Comments Angry African has made

But will they buy it?

Yes, people will vote with their pockets and go "green" when it hurts them. And they'll buy the Prius and CFL to save money. But they also buy it because it makes them feel like the "activist" because they do something better than others when they switch on the car or flip the light switch. Problem is that too many other products are not helping the consumer to be the activist and is just trying to "sell" them a green product. They can't do much once they have bought it. The "goodness" came in the manufacturing and not in the consumer being part of it. More on http://angryafrican.net/2008/08/13/build-it-green-and-the ...On U.S. economy shifting to -- gasp! -- efficiency posted 1 year, 3 months ago 7 Responses

A storm in a teacup?

Look - it's more than just the environment. This isn't the Rumble in the Jungle. It's not World War II. It's not even Tom & Jerry. It's more like Wrestlemania. A little bit of fireworks and a laser display. But it is really just make-believe. A show. A show that happens every few years. Lots of noise and lots of action. But fundamentally still just a show. Nobody gets hurt. Yes, I am talking about the US Presidential election. http://angryafrican.net/2008/04/22/storm-in-a-teacup/On No difference between McCain and Dems on climate posted 1 year, 7 months ago 2 Responses

Another question

How do we get people to buy into it? I have a problem with the "coolness" factor of fighting Global Warming. But my problem is that Global Warming just isn't cool enough. And neither is the "weapons" and gadgets to help me in this fight. No badge or hip gadget I can wear. Makes it difficult to know what I should do. A Prius? Not cool. Not like the FJ Cruiser. Windfarms? Cool but I can't carry it around like an iPod to show off. Those pesky CO2's are just so tiny - smaller than the diamond my wife will accept and bigger than I can afford? http://angryafrican.net/2008/04/03/global-warming-is-just ...On The implicit assumption in Pielke Jr.'s Nature commentary posted 1 year, 7 months ago 38 Responses

Is everything green?

Every single day we are bombarded with new stories of something being eco-friendly. Now it is underwear? But can we really make eco-friendly goods? Or are we talking about eco-friendlier? Everything has an impact on the environment. Some just more than others. So why do we insist that some things are eco-friendly and others not. Is it not just a case of eco-friendlier than the alternative? Is a Prius eco-friendly? No. You won't suck on the exhaust pipe. It is just better than the alternative. More on this at my blog in http://angryafrican.net/2008/02/17/make-it-better-how-fri ...On How to green your underwear drawer posted 1 year, 8 months ago 7 Responses

Some standards please?

Thanks for this. Another reason why we need clear standards that should be communicated in clear ways to the consumers.On Some 'green' products test positive for nasty chemical posted 1 year, 8 months ago 6 Responses

And Africa burns

While they have their happy talks (and no action). Africa will continue to suffer more and more. What are they going to do about bringing Africa up to speed and addressing the major challenges (HIV/Aids, poverty, war etc) they face today? Maybe Africa is caught in a Catch 22? http://angryafrican.wordpress.com/2008/03/02/solving-the- ...On World's pollutingest countries to meet for climate talks in Japan posted 1 year, 8 months ago 1 Response

Expose everyone?

I agree - there are bigger fish to fry than going after those who are trying to do the "right thing". But ther eis a problem with this as well. What we think is good today might not turn out to be that good tomorrow. Biofuels anyone? I do think that it is because we always oversell everything each time we think we are closer to giving people what they want. Take for instance the idea that something is eco-friendly. Is it really? Or is it eco-friendlier? For example - your example - local food. It is better than something that came from 1000s of miles away. But it still has an impact. Just less of one. And that impact is environmental. The impact on poverty might actually be worse on the other side than on the locals if you remove the African/South American/Asian out of the equation. It comes down to what is eco-friendly? Is there something like eco-friendly? Or is it just eco-friendlier. More on my blog at www.angryafrican.netOn Mainstream journalism on green issues tends to bash do-gooders and give the PTB a pass posted 1 year, 8 months ago 6 Responses

We eat (real) meat

I am from Africa - and we love our meat. It is part of who we are and part of our culture. We don't look down at vegans. No matter how disgusted we are in their eating habits. So don't preach to us - respect us the way we respect others. And the way we respect the land. We eat meat - get used to it. We should really drop our attitudes towards meat and become a little more culturally sensitive. We don't want a new type of colonialism. Where people tell us how to live and what to eat. We have been there. And no thanks. We don't want to go back there. No matter how good your intentions. You had good intentions the last time. More on this in my blog at http://angryafrican.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/we-eat-meat- ...On Would Jesus eat fish during Lent? posted 1 year, 8 months ago 34 Responses

