The Environmental Watchdog MasterThread

Lisnaholic · 09-06-2017, 04:26 PM

Thanks for taking the time to explain your attitude to climate change, MicShazam.

Yes, unfortunately it's a depressing topic and the more seriously you consider the reality of global warming and its possible consequences, the more worrying it gets. That said, none of us are politicians, none of us have much responsibility beyond our own personal behaviour, so my advice would be, Don't lose sleep, Don't get depressed, but at the same time consider nudging your behaviour in a more eco-friendly direction.

CDs apart, (haha) you can try to shop for local produce or try some of these things that I posted earlier:-

Quote:

In case you want to check back on those suggestions, they were:-
i) plant a tree (or some climbing greenery over your house)
ii) switch to energy saving lightbulbs ( and turn off lights, etc that you don't need)
iii) turn off the bathroom tap while you are brushing your teeth ( and don't over-wash your house, etc.)
iv) sell your car ( or at least car pool, switch to a hybrid, and stop joy riding)
v) become a vegetarian (or at least cut down on beef, switching to poultry or fish instead)

The stuff in brackets are my ideas, btw.

The good news is that small modifications in your habits may make you feel better about global warming. You won't have averted disaster by yourself but you may find that your own conscience will become calmer. It's all part of a piece of one-line philosophy that I picked up years ago:-

"Happiness is not acheived by the pursuit of pleasure, but by modifying your conduct to accord with your principles."

__________________________________________________ ______

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

TIL that cargo ships (of which there are only a handful) account for more pollution than all of the world's cars. So for the love of god cut those fancy imports out of your life.

^ That's a surprising statistic. Sorry to be slow, but I can't think what "TIL" means.

**Frownland** · 09-06-2017, 04:29 PM

TIL = today I learned

Probably the most constructive l33t speak in the game.

~~MicShazam~~ · 09-06-2017, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lisnaholic

The good news is that small modifications in your habits may make you feel better about global warming.

At least I've got a few of these under control:

i) plant a tree (or some climbing greenery over your house)
Not really an option where I live, but I did get some potted plants earlier this year, for what it's worth.

ii) switch to energy saving lightbulbs ( and turn off lights, etc that you don't need)
Always did this, so at least that might have earned me a tiny bit of good climate karma.

iii) turn off the bathroom tap while you are brushing your teeth ( and don't over-wash your house, etc.)
This too, except I have a runny faucet that I still haven't gotten fixed.

iv) sell your car ( or at least car pool, switch to a hybrid, and stop joy riding)
Don't own a car, never have. I either walk or take a bus.

v) become a vegetarian (or at least cut down on beef, switching to poultry or fish instead)
Never really cared much for cow meat so that's always something. I only recently cut down on swine meat in protest of how Danish meat manufacturers use FAR too much antibiotics - producing multi resistant virae in the process. Something scientists warn might well lead to the biggest problem of our time, even in the face of climate change. Talks about a "post antibiotics era" have me worried. We just really **** everything up in the pursuit of money, don't we?

But I'm just one guy. How much can I do alone? Good or bad. Then you look at how it's going globally and it seems we're ****ed. Base line temperatures will rise too much no matter what we do. Huge chunks of polar ice will break off and melt no matter what. We can make it a bit less terrible, but we can't stem the tides of what we've started. Not really.

**Frownland** · 09-06-2017, 04:51 PM

Are you required to plant trees in Denmark or do you just mean that there are a lot of them?

~~MicShazam~~ · 09-06-2017, 04:57 PM

What? No, I was responding to Lisnaholic's suggestions and the one about planting trees isn't an option where I live since I just have an apartment in an area where everything is concrete and tiled sidewalks. I couldn't plant a tree here if I wanted to. I could theoretically go out in the country side somwhere and dig a hole and drop a pine cone in it, but I'm not sure that would accomplish anything.

Denmark used to be about 99% covered in forest back in the stone age. Now it's 99% boring, flat farmland. I wish we had more trees.

**Frownland** · 09-06-2017, 04:58 PM

Now that makes a lot more sense. I thought you meant that you didn't have the option not to plant a tree.

~~MicShazam~~ · 09-06-2017, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

Now that makes a lot more sense. I thought you meant that you didn't have the option not to plant a tree.

I'd be all for a law that required mass planting of trees, honestly

grindy · 09-06-2017, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MicShazam

At least I've got a few of these under control:

i) plant a tree (or some climbing greenery over your house)
Not really an option where I live, but I did get some potted plants earlier this year, for what it's worth.

ii) switch to energy saving lightbulbs ( and turn off lights, etc that you don't need)
Always did this, so at least that might have earned me a tiny bit of good climate karma.

iii) turn off the bathroom tap while you are brushing your teeth ( and don't over-wash your house, etc.)
This too, except I have a runny faucet that I still haven't gotten fixed.

iv) sell your car ( or at least car pool, switch to a hybrid, and stop joy riding)
Don't own a car, never have. I either walk or take a bus.

v) become a vegetarian (or at least cut down on beef, switching to poultry or fish instead)
Never really cared much for cow meat so that's always something. I only recently cut down on swine meat in protest of how Danish meat manufacturers use FAR too much antibiotics - producing multi resistant virae in the process. Something scientists warn might well lead to the biggest problem of our time, even in the face of climate change. Talks about a "post antibiotics era" have me worried. We just really **** everything up in the pursuit of money, don't we?

But I'm just one guy. How much can I do alone? Good or bad. Then you look at how it's going globally and it seems we're ****ed. Base line temperatures will rise too much no matter what we do. Huge chunks of polar ice will break off and melt no matter what. We can make it a bit less terrible, but we can't stem the tides of what we've started. Not really.

