Welcome to ASFN Fan Forums! We're glad to have you here. Please feel free to browse the forum. We'd like to invite you to join our community; doing so will enable you to view additional forums and post with our other members.
Registered Members don't see these ads. Register now it's free!
There are some serious issues in front of this country. It used to be that we as a nation—meaning us, the citizenry—would “cowboy-up” and do what needed to be done to address the problem. If that meant working harder, we worked harder. If it meant going without, we went without.
Today, that mindset seems to be a thing of the past. From where I sit we are more willing to point fingers and expect help to come from the government instead of the people.
Whether you agree with me or you don’t, what are you willing to sacrifice of your presumably fairly comfortable lifestyle to try to stem things like global warming (or pollution, if you’re so inclined)? … or, a successful outcome in the Middle East (for everyone involved)? … or, a workable health care system?
Are you willing to be among the first to do it, even if it doesn't seem like your single contribution will make a difference?
Registered Members don't see these ads. Register now it's free!
__________________ America cannot have an empire abroad and a Republic at home.
I would pay a serious gasoline tax, especially if the funds went towards a comprehensive energy independence program.
You do realize you're already paying a serious gasoline tax, don't you? Nearly a quarter of the price per gallon is taxes.
__________________
Go tell the Spartans, stranger passing by,
that here obedient to their laws we lie.
The Greek disdain for archery was best expressed at Thermopylae (480BC) by Dieneces the Spartan - when he was told that the Persian arrows flew so thick that they blocked out the sun, he replied, "So much the better, then we will fight in the shade."
What got me thinking about the subject is the environment. I’m not so much worried about global warming as I’m not 100% convinced that’s man-made, but the destruction of our planet through pollution is a big problem regardless.
I want to seriously reduce my environmental footprint and am looking at steps I can take to do that—most are small things. I need to be better about recycling, being more efficient in my everyday energy use (simple things—not leaving lights/appliances on, don’t run the water to shave/brush teeth, stuff like that). I’m also going to look into getting solar panels installed at the house (though I probably won’t be able to afford it for a couple of years) as well as building some rain barrels on my downspouts for irrigation use and exploring the feasibility of getting a hybrid and trading in one of our existing cars.
(EDIT: I'm also looking for some more fulfilling work in my field with in the environmental industry)
But in the larger scale, I’m willing to consider “radical” legislation to reduce our commercial output of fossil fuels and other pollutants and funding of technology research for things like fossil fuels and viable water desalination.
I don’t think we’re going to find a successful easy fix that won’t turn our economy and life as we know it upside down, and I think I’m prepared to vote for a major change in the way corporate and public America “fuels” the economy (haha, get it…”fuels?” )—even if that means big business needs to change gears significantly and we hit some bumps in the road in the process.
__________________ America cannot have an empire abroad and a Republic at home.
Well the "easy" things to do are carpool, recycle, use compact fluorescent bulbs anywhere you can. Conserve water as you said. Switch to paper when asked paper or plastic, or better yet buy those cloth bags and re-use them
when you buy groceries.
To a degree I think most people already do some of that but we can always do more.
What got me thinking about the subject is the environment. I’m not so much worried about global warming as I’m not 100% convinced that’s man-made, but the destruction of our planet through pollution is a big problem regardless.
I want to seriously reduce my environmental footprint and am looking at steps I can take to do that—most are small things. I need to be better about recycling, being more efficient in my everyday energy use (simple things—not leaving lights/appliances on, don’t run the water to shave/brush teeth, stuff like that). I’m also going to look into getting solar panels installed at the house (though I probably won’t be able to afford it for a couple of years) as well as building some rain barrels on my downspouts for irrigation use and exploring the feasibility of getting a hybrid and trading in one of our existing cars.
(EDIT: I'm also looking for some more fulfilling work in my field with in the environmental industry)
But in the larger scale, I’m willing to consider “radical” legislation to reduce our commercial output of fossil fuels and other pollutants and funding of technology research for things like fossil fuels and viable water desalination.
I don’t think we’re going to find a successful easy fix that won’t turn our economy and life as we know it upside down, and I think I’m prepared to vote for a major change in the way corporate and public America “fuels” the economy (haha, get it…”fuels?” )—even if that means big business needs to change gears significantly and we hit some bumps in the road in the process.
First thing 1$ extra a gallon tax POW right in the chops on Gasoline only.
