[Flames in 07]

Originally Posted by Daradon

^^^ The details are all over this thread. Either you haven't read hem or have disregarded them.

OK, thanks for the descriptions, I'll comment on each idea individually.

Originally Posted by Daradon

But lets start. A hybrid car will significantly reduce the amount of gasoline you'll use. Going on the waste not want not theme, there are way too many SUV's and trucks that aren't fuel efficient. Not just for power, but in general. Because it costs more to sell an efficent vehicle. Well if you can't afford a vehicle, maybe you shouldn't have one. That would be lifestyle AND corporate.

OK fair enough, most people can do something here, but I'd like to re-classify small changes to miniscule changes. Yes we can do this, but it is not even a drop in the bucket, it is a drop in the Pacific Ocean. So if we want to feel good that we are all doing our part, OK fine this is great, but it won't do a thing to get us towards goals like mitigating climate change. Lanny had a long note about essentialy fuel source replacement, which is where the real answers are and where I was focusing my attention.

Originally Posted by Daradon

We use far to much electricity (and water and food etc but not the focus of this thread) Better bulbs, better appliances will cut down a lot. Better habits will help. I'm a huge saver, but I know so many who aren't Using lights and appliances they don't need to, having things on when they don't need to.


Better buildings and houses improve this even further. Use more natural light, add solar to your water heater/supply if applicable, better insulation. The list goes on and on.

Everyone does a litle bit, and it's so easy. That's why government can enact such measures and let the market take over. If on thing free market has proven it's very adaptable.

Again, true, low hanging friut, but not important in the sceme of things with maybe the exception of the proliferation of space heating. The amount of space that needs to keep warm is exploding as everyone owns larger houses with 10ft ceilings. I don't know if we can tell people to go back to smaller houses, but that has increased demand of heating energy person significantly, on this continent anyway.

Originally Posted by Daradon

You joke because you choose not to change or feel inconvienced. The answers are already out there and MANY OF US HAVE DONE THEM. With government and corporate support, it's only easier.

Businesses are afraid case they want to sell as cheap as possible to retain advantage. People are afraid cause they don't want to pay more.

But when the system gets standardized everyone will be selling/paying the same anyway. And yes we will be paying a tiny more, but that's the lifestyle change.

Way better than the consequences. And we waste too much as it is. Morally we do. We're pigs, we waste. It's our responsibility to get better.

Thank for explaining to me why I joke. Seriously, I left my mind reading cap somewhere and it looks like you must have picked up.

I don't joke, if anything though I trivialize your suggestions. They won't do anything except make individuals feel better. If your goal is to feel better then let's get new lightbulbs. If you want to address emissions then we need substitutes. I'm not pro oil, or pro emissions or pro global warming. I'm pointing out that many people don't seem to grasp an important issue and that is that the world is proliferating in population and consumption per person. And we all are dependant on sources of energy that create emissions. The solution will be substitution on a grand scale. Replacing powerplants, not lightbulbs.

The problem is that substitution isn't going to come tomorrow, and it won't come any quicker until people get off the populist "sign up for Kyoto" garbage and Suzuki and Gore running around knowing full well they are not accountable whatsoever for their actions and call the tory gov't a frauds (without any backup that I have seen) People need to understand and deal with underlying issues.

So what else can we do? I don't know for sure that is hard, but I'm surprised that we never talk about subsidizing the he// out of substitue development. IE R&D credits at 90% of costs, adding renewable energy departments and buildings at the UofC. I don't know, but more encouragement vs more penalties. Penalties are just going to cost consumers in the long run anyway, the oil company will make their buck, and pass on incremental tax to the consumer (most people haven't quite done that math yet)