This isn't the easiest job in the world, and there have been some unfortunate changes of late but salary isn't one of them. I'm making a decent living in IT. I'm not going to get rich soon, but my wife doesn't have to work and can raise our 1 year old properly for a couple of years (and the next child that comes along too if nothing goes south). My hours aren't great but they aren't lousy either, and I get a day a month off and only work about 1 weekend in 10. Hardest thing about my job is the shift work - no overnight shifts but getting up early one week then working late the next takes it out of you. Second hardest part is facing the fact that I'll be working for another 25-35 years with lots of accrued leave but few actual breaks taken.... well unless I get ill or die (which is quite possible). But that'd be true in any profession.
....and this is a waste of time. If these people had any shame we wouldn't be in the position we're in, legitimate customers wouldn't end up out of pocket and with an unusable product etc. etc. This is like trying to shame that obnoxious house mate your friend has that doesn't shower or shave and walks around their apartment naked in mixed company.
It's a proven fact that if you eliminate all the people from flights and only fly them over completely unpopulated areas, we'll never have another air fatality again! We must do this now! Not just because we can, but because we are fucking morons.
The key here is that flying isn't a basic human right. Those airplanes are privately owned, and the people who own them can make any rules they want about who can ride. If they want to insist that only people with purple hair can fly, that's their perogative. If they want to insist that no-one more than eighteen inches tall can fly, they're allowed to do so. If they want to insist that people submit to a ridiculous, ineffective security screening before flying, they can.
What nonsense is this? I guess you haven't heard of anti-discrimination laws. Just try and start a business that caters to only one race, or excludes a gender and see how far you get before you're sued. Part of the social contract when you run a business is that your business is tolerated so long as it fits in with society. You don't get to make such arbitrary rules. They aren't tolerated. Your business license is also a privilege not a right and can be revoked if you decide to be an ass.
The PSU is only 1100W. It's not that intensive - three teslas are like three big graphics cards. 2 or 3 kittens would be sufficient, so you've got enough to share.
1100W? Can I eat my vacuum cleaner instead? Yummy.
Do you have pepper sauce?
Pepper sauce? Pepper sauce?!? Do you have any idea what the carbon footprint of pepper sauce is? My brother ate pepper sauce once. He had to eat a whole zoo full of animals to make up for it! Stay away from the sauce!
Think about it: you could just checkout your groceries, put them back on the supermarket cart, pull it right next to your car's trunk, and dump your stuff there. At home, park the car, unload items and voilá: no bags needed. Of course, some small stuff require bags, but you could greatly minimize your plastic bag usage this way.
Love it. People have no concept when it comes to stepping out of their own shoes. I'll tell you what. I'll do that. You can come around to my house and pick 300 unbagged items out of my car individually and take about 250 of them upstairs to my kitchen. Lets see how long an excercise it becomes.
Not to mention the time it would take to load the car item by item from the trolley. There's a reason shoppers use bags!
Honestly with such a profound lack of understanding of the problem, you're simply wasting my time.
In terms of bank robbery, robbing a bank is highly ethical. The robber gets some money, that money gets spent, and a large trickle-down impacts the local economy. The bank is insured so they don't lose any money. The customers and tellers get some excitement and a story to tell for years. "Hey, did I ever tell you about the time I was in a bank robbery?
I guess you've never heard of post traumatic stress? Or people getting killed in botched bank robberies? Or the fact that the money does come from somewhere. Bank insurance premiums go up, security is tightened, and they pass on the costs to customers.
Anything can be argued, but this argument doesn't stand up to any kind of rational scrutiny.
I have purchased a dozen of them (also brought some from Germany). I keep some at work, some in the car, some at home. In these last three years, not a single such bag broke on me.
Clearly your needs aren't anything like mine. I tend to go shopping once a month to six weeks and fill the back of my station wagon. (Good for the environment isn't it? Given there's no shop in walking distance, go once a month instead of 6 or 7 times) I have to have about 20-30 bags and they certainly do break. If you're just walking down to the corner shop and filling your 2-3 bags half way it's not the same use case.
