cmdrstp - 5/27/2010 10:26 PM
I must be living in a different part of the country because I don't see many people wasting much of anything, especially utilities. Oh sure, maybe there are ways we can all be more efficient. And, I don't know one person who views conservation of resources as anything but ethical and necessary.
However, what would be the standard? How does one compare lifestyle standards between different cultures, economies, geography, populations, etc. Can't compare one's gas consumption from one who lives in a city to another who lives rurally. This is magnified between industrialized countries and one's with a third world status. I certainly would never want a European, Asian, African, or any other standard of living other than what our country offers. It also would never work. Take a train system for instance. Works fine in Europe, Asia, and even some US cities. It would never fly in the US for many reasons.
I, also, find it ironic that The US is at the top of the list when it comes to waste. Yes, are consumption of energy is one of the highest but, so are our EPA regulations. So, is our contribution to the world. We have the highest standard of living on every level (medical, economic, lifestyle, etc.). I appreciate having the world's best medical, collegiate educational opportunities, food/water supply and quality, etc. within a few miles of myself. That costs energy.
I believe our lifestyle, standard of living has some room for improvement but, the overwhelming benefits of our society justify our energy needs and should be a gold standard for the world to emulate.There is a reason most dream of a life here.
Find me a truck to tow my boat for 50 MPG and I'm buying! Hell, I wish they ran on nuclear fuel rods! But, to label the US as the biggest offender is to compare apples to oranges.
And, this cap and trade BS is not to conserve resources...it's to control economies.
Stephen
Well, insulating your house would be a huge improvement. Actually it's the best available method to reduce heating costs significantly. And there are more methods in our everyday life. Using efficient appliances, lights,... the snag are those leisure activities which are hard to change. Maybe getting a smaller TV rather than a big a**, power hog plasma TV. Or better yet, ditch TV and go do something better. You see it's all those little things and habits that people got so accustomed to they wouldn't want to give it away.
Too few people when buying stuff, ask themselves..."do i really need this?" The problem is the whole hyper-consumption culture. Instead of seeking pleasure with less things, people now see pleasure only in owning stuff. Buying stuff just for the sake of owning it rather than for an actual need.
I'm not saying you have no right to this stuff...technically you do, but it's a matter of self restraint, and until people don't realize this i doubt things will go for the better.
BTW if this sounds hippie, it really isn't...being more humble can be a virtue in certain situations.
If we're talking technicalities then the US is 13th on the HDI (human development index). In the US you have both the very rich and the very poor.
It's really hard to try and dispute the measure of living standards. Sure you can own a big swimming pool, three cars, a large house...but it all comes down to how much are you willing to sacrifice in order to impact your environment less. Your answer is probably NONE. Sure you can do that...but you do realize there are physical limits how much one can put stress on resources? Right now we're using more resources that can be recycled back by the Earth. The US so much so that it has to import resources from other places in order to sustain the standard you have.
You have to realize even this that your/our standard is based on borrowed labor.
To keep things short...the word sustainable is not just some fancy hippie concept. At the rate were going now the Earth will not be able to keep up. Sooner or later it will come to a halt, it's not just speculation but a measurable quantity.
Just picture if every Chinese person would like to drive a 5.7l SUV, and live the way the average US citizen would...the world resources would collapse.
The end of our prosperity will come whether we like it or not. Essentially because of people exclaiming stuff like "We should drill off-shore wells to get the oil we need to drive our 6l SUVs", instead of "Gee, what if i get a more efficient car?".
It just can't go on and on and on, with people having that mentality. We have only one world and i don't see any sign that we'll be drilling the moon for oil anytime soon. ;)
It's not very well known that the Chinese are buying up every available oil field in Africa and in other places where the US hasn't yet reached. Or that most prosperous oil fields have peaked or will soon.
A great war for resources will come, bet on it...we're stirring the pot as we speak.
As for the 50MPG truck...i presume you're joking. Because that number is almost unachievable, even the smallest European eco cars can't get that good mileage.
The Nissan Navara (EU version) for instance can do 27MPG, can tow 3t and reach 110mph, 190HP.
Let's take the Ford Ranger which is a small truck for US standards...if we take the 4.0l version, it does 18MPG, tows 2.7t, 200HP.
And take into account Ford has been working on better mileage in the recent years, in the past it probably was even worse.
We have the technology to help us deal with this problem, but until people stick to the consumption habits of the past...we're digging our own graves so to speak.