One item I want to address from my last post is about reducing the consumption of red meat. I received a comment that I agree needs to be clarified. Why red meat? What about chicken, pork, etc? Well, I did a little research, and found this out…it’s a bit of a stretch, but I can see the point. In the Green Lifestyle Handbook, by Jeremy Rifkin (1990), he mentions that grain fed meat production is expensive, from the production of the grain to the overfeeding of the cattle and water waste, “a one pound steak that provides 500 food calories requires the expenditure of 20,000 calories of fossil fuel energy.” A blogger can spend days talking about US meat production and wastes which occur, but I’m trying to stick to carbon footprinting.
Another point is that these suggestions seem moot in the face of other countries that are not doing their part to reduce green house gases. I want to stress “The Power of One”, yes, change starts simply with one person and grows from there. Like voting, it’s a copout to think your vote doesn’t count, so why bother. Come on! Take a stand, whether you see the results now or never, the small step you make now will benefit someone down the road…..eons from now….your descendants.
It’s a water bottle, a light bulb, a plastic bag. It couldn’t be easier.
Sources:
Green Lifestyle Handbook, by Jeremy Rifkin (1990)
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2 comments:
Ohh pleeezze....Regarding the red meat issue, it takes the same amount of energy to feed and slaughter a cow as it does a hog or chicken....in relative terms, the energy consumption would be the same (cows are bigger, but you get more meat). So let's take that issue off the table for now, because what you are saying is that we should all become vegetarians and eat fish (because I'm sure it doesn't take as much fossil fuel to grow a fish...right)...but I digress..
Back to the issue at hand....which is what specifically, can we do, that will help the environment for future generations. AND, how can we influence other nations to join in the effort? But with little changes that make a big impact...I'm searching for "the tipping point"....ever read that book? It's by Malcolm Gladwell...you should get it...you can download it from iTunes...might give you some ideas as to how small changes can have an enormous impact on society...just a thought..
In the meantime, I'm going to gas up the car, book a flight to Washington DC, and crack open a bottle of water...
I said it was a stretch....look, I'm not claiming to be an expert here, just trying to become more aware of things. Anyway, red meat is bad for you....in large quantities...I'm not saying become vegheads....so, yes...take that issue off the table.
Thanks for the suggestion I read Gladwell's book...at least we agree that small changes have a big impact.
You enjoy your trip to DC..in your Hummer, right?
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