Saving Our Planet: What Can Our Generation Do About It?

Student Lounge College Life
1

<p>I watched a documentary today that was aired last year on ABC called "Earth 2100" where it depicts the "worst-case" scenario for the year 2100. While I think they exaggerated a bit, I agree that something definitely needs to be done if we want to live the lives that we are living now in 90 years.</p>

<p>Putting aside whether global warming is real or not, the fact is that our current lifestyles are not sustainable and resources are vital to the human population.</p>

<p>What do you think needs to be done when we enter the workplace to make sure our kids live a great life and not have to worry about the Earth "coming to an end"? If nothing, why do you think that is?</p>

2

<p>absolutely nothing.</p>

3

<p>There are a lot of things, but they’re too inconvenient for most people to consider them. No one is going to buy an electric car in a recession. People who work 50 hours a week are not going to bike to work. It costs too much money to switch over to solar panel heating.</p>

<p>Right now, the luxuries of being “green” are either for those who are rich or for those who have a lot of spare time. (compost heaps aren’t quick businesses.)</p>

4

<p>I do feel like a lot of this is being overblown, I don’t see it so much about saving the earth but just kinda saving some of ourselves and even then I think we always fear the end of society as coming soon for some reason.</p>

<p>but, nuclear energy</p>

5

<p>Give up our cars and electricity until solar cars and panels are affordable, or we find another resource to use soon.</p>

<p>Limiting the amount of children someone can have because overpopulation results in higher demand for resources and space.</p>

<p>But no one would be willing to bike/skate/walk everywhere or would adhere to the child limitation rule.</p>

6

<p>It may not be major, but I always do the little things like not using plastic water bottles, turning off the lights and power strips when I’m not using them, and recycling everything I possibly can. I think it’s still making a bit of a difference and would make even more of an impact if more people did the little things.</p>

7

<p>I turn off my power strip in my room when I’m not using it, recycle, and unplug everything when not in use too. And don’t run the water when I brush my teeth and try to take shorter showers.</p>

8

<p>

Although that was jocular (albeit a rather sick joke) and not intended to receive a serious reply, population control is one of the most real (and thus disturbing) atrocities committed with the intent to protect natural resources. Incidentally, biopower is more threatening to the human race than any problems it seeks to curb.</p>

9

<p>Actually, I was being serious.</p>

10

<p>I’m not doing a damn thing.</p>

<p>And I’m proud not to do it.</p>

11

<p>I try to recycle, turn off power strips at night, turn off lights when i leave the room, etc. In all honesty, people in America are too selfish and too dependent on the conveniences of daily life to be doing something that will potentially save our limited resources…</p>

<p>@ Beast, that’s really selfish of you…what’s to be proud of anyway? Conceited lifestyle?</p>

12

<p>^And we’d be the first to complain when **** hits the fan.</p>

13

<p>Living within one’s means and behaving responsibly would be a nice start.</p>

<p>However, in a good world, we’d fix the wholly irresponsible techniques of industrial agriculture - they agribusiness magnates have ****ed up too many San Joaquin Valleys - in addition to encouraging responsible reproductive practices. No one needs 24 children. We’d fix our energy use policies, urge for less wasteful consumption, and behave like we only have one Earth.</p>

<p>It really sucks that the above is too much to ask. :(</p>

14

<p>I try to separate trash and recyclables…</p>

<p>For food, I save left overs (freeze or refrigerate) for another meal so I don’t have to buy extra food (plastic packaging? bagging?).</p>

<p>For drinks, I’m basically a water drinker. I use a mug at home, and I’ve used the same bottle for about 3 years when I go out and about. It’s a pretty sturdy bottle, so I don’t have to keep buying bottled water or anything.</p>

<p>I walk or use public transportation if I can/if timing allows.</p>

15

<p>I’m hoping that aliens will come rescue us and take us to a new world after we make ours uninhabitable.</p>

16

<p>

</p>

<p>Usually, driving is not an option, so I always take public transportation. </p>

<p>Another brilliant idea to help decrease anthropogenic destruction of this planet: don’t buy a mother****ing Hummer, and don’t have 4 cars for 4 people.</p>

17

<p>Here’s a very relevant quote from Jurassic Park (the novel):

First, we need effective environmental advocacy. Too many of today’s environmental groups dogmatically insist on maintenance of the environmental status quo. They ignore the fact that “nature” is and always has been constantly changing. In a sense, the typical environmentalist aims to create a bonsai garden - more “natural” than nature itself.</p>

<p>The new goal for environmentalism should be the development of the most useful environment possible - one with clean air and water that are safe to breath and drink, undeveloped places to enjoy recreationally, and well-regulated natural resources that can be used into the future.</p>

<p>Decisions must be made based on a rational cost-benefit analysis. These issues are too important for absolute positions.</p>

<p>Second, poverty around the world must be confronted. Environmental concerns are always secondary to survival, and those on the border between life and death cannot be expected to make wise environmental decisions.</p>

<p>Third, the government should not subsidize harmful private decisions. People should not receive tax writeoffs for buying single-family homes on mortgages or purchasing automobiles. The same logic applies to farm subsidies that keep inefficient foodstuffs cheap.</p>

<p>Fourth, the development of new energy sources must be viewed in the utilitarian light described in point #1. Relatively minor environmental damage from production operations should not prevent the development of natural gas, and damage to bird populations does not automatically make the construction of wind turbines a bad idea. This is especially true when considering nuclear energy.</p>

<p>Fifth, effective contraceptive education is essential.</p>

<p>Sixth, product prices must reflect the corresponding environmental costs. Negative regulatory stimuli in the form of taxes are necessary to build demand for low-energy products. Eat chicken instead of beef.</p>

<p>Seventh, the electric grid must be revolutionized to improve efficiency and capitalize on the availability of electric vehicles as storage devices.</p>

<p>Eighth, natural gas should be aggressively developed as both a stopgap solution for electricity generation and a power source for large vehicles.</p>

<p>Ninth, nuclear and wind energy both present significant opportunities that should be pursued.</p>

<p>Tenth, the government needs to actively support geoengineering research efforts.</p>

<p>Eleventh, I believe that “climate change” is a secondary concern compared to water crises developing in locations around the world.</p>

18

<p>Beast, that’s really selfish of you…what’s to be proud of anyway? Conceited lifestyle? ~Branoiscool</p>

<hr>

<p>Deal with it. You don’t know the lifestyle I live, so get over it.</p>

<p>I certainly won’t drive an electric car, or throw $10,000 down the toilet for solar panels, or trade in my truck for a SmartCar - or do anything that phony Al Gore tells me to do.</p>

<p>I was raised in the country, and I currently own a 75 Acre piece of land that is leased for crops. I have more respect for nature than anyone I know, but I’m not going to go all hippy and only flush my toilets once a week. Or drive a stupid SmartCar that will get me killed if I’m in an accident.</p>

<p>Whether or not I turn my power strip off is irrelevant.</p>

19

<h2>Eighth, natural gas should be aggressively developed as both a stopgap solution for electricity generation and a power source for large vehicles. ~ Noimagination</h2>

<p>I agree. I previously worked (and looking to get back into it) for an Energy company that was heavily invested in natural gas.</p>

<p>Look up Marcellus Shale drilling, and how much natural gas can be extracted - it’s major. However, it’s already being roadblocked by environmental groups and some local governments - no shocker there.</p>

<p>No matter what you do, you can’t appease these people.</p>

20

<p>Noimagination, I’m not just addressing “climate change”, I’ll extend this to what we can do about shortages of water, famine wherever it is etc…</p>