God help us (Metlakatla: environment, budget, work)

[Moose Hollow]

Originally Posted by Rance

It should be called...climatic change. The glaciers have been melting for thousands of years. The melting back is what exposed the US, Sweden, all the northern countries. If they hadn't...we'd all be sitting on snow and ice right now. Well I am but I'm way up here on the slope.
And I'm not so sure Florida will flood. You take away the ice sitting in the oceans...and the water level will drop. Ok so you melt it. Ice expands right? When it freezes? So still the water won't come up that much. We just need to chilllllllllll people. It's gonna be ok. We keep sucking the guts out of this planet with all the oilwells...and we're going to implode long before we run out of ice. If a comet don't hit us first. And it might be the aliens are buzzing around, wondering if they can evacuate us in the event of a major disaster.

Here's my two cents...the floating ice displaces the existing water, so if it melts the ocean won't rise rather it will stay the same. Earlier someone said something to the effect that it is climate change in reference to the China earth quake, but climate change has nothing to do with quakes. It's the earth's plates below the surface that shift and cause earth quakes. Anyway, carry on!

[gizmo980]

I guess us San Franciscans are weak too, because that 7.1 (in 1989) hit us without warning... and I remember it ALL too well! Oh well, 'tis the excitement of living in earthquake land - as I'm sure you all can understand, considering the history of quakes in Alaska. So sad about China, though, and I'll be keeping them in my thoughts today.

[Classic Satch]

Originally Posted by karfar

Oh yes, anyone who wants to clean up the environment is hysterical...please. I went to school for conservation, I suggest everyone take at least one class related to environmental studies, perhaps you'd change your mind just a bit.

Don't misunderstand me, I don't take issue with you personally. However, I refuse to have my taxes raised and our economy jeopardized to fight a problem that simply doesn't exist. That's all.....

[MissingAll4Seasons]

I agree that global warming is a fact, but don't necessarily think we're causing it. It could just be natural climactic cycles. However, I can't imagine that some of the wasteful things we are doing can be helping the situation either. I'm not an eco-nazi and I certainly don't advocate increasing taxes for something that isn't even a reasonable proven solution; but I do try to live by the creed "touch the Earth lightly". I think everyone should be personally responsible for not wasting resources as much as possible - either through conservation, recycling, reuse, minimal packaging, alternate materials, etc. It's a sign of our culture that we buy stuff we don't need, then toss it in a landfill when we're tired of it (even if it still works), and don't even give a second thought to the resources we're wasting rather than reusing or what that waste does to the rest of the environment. I'm not saying that everyone has to go "ultra green" but doing small and affordable things really do make a difference.

Here's an example - when I used to buy yogurt, I'd go through 7-10 of those little cups a week. Those cups are made with #5 plastic, which isn't accepted in most recycle stations. I found a place that does recycle #5, so I washed and saved my cups for a month and sent 'em to that company ($6 USPS book rate for the whole box, about 50 cups). The comapny then turned around and sent me 50 disposable razors that they'd made out of my #5 cups. At the end of the year, I sent those disposable razors back to them ($6 again) and they sent me a gift card to purchase engineered decking at a big discount. For a measly $12 in postage, using things I would use anyway, I saved 30% on my brand new deck that resists insect and weather damage and will last about 10 years longer than conventional lumber in my climate (not to mention saving a few trees and reducing slow-degrading materials from a landfill).

It's just a matter at changing your perspective and looking at the larger cycle of things; and then trying not to take out more than you put back. Forget the alarmist "global warming" hoohah... being environmentally responsible just makes sense and can save you, and the world, money and toxins in the long run.

[DD70]

Originally Posted by HighlandLady

Again...ignorance. Met has the right to despair. Considering the first accurate earthquake prediction occurred in CHINA, I really do not think they are weak. It is not a finite science, it is relatively new...and is still full of error.

Obviously it went over your head, I was being sarcastic.

[Xa'at]

Originally Posted by DD70

Obviously it went over your head, I was being sarcastic.

There are a ton of people out there who are idiotic enough to say exactly what you did, but not sarcastically. No need to be defensive...

[HighlandLady]

Originally Posted by DD70

Obviously it went over your head, I was being sarcastic.

