Global problems - do we care?

[Natello4]

Have you ever.. thought how many known species are extinct? ..noticed shifts in the timing of seasons? ..seen garbage in your favorite beach and imagined how many garbage pools there already are in the oceans? ..known how many water sources have already disappeared and caused human migration? ..considered how many people are exploited in the sugarcane fields of Brazil when fueling your car with biofuel? ..wondered about the consequences of the natural resource exploitation?

Global issues seems to be a hot topic nowadays and some alternative solutions already start to interrupt and change our daily habbits. Do you notice some change and maybe even do some little homework hoping that a minor change of habbits may have an impact on positive change? Having in mind that the humanity already is some decades behind the solution of some problems, do you believe there is still a chance for a massive change that may postpone the more serious threats to our exostence? In your opinion, will the fourth technological revolution help us preserve the natural resources we still have or rather cause more issues?

Let's just brainstorm and see where the discussion leads.

 

[Harke the Boeotarch]

No 'we' don't.

 

[Benvolio]

Have you ever.. thought how many known species are extinct? ..noticed shifts in the timing of seasons? ..seen garbage in your favorite beach and imagined how many garbage pools there already are in the oceans? ..known how many water sources have already disappeared and caused human migration? ..considered how many people are exploited in the sugarcane fields of Brazil when fueling your car with biofuel? ..wondered about the consequences of the natural resource exploitation?

Global issues seems to be a hot topic nowadays and some alternative solutions already start to interrupt and change our daily habbits. Do you notice some change and maybe even do some little homework hoping that a minor change of habbits may have an impact on positive change? Having in mind that the humanity already is some decades behind the solution of some problems, do you believe there is still a chance for a massive change that may postpone the more serious threats to our exostence? In your opinion, will the fourth technological revolution help us preserve the natural resources we still have or rather cause more issues?

Let's just brainstorm and see where the discussion leads.

Environmental problems result from human overpopulation. Alas, environmentsl problems are welcomed as an ideological justification for governmental control. So the population problem gets little attention compared to the control agenda.

 

[gsdx]

We live in a disposable society these days. Everything is made to be thrown away. That's why there's a continent of plastic floating around on the Pacific Ocean. We take and take and take and rarely ever give back.

 

[zoltanspawn]

Other than a belief in mass sterilization, not really.

 

[Natello4]

We live in a disposable society these days. Everything is made to be thrown away. That's why there's a continent of plastic floating around on the Pacific Ocean. We take and take and take and rarely ever give back.

Not entirely everything. We do have more alternatives to choose from nowadays. For instance, goods made of recyclable materials. Let's not count in that some of these products are more costly for now. Do you believe that it is possible to change habbits in a vastly disposable society?

 

[Benvolio]

Not entirely everything. We do have more alternatives to choose from nowadays. For instance, goods made of recyclable materials. Let's not count in that some of these products are more costly for now. Do you believe that it is possible to change habbits in a vastly disposable society?

We should be burning the plastic for power. Alas too many regulations and coal is easier.

 

[Natello4]

No 'we' don't.

Still, the Netherlands do the homework pretty well and even inspire other societies.

 

[SLOPPYSECONDS]

Have you ever.. thought how many known species are extinct? ..noticed shifts in the timing of seasons? ..seen garbage in your favorite beach and imagined how many garbage pools there already are in the oceans? ..known how many water sources have already disappeared and caused human migration? ..considered how many people are exploited in the sugarcane fields of Brazil when fueling your car with biofuel? ..wondered about the consequences of the natural resource exploitation?

Global issues seems to be a hot topic nowadays and some alternative solutions already start to interrupt and change our daily habbits. Do you notice some change and maybe even do some little homework hoping that a minor change of habbits may have an impact on positive change? Having in mind that the humanity already is some decades behind the solution of some problems, do you believe there is still a chance for a massive change that may postpone the more serious threats to our exostence? In your opinion, will the fourth technological revolution help us preserve the natural resources we still have or rather cause more issues?

Let's just brainstorm and see where the discussion leads.

wot now days mean? 300 ears 500?
-no news but a 1st world apees ans 1st ordar a slug shit so impotant wet pissy undees wot no folkees wanna trade wit_
"1st worldees folkees trade undees?"
trade anting

so cause planet Hapess alweed world ova eons ago wots it
_ans 21cent start off big a supa piles a sams a shit ans afta 20 so piles bigg a shit_
_intervel?_
oh disney cartoon?
_tinkee ans winkee go ta zoo_
oooh

ooh yea

tink coconuts discuss gurd ans get hangs a boots

tinku

_fargot sumtin?_
ooh ooh yea easy fix world doodoo easy
"but"

 

[pat grimshaw]

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-27/indonesia-lgbtiq-support-group-under-attack/7117446

 

[Natello4]

We should be burning the plastic for power. Alas too many regulations and coal is easier.

That's almost as much controversial as sugarcane field expansion for ethanol production in Brazil. On one hand, it seems to be a nice solution, but then we realise how many other problems are related with these alternatives. Garbage burning does help to cope with waste disposal (Sweden is a nice example of the society with a low amount of untreated garbage), yet some particles and bi-products are released to the environment during the process of treatment. How environmentally-friendly is this alternative, then? Isn't that related to a larger amount of people suffering from allergical reactions (may be a reaction to a combination of particles)?

 

[jbrown329]

We live in a disposable society these days. Everything is made to be thrown away. That's why there's a continent of plastic floating around on the Pacific Ocean. We take and take and take and rarely ever give back.

Maybe 3 times a year I buy bottled water. At home I have a PUR filter attached to the kitchen faucet. So, I drink tap. I recycle.

When my ex and I moved into his dad's house (1993), the fridge was a 1949 Kelvinator. His folks bought it brand new. It still works. Try buying a brand new fridge today and see if it lasts that long.