Sometimes we have the groceries delivered. It costs a little more both in unit price and for having them delivered. When they arrive they are typically bagged in plastic bags and boxes. One thing you don't see is the thousands of boxes used to deliver the goods you bought to the store. Buy in bulk and you will see that.
Compared to my fellow countrymates, who use and dispose of something around 800 plastic bags a year, I think I'm good.
Let's see 800 plastic bags a year is just over 2 bags a day. For this to apply to you, based on what you've told me you'd have to go shopping every day (or second day at most) and never reuse anything. I bet you buy garbage bags. I can reuse store shopping bags (They aren't suitable for all situations but they are for some. Of course the flimsier the bag the less suitable they are for everything including carrying groceries).
OK, no biggie, that's just human. Still, it's funny how you later rant that your forgetfulness is a 'lifestyle choice' and one that you don't want to compromise.
My rant is that it's an insane compromise to make because it doesn't make things better.
Why do you expect to get something for free?
If I'm going to be charged for something I'd like the company charging me the money to be honest about why rather than blame it on the environment while they continue to abuse the environment.
I'm going to ignore the unnecessary vitriol in your comment.
I love it. You call my behaviour outrageous, tell me you disagree with all my arguments without providing a shred of refutation and then call my response "unnecessary vitriol". You need a reality check.
You may be surprised to hear that plastic bags are not, in fact, a limitless resource, and as such, they have a value.
Nice job. I see you're still in fine form being condescending and insulting, but at least you're ignoring my "unnecessary vitriol".
You may also be surprised to know that sturdier but still quite breakable shopping bags with the word "green" or "enviro" on the side aren't a limitless resource either.
You may not think the 5 pence, or whatever you pay for them is their actual value, but if you don't like it, no one is forcing you to buy them.
What I don't like is paying $1-$2 per bag for a "solution" that does roughly as much if not more harm to the environment than the plastic and assholes trying to convince me that the reason they are forcing me to buy these is the environment when in fact it's the $1.90 profit per bag they're making. I'm sorry that you fail to understand this rather simple concept and that you'd rather be rude, condescending and judgemental, then wonder why you have hostility in return.
The point still stsnds that a pet is still an animal and that presumably they are a part of the environment that you wish to protect. Advocating that you kill and eat your pets is simply sensationalist nonsense to get attention. Like a two year old throwing a tantrum, and about as well reasoned.
I don't agree with your other points, but your complaint over plastic bags is the most outrageous. How hard is it for you to buy a couple of canvas bags to take to the supermarket with you?
Very hard actually. I don't often plan my trips well enough in advance to take bags with me. I don't shop in lots of two bags full. I'm not the only one who forgets the bags in the car and stuck with a trolley (or even two trolleys) of groceries has no choice but to buy more bags.
Not everyone lives in your circumstances with your lifestyle. This sort of narrow minded bullshit is the hallmark of the environmental movement. There are worse groups - PETA, religious extremists - but the difference is at time marginal. YOU are willing to make certain sacrifices and modify YOUR behaviour in certain ways so YOU expect others to do the same and if they won't YOU claim to be outraged. Two words for you: FUCK YOU.
In any case doing something you don't agree with and acting like a sheep because it's easy isn't something I'm interested in. If I were convinced those fucking canvas/plastic bags did anything but further fuck up the environment I might well make the effort to modify my lifestyle and cary those fucking things, or part with the cash to buy new ones as the need arose more cheerfully. As it stands I think they're an opportunistic cash grab at my expense and the expense of the environment. I do in fact use the damn things when they're handy but I use them when it's sensible to do so - when the flimsy excuse for plastic bags don't hold enough weight for instance. You should really try using your head instead of wondering around bleating.
As for not agreeing with my other points until or unless you provide solid counter arguments, I don't give a shit what you do or don't agree with. You're not my lover, you're not my brother and you're not my room mate. Take your outrage and stick it.
My experience has been that CFLs don't have significantly longer lives than incandescent bulbs. They've only saved me money for a while because the government has given them away and I've bought a total of four globes since this enviro-madness started. Free is better than cheap. Once I have had to buy my own, any cost savings are going to be in the running costs only, and the prices are still sky high, the quality of the light worse.
