Environmentalism

[Pippy]

Hey all,

There is something I have been asking at other forums, and I would quite like to hear all of yours take on it as well. I am only trying to gather information and learn, this isn't a bickering thread (so far...?).

Would you consider yourself an environmentalist?

What do you think the definition of environmentalist is?

Any other things about that long word as well. Just curious.

Thanks for your time,
-Pip

[LukeMC]

Would you consider yourself an environmentalist?

What do you think the definition of environmentalist is?

I'd say an environmentalist is somebody who has concerns for the environment and actually does something about it. I'd love to say that I am an environmentalist but that'd be lying.

I used to be involved in the People&Planet group, no trace initiative, I had a planetsave e-mail address and donated to various environmental groups which were advertised to me through an e-mail subscription. I wish I had the money and motivation to continue with it but there are so many causes and groups that I felt like my impact was sub-minimal. If I had the power to join something big and make a difference I would, as the environment is clearly important to all of us. I've actually studied some science behind ecosystems and how deforestation effects the balance. It's grimmer than you'd think.

[Eilonnwy]

I guess I would. I'm definitely not a "tree hugger" and I'm not a fan of organizations like Greenpeace, but I do think we should take care of the planet, be responsible with our industrialization and care about what we do and how it effects the earth for the benefit of not just animals, but humans too.

[leo-rcc]

I hate Greenpeace
I hate PETA
I hate all those self righteous organizations that claim to know what is best for everyone.

That said, I am pro alternative fuel, anything to reduce out dependency on fossil fuels as long as it is sustainable. I don't like hydrogen cars because at the moment it takes more than twice the amount of energy to get the hydrogen into that car. For the moment, electric cars are a nice alternative for relative short distances, but nothing over 300 km a day. And the electricity needs to be produced with a minimum of carbon footprint otherwise you just move the pollution, and you solved nothing.

[Pippy]

"It's grimmer than you'd think."

That depends on how grim I think it is...

[LukeMC]

"It's grimmer than you'd think."

That depends on how grim I think it is...

Good point

So what are your views regarding the subject?

[Pippy]

I suppose I am a radical, fanatical environmentalist. I would never hurt anyone, but I see the modern pro-environment, anti-globalist/corporate movement as quite necessary.

If we allow the earth and her systems to be damaged or destroyed, there is no way we can escape consequence.

I have read and learned about environmentalism (what a word) for years. I picked up a book a couple years back now, Derrick Jensen's Endgame vol.1. The first pages blew my mind, not that someone wrote such, but that I had finally found someone who told it like I saw it. Only a few music albums have had such an impact on me. If you look into it Derrick is what modern westerners would certainly call radical. Likely the most radical. But he tells the truth.

The second Endgame (vol 2) is even more defiant, literally telling the reader to put the book down and go blow something up (constructively)(yes that's possible)

If you are interested look into it, a fantastic author and advocate. His other works are in similar vein. A Language Older than Words, Welcome to the Machine, the newest What We Leave Behind.

Thanks,
-Pip

[binny]

I kinda would like to be, in a way. I'd like to market myself as a green photographer, but I drive a gas guzzling SUV and I'm not ready to buy a hybrid and smell my farts. Also my products aren't really green. I'm digital, but my albums aren't green and only a percentage of my packaging is recycled paper. I don't know if I want to go to the effort and expense to go completely green.

[Kyuuketsuki]

A bit like Leo I hate organisations like PETA and the self righteous organizations ... I don't particularly dislike Greenpeace though. Pretty much with him on everything else.

Kyu

[dry land fish]

I'm definitely an environmentalist. First off I work for a non profit conservation group. Through them I help to improve the environment. With that said I support penalizing large companies that are over a certain amount of CO2 emissions. I support ethanol and other enviornmentally friendly fuels. I support all research that goes toward environmentally friendly products.

I have looked into what it takes to take ones home off of the grid. When I buy another home I plan on using solar panels as my main source of electricity. I have quite a few contacts who are engineers and it wouldn't be anything to get that fixed up. I don't plan on living completely off of the grid but there is a program in America where you actually share your solar energy with the power company. They will pay you for what you don't use and they will distribute it on their system. I would only use electricity for things such as a backup in case my solar fails. I recycle and I buy the energy smart appliances and light bulbs. I turn off all of the lights I'm not using and I don't use the heat dry in my dish washer. I also wash all of my clothing in cold water and I have an environmentally friendly care that gets great gas mileage.

I think what makes someone environmentally friendly is if they do little things in their every day life for the purpose of trying to save energy or the environment. A person in their own home has the power to make a difference. If we all just did those small things that I do such as washing clothes in cold water and turning off lights that aren't in use we could really save a lot of money and CO2 emissions. I rent now but I used to live in a home I owned. I planted many trees because you can never have too many trees in the world.

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A bit like Leo I hate organisations like PETA and the self righteous organizations ... I don't particularly dislike Greenpeace though. Pretty much with him on everything else.

Kyu

PETA takes it so far that they look like idiots. I do not support harming animals. I hate the fur trade and think it's senseless killing. I support what PETA stands for....I just wish they would go about it in another way. Handing out kids meals at McDonalds that show Ronald McDonald as a rabid mad man stabbing chickens to death with a knife isn't a good way to get the point across.

One thing that I wish Americans would do is to stop it with the SUV's. Soccer moms love buying huge SUV's to put all of the kids soccer gear in and to go get groceries in. I have an extremely small car and we've taken family vacations across a few states in it and we had plenty of room. I also wish that people would stop getting in their car to drive a block or two or even three. It's like people are too lazy to walk anywhere in America. We have to drive everywhere we go.