tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6731750.post95735774042603026..comments2023-07-29T05:54:28.833-04:00Comments on The Kalamazoo Post: Earth Day Rant: what about kids?Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03056377038486402824noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6731750.post-72725041291924337062009-04-23T13:27:00.000-04:002009-04-23T13:27:00.000-04:00In honor of Earth Day, I just told my dog she's no...In honor of Earth Day, I just told my dog she's now a vegetarian. I'll keep you posted how it works out.Tonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03056377038486402824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6731750.post-78799070109266161942009-04-23T12:42:00.000-04:002009-04-23T12:42:00.000-04:00I can't believe this became a discussion.
I think...I can't believe this became a discussion.<br /><br />I think you get conservation points by choosing not to be a Breeder.<br /><br />Can't you count the dog?Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05121929976564642069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6731750.post-79354810909710446942009-04-23T10:11:00.000-04:002009-04-23T10:11:00.000-04:00BTW, the shower thing was my lame attempt at humor...BTW, the shower thing was my lame attempt at humor. My friends all know I don't shower.Tonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03056377038486402824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6731750.post-5057536027594284462009-04-23T10:09:00.000-04:002009-04-23T10:09:00.000-04:00G,
Well, you are hardly the first to find me incom...G,<br />Well, you are hardly the first to find me incomprehensible. lol.<br /><br />The thrust of the blog-post is that we in Western civilization seem blind to the idea that having children, or adopting Third world children to Western lifestyles, has a huge impact on the environment. HUGE. And it is never enters the dialog of the "save the earth" crowd. You tell me, why is that?<br /><br />During the remainder of our lives, using very generous estimates, my wife and I will put 3200 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere using present consumption estimates.<br /><br />If we had 2 kids, that number would be roughly double that for the next 40 years, and then those kids will live another 40 years after that, polluting all the way. The total carbon use and pollution for those four individuals under even the most conservative estimates would dwarf the childless couple. Then factor in grand-kids, etc.<br /><br />Sure, we could transform our economy to reduce carbon use, but that has never been done to date. Nuclear power perhaps gives the most promise, but that has its own set of problems.<br /><br />The calculators are designed to provide awareness, yet they ignore the greatest factor in carbon use and pollution: kids. Why? <br /><br />(And I won't even get into the tax credits and deductions, govt-funded school and day-care and other incentives we provide to have kids. Cognitive dissonance writ large.)Tonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03056377038486402824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6731750.post-17367048568828844862009-04-23T09:49:00.000-04:002009-04-23T09:49:00.000-04:00I don't actually understand you. It is clear t...I don't actually understand you. It is clear that if you and your wife shared a home with two others that you would be less of a "carbon hog" than having only two in your house, isn't it? But when you end your post as you do, it really doesn't imply that you care> Btw, I am not telling you not to take a shower. But if you think not having children entitles you to use up as much of the world's resources as possible because neither you nor your descendants will be around, that really does seem clear. Am I reading your post wrongly? And I didn't think your post even implied that CO2 calculators were wrong or that that ws the thrust of your post.G in Berlinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11168975470282994167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6731750.post-84344814752523076802009-04-23T09:18:00.000-04:002009-04-23T09:18:00.000-04:00G,
I hope you are not accusing me of having a lack...G,<br />I hope you are not accusing me of having a lack of empathy! I'm merely saying that the CO2 calculators are inaccurate.<br /><br />If we really cared about "the next generation" I think we would at least admit that kids pollute. In that respect I have more empathy than you, ma'am.Tonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03056377038486402824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6731750.post-32727054905076894102009-04-23T06:07:00.000-04:002009-04-23T06:07:00.000-04:00lollolErichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05121929976564642069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6731750.post-24965711100182950622009-04-23T03:25:00.000-04:002009-04-23T03:25:00.000-04:00Those of us with children would prefer that, unlik...Those of us with children would prefer that, unlike so many of the previous generation, you feel a little empathy for those who will live after you die: that is really the essence of mprality, isn't it? To be able to empathize with those who are not yourself?G in Berlinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11168975470282994167noreply@blogger.com