Comments kristen510 has made

  • I agree with anasimeon. We have to accept that our actions affect others, including future generations we'll never know- not just the generation we are producing. I cannot agree with the "baby Einstein" theory  "maybe my kid will discover the cure for cancer". I know many well meaning, and well-off, people whose children were seemingly born obsessed with muscle cars, drugs, and consumerism. No one intentionally raises a child to love Hummers. Yet, SUVs are all over the place.

    Regarding delusion, I have to say, most of my friends have kids and having kids makes people crazy. It makes them do things no normal person would do. One of my friends wants his kid to ride his bike everywhere, but because the streets are too "dangerous" for his kid to ride the bike by himself, my friend ends up biking to school with the kid, dropping the kid off, biking to work, and having his wife drive around picking up bikes and people at the end of the day with the minivan. Lunacy, right? And this is in the Bay Area, where sustainability is a household word.

    Our personal choices are our own. But we have to think of how our decisions affect other people. I think the entire human race is in a crisis of misunderstanding and lack of respect for others. This is evident in pretty much everything we do. We become so wrapped up in our lives that we forget others' lives matter. Somewhere along the line, human reproduction became a sacred act rather than the simple biological process of perpetuating the species. If we really do consider ourselves to be above monkeys, we should not simply respond to the impulse to reproduce. If we consider this process to be such a life-changing miracle, we should consider its ramifications equally.

    On Ask Umbra on big families posted 2 months, 3 weeks ago 48 Responses

  • Funny, I don't recall doing any name-calling either. If you want to feel put upon and attacked by a wacko eco-extremist, go for it, but using the phrase "selfish and anthropocentric thinking" is hardly name-calling. Speaking of extreme, recall the original topic of this article, which is big families. I did not say no one should reproduce. I said that people should not delude themselves into thinking that producing children is good for the planet, and that those who produce children are going to have to deal with the fact that there may not be enough natural or economic resources to sustain those children. It's happening right now, an alarming amount of our young people cannot get a job because there are not enough resources and people all over the world are starving to death. That's not an opinion. It's a fact.

    Regarding the loss of environmental values, it's pretty well known that societal patterns do not perpetuate solely on the basis of familial teachings. There are many worthy organizations that educate children (especially disadvantaged children, whose parents largely don't teach sustainability) about environmental topics through schools, field trips, and summer camps. I work for one and work with many others. I think this is a far more effective approach than dedicating one's life to educating only one's own children. How about hundreds of kids a year- thousands of kids over a lifetime? This is the scale that will get us where we need to go.

     

    On Ask Umbra on big families posted 2 months, 3 weeks ago 48 Responses

  • Oh come on now, let's not be drama queens here. I do not recall mentioning mass suicide in my comment, Mr. or Ms. "Moderate". My point is that the people already placed here upon the earth should make the most of our time here by doing everything we can to reverse the damage our species is doing to the planet that we all need to survive. What's the point of preserving the mighty human race if the planet it depends on is unable to sustain it? A lifetime of an individual's attempts at sustainability are undone by a person's choice to have a single child. Someone has to be accountable eventually, and we are reaching the end of the time when everyone can have kids just because they feel like it. As for working harder for a better world because of your kids, that's great. I just wanted to point out that it's possible to work to better the world without reproducing. Finally, the concept that those who live sustainably should be reproducing in an attempt to outnumber those who do not is absurd. We're all on the same ark no matter who we are or what we believe, and sooner or later we're going to sink it. We are all going to be forced to live sustainably whether we like it or not. For those who have not managed to miss the news about the current water/climate change/economic crises, I am sure you agree.

    On Ask Umbra on big families posted 2 months, 3 weeks ago 48 Responses

  • Parenting isn't a vocation. It's obviously a life-consuming hobby for some, but no reasonable person could ever believe that having children makes the world a better place. Anyone who does so is delusional, probably because they think the sun wouldn't rise tomorrow without their own little angels treading upon the Earth. The truth is we're all just people and we're taking over the planet. It makes no difference who you are, if you have children you are just adding to the burden that others, like me, have to compensate for by having no children at all.  Besides this basic fact, a lot of parents in the US are now welcoming their grown, jobless children back into the house because there are no jobs for any of them. The more people we have the more competition for any resource-- be it water, food, land, or jobs-- will increase. Prospestive parents must think of things like this before they say, "I am a good parent and I can have as many children as I want." This is the kind of selfish and anthropocentric thinking that got us into this mess.

