Comments BiggusCattus has made

  • See My Take

    You, like I, fell victim to perpetuating this story:

    http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/01/seven-grams-per-g ...

    Agree

    • The LBL study is definitive
    • Telecommuting, if you can it, is a good thing

    Disagree
    • I don't take Google's number as gospel - they have a self-interest in reporting something low.
    • Efficiency is not the solution, conservation is.

    YouTube as much as possible?

    markOn The energy impact of web searches is very low posted 10 months, 3 weeks ago 5 Responses

  • Environmentalists Missing a Great Opportunity...

    to buy a used SUV!  As you said Joe, prices on these things are simply tumbling.

    If you have already cut your driving to all but essential trips, you might get better value out of a two or three year old SUV than a Prius.  It's easy to get one for around 7K these days; compare that to 25K+ for a Prius.  And the SUV, for bad or better, is already here - you don't need to manufacture a new car.

    You will also be paying real money for every mile you drive in an SUV - a lot more money than you would in a Prius.  Assuming that environmentlists respond to price signals as well as everyone else, this will be a tremendous incentive not to drive.  I know - I'm an environmentalist who bought an SUV.

    It's surprising how many of the eco-conscious are ready to promote purchasing new transportation technology without considering the economics of the buy. To borrow a term from Jim Kunstler, ecos seems to be perpetuating the era of "Happy Motoring" as well or better than most other groups.  Few want to to take the hard steps - stop driving, and pay dearly in your real, hard-earned cash for every mile driven.On No schadenfreude over the death of SUVs posted 1 year, 3 months ago 59 Responses

  • I don't see...


    how this survey addresses the guilt issue; it paints a demographic of who the typical customer is, the actions they take, etc., and I think it's pretty interesting.  But the survey is not about the feelings people have when doing these things; in fact, one could say they do everything on the survey out of guilt.  Or, out of hope.  Or, out of thriftiness.  It doesn't ask pointed questions linking feelings to their actions.  Basically, the survey doesn't operationalize guilt.On Offset customers don't buy offsets to justify their other behavior posted 2 years, 3 months ago 37 Responses

  • Wow! On Grist!

    How exciting!

    http://www.treehugger.com/authors/index.php?author=marko

    But it's only 750 mWh in the first article

    http://ecoiron.blogspot.com/2007/07/facts-and-fallacies-o ...

    and this takes into account the LCD screens.  

    markOn Back(ground) in black posted 2 years, 4 months ago 8 Responses

  • Thanks

    The rule of thumb followed by most people will be, "If I have to sacrifice anything, forget it." And that is the rule of thumb we should design our solutions around."

    Finally a strike at the root of the issue; there is no reason to sacrifice your cash to solve the carbon problem.  These two simple sentences negate every personal offsetting scheme.

    Thank you.
    On Trees should play a bigger role posted 2 years, 4 months ago 27 Responses

  • Use The System

    I see carbon offsets as akin to charity - give money if you want, but don't expect anything in return.

    Many people are nervous about the environment and want to help in some way, and I agree with Romm that the best thing you can do is reduce your own footprint.  But, if you have to buy goods and services, just buy them; your obligation to the environment is included in the price.  This is not a perfect system but it is improving, and when some cap and trade legislation comes through prices will jump considerably.

    The situation seems bad, but there is no reason to jump the gun; fly to France, drive a Hummer if you want, etc. while you still can afford it.  This is in fact what most people are doing.  Offset project will be funded in plenty of time to make a difference, by corporations with much deeper pockets than yourself who are legally obligated to do so.  Don't take on the weight of the world.On Many offset critics appear to be shadowboxing posted 2 years, 4 months ago 76 Responses

  • Groan


    Yet another offsetting program, where the consumer pays the corporation. I can't believe people go for these schemes; PG&E is laughing all the way to the bank.

    Your obligation to offsetting carbon is completely, 100 percent incorporated in the price of the goods and services you pay for.  While it is true the the economic system runs a little roughshod over the environment right now, as soon as some of these cap and trade programs go into effect that anomaly will be substantially corrected.  Business will very quickly pass on these costs to you.

    Here's my advice; take that money you planned to put into voluntary carbon offsets and go buy dinner for your family; go buy steaks, go buy lobster, and enjoy it.  With the money you have left over, put it in the bank.  For as soon as
    obligatory carbon pricing hits the economy, you are going to pay dearly.On Breaking all the offset rules posted 2 years, 4 months ago 16 Responses

  • The Change to the Resource Economy

    I found this article refreshing because it demonstrates exactly what the issue is - when resources become scarce, humans use them up, faster than ever.  It illustrates that many rhetorical buzzwords of the green movement - conserve, save, protect - mean nothing in the face of diminishing resources.  People simply will not do these things.On Visit exotic travel spots before we obliterate them! posted 2 years, 6 months ago 13 Responses

  • The Proper Churchill Quote

    is this:

    "They go on in strange paradox, decided only to be undecided, resolved to be irresolute, adamant for drift, solid for fluidity, all powerful to be impotent. The era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to a close. In its place, we are entering a period of consequences."On Churchill, not Chamberlain posted 2 years, 6 months ago 58 Responses

  • Disclaimer


    Could we have a disclaimer on this post - Adam is VP of marketing for a for-profit carbon offsetter.On Why are environmental activists so clueless at marketing climate change solutions? posted 2 years, 8 months ago 36 Responses

  • The Best

    I wish all the sessions were styled this way, I would read every single one of them.On Liveblogging is the new black posted 2 years, 8 months ago 27 Responses

  • Here's What I Had in Mind

    I think New Orleans is(was?) the perfect example.  We poured money into that crisis, lots of people gave out of their own pockets to help New Orleans out.  There's the pride, the unsolicited giving.  They got their help, fast, to try and restore that city.

    Now here's the power - the money was wasted,  completely and utterly.  We kept Bourbon Street, a few square blocks.  The rest was mismanaged by a few individuals in control, soaked up as it were, now it is gone.  

    New Orleans is doing poorly these days because pride and power were divorced from each other in that situation.  We need a WWII atmosphere where we can bring these things together.On It's not a moral health club posted 2 years, 9 months ago 20 Responses

  • Provocative

    This is a provocative post, well worth reading and the comments as well.  To me the issue is always power, the power to control people or profit off of them.  I don't think it's a big secret that, short term, clean water or mosquito netting would definitely help, there's just nothing in it for anyone with the resources to make this change.  There's no power to be gained.  I don't think I'm surprising anyone when I say that this is never going to happen.

    Long term, I think it's a little different - we are definitely seeing a lot of investment in clean technologies because of the risk/reward ratio, but I  think we will start relieving some misery because it will be advantageous to do so.  Here it's a pride thing; when New York goes underwater, you can bet they will get some help because the US is not going to let one of their most prized cities just crumble.

    Primal pride and power. It's these instincts that need to be recognized and harnessed to stop global warming.On It's not a moral health club posted 2 years, 9 months ago 20 Responses