I'm more environmentally sensitive than you think
I've given environmentalists a hard time on this blog. David Suzuki in particular. I've also made it clear that I find the whole theory that global warming is (a) actually happening and (b) the result of human activity and (c) subject to modification by humans if it is really happening very suspicious. I've also made it clear that I am in no position to absorb huge cost of living increases driven by a theory that a lot of respected scientists think is completely bogus.
You might think I gleefully emit greenhouse gases in copious amounts while dumping toxic chemicals into the local water table, or something equally evil.
I don't. In fact, we focus a lot on reducing the waste created by our large family, while at the same time helping out those who need help. Let me tell you about Freecycle.
Freecycle is a gift giving system that we use extensively:
The Freecycle Network™ is made up of many individual groups across the globe. It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (and getting) stuff for free in their own towns. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer (them's good people). Membership is free.
The Freecycle Network was started in May 2003 to promote waste reduction in Tucson's downtown and help save desert landscape from being taken over by landfills. The Network provides individuals and non-profits an electronic forum to "recycle" unwanted items. One person's trash can truly be another's treasure!
The idea is simple. From their website, find a Freecycle message board for your area. If you have stuff you don't need, post a description. If you need something, post your request.
It's a good thing not to send stuff to the landfill, of course. But what makes Freecycle special is that we've found we've been able to help out people in need.
In one case, a woman suffering from chemical dependency and emotional issues dropped her two-year-old son with her mother before disappearing. Faced with taking care of her grandson, this woman's mother realized she was not equipped for the task. A family friend posted on the board, describing this grandmother's circumstances. We jumped in, and set her up with a toddler bed and mattress, and large box of clothes for the little guy, and a garbage bag full of toys that our kids had outgrown. We emptied a large corner of our cluttered garage, but more importantly we helped out some people in need. I don't know what this little guy understands about what is happening, but whatever memories he has of this difficult time will be tempered, I hope, by pleasant memories of getting a neat bed and a bunch of toys that helped him (and his grandmother) through it.
Oh, and we avoided sending stuff to the landfill.
Another family wanted to get something special for their small children, but didn't have the means to buy something expensive. Out of the garage came one of our Step 2 climbing sets that we had picked up second hand quite some time ago, but that the kids had outgrown. Into the van and over to their house to deliver and assemble the big plastic pieces. A huge hit for the little ones, who now have an age-appropriate climber and slide to play on in the comfort of the backyard.
Oh, and we avoided sending stuff to the landfill.
A single mom needing a dresser. Out of the garage comes the full-sized dresser that doesn't fit in our new home (one less bedroom), and in an instant this woman can stop living out of boxes and can start making her place seem more like a home for her and her baby.
Oh, and we avoided sending stuff to the landfill.
Obviously we're running out of big stuff to give away (a consequence of downsizing the house). We still have kids clothes and toys that we'll offer up as time goes by. Maybe some kitchen stuff too -- there are some "mystery" boxes from the move I need to sort through. But it's just the way I think. I put people first. Someone needs a hand, and we help out. Out of that comes side effects that help the environment, and that's fine. Maybe that's what bugs me most about some environmentalists. It's not that they turn that around. I never get the feeling that they truly believe that by helping the environment they help people. They say that, of course, but what they really believe, I think, is that we must help the environment. If people are hurt along the way, that's just too bad, or maybe even a good thing, since people are bad for the environment.
I don't think people are bad, not even environmentalists.
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Comments
Yes! Freecycle is an excellent system. We were living in Manitoba when we first discovered the Winnipeg Freecycle. We didn't live in Winnipeg, but we were still able to use it, and were able to pass on all sorts of stuff. We even found a new home for a cat my kids had found as an underage kitten someone had dumped in our area. (note to people who dump animals: just because someone lives in the country, that doesn't mean they have room to take in your unwanted pets)
After we'd moved to a larger city, we signed up for the local freecycle list, but were quickly overwhelmed by the sheer volume of it, and regretfully had to unsubscribe from the list. It's an amazing resource, and I highly recommend it.
Posted by: Kunoichi at June 8, 2007 11:49 AM
driven by a theory that a lot of respected scientists think is completely bogus.
care to name one? and please, not tim ball or one of his cronies. the keyword is respected...
Posted by: jeff at June 8, 2007 12:04 PM
Jeff,
Are they just supposed to be respected by Al Gore, David Suzuki, DeSmogBlog, and you?
If not, How about
Dr. Richard Lindzen, Professor of Meteorology, M.I.T. and former member of the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Astrophysicist Dr. Sallie Baliunas’ specialty is arguing that sunspots, not fossil fuels, are the cause of global warming.
Patrick Moore, founding member of Greenpeace (maybe not a scientist, but an environmentalist)
Wiki has a list of organizations and scientists that are skeptical of "Man-made" global warming
Posted by: Kitchener Conservative at June 8, 2007 12:52 PM
Steve,
Freecycle sounds like a great idea that makes a real environmental difference.
I'll have to look into it.
Posted by: Kitchener Conservative at June 8, 2007 12:54 PM
Thanks Steve, what a great idea. I just joined the group in my area.
Posted by: Capndan at June 8, 2007 01:47 PM
Dr. Richard Lindzen, as yes, the same man who when not shilling for big oil, shills for tobacco.
Dr. Sallie Baliuna- ripped apart by his peers for shoddy scientific method. laughable.
Patrick Moore- a liar. not at all a founding member of greenpeace. sold his soul to consult for big forestry and looked the other way while they clear cut acre upon acre of forest.
nice try. the keyword again, respected.
Posted by: jeff at June 8, 2007 03:09 PM
Again I say respected by who? You
I sure would love to see what you've based your information on.
DeSmogBlog? Wiki? Where?