Then the ONLY thing I'm willing to do is invest more in alternative clean fuels, to develop a national strategy to get there as fast as we technoligically can, a new Manhattan project that cut through the greed and just gets it done.
__________________
At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide.
What got me thinking about the subject is the environment. I’m not so much worried about global warming as I’m not 100% convinced that’s man-made, but the destruction of our planet through pollution is a big problem regardless.
I want to seriously reduce my environmental footprint and am looking at steps I can take to do that—most are small things. I need to be better about recycling, being more efficient in my everyday energy use (simple things—not leaving lights/appliances on, don’t run the water to shave/brush teeth, stuff like that). I’m also going to look into getting solar panels installed at the house (though I probably won’t be able to afford it for a couple of years) as well as building some rain barrels on my downspouts for irrigation use and exploring the feasibility of getting a hybrid and trading in one of our existing cars.
(EDIT: I'm also looking for some more fulfilling work in my field with in the environmental industry)
But in the larger scale, I’m willing to consider “radical” legislation to reduce our commercial output of fossil fuels and other pollutants and funding of technology research for things like fossil fuels and viable water desalination.
I don’t think we’re going to find a successful easy fix that won’t turn our economy and life as we know it upside down, and I think I’m prepared to vote for a major change in the way corporate and public America “fuels” the economy (haha, get it…”fuels?” )—even if that means big business needs to change gears significantly and we hit some bumps in the road in the process.
Good post.
I think there are a lot of people who say "global warming hasn't been proven" as an excuse to keep polluting. Whether global warming is happening or not shouldn't affect people's efforts to keep the planet clean, imo.
Hybrids are cool...really quiet, too!
I would also buy solar panels. Hopefully they'll come down in price soon. Could you imagine if the exterior of this thing was all solar panels?
As has been said already, the easy things I'm already doing... vigilent about electricity use and reduce water consumption (I am already more than 25% below my 2006 water usage!).
I think if the Federal and state governments issued some strong mandates, backed by practical examples, we would see more engagement here... Everyone I know is willing to do more. And in many cases they are...
I think there are a lot of people who say "global warming hasn't been proven" as an excuse to keep polluting. Whether global warming is happening or not shouldn't affect people's efforts to keep the planet clean, imo.
Hybrids are cool...really quiet, too!
I would also buy solar panels. Hopefully they'll come down in price soon. Could you imagine if the exterior of this thing was all solar panels?
You could probably power the City if UoPS was all solar panels.
I would install solar panels on my house as well. I've already looked into having a geothermal well dug to heat my house instead of gas. My parents have had one for 20 years and it works great. It heats their house, garage, pool house, and the pool and the only money they have to spend is to replace the pump every 5 or 6 years for about 300 bucks.
I do recycle and I bought a car that gets great gas mileage to try and balance out my wife's gas guzzler(4 door Jeep wrangler, it only gets 16 mpg ).
__________________ "I carry a gun because a cop is too heavy".
While I understand the point (I despise the term "cowboy up"), it seems you are giving more credit due to one generation/era, while calling the other out. We're sacrifices made during ww1 and 2? Of course, but many were forced. Women went to work, folks had to make due with less, the country changed. During that era, people were saying the same thing about the past generation being tougher, women knowing were they belonged, things used to be better.
I don't believe the majority of Americans are any less willing to suffer/sacrifice for something worthy than past generations, in fact I believe they are looking for issues to take a stand on. After we went into Afghanistan the country was united and I believe willing to go the distance. Those plans were changed and people started to jump ship. People will not sacrifice for what they don't believe in.
What I do agree with are claims that we are much more materialistic and needy than in the past. But, with capitalism that's what you get. More choices and competition, not only between Corps., but between the masses. I'm not putting down capitalism, I'm just saying when purchasing power became each individuals identity, we were bound to become a country of individuals.
As far as the environment, I do everything I can to create less garbage, take public transportation, help clean up the beaches every year, recycle, vote accordingly, attempt to convince stubborn people it's better to take a proactive position... I don't know what else I can do?
Significantly gas taxes to pay for research and development This would have the added benefit of the market forces driving consumers to choose efficient cars
Bigger tax Incentives to use less power or alternative fuels/technologies. Paid for by above gas tax
)—even if that means big business needs to change gears significantly and we hit some bumps in the road in the process.
).
Cosmic Defender Champion!
Linear Mode