LEDs have truly incredible life. I don't own LED globes yet but I haven't had an LED on a torch die yet. Estimated lifetimes vary from years to decades. Trouble is there's no money in selling globes that don't blow longer term.
So your argument is that by exhausting a single supply and not looking for alternative supplies that water is scarce? Come on. Ever heard of rain water tanks? Fresh water falls from the fucking sky for fuck sake.
. Someone with 6 stupid and aggressive kids who end up killing or causing the 2 carefully nurtured kids of a high-investment parent to move away "wins" genetically speaking, even if 2 of his kids end up dead or in jail.
If that were true, we'd never have made it out of the trees. The more intelligent family is going to do better and be better at avoiding the thuggery. Brains, not braun are the main reason the human species has thrived. Plenty of stronger creatures exist. None use tools, speach, and their minds like we do.
Lets break down your "mentalism". I'm not going to argue global warming as I'm sure you think its an evil hoax, so lets just do basic science and economics
Well then you're a complete fuckwit for assuming you know my mind. I have no doubt that if you push a system it'll react therefore I have no doubt we're fucking the environment and not just through global warming.
So yes LED technology might be better but the point is that the old technology was certainly worse. Thus by making people use energy efficient devices (including lightbulbs) you actually stop things like rolling brown outs etc.
THAT is your idea of basic science? You're an idiot. Basic science does not mean forcing people to use new and unproven technology every few years when you have something clearly better under development. Basic science means you don't introduce new problems (mercury!) in order to solve old ones. Fuck it it's not basic science - it's basic common sense. Get some.
What you are given a choice between is a poor product for free (socialism) or paying a market price for something that lasts longer and has more value (capitalism). So its not enviromental nutters its just plain old capitalism at work.
Well if it's capitalism you favour, why are you suggesting that there should be controls on the market? That's now how capitalism works, and if you knew what you were talking about you'd know that. Capitalism is what got us into this fucking mess in the first place. This is the misuse of capitalist principles and the use of false advertising - ie that these are better for the environment when in fact they take longer to degrade and will eventually do more harm. These products aren't better for people. The old plastic bags were much better and cheaper. They're not better for the environment either. They are better for the bastard selling it to you. Which I suppose is what you mean by capitalism. These same pricks were happy to give away free plastic bags for decades to entice shoppers but now that they've got the environmental boogie man on their side it's time to make a huge profit out of people's stupidity.
If you aren't forced to use these however what is your problem?
My problem is that they're being sold on the basis they'll do fantastic things for the environment. If you don't understand why owning and maintaining 2 hot water systems might go against that I can't help you. They're not free in terms of money or the environment to produce. I'd love to see some long term statistics including costs of installation, maintenance and replacement that aren't skewed by advertising bullshit from people who stand to make a fortune installing them. Until then I'm skeptical. I happen to object with most forms of false advertising that prey on stupidity and a lack of balanced view. Captalism is clearly your religion. Stick it where the sun don't shine.
Now here is where you move firmly into a mental category of your own. Australia is a massive problem with water shortages due to a long term drought.
Thanks for lecturing me on the country I live on. More fucking assumptions completely unbacked by any kind of reasoning.
Fresh water isn't a scarce resource if you can produce it easily. You're such a proponent of solar hot water systems. Heat sea water with a piece of clear plastic over it and you have fresh water. It's cheaper to manufacture a plastic sheet than it is all the pipework for a solar hot water system. Yet you have no problem with people installing the hot water system and are happy to rant about fresh water. Typical inconsistent thoughtless bullshit from someone who worships capitalism and will believe anything he's told by a megacorp or greased up politician.
The water problem in Australia is in fact one of water transportation - we've populated places too far from the coast. We're trying to fucking grow crops in places that are essentially arid desert and scrub. THAT is the mistake, not the fact that we let kids play with fucking garden hos
Choosing to be the lone martyr is as effective as being the lone yeast cell in the bottle of sugary water that doesn't reproduce. Individually deciding not to have kids won't work.
It'll work better than eating your dog.
Population control needs enforcement from government. No way I'm taking one for the team while the free riding asshole over the road has 17 kids because his god wills it, or if the government of the day decides to import someone new (through laws or lax border security) for every child I decide not to have.
