Without a Hitch

Divorce is bad for the planet, says research

Posted at 10:07 AM on 04 Dec 2007

Breaking up is hard to do -- and bad for the planet too, says new research. Divorce rates around the world are rising, with the consequence of multi-person homes dissolving into multiple residences, which use more land, water, and energy. Ecologist Jianguo Liu, publishing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, concluded that in 2005 in the U.S. alone, divorced households used 73 billion more kilowatt-hours annually of electricity and 627 billion gallons more water annually than would have been used if folks had stayed hitched. "People have been talking about how to protect the environment and combat climate change, but divorce is an overlooked factor that needs to be considered," Liu said. Sure, "some people really need to get divorces," he says. But "one way to be more environmentally friendly is to live with other people and that will reduce the impact."

sources: Associated Press, The Guardian, The Times
see also, in Gristmill: Couples divorcing in Java required to plant trees

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Comments: (2 comments)

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Strange analysis of data.

Getting divorced is not the issue since the people are not making it worse than BEFORE they were married. Divorce does not create more demand for property. The people who got married most likely made living space available when they moved together. For a while they shared, now they are separate again. No difference overall. Unless they have children or higher living standard expectations. As most of us know, it is not enough to be married to have children. You need something else. And increasing your standard of living is another problem not connected to marriage.

Come to think about it, the whole issue has nothing to with divorce or marriage at all. It has to do with living NOT ALONE.

So, if you want to create less pollution, use less energy, and consume fewer resources LIVE with at least one other person (married or not)! Do things together with other people. Share products, equipment, living space, vehicles, services, etc. Your neighbors, your friends, strangers. That is what makes living together, car pooling, public transportation, etc. "green". Be careful with taking showers together though. Most likely that wastes more hot water than two people taking showers individually.

And then write an article or collect data claiming that the concept of sharing benefits the environment. Duuuh!

Karsten
--
http://www.polluteless.com
Practical Advice to Pollute Less

by PolluteLessDotCom at 10:49 AM on 05 Dec 2007

Absolutely nuts

So prisons must be very good for the environment, eh?

Sport utility vehicles should also be recognized as better for the environment in some ways as well then - if a big family can buy one SUV instead of two sedans, and drive around together as opposed to in two cars, that's a big win for the environment.

This is just one nutty conclusion. I don't even know how to respond really. Do ecologists think that people ENJOY divorce and do it for fun? Has this ecologist ever even been in a relationship?

Coming up with crazy off the wall and drastic ideas for how we should completely change our life for the sake of the environment isn't going to help. It's only going to anger and distance you from the people who are on the fence about climate change and all that.

What next, a divorce tax? Or will someone conclude that people with long hair use more water and soap to wash their hair and recomend that we all shave our heads? Or that no couple should have more than one child, or perhaps even no children? Mandatory birth control for everyone?

Seriously Grist, this article is beneath you.

by ronmichael at 5:55 AM on 11 Dec 2007

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