The sale of non-energy-saving light bulbs was actually banned in Germany a few years ago.

Lisnaholic · 09-06-2017, 05:09 PM

Thanks, Frownland; TIL what "TIL" means.
( And surely nobody knows what "l33t" means - you must've mistyped something. )

Congratulations, MicShazam - you are doing very well as you are. Yeah, there are so many worrying possiblilties for the future and all that stuff about drug-resistant strains of various diseases is one of them. But even if the apocalypse is approaching, despair won't achieve anything, so for the moment I content myself with preaching on MB and compulsively turning off the lights where I work.

P.S. Yeah, sure - go plant a pine cone, MicShazam, why not? One tree at a time, it all helps. John Lennon and Yoko Ono once sent a pine cone or something like that to all of the world leaders of the time. Didn't do a lot of good, but somehow made some people feel better - and some enlightened leaders even planted them I believe.

P.P.S. Gotta go to work now - by car I'm ashamed to say.

Trollheart · 09-10-2017, 02:37 PM

What the **** are you, my long-lost Danish brother??

Quote:

Originally Posted by MicShazam

At least I've got a few of these under control:

i) plant a tree (or some climbing greenery over your house)
Not really an option where I live, but I did get some potted plants earlier this year, for what it's worth.

Did this too. About six I think. I have to water them every day and feed them once a week (usually there are hobos in the area so we don't go short of a food sup - ah, forget I said that). Can't really plant trees due to Karen's extension leaving us very little garden, and we're on a council estate so no front garden. Also I think you need permission from the Corpo to do anything like that.

Quote:

ii) switch to energy saving lightbulbs ( and turn off lights, etc that you don't need)
Always did this, so at least that might have earned me a tiny bit of good climate karma.

Same here. Hate lights being on if nobody is in the room.

Quote:

iii) turn off the bathroom tap while you are brushing your teeth ( and don't over-wash your house, etc.)
This too, except I have a runny faucet that I still haven't gotten fixed.

Always did, and I have the same problem as you, though the Corpo are due to give us a new washbasin so that will hopefully sort that.

Quote:

iv) sell your car ( or at least car pool, switch to a hybrid, and stop joy riding)
Don't own a car, never have. I either walk or take a bus.

Ditto

Quote:

v) become a vegetarian (or at least cut down on beef, switching to poultry or fish instead)
Never really cared much for cow meat so that's always something. I only recently cut down on swine meat in protest of how Danish meat manufacturers use FAR too much antibiotics - producing multi resistant virae in the process. Something scientists warn might well lead to the biggest problem of our time, even in the face of climate change. Talks about a "post antibiotics era" have me worried. We just really **** everything up in the pursuit of money, don't we?

Can't say I do this, but I only occasionally eat burgers; it's more chicken and usually in pies, then pizza, the odd stew (mince or coddle). But I hate veggies. I'm allergic to them. No, I am, really. I have a note from my doctor ... somewhere.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MicShazam

What? No, I was responding to Lisnaholic's suggestions and the one about planting trees isn't an option where I live since I just have an apartment in an area where everything is concrete and tiled sidewalks. I couldn't plant a tree here if I wanted to. I could theoretically go out in the country side somwhere and dig a hole and drop a pine cone in it, but I'm not sure that would accomplish anything.

Denmark used to be about 99% covered in forest back in the stone age. Now it's 99% boring, flat farmland. I wish we had more trees.

Surely you've heard of ninety-degree angle apartment trees you can plant? You're just looking for excuses now!

09-06-2017, 04:29 PM	#132 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,541	TIL = today I learned Probably the most constructive l33t speak in the game. __________________ Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth. d e a f b o x

09-06-2017, 04:51 PM	#134 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,541	Are you required to plant trees in Denmark or do you just mean that there are a lot of them? __________________ Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth. d e a f b o x

09-06-2017, 04:58 PM	#136 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,541	Now that makes a lot more sense. I thought you meant that you didn't have the option not to plant a tree. __________________ Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth. d e a f b o x

09-06-2017, 05:09 PM	#139 (permalink)
Lisnaholic ...here to hear... Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: He lives on Love Street Posts: 4,444	Thanks, Frownland; TIL what "TIL" means. ( And surely nobody knows what "l33t" means - you must've mistyped something. ) Congratulations, MicShazam - you are doing very well as you are. Yeah, there are so many worrying possiblilties for the future and all that stuff about drug-resistant strains of various diseases is one of them. But even if the apocalypse is approaching, despair won't achieve anything, so for the moment I content myself with preaching on MB and compulsively turning off the lights where I work. P.S. Yeah, sure - go plant a pine cone, MicShazam, why not? One tree at a time, it all helps. John Lennon and Yoko Ono once sent a pine cone or something like that to all of the world leaders of the time. Didn't do a lot of good, but somehow made some people feel better - and some enlightened leaders even planted them I believe. P.P.S. Gotta go to work now - by car I'm ashamed to say. __________________ "Am I enjoying this moment? I know of it and perhaps that is enough." - Sybille Bedford, 1953

09-06-2017, 04:57 PM	#135 (permalink)
~~MicShazam~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Aalborg Posts: 7,634	What? No, I was responding to Lisnaholic's suggestions and the one about planting trees isn't an option where I live since I just have an apartment in an area where everything is concrete and tiled sidewalks. I couldn't plant a tree here if I wanted to. I could theoretically go out in the country side somwhere and dig a hole and drop a pine cone in it, but I'm not sure that would accomplish anything. Denmark used to be about 99% covered in forest back in the stone age. Now it's 99% boring, flat farmland. I wish we had more trees.