The government is corrupt and amoral and just as batshit insane as any religious nutter. If you look at the amount of effort you put into raising a kid well, no one is taking "one for the team" by having just 2 children. It'll actually give you a chance to enjoy the one or two you have if you don't have a whole line of them vying for your time.
Today I bought a 'biodegradeable' bag made from corn starch or some such thing for 15c.
Count yourself lucky. You say you live in Australia too? Here in Sydney they sell for $1-$2 and they're made of supposedly biodegradable plastic. They're much more durable than the flimsy plastic bags they've been making for the last 7-8 years but they still break and they often get forgotten at home or in the car. Which means more are made and sold. More money for the corps, but the environment gets fucked.
Your conclusion is spot on. Exponential growth in a finite world will lead to catastrophe.
Half the problem is that we have a financial system that requires exponential growth. Negative growth is an economic disaster. Negative population growth and an aging population is also economic disaster. All the posturing in the world doesn't change that little fact about our economic system. All these band-aid half assed half measures are pure fiction that's being spouted to sell shit.
As far as I can see there's not a politician on the planet other than the Chinese communist government that have made any attempt to really address that issue.
I don't trust the politicians to do it. WE have to do it. If we want to make a difference, don't worry what car you drive or what shopping bag you use. Sure reduce waste - switch off things that aren't being used, don't buy crap you don't need. But the real difference you can make is just limit the number of kids you have yourself without being forced to do it.
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This isn't the easiest job in the world, and there have been some unfortunate changes of late but salary isn't one of them. I'm making a decent living in IT. I'm not going to get rich soon, but my wife doesn't have to work and can raise our 1 year old properly for a couple of years (and the next child that comes along too if nothing goes south). My hours aren't great but they aren't lousy either, and I get a day a month off and only work about 1 weekend in 10. Hardest thing about my job is the shift work - no overnight shifts but getting up early one week then working late the next takes it out of you. Second hardest part is facing the fact that I'll be working for another 25-35 years with lots of accrued leave but few actual breaks taken .... well unless I get ill or die (which is quite possible). But that'd be true in any profession.
Pleo: what is it? why should I care?
It's a women's magazine. Kinda like Clayboy.
Actually, ANY rules can be tolerated IF they are set by a minority ...
I'm a minority of 1. I want to go around immune from the law. Wait a second. That didn't work. Silly premise.
....and this is a waste of time. If these people had any shame we wouldn't be in the position we're in, legitimate customers wouldn't end up out of pocket and with an unusable product etc. etc. This is like trying to shame that obnoxious house mate your friend has that doesn't shower or shave and walks around their apartment naked in mixed company.
It's a proven fact that if you eliminate all the people from flights and only fly them over completely unpopulated areas, we'll never have another air fatality again! We must do this now! Not just because we can, but because we are fucking morons.
The key here is that flying isn't a basic human right. Those airplanes are privately owned, and the people who own them can make any rules they want about who can ride. If they want to insist that only people with purple hair can fly, that's their perogative. If they want to insist that no-one more than eighteen inches tall can fly, they're allowed to do so. If they want to insist that people submit to a ridiculous, ineffective security screening before flying, they can.
What nonsense is this? I guess you haven't heard of anti-discrimination laws. Just try and start a business that caters to only one race, or excludes a gender and see how far you get before you're sued. Part of the social contract when you run a business is that your business is tolerated so long as it fits in with society. You don't get to make such arbitrary rules. They aren't tolerated. Your business license is also a privilege not a right and can be revoked if you decide to be an ass.
processors to attain speeds up to 1.1 teraflops.
So you're saying it's fast enough to run Windows 7, but forget Vista?
The PSU is only 1100W. It's not that intensive - three teslas are like three big graphics cards. 2 or 3 kittens would be sufficient, so you've got enough to share.
1100W? Can I eat my vacuum cleaner instead? Yummy.
Do you have pepper sauce?
Pepper sauce? Pepper sauce?!? Do you have any idea what the carbon footprint of pepper sauce is? My brother ate pepper sauce once. He had to eat a whole zoo full of animals to make up for it! Stay away from the sauce!
