Comments on: It's Easy Being Green: An Introduction http://thenewgay.net/2009/05/an-introduction.html For Everyone Over the Rainbow Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:03:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: gaysha http://thenewgay.net/2009/05/an-introduction.html#comment-12099 gaysha Sun, 17 May 2009 16:31:16 +0000 http://thenewgay.net/?p=7622#comment-12099 environmentalists seem all to ready to overlook the whole notion of children -- reproduction is not simply about creating offspring; it's about reproducing the System status quo. don't worry about whether "the poor" should be having children; enviros need to challenge their friends as to why THEY are having children -- and same sex couples who go to great lengths to conceive with at least one of their pair's genes are in an even more perverse moral/ethical bind that is hard to defend. even adoption is problematic -- because most of the time it takes a child whose footprint would be small and enlarges it. there are no easy answers to this thicket of interrelated issues, but i'm always amazed how enviros don't even touch it d environmentalists seem all to ready to overlook the whole notion of children — reproduction is not simply about creating offspring; it’s about reproducing the System status quo. don’t worry about whether “the poor” should be having children; enviros need to challenge their friends as to why THEY are having children — and same sex couples who go to great lengths to conceive with at least one of their pair’s genes are in an even more perverse moral/ethical bind that is hard to defend. even adoption is problematic — because most of the time it takes a child whose footprint would be small and enlarges it.

there are no easy answers to this thicket of interrelated issues, but i’m always amazed how enviros don’t even touch it

d

]]> By: stevo http://thenewgay.net/2009/05/an-introduction.html#comment-12051 stevo Thu, 14 May 2009 15:00:48 +0000 http://thenewgay.net/?p=7622#comment-12051 in response to Mike B's post above, I find your reasoning for why people aren't more environmentally conscious to be a cop-out. The whole point is that people are lazy, and this laziness has gotten us into quite a pickle. The environmental and sustainable food movements emphasize the fact that creating these types of behavioral changes are NOT easy and they DO require a bit more sacrifice, forethought, and effort on our part. saying it's too hard to be green is just as much a part of the problem as people who deny global warming. in response to Mike B’s post above, I find your reasoning for why people aren’t more environmentally conscious to be a cop-out.

The whole point is that people are lazy, and this laziness has gotten us into quite a pickle. The environmental and sustainable food movements emphasize the fact that creating these types of behavioral changes are NOT easy and they DO require a bit more sacrifice, forethought, and effort on our part.

saying it’s too hard to be green is just as much a part of the problem as people who deny global warming.

]]> By: Chris http://thenewgay.net/2009/05/an-introduction.html#comment-12031 Chris Tue, 12 May 2009 15:45:31 +0000 http://thenewgay.net/?p=7622#comment-12031 Good deal, Michael. I think you've got materials for a number of spin-off posts all right here. (And I would love some sort of expose on DC's recycling programs - more than once I've seen the garbage guys toss the recycling right into the normal trash truck.) We've discussed the eating/cooking issue on TNG before. There is a ton that goes into it (time, money, cooking knowledge and comfort in the kitchen). Cooking ideas/recipies that folks can work into their normal routine would be great. I'd just encourage you to keep a positive frame of reference. I feel that many environmentalists treat others like lazy, slovenly beasts. This may very well be true, but no one likes to hear it. Information in a "you can do it!" spirit is always easier to swallow. I'm thiiiiiis close to stepping up on my "Ishmael" soapbox. I'll refrain. :) Good deal, Michael. I think you’ve got materials for a number of spin-off posts all right here. (And I would love some sort of expose on DC’s recycling programs – more than once I’ve seen the garbage guys toss the recycling right into the normal trash truck.)

We’ve discussed the eating/cooking issue on TNG before. There is a ton that goes into it (time, money, cooking knowledge and comfort in the kitchen). Cooking ideas/recipies that folks can work into their normal routine would be great.

I’d just encourage you to keep a positive frame of reference. I feel that many environmentalists treat others like lazy, slovenly beasts. This may very well be true, but no one likes to hear it. Information in a “you can do it!” spirit is always easier to swallow.

