cost then investing in some moonshot for cars that probably will never work. On Carmakers hope to head off lithium shortages posted 11 months, 2 weeks ago 3 Responses
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Other Reasons to Save Domestic Auto Manufacturers
- American made cars are made with environmental standards. Foreign made cars are often made significantly in the third world, even if they are assembled in America to avoid tariffs. That means that factories don't have to necessarily have any kind of emissions control or take pollution abatement.
- American car companies, and the UAW pay their workers well and take care of them. Well paid workers have more money to contribute to the local economy, more money to spend on local/sustainable pursuits, and more time for outdoor recreation. Marginal people making marginal pay for hard labor don't have the time or money for environmental pursuits.
- American made cars are made with environmental standards. Foreign made cars are often made significantly in the third world, even if they are assembled in America to avoid tariffs. That means that factories don't have to necessarily have any kind of emissions control or take pollution abatement.
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Sure Why Not
I don't care if Supermarket X knows I shop at Supermarket Y and bring a bag from other places. I do it all the time. I'm not classy or anything. My Hannaford cloth bag goes to Walmart, JC Pennies, and Price Chopper. Nobody's kicked me out yet, regardless of my cowboy mannerisms.
Stay away from cheap reusable bags like the lightweight polypropylene reusables. They probably will end up be ripped or otherwise. Real cloth bags are only little more expensive, especially if you get them printed with some store logo.
Occasionally, I will get disposable plastic bags when I forget my bag, or buy more then I have bag space for. I save those bags, and almost always use them for the occasional trash bag or when camping. It's nice to just be able to burn 'em when they get dirty. On Reusable shopping bags not so green if you don't use 'em posted 1 year, 1 month ago 7 Responses