     

    On Ask Umbra on big families posted 2 months, 3 weeks ago 48 Responses

  • The perfect lawn is no lawn at all. That expanse of green has so many drawbacks:

    -Excessive water use.

    -Necessity of herbicides and fertilizers which poison our streams and groundwater.

    -ZERO habitat and food value for birds, bugs, and wildlife.

    -Boring. Not even the most imaginative kid can have as much fun on a bare lawn as in a tree or other secret garden hiding place.

    Urban gardens with the proper plants can make a huge difference to native wildlife, especially pollinators like native bees. In terms of beauty, function and resource conservation, a yard filled with native drought-tolerant plants is the solution.

    On The perfect lawn doesn't require a gas-powered mower posted 4 months, 2 weeks ago 10 Responses

  • Call it what it is. Most Americans are mindless consumers. We do much to earn this label. Most of us still don't care about the consequences of our buying habits and wasteful living. Many of us don't even know what the consequences are. Ask people on the street about the Pacific Gyre and you get blank stares. Until we are willing to educate ourselves and make changes in our daily lives (about everything-not just consumables), we are more consumers than citizens.

    It doesn't matter what you call them... everyone should have to earn the title of "Citizen". And in terms of responsiblity to our planet and country, most of us fail.

     

    On Stop calling Americans “consumers” posted 4 months, 4 weeks ago 6 Responses

  • I used to get in shouting matches with my roommate because of this very thing.. lights on all day, tons of recyclables in the trash, and on and on. After having gone through roughly 12 roommates in my life I can say that the overarching problem with people like this roomate is that they have no consideration for other people or anything that does not have an adverse effect on their own immediate situation. My roommate was wealthy, for instance, and thus she figured that she didn't need to pay her share of the electric bill on time because I was the name on the account; she couldn't get in trouble. Even though I was always conspicuously absent from the house (because I was hard at work), she never managed to figure out that I might not be as well off as she (read: her parents) was. She also learned that if she waited long enough, other people would clean up her pile of dishes for her, because we needed to eat off of them.

    It's tough to get through to people like this, but the best way to approach it would be to hit them in the pocketbook. Explain to them that their habits are costing them money. Make them a spreadsheet if you have to. I ended up charging my roommate double her share of PGE because she let her boyfriend live at our house for free and all he did all day was watch TV. If they see the difference in cost between your habits and their spendthrift energy usage, and are forced to pay for it, they will either change their ways or get fed up and move out.

    On Ask Umbra on ungreen roommates posted 5 months, 3 weeks ago 5 Responses

  •  

    "Micro-hydro" should not be an option for "green" power. Brian is right. As a staff member of a firm that performs stream consultations for landowners, I can attest that people should generally just let their streams alone.

    Meddling in streams in pretty much never a good idea. Instream structures of any kind upset the natural balance of stream systems, often causing erosion and sediment transport problems. And imagine what happens when there's a storm flow and all that material gets washed downstream, ending up clogging a culvert or washing into the ocean. It happens all the time. And who wants a backyard stream that is full of pipes and has completely lost its natural aesthetic? Humans' approach to "harnessing" and controlling stream systems has been a complete disaster up to now and to imply that it's ok to treat the stream as a power grid contributes to the attitude that we can do whatever we want with a natural resource as long as it is on our property. This attitude is misguided.

    Apologies, Umbra, but with all due respect I think you are dead wrong on this one.

    On Ask Umbra on hydro power at home posted 6 months, 4 weeks ago 5 Responses

  • I wish!