I’m thiiiiiis close to stepping up on my “Ishmael” soapbox. I’ll refrain. :)

]]> By: Jon http://thenewgay.net/2009/05/an-introduction.html#comment-12028 Jon Tue, 12 May 2009 07:06:08 +0000 http://thenewgay.net/?p=7622#comment-12028 MikeB is right as to why so few people are environmentalists; it's just not convenient, and a lot of people see it as some sort of liberal-created morality. I'm on the fence about vegetarianism, actually. Mostly because I haven't thought a lot about it. But living in Berkeley, I don't see how I *can't* at least seriously consider vegetarianism! I'll appreciate your posts. There are specific things I'd like to know in order to make an educated decision. 1) What do you do (or aim to do) that is different than most Americans (e.g. you're a vegetarian)? 2) What sort of commonly held moral reasons do you have for this issue, that most feel can resonate with? What sort of uncommonly held moral reasons do you have? 3) Relatedly, I'd be interested in your honest opinion as to why so many feel uncompelled by your uncommonly held moral reasons. Obviously, it's inconvenient; but also, most people feel 0 remorse for not doing environmentally friendly things. Most people don't think they're being immoral. Obviously you think it's unwise to be environmentally unfriendly, but do you also think it's immoral? My hunch is that you do. I'm really more interested in why it's morally better to be a vegetarian, as I can think of common answers to 2 and 3 for environmentalism. MikeB is right as to why so few people are environmentalists; it’s just not convenient, and a lot of people see it as some sort of liberal-created morality. I’m on the fence about vegetarianism, actually. Mostly because I haven’t thought a lot about it. But living in Berkeley, I don’t see how I *can’t* at least seriously consider vegetarianism! I’ll appreciate your posts. There are specific things I’d like to know in order to make an educated decision.
1) What do you do (or aim to do) that is different than most Americans (e.g. you’re a vegetarian)?
2) What sort of commonly held moral reasons do you have for this issue, that most feel can resonate with? What sort of uncommonly held moral reasons do you have?
3) Relatedly, I’d be interested in your honest opinion as to why so many feel uncompelled by your uncommonly held moral reasons. Obviously, it’s inconvenient; but also, most people feel 0 remorse for not doing environmentally friendly things. Most people don’t think they’re being immoral. Obviously you think it’s unwise to be environmentally unfriendly, but do you also think it’s immoral? My hunch is that you do.

I’m really more interested in why it’s morally better to be a vegetarian, as I can think of common answers to 2 and 3 for environmentalism.

]]> By: golikewater http://thenewgay.net/2009/05/an-introduction.html#comment-12026 golikewater Tue, 12 May 2009 02:24:28 +0000 http://thenewgay.net/?p=7622#comment-12026 Thank you!! Thank you!!

]]> By: Mike B. http://thenewgay.net/2009/05/an-introduction.html#comment-12018 Mike B. Mon, 11 May 2009 18:57:44 +0000 http://thenewgay.net/?p=7622#comment-12018 <strong>"...this person didn’t think to walk the 10 steps down the hallway to toss the reject print-outs into the large blue and green paper recycling bin."</strong> They didn't do it because the recycling bin was 10 steps down the hallway, and the trash can was right there. I hate to say it, but convenience trumps environmental awareness for most of us. I say this as the roommate of a environmental fundamentalist who still doesn't understand why I hate the power strips he's put on every appliance in the house. If environmentalists would start focusing on making things as convenient (or nearly so) as our current wasteful lifestyle, a lot more people would do the environmentally friendly thing. Putting the paper recycling bin right next to the printer would be a good start. :) “…this person didn’t think to walk the 10 steps down the hallway to toss the reject print-outs into the large blue and green paper recycling bin.”

They didn’t do it because the recycling bin was 10 steps down the hallway, and the trash can was right there.

I hate to say it, but convenience trumps environmental awareness for most of us. I say this as the roommate of a environmental fundamentalist who still doesn’t understand why I hate the power strips he’s put on every appliance in the house. If environmentalists would start focusing on making things as convenient (or nearly so) as our current wasteful lifestyle, a lot more people would do the environmentally friendly thing.

Putting the paper recycling bin right next to the printer would be a good start. :)

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