in which I bitch and am tired of tact

[themeletor]

global warming. pollution. evil chemicals, CO2, CFCs, O3, energy conservation, oil consumption, deforestation... you know, I've been studying either side of most if not all of those issues for years.



and I've realized that I really... don't care. I live an ecologically conscious lifestyle, and whatever other people do is their shit. I've seen the feel-good fads sweep through, done the science projects, boycotted the aerosol cans. you know, I can't recycle Herbal Essences bottles at home? don't know if I can here, and it really doesn't matter, because if I can then I can recycle the other shampoo bottles too. Herbal Essences and associated bullshit is just that -- bullshit. a feel-good fad. ok so they ... give a percentage of their profits to rainforest protection, if you buy the 'rainforest flowers' line? is that it? if I want to save the rainforests, I use less paper. hell, I use recycled paper. it's cheaper anyway. if I really think the rainforests should be preserved enough that it affects my shampoo choice, I'm going to get the fuck out there and do something. I might not go plant trees in the Amazon, just join an active group. that bunch of names you'd usually flap a check at? I'd write them a letter. phone them up. volunteer for something. figure something out.

but I'm not at that point right now. so I do things closer to home. I buy local food. it tastes better, and is healthier. I walk places. it's better for me, and saves gas money. I use less water, keep the lights and electrics off whenever I can. it saves money. also, I just pick up trash. I see something on the ground... I just pick it up and throw it out. I could keep a little bottle of hand sanitizer with me, if I developed some big worry about cooties from other people's garbage. whatever. I just do it. it's common sense.

and though I do what I can to take responsibility for myself and my own effect on the environment, I also know that some people won't. some people don't. everyone can always do a little more, and some people could have been doing a lot more, for years. but you know, when it all comes down to it, natural disasters are natural disasters, and people hurting are people hurting, and I'm going to give whatever I've reasonably got to help when the shit hits the fan; I'm not going to say 'you brought it on yourself; fuck you.'

though I may well say 'stop yammering about how nigh the end is and who isn't doing enough just fucking do something yourself; fuck you.'

so please, don't talk to me about your 'green car' when you insist on driving it those two miles to the store. don't flaunt your 'reusable shopping bag' when you fill it with individually-wrapped convenience food (dirty little confession? at the checkout, I say 'plastic'. though, I do have my reasons). don't catch me by the shoulder and bitch about the CFCs in my can of OFF Deep Woods when you're heading to the state fair after this and I'm going to clean up after picnic parties at a state park. if you can make a difference, go for it. if you can't, shut the fuck up and stop making negative noise. we get enough of that already.

thank you.

Comments

[drbillbongo.livejournal.com]

Okay, so this is for me.
Good for you that you live an ecologically conscious life. But it's really not "I'm doing the right thing and everything is fine." Not anymore.
I won't argue with anyone about that. I just thought my entry had to be done after the complaining and donating and stuff in various livejournals. Donations are fine but wouldn't it be better to adopt a lifestyle so that such catastrophes don't happen - or happen with less amount of damage?
That's all.

[meletor-et-al.livejournal.com]

this is not for you.

[drbillbongo.livejournal.com]

Oh - well then. *vanishes*

[justwatchmetry.livejournal.com]

Yeah...for instance Hurricane Katrina. INSTEAD of trying to figure out squillions in cleaning up a natural disaster that we couldn't really do anything about, even though we could have lessened the casualties, etc., what are we doing? Consuming oil like no tomorrow in a "war" (I prefer to call it an invasion) that will never succeed, and in which we have no business starting. Hm...Bush. You say nothing could have been done? Then why did the money that could have fixed the levies (sp?) go to the "war" overseas? If the levies had been re-enforced, repaired, etc., then maybe they wouldn't have been broken and the damage would have been far less.
These are just my thoughts, ignore them if you must.

[drbillbongo.livejournal.com]

The government must really shift their focus from insensible and unnecessary warfare to ecological subjects. Most of the "cleaning up a natural disaster" stuff wouldn't have to be thought out if the government finally introduced energy economization. I submit that we Germans have a long way yet to go, but I'm glad that we started. The rest of the world should do it, too.

[justwatchmetry.livejournal.com]

Woah...cool! You're German?

[drbillbongo.livejournal.com]

Uh - yeah. :) British at heart but born and raised in Germany, so you might notice some mistakes in my English. ;)

[ima-pseudonym.livejournal.com]

You're right. Too much time and effort is spent trying to find someone to blame, when all that energy and drive could be used to 'fix' mistakes.

But that goes for more than just the environment.

[meletor-et-al.livejournal.com]

indeed.

[justwatchmetry.livejournal.com]

I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Not in an...odd way...just, for your love of the environment. And animals.)
*note* I haven't even BOUGHT a car, and don't plan to until I am entirely finished with college at the earliest.

[meletor-et-al.livejournal.com]

PETA buddy!! *cross-country high five* I think of you whenever I pick up the seitan, or tofu, or just plain salad instead of the chicken or burger. (this place is great with having yummy vegetarian/vegan options, so it makes staying animal-free much easier than I'd dreaded for college)

I have no car either. I'm working on extending my distances for endurance walking... so far I can do 8 miles. Not much, but it's a functional distance.

[justwatchmetry.livejournal.com]

*applauds*
Ooh...you know what is really yummy? Take some low-cal cream cheese, and spread it on a bagel, piece of bread, or a croissant (preferable). Then, add some chopped scallions and lots of thinly sliced cucumber. Finish with a pickle and Veggie Crisps, and you have an amazing lunch.

[sleepall-day.livejournal.com]

Well, I agree that people COULD be doing a lot more... and while I do care about the environment, I am kind of annoyed at that whole Herbal Essences thing that you were talking about.

Oh, but thanks for the link to the paper-or-plastics article! I prefer plastics actually... cause the paper bags are hard to carry and I reuse the plastic bags for my trash cans.

[lolita-stardust.livejournal.com]

I'm all for local ecology: I don't drive, eat largly organic food from my local hippy supermarket, recycle about 50% of my household waste and use almost exclusively handmade organic shampoos and whatnot. I don't donate money to anyone at the moment, mainly because I can barely afford to feed myself, but I am on the Anmesty Int. and Lib Dem email trees, as i think it's the most productive way I can help causes I believe in.

I used to be all about the bold gestures and donating money and championing causes on the other side of the globe, but the more self sufficient I've become, the more I've realised that I make a much bigger difference by doing things on a small scale; I've introduced at least 10 of my co workers to Fresh and Wild (organic food shop/cafe) since I've been at the shop, all of whom used to go to one of the many fast food places around Piccadilly which to me is a much greater achievement than giving £10 to Friends of the Earth (especially since I've studied Not for Profit accounting and know how much of that £10 goes towards admin costs and staff wages)

I'm kind of rambling now, but I think the general idea is I absolutely agree with you.