Yes, we are a throwaway society. Nothing is built to last. Buy it cheap then throw it away. My 2nd computer lasted for 14yrs. When it went tits up, I took it to a place that recycles them. That's where I took my old non-working TV too. My old office chair I gave away rather than throw it in the dumpster.

Here, someone put a bar stool out next to the dumpster, the seat pad was gone. I grabbed it, I use it for a plant stand. I also snagged a patio chair. It's sun faded. I don't care, it works and was free.

I have reusable canvas bags for groceries.

 

[Natello4]

Maybe 3 times a year I buy bottled water. At home I have a PUR filter attached to the kitchen faucet. So, I drink tap. I recycle.

When my ex and I moved into his dad's house (1993), the fridge was a 1949 Kelvinator. His folks bought it brand new. It still works. Try buying a brand new fridge today and see if it lasts that long.

Yes, we are a throwaway society. Nothing is built to last. Buy it cheap then throw it away. My 2nd computer lasted for 14yrs. When it went tits up, I took it to a place that recycles them. That's where I took my old non-working TV too. My old office chair I gave away rather than throw it in the dumpster.

Here, someone put a bar stool out next to the dumpster, the seat pad was gone. I grabbed it, I use it for a plant stand. I also snagged a patio chair. It's sun faded. I don't care, it works and was free.

I have reusable canvas bags for groceries.

That is an interesting and encouraging example. Is such practice very common in your community, city, region? Do you think it takes a lot effort to follow a more responsible lifestyle?

 

[jbrown329]

That is an interesting and encouraging example. Is such practice very common in your community, city, region? Do you think it takes a lot effort to follow a more responsible lifestyle?

Years (like 20+) ago the city started a recycling program. They gave everyone a 'bingie'. It was a blue plastic box about the size of an 18 gallon Tupperware tub. You put your recyclables in the tub and set it out next to your garbage can on collection day. Now they have a big blue trash can that you do the same with. They take plastic, cardboard, tin cans, aluminum cans and glass bottles. Costs nothing.

There's a place to take certain types of yard waste to be composted. That does cost but not to much. We have a 'waste to energy' plant where a bunch of stuff is burned to generate power.

I save old newspaper, I use it to wash mirrors and windows instead of paper towels. I don't have a way to haul aluminum cans to the recycle place (currently paying 40 cents a pound). So I load them in my cart and wheel them down across from the office. There's two big dumpsters for recycling. I dump them in there.

When I still lived in Missoula, I would go to Greenough Park several times a week. I always ended up packing trash out to the garbage cans. I'd be cussing a blue streak the whole time. People that litter piss me off. When I was smoking cigarettes, I didn't toss the butts. I would field strip them and put them in my back pocket. I'd toss them when I ran across a garbage can.

 

[Benvolio]

That's almost as much controversial as sugarcane field expansion for ethanol production in Brazil. On one hand, it seems to be a nice solution, but then we realise how many other problems are related with these alternatives. Garbage burning does help to cope with waste disposal (Sweden is a nice example of the society with a low amount of untreated garbage), yet some particles and bi-products are released to the environment during the process of treatment. How environmentally-friendly is this alternative, then? Isn't that related to a larger amount of people suffering from allergical reactions (may be a reaction to a combination of particles)?

Remember that the stations in question now burn coal and are already required to filter the particulates from the exhaust. I don't think that is the real cause of the reluctance. Coal comes in on train cars and is moved into the furnaces by conveyors. Very simple and automated. Garbage requires more effort by the power people.

 

[Natello4]

Great, but is such practice common in many smaller cities in the USA?

Years (like 20+) ago the city started a recycling program. They gave everyone a 'bingie'. It was a blue plastic box about the size of an 18 gallon Tupperware tub. You put your recyclables in the tub and set it out next to your garbage can on collection day. Now they have a big blue trash can that you do the same with. They take plastic, cardboard, tin cans, aluminum cans and glass bottles. Costs nothing.

There's a place to take certain types of yard waste to be composted. That does cost but not to much. We have a 'waste to energy' plant where a bunch of stuff is burned to generate power.

I save old newspaper, I use it to wash mirrors and windows instead of paper towels. I don't have a way to haul aluminum cans to the recycle place (currently paying 40 cents a pound). So I load them in my cart and wheel them down across from the office. There's two big dumpsters for recycling. I dump them in there.

When I still lived in Missoula, I would go to Greenough Park several times a week. I always ended up packing trash out to the garbage cans. I'd be cussing a blue streak the whole time. People that litter piss me off. When I was smoking cigarettes, I didn't toss the butts. I would field strip them and put them in my back pocket. I'd toss them when I ran across a garbage can.

 

[Natello4]

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-27/indonesia-lgbtiq-support-group-under-attack/7117446

Sad news. Education is crusial and segregation based on such aspects will not help coping with problems either.

 

[jbrown329]

Great, but is such practice common in many smaller cities in the USA?

Not in a lot of small towns. My mom lives in a town with approx 1200 people. There is no recycling there. I'm not sure on other cities, I've been in this one since 1985. I'm pretty sure that cities like Seattle and Portland, Oregon have recycling programs.

 

[Natello4]

Not in a lot of small towns. My mom lives in a town with approx 1200 people. There is no recycling there. I'm not sure on other cities, I've been in this one since 1985. I'm pretty sure that cities like Seattle and Portland, Oregon have recycling programs.

Ummm, I understand. Still, it is great to know that there are good (domestic) examples (in the US) which can be followed.

 

[gsdx]

Great, but is such practice common in many smaller cities in the USA?

It's very common in Canada. A lot of cities even have recycling bylaws. In Peterborough, it's mandatory to recycle. You can be fined for not recycling.