My disagreeing with you did not include any personal attacks. Any condescension in my reply was nothing compared to the direct insult
You don't think telling me that you're outraged by what I said is a personal attack? YOU BET I got more direct with you.
Stop ranting about captialism. Capitalism has directly contributed to the current environmental mess.
Think about it: you could just checkout your groceries, put them back on the supermarket cart, pull it right next to your car's trunk, and dump your stuff there. At home, park the car, unload items and voilá: no bags needed. Of course, some small stuff require bags, but you could greatly minimize your plastic bag usage this way.
Love it. People have no concept when it comes to stepping out of their own shoes. I'll tell you what. I'll do that. You can come around to my house and pick 300 unbagged items out of my car individually and take about 250 of them upstairs to my kitchen. Lets see how long an excercise it becomes.
Not to mention the time it would take to load the car item by item from the trolley. There's a reason shoppers use bags!
Honestly with such a profound lack of understanding of the problem, you're simply wasting my time.
In terms of bank robbery, robbing a bank is highly ethical. The robber gets some money, that money gets spent, and a large trickle-down impacts the local economy. The bank is insured so they don't lose any money. The customers and tellers get some excitement and a story to tell for years. "Hey, did I ever tell you about the time I was in a bank robbery?
I guess you've never heard of post traumatic stress? Or people getting killed in botched bank robberies? Or the fact that the money does come from somewhere. Bank insurance premiums go up, security is tightened, and they pass on the costs to customers.
Anything can be argued, but this argument doesn't stand up to any kind of rational scrutiny.
Wife 1.0 seems to crash with Fatal Exception: Divorce. Any idea when a patch for this will be released?
Whatever you do don't download the patch. Code named "Alimony" it'll leave you with nothing.
I have purchased a dozen of them (also brought some from Germany). I keep some at work, some in the car, some at home. In these last three years, not a single such bag broke on me.
Clearly your needs aren't anything like mine. I tend to go shopping once a month to six weeks and fill the back of my station wagon. (Good for the environment isn't it? Given there's no shop in walking distance, go once a month instead of 6 or 7 times) I have to have about 20-30 bags and they certainly do break. If you're just walking down to the corner shop and filling your 2-3 bags half way it's not the same use case.
Sometimes we have the groceries delivered. It costs a little more both in unit price and for having them delivered. When they arrive they are typically bagged in plastic bags and boxes. One thing you don't see is the thousands of boxes used to deliver the goods you bought to the store. Buy in bulk and you will see that.
Compared to my fellow countrymates, who use and dispose of something around 800 plastic bags a year, I think I'm good.
Let's see 800 plastic bags a year is just over 2 bags a day. For this to apply to you, based on what you've told me you'd have to go shopping every day (or second day at most) and never reuse anything. I bet you buy garbage bags. I can reuse store shopping bags (They aren't suitable for all situations but they are for some. Of course the flimsier the bag the less suitable they are for everything including carrying groceries).
OK, no biggie, that's just human. Still, it's funny how you later rant that your forgetfulness is a 'lifestyle choice' and one that you don't want to compromise.
My rant is that it's an insane compromise to make because it doesn't make things better.
Why do you expect to get something for free?
If I'm going to be charged for something I'd like the company charging me the money to be honest about why rather than blame it on the environment while they continue to abuse the environment.
I'm going to ignore the unnecessary vitriol in your comment.
I love it. You call my behaviour outrageous, tell me you disagree with all my arguments without providing a shred of refutation and then call my response "unnecessary vitriol". You need a reality check.
You may be surprised to hear that plastic bags are not, in fact, a limitless resource, and as such, they have a value.
Nice job. I see you're still in fine form being condescending and insulting, but at least you're ignoring my "unnecessary vitriol".
You may also be surprised to know that sturdier but still quite breakable shopping bags with the word "green" or "enviro" on the side aren't a limitless resource either.
You may not think the 5 pence, or whatever you pay for them is their actual value, but if you don't like it, no one is forcing you to buy them.