Posted by: Kitchener Conservative at June 8, 2007 04:14 PM
Good counter argument, Jeff.
Is there documentation of the actual 'selling of his soul'? That's just flat out rhetoric. That's hardly a valid or legitimate point.
As for Sallie Baliuna & Richard Lindzen, it appears that the only critics they have are people standing on the opposite side of what they think & propose. Actually, they're very well respected people...and their opinions are taken very highly.
I know that hurts you...but it's the truth. Giving a flippant comment like; "They are ripped to shreds by their peers" is just incorrect. While I'm sure they have detractors, they also have support in their peer group. Denying such is just idiocy.
next.
Posted by: Levesque at June 8, 2007 04:18 PM
You mkae a good point, Janke. But this kind of environmentalism is the type that conservatives believe in but just doesn't seem to be legitimate anymore.
We always take our excess stuff to second hand and charity places because the thought of dumping good stuff into the can makes my mind twist.
Many of the enviro-hippies I went to university with (albeit nice people) were good at attending rallies but I don't think one came close to doing as much volunteer work that was being done by other classmates or people involved in churches etc.
Posted by: langmann at June 8, 2007 04:21 PM
Jeff, you sure do make a good point about people being respected before they should be listened to. I, and much of the scientific community, have a great deal of respect for Bjorn Lomborg, Ian Clark, Henk Tennekes, Yuri Izrael, Steven McIntyre, Ross McKitrick, Sami Solanki, and even Tim Ball (they all can be found through Wikipedia).
Now, is there anything worthy of respect in your remarks, or the work you have done on this topic?
Posted by: JJ Joseph at June 8, 2007 04:56 PM
Jeff, when you have real answers, I'm sure you'll post them.
In the meantime, I'm sure you'll just brush away dissenting opinions and smear those who hold them, like any other religious zealot would.
Now go on, surely Loose Change is on somewhere!
Here's an essay by Nigel Calder, another eminent scientist you can smear and ignore.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article1363818.ece
Posted by: Mambo Bananapatch at June 8, 2007 08:40 PM
Thanks for that link, Mambo. Calder's article is indeed interesting, however,trying to refute the religion of the environmentalists is as hopeless as trying to tell a three year old there's no Santa.
Anyone who says " the science is settled" must be very young. We old timers have often seen this before, and most of us have a pretty good memory. Snake oil peddlers have been around forever, the only difference is the product they try to sell.
Today's sophisticated crowds are still just as naive as the country bumpkins of a century ago, and they don't have the excuse of lacking formal education.
The science is not settled, and probably won't be for another hundred years, when all the data can be examined.
Posted by: dmorris at June 8, 2007 09:21 PM
The left peddles an agenda of Big Government by trying to scare everybody with Global Warming. The right does the same thing by scaring everybody with Global Jihad. Same crap, different pile.
"You're killing the planet and killing yourself because you've been too free until now. Give us your freedom and we'll save you from yourself."
"You're going to be killed by terrorists because you're too free. Give us your freedom and we'll save you from them."
Behind both the scams are your old government pals - greed and false philanthropy - driving a herd of scared, braying sheep in front of them. "BAA-AA-AA-AA! SUVS! POLAR BEARS! SCIENTIFIC CONSENSUS! BAA-AA-AA!" ... "BAA-AA-AA! ISLAMOFASCISTS! WMDS! BURKAS! BAAA-AAA-AAA-AA!"
Don't be a fool. When someone seems very, very stubbornly determined to separate you from your money and your freedom so they can save you from an "emergency", ask a few more questions, fercrissakes.
Posted by: at June 8, 2007 09:40 PM
I think Global Warming could be happening, and I also believe that man has contributed to it but I also think part of what we are experiencing is based on the cycles of the planet. That said, I do believe it's smart to do what we can realistically do to help diminish some of the harm to our environment, which is possible without a drastic change in our way of life.
I do agree with you that Freecyle is fantastic, we have a group here in Toledo that is very active and it's been a great way for me to not only find things that my family can use but to give items to other families that they can use rather than throw it away.
Posted by: Lisa Renee at June 9, 2007 06:24 PM
Kyoto is dead! Long live Bush and Harper! Now if we can just get Suzuki and the Goracle and the remnants of the warmers to take off, eh!
Posted by: JJ Joseph at June 10, 2007 02:53 AM
It's sort of like George Bush's house in Crawford vs. the Goreacle's temple.
While Gore talks the talk, it's George that walks the walk. Is there any question who is more concious of the environment around them?
I work in Oil & Gas and people constantly make assumptions about me based on that. And that's fine by me. I produce ONE can of garbage at the curbside every 3 weeks. I have recycling bins set up in my garage and recycle probably about 75% of the waste I generate. I have energy efficient windows in my house. In rooms where I can, I have high efficiency light bulbs. I put 1 tank of gas in my Jeep each month on avagerage because I use public transport to get to work every day. I do my grocery shopping on my way home from work so I don't have to take extra trips on the weekend. I arrange all my weekend chores such that I make a circuit with my driving and minimize the number of trips I have to make to various stores and such.
These are the sorts of things that people like me, average Canadians, do every day. We don't need to be preached to. We don't need to be legislated and regulated. We don't need to be taxed. It's just the loonie lefties who want another fallacious reason to take more money from the average tax payer in order to "redistribute" the "wealth" of the middle class to pay for their lazy bums.
Posted by: Reid at June 11, 2007 04:57 PM
Can anyone here credibly comment on (or link to a competent critique) of UK Channel 4's "The Global Warming Swindle"?
It is a compelling argument that solar flares, coupled with volcanic action and beef cattle (yes, seriously) are the primary causes of global warming- with little mankind can do to prevent it.
TIA
Posted by: Eric Green at June 13, 2007 08:56 AM
 
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