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Current time: March 28, 2024, 9:32 pm

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It's Just One Vote and It's Just One Carbon Footprint
#1
It's Just One Vote and It's Just One Carbon Footprint
I got a lift home with a couple of friends last night. 

Me: "This car certainly has its plus points, it's very spacious." There were 3 dogs in the back with me.
Him (owner of vehicle and driver): "Yeah it's alright, looking to upgrade soon though, you've got a licence don'tcha? How come you ain't got one?"
Me: "Oh, I don't really need one, and they're so bad for the environment."
Her: "Yes we do need one!"
Him: Get an electric one then."
Me: "Yeah but there's all the environmental impact of the manufacturing process and stuff to consider still..."
Him: "Oh, relax, what difference does one car make."
Me: "That's exactly the argument many people use to excuse themselves from voting."

I believe voter turnout is higher in the states, but there were more non-voters at our last election than the number which voted for our current (dreadful) administration. Needless to say, it seems likely there are also a ton of people who have a very large carbon footprint but think, well, what's "one drop in the ocean?" Perhaps it would be helpful if more people thought of it like voting? I reckon many are like:

  Lalala
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#2
RE: It's Just One Vote and It's Just One Carbon Footprint
That kind of works if accept the premise that voting is good or not voting is bad.

Some believe that participating in a democracy serves to lend legitimacy to an undesirable power structure.
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#3
RE: It's Just One Vote and It's Just One Carbon Footprint
Well, people should Always realize they're not stuck in traffic; they are traffic.
So in that sense I agree.

As an addition. We have mandatory voting in Belgium. And I prefer it that way.
"If we go down, we go down together!"
- Your mum, last night, suggesting 69.
[Image: 41bebac06973488da2b0740b6ac37538.jpg]-
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#4
RE: It's Just One Vote and It's Just One Carbon Footprint
I stopped eating beans.
I don't have an anger problem, I have an idiot problem.
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#5
RE: It's Just One Vote and It's Just One Carbon Footprint
I knew it! It's not greedy materialistic consumerism that's the problem, it's those dastardly legumes! 
Cranky
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#6
RE: It's Just One Vote and It's Just One Carbon Footprint
I can't get past the part where you are getting a ride from someone and then say how cars are bad and their one car is "adding to the noise"
“What screws us up the most in life is the picture in our head of what it's supposed to be.”

Also if your signature makes my scrolling mess up "you're tacky and I hate you."
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#7
RE: It's Just One Vote and It's Just One Carbon Footprint
If you count the dogs it's carpooling with 6. I'd call that a good car in this instance.

Unless the dogs were pekingese, then it's an abomination.
I don't have an anger problem, I have an idiot problem.
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#8
RE: It's Just One Vote and It's Just One Carbon Footprint
Yes mlmooney89, I predicted that observation of my apparent hypocrisy, and the answer I have is that I'd have happily stayed the night at a friend's or caught the bus, no bother. If I'd have refused the offer of a lift, and said why, it'd also doubtless have made me appear something of a...erm...weirdo if not expletive.
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#9
RE: It's Just One Vote and It's Just One Carbon Footprint
Electric cars do not have a smaller carbon footprint than an existing, high gas mileage carbon fueled vehicle.

It simply takes the carbon output out of a tailpipe, and puts it up the smokestack of an electric power plant. When you consider line loss, mechanical conversions, an the energy output to build the new car - you are probably adding to the problem rather than helping.

Until you start generating millions of gigawatts without fossil fuels it will remain that way.

Currently - the best way of lowering your carbon footprint is to use less.

Walk.
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#10
RE: It's Just One Vote and It's Just One Carbon Footprint
That aside I do get your point. I've been struggling with this lately actually. During the American presidential elections I was super hard on for a Libertarian Gary Johnson and pushed so hard to try and end the 2 party system. Now with Trump in the head honcho seat I keep doubting and thinking if I had voted for Hilary could I have stopped him? I didn't want to vote for her and I know in the end I did what I felt was right but still there is that nagging thing saying "If you and those other idiots hadn't tried for the impossible maybe he wouldn't be where he is"
“What screws us up the most in life is the picture in our head of what it's supposed to be.”

Also if your signature makes my scrolling mess up "you're tacky and I hate you."
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