    I hate to say this, but any student who is an athlete or has after school activities is not going to get by on some veggies and dip. It's a nice thought, but this is where the disconnect between idealism and reality happens. I love vegetables, but would not have touched this lunch as a kid. It would have gone straight into the trash bin. It's really tough to create a healthy lunch for a kid with a three hour practice at the end of the school day with nothing but vegetables. And a portable salad? Forget it. That requires a fork, separate dressing, and a large container that won't get smashed in a backpack (as if there is even room in kids' overloaded packs these days). It's up to the school districts to force the cafeterias to provide better food- portable, edible and healthy still don't go together and kids shouldn't be forced to choose between something healthy and something they want to eat.On For a quick fix to school-lunch woes, pack an appealing salad and dip posted 9 months, 1 week ago 5 Responses

  • Recyled vegetable oil is the way to go

    Recycled vegetable oil negates the demand for virgin stock and does not cause forests to be cut. Many stations, including mine, purchase only fuel made from recycled vegetable oil. Your supplier will be able to tell you if the oil they use is recycled or virgin. If they don't use recycled, pressure them to find some. There are plenty of potato chip factories in the US.On Umbra on biodiesel vs. hybrids posted 10 months, 3 weeks ago 12 Responses

  • More on VW diesels... bad news for new car buyers

    Just a few clarifications on the VW biodiesel front.
    First, the pre-2005 TDIs are the ones that are getting 50+ MPG. With each generation after 2006 the mileage keeps going down, with the 2009s getting in the 30's (boo). So buying a used pre-2005 will get you the best MPG for your buck.
    ALSO: VERY IMPORTANT: owners of the new 2009 TDIs are reporting issues with the use of biodiesel, namely that the formulation messes with the computer's expectations of emissions and causes engine problems, Check engine lights etc as a result. Those in the know are recommending early 2000's models for this reason.

    Anyone looking into purchasing a diesel vehicle should read through the TDI 101 thread on TDIClub before buying. There is much you should learn before buying because you are essentially putting your car on a special diet- no switching back and forth from D2 to B100.

    Lastly, there are other added benefits to using biodiesel, such as the fact that most of the retail stations are co-ops, which means that when you buy your fuel you are supporting people in your community. Hybrid drivers are still giving their money to Exxon.
    -Kristen Q.
    2002 Jetta TDI, B100 for 60,000 milesOn Umbra on biodiesel vs. hybrids posted 10 months, 3 weeks ago 12 Responses

  • Rent one!

    Halloween costumes as a whole are not very green. Whatever material used to create them is used only for one night and then usually, especially if elaborate, the whole thing has to be thrown away. Costume rentals eliminate this conundrum. Or, like my husband, wear the same battered wig every year...On Umbra on eco-themed Halloween costumes posted 1 year, 1 month ago 5 Responses

  • IUDs- Another Option

    I'd like to add to the list of waste-reducing menstrual methods, that many women who use an IUD (intrauterine device) often stop having periods entirely, contributing significantly to sanity in more ways than one.  

    The Mirena IUD, for instance, prevents pregnancy through a combination of ultra-low hormone levels released through the device and preventing lining from accumulating on the wall of the uterus, which is the same reason periods happen less frequently or not at all. Preventing periods, of course, prevents the need for feminine products. And this method is truly worry-free. Kaiser paid for mine, and I love it.On Umbra on that time of the month posted 1 year, 9 months ago 3 Responses

  • Playtime at Night

    For those who live in urban areas without the threat of predation to our cats, I suggest letting your kitties out at night and back in as soon as you get up in the morning. Then shut them in all day until you come home.  For those of us who get up with or shortly after the birds (and have teeny tiny houses), this works out well.
    Nighttime outdoors has the following benefits:
    -Enough outdoor playtime to satisfy stir crazy kitties (like mine)
    -Hunting opportunities increased for nocturnal pests such as mice and rats, and virtually eliminated for birds
    -Kitties thrilled to come in in the morning in anticipation of breakfast
    -Less danger from roads (fewer cars out)

    Drawbacks include:
    -Difficult with snow, in rural areas and on very hot days with no a/c
    -For folks who stay home all day, and have escape artists for pets, this can still be a problem
    -Not foolproof, but then again nothing truly is.
    On Umbra on cats and birds posted 1 year, 9 months ago 72 Responses