Then I apologize. It is rather difficult to get a 'feel' for emotive responses (aside from the blatantly obvious)...and as Xa'at stated, there are enough idiotic responses to this that sarcasm was lost in the shuffle.

[Alaskagrl]

Originally Posted by MissingAll4Seasons

I agree that global warming is a fact, but don't necessarily think we're causing it. It could just be natural climactic cycles. However, I can't imagine that some of the wasteful things we are doing can be helping the situation either. I'm not an eco-nazi and I certainly don't advocate increasing taxes for something that isn't even a reasonable proven solution; but I do try to live by the creed "touch the Earth lightly". I think everyone should be personally responsible for not wasting resources as much as possible - either through conservation, recycling, reuse, minimal packaging, alternate materials, etc. It's a sign of our culture that we buy stuff we don't need, then toss it in a landfill when we're tired of it (even if it still works), and don't even give a second thought to the resources we're wasting rather than reusing or what that waste does to the rest of the environment. I'm not saying that everyone has to go "ultra green" but doing small and affordable things really do make a difference.

Here's an example - when I used to buy yogurt, I'd go through 7-10 of those little cups a week. Those cups are made with #5 plastic, which isn't accepted in most recycle stations. I found a place that does recycle #5, so I washed and saved my cups for a month and sent 'em to that company ($6 USPS book rate for the whole box, about 50 cups). The comapny then turned around and sent me 50 disposable razors that they'd made out of my #5 cups. At the end of the year, I sent those disposable razors back to them ($6 again) and they sent me a gift card to purchase engineered decking at a big discount. For a measly $12 in postage, using things I would use anyway, I saved 30% on my brand new deck that resists insect and weather damage and will last about 10 years longer than conventional lumber in my climate (not to mention saving a few trees and reducing slow-degrading materials from a landfill).

It's just a matter at changing your perspective and looking at the larger cycle of things; and then trying not to take out more than you put back. Forget the alarmist "global warming" hoohah... being environmentally responsible just makes sense and can save you, and the world, money and toxins in the long run.

This is one of the best common sense posts I've seen in a long time re. environmental/waste issues. I, also, don't buy ALL of the Al Gore warming hype. I share many of your feelings about it.

What you've just illustrated is a moderate, common-sense approach to being careful of our resources and a bit more "gentle" with our earth.

I think a lot more people (case in point, me) would start being more conservative, less wasteful if it made sense to their bottom line...money. Now, I believe in ethics too, but if it ends up COSTING me money to recycle something, then I have a problem with it. The fuel prices right now are making my companie's resolve to ship computer toner cartridges for recycling prohibitive; instead of being free now our air company has tacked on a fuel surcharge.

Anyway, awesome post, great perspective. Thanks!

[akck]

Originally Posted by Alaskagrl

This is one of the best common sense posts I've seen in a long time re. environmental/waste issues. I, also, don't buy ALL of the Al Gore warming hype. I share many of your feelings about it.
....
Anyway, awesome post, great perspective. Thanks!

I second Alaskgrl. I don't buy the hype either, but that's no reason to not conserve when you can. For instance, we recycle everything our recycle center accepts. The only thing it costs us is a little space in the garage for temp storage. Not only is it the right thing to do, it actually saves us money. Our garbage service would cost us $5-10 more a month if we didn't recycle. When our yongest goes to college, we can go to one can and save an additional $10/mo.

[alaskaboy]

Again, I believe the cause affect is a natural event. However, have any of you flown over SE Asia lately? How about China or Mexico city? The smog is so thick it can be seen from space. Ever flown into Seattle during major fog? That is what is it like. Hundreds upon hundreds of miles of coal, fossil fuel burning smog, so thick it burns your eyes and lungs. And to think these countires are only consuming 50% of the energy they will require in just 20 years from now. Think about that people, really think about it. In 20 years the average chinese will consume 80% of the energy the average American does today. Right now the average chinese only consumes about 15%. Those numbers don't lie.

I do not see this problem as a politcal one. Ya, I think Al Gore and Michael Moore are idiots. I vote Republican and supports 95% of Republican issues. But the fact is the earth is warming and polution weather a direct link or not, is a problem of its own.