What I don't like is paying $1-$2 per bag for a "solution" that does roughly as much if not more harm to the environment than the plastic and assholes trying to convince me that the reason they are forcing me to buy these is the environment when in fact it's the $1.90 profit per bag they're making. I'm sorry that you fail to understand this rather simple concept and that you'd rather be rude, condescending and judgemental, then wonder why you have hostility in return.
The point still stsnds that a pet is still an animal and that presumably they are a part of the environment that you wish to protect. Advocating that you kill and eat your pets is simply sensationalist nonsense to get attention. Like a two year old throwing a tantrum, and about as well reasoned.
Quick! Save the environment! Kill and eat all the animals! It's the only way to save the environment!
Anyone else see how far up it's own arse this entire idea is?
So the only fucking way to save the fucking environment is to stop fucking so much?
Couldn't have fucking said it better my fucking self.
I'm so fucking confused!
Ah fuck, another fucking one.
I don't agree with your other points, but your complaint over plastic bags is the most outrageous. How hard is it for you to buy a couple of canvas bags to take to the supermarket with you?
Very hard actually. I don't often plan my trips well enough in advance to take bags with me. I don't shop in lots of two bags full. I'm not the only one who forgets the bags in the car and stuck with a trolley (or even two trolleys) of groceries has no choice but to buy more bags.
Not everyone lives in your circumstances with your lifestyle. This sort of narrow minded bullshit is the hallmark of the environmental movement. There are worse groups - PETA, religious extremists - but the difference is at time marginal. YOU are willing to make certain sacrifices and modify YOUR behaviour in certain ways so YOU expect others to do the same and if they won't YOU claim to be outraged. Two words for you: FUCK YOU.
In any case doing something you don't agree with and acting like a sheep because it's easy isn't something I'm interested in. If I were convinced those fucking canvas/plastic bags did anything but further fuck up the environment I might well make the effort to modify my lifestyle and cary those fucking things, or part with the cash to buy new ones as the need arose more cheerfully. As it stands I think they're an opportunistic cash grab at my expense and the expense of the environment. I do in fact use the damn things when they're handy but I use them when it's sensible to do so - when the flimsy excuse for plastic bags don't hold enough weight for instance. You should really try using your head instead of wondering around bleating.
As for not agreeing with my other points until or unless you provide solid counter arguments, I don't give a shit what you do or don't agree with. You're not my lover, you're not my brother and you're not my room mate. Take your outrage and stick it.
My experience has been that CFLs don't have significantly longer lives than incandescent bulbs. They've only saved me money for a while because the government has given them away and I've bought a total of four globes since this enviro-madness started. Free is better than cheap. Once I have had to buy my own, any cost savings are going to be in the running costs only, and the prices are still sky high, the quality of the light worse.
LEDs have truly incredible life. I don't own LED globes yet but I haven't had an LED on a torch die yet. Estimated lifetimes vary from years to decades. Trouble is there's no money in selling globes that don't blow longer term.
So your argument is that by exhausting a single supply and not looking for alternative supplies that water is scarce? Come on. Ever heard of rain water tanks? Fresh water falls from the fucking sky for fuck sake.
. Someone with 6 stupid and aggressive kids who end up killing or causing the 2 carefully nurtured kids of a high-investment parent to move away "wins" genetically speaking, even if 2 of his kids end up dead or in jail.
If that were true, we'd never have made it out of the trees. The more intelligent family is going to do better and be better at avoiding the thuggery. Brains, not braun are the main reason the human species has thrived. Plenty of stronger creatures exist. None use tools, speach, and their minds like we do.
Lets break down your "mentalism". I'm not going to argue global warming as I'm sure you think its an evil hoax, so lets just do basic science and economics
Well then you're a complete fuckwit for assuming you know my mind. I have no doubt that if you push a system it'll react therefore I have no doubt we're fucking the environment and not just through global warming.
So yes LED technology might be better but the point is that the old technology was certainly worse. Thus by making people use energy efficient devices (including lightbulbs) you actually stop things like rolling brown outs etc.
THAT is your idea of basic science? You're an idiot. Basic science does not mean forcing people to use new and unproven technology every few years when you have something clearly better under development. Basic science means you don't introduce new problems (mercury!) in order to solve old ones. Fuck it it's not basic science - it's basic common sense. Get some.