And Africa will hurt even more

Africa might suffer more from the changing climate than any other continent. Especially because of the lack of social safety nets provided by governments. Is there a solution for Africa when they have so much else to focus on - health, poverty, war and hunger? Or are we caught in a Catch 22 with no sustainable solutions? More on this in my blog at http://angryafrican.wordpress.com/2008/03/02/solving-the- ...On Rising food prices hit home around the world posted 1 year, 8 months ago 10 Responses

We eat meat - get used to it

I agree - how meat is offered to people are sickening. People don't know what they eat. But I am from Africa - and we love our meat. It is part of who we are and part of our culture. We don't look down at vegans. No matter how disgusted we are in their eating habits. So don't preach to us - respect us the way we respect others. And the way we respect the land. We eat meat - get used to it. We should really drop our attitudes towards meat and become a little more culturally sensitive. We don't want a new type of colonialism. Where people tell us how to live and what to eat. We have been there. And no thanks. We don't want to go back there. No matter how good your intentions. You had good intentions the last time. More on this in my blog at http://angryafrican.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/we-eat-meat- ...On If deals go through, three firms will own 90 percent of the U.S. beef market posted 1 year, 8 months ago 8 Responses

China - that's not what is bothering me

Green Olympics doesn't bother me. It won't happen - but they'll try to spin it to make us love them a bit more (spectators, travel, building etc - green? I think not). What bother me is the human rights issue (should be part of planet rights). The Olympic Committee should be consistent with how they implement and execute their decisions on who gets the Olympics. If China is okay - should Zimbabwe get it next? It will be consistent with what they call "the Olympic" values. Or maybe we should have a closer look at their values - if we can find it. More on this in my blog at http://angryafrican.wordpress.com/2008/02/09/and-the-olym ...On Readying for the Olympics, revisiting artificial turf, and racing with Formula One posted 1 year, 9 months ago 3 Responses

Don't forget about Africa though

Africa might suffer more from the changing climate than any other continent. Especially because of the lack of social safety nets provided by governments. Is there a solution for Africa when they have so much else to focus on - health, poverty, war and hunger? Or are we caught in a Catch 22 with no sustainable solutions? More on this in my blog at http://angryafrican.wordpress.com/2008/03/02/solving-the- ...On Fixing environmental problems necessary and doable, says OECD posted 1 year, 9 months ago 5 Responses

And the children of Africa suffers

It's not just America that is in danger. Africa might suffer more from the changing climate than any other continent. Especially because of the lack of social safety nets provided by governments. Is there a solution for Africa when they have so much else to focus on - health, poverty, war and hunger? Or are we caught in a Catch 22 with no sustainable solutions? More on this in my blog at http://angryafrican.wordpress.com/2008/03/02/solving-the- ...On The plot to destroy America posted 1 year, 9 months ago 3 Responses

And they'll forget about Africa

They will deny. And they will ignore Africa as well. No problem there with climate change I guess. Africa might suffer more from the changing climate than any other continent. Especially because of the lack of social safety nets provided by governments. Is there a solution for Africa when they have so much else to focus on - health, poverty, war and hunger? Or are we caught in a Catch 22 with no sustainable solutions? More on this in my blog at http://angryafrican.wordpress.com/2008/03/02/solving-the- ...On Climate skeptics hold conference in New York City posted 1 year, 9 months ago 3 Responses

And Africa and carbon?

Africa might suffer more from the changing climate than any other continent. Especially because of the lack of social safety nets provided by governments. Is there a solution for Africa when they have so much else to focus on - health, poverty, war and hunger? Or are we caught in a Catch 22 with no sustainable solutions? More on this in my blog at http://angryafrican.wordpress.com/2008/03/02/solving-the- ...On Can we trust carbon labeling? posted 1 year, 9 months ago 7 Responses

Africa and climate change - Catch 22?

It seems as if the global climate debate is missing a key ingredient. Africa. Africa might suffer more from the changing climate than any other continent. Especially because of the lack of social safety nets provided by governments. Is there a solution for Africa when they have so much else to focus on - health, poverty, war and hunger? Or are we caught in a Catch 22 with no sustainable solutions? More on this in my blog at http://angryafrican.wordpress.com/2008/03/02/solving-the- ...On The core progressive issue in the fight over climate legislation posted 1 year, 9 months ago 25 Responses

We eat meat - get used to it

Thanks PETA. But what do we do in the rest of the real world? In Africa eating meat is part of the culture (I am from there). People don't look down at vegetarians, but we get the feeling that we can't be green and eat meat? But we eat meat and will be green - more on this in my blog at http://angryafrican.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/we-eat-meat- ...On PETA wants Hollywood hills ad space posted 1 year, 9 months ago 4 Responses