What you are given a choice between is a poor product for free (socialism) or paying a market price for something that lasts longer and has more value (capitalism). So its not enviromental nutters its just plain old capitalism at work.
Well if it's capitalism you favour, why are you suggesting that there should be controls on the market? That's now how capitalism works, and if you knew what you were talking about you'd know that. Capitalism is what got us into this fucking mess in the first place. This is the misuse of capitalist principles and the use of false advertising - ie that these are better for the environment when in fact they take longer to degrade and will eventually do more harm. These products aren't better for people. The old plastic bags were much better and cheaper. They're not better for the environment either. They are better for the bastard selling it to you. Which I suppose is what you mean by capitalism. These same pricks were happy to give away free plastic bags for decades to entice shoppers but now that they've got the environmental boogie man on their side it's time to make a huge profit out of people's stupidity.
If you aren't forced to use these however what is your problem?
My problem is that they're being sold on the basis they'll do fantastic things for the environment. If you don't understand why owning and maintaining 2 hot water systems might go against that I can't help you. They're not free in terms of money or the environment to produce. I'd love to see some long term statistics including costs of installation, maintenance and replacement that aren't skewed by advertising bullshit from people who stand to make a fortune installing them. Until then I'm skeptical. I happen to object with most forms of false advertising that prey on stupidity and a lack of balanced view. Captalism is clearly your religion. Stick it where the sun don't shine.
Now here is where you move firmly into a mental category of your own. Australia is a massive problem with water shortages due to a long term drought.
Thanks for lecturing me on the country I live on. More fucking assumptions completely unbacked by any kind of reasoning.
Fresh water isn't a scarce resource if you can produce it easily. You're such a proponent of solar hot water systems. Heat sea water with a piece of clear plastic over it and you have fresh water. It's cheaper to manufacture a plastic sheet than it is all the pipework for a solar hot water system. Yet you have no problem with people installing the hot water system and are happy to rant about fresh water. Typical inconsistent thoughtless bullshit from someone who worships capitalism and will believe anything he's told by a megacorp or greased up politician.
The water problem in Australia is in fact one of water transportation - we've populated places too far from the coast. We're trying to fucking grow crops in places that are essentially arid desert and scrub. THAT is the mistake, not the fact that we let kids play with fucking garden hos
Choosing to be the lone martyr is as effective as being the lone yeast cell in the bottle of sugary water that doesn't reproduce. Individually deciding not to have kids won't work.
It'll work better than eating your dog.
Population control needs enforcement from government. No way I'm taking one for the team while the free riding asshole over the road has 17 kids because his god wills it, or if the government of the day decides to import someone new (through laws or lax border security) for every child I decide not to have.
The government is corrupt and amoral and just as batshit insane as any religious nutter. If you look at the amount of effort you put into raising a kid well, no one is taking "one for the team" by having just 2 children. It'll actually give you a chance to enjoy the one or two you have if you don't have a whole line of them vying for your time.
Today I bought a 'biodegradeable' bag made from corn starch or some such thing for 15c.
Count yourself lucky. You say you live in Australia too? Here in Sydney they sell for $1-$2 and they're made of supposedly biodegradable plastic. They're much more durable than the flimsy plastic bags they've been making for the last 7-8 years but they still break and they often get forgotten at home or in the car. Which means more are made and sold. More money for the corps, but the environment gets fucked.
Your conclusion is spot on. Exponential growth in a finite world will lead to catastrophe.
Half the problem is that we have a financial system that requires exponential growth. Negative growth is an economic disaster. Negative population growth and an aging population is also economic disaster. All the posturing in the world doesn't change that little fact about our economic system. All these band-aid half assed half measures are pure fiction that's being spouted to sell shit.
As far as I can see there's not a politician on the planet other than the Chinese communist government that have made any attempt to really address that issue.
I don't trust the politicians to do it. WE have to do it. If we want to make a difference, don't worry what car you drive or what shopping bag you use. Sure reduce waste - switch off things that aren't being used, don't buy crap you don't need. But the real difference you can make is just limit the number of kids you have yourself without being forced to do it.