Going green is possibly one of the most annoying subjects to discuss. But the overall mission of saving our planet and the environment for more generations to enjoy and have enough resources for surviving is a very just cause. In fact I try to recycle as much as I can, stop using power whenever I do not need it, and substituting any resources for something more organic or with less packaging whenever I can. What I cannot stand though is how most people who are Pro Green to the point of being Green Nazis are pointing too many fingers.
So I know that everyone has to do their part to save the environment. To start this off without offending anyone (because I live in a world with freedom of thought yet cuddle those who are offended because they are all pussies and can't take a bad word every once in a while) I would like to list some methods of helping the environment that some of you might know about and some who don't before I get to bashing.
1)
Recycle batteries. Buying rechargeable batteries is probably the best way to go, but one of the main concerns in the world that some people do not know about is how much lithium is used in batteries and other resources.
Wiki has a pretty good general info page on some of the products lithium is used in, and most of all of them are related to forms of energy. In a way lithium is like oil.
Some places or towns do not offer recycling battery stations, but it is not extremely rare to find one. Most college campuses offer these along with common recyclable bins such as newspaper, paper, plastic, glass, and aluminum just like they have in some stores and other public centers. Just asking about where the nearest local one can be as easy as calling a local recycling center or shipping batteries out somewhere (probably possible but costly). It could be in your local dump, and sometimes it can't. You can try to send used batteries somewhere else, too, if you really want to recycle these things. Which also leads me to another point.
2) Recycle used cell phones.
If any of you go to museums that plays movies, you might notice a few long commericals before the feature presentation of recycling certain objects. One that I have seen was a Nokia commerical during my trip to the Museum of Natural History in NY.
They also have other commericals, but it made me realize that phones are made with so much metal and other resources that one cell phone can easily make up at least half a pot or part of a trumpet when recycled. From what I have gathered, we can recycle these by depositing them in bins that some buildings or businesses support or send them back to the phone company you ordered it from. I'm sure not just Nokia has this feature. Or you can just wait until your phone completely breaks down or goes missing before getting another one.
3) Buying things in bulk.
This can be hard for some depending on income or where they live. BJs is a good example of a store that sells in bulk, and the prices are actually cheaper. Unfortunately you have to get a membership for stores like BJs, but if you work for a company, suggest getting a membership to such stores like these so when you have a party or have to buy food at some point, you are able to reduce packaging. BJs also sells other things too like electronics, jewelry, and clothes.
4
) Drink tap water or get a water purifier. Tap water isn't crazy toxic, well that is unless you live in an area that does have a lethal water supply (ie: populated cities). But in most towns, the water supply isn't extremely deadly however some bodies do have issues adjusting or digesting some water with certain minerals or liquids that their body isn't used to. Tap water also has fluoride, and fluoride is important to intake especially for children. While some Health Nazi soccer moms are concerned with the things their children are taking into their bodies, they sometimes forget that tap water is essential for children. Water just in bottles isn't a great idea, especially if you end up throwing out a water bottle instead of recycling every now and then. Getting a water purifier isn't a bad idea either since you eventually save money with the purchase (if you always get bottled water or "spring" water). Either you can get the ones that attach to the faucet or one of the pitchers that cycles through the water that you can also refrigerate.
5) Compact fluorescent light bulbs.
These light bulbs are more economically and environmentally sound compared to the standard bulbs. They last longer and also use less energy than standard bulbs. They aren't more expensive than standard bulbs, and Energy Star is one company that is more infamous for their production. You can get these bulbs for lamps, light fixtures, or even for big businesses, which is a plus since businesses use a lot more energy than a home.
There are hundreds of other things you can do to reduce and recycle like rolling down windows of your car instead of using air conditioning or even buying pine cat litter instead of the gravel like litter. But remember, there will be a time in your life where you'll be scolded by the Green Police because of a "poor choice you had made and destroyed the environment". Please remember the following ideas (and keep in mind these are simple observations and just a few of maybe many):
1) It's a privilege not a right.
Although some companies in the United States have to have a specific code of deposing waste (for example labs need to rid dangerous chemicals safely), the privacy of someone's home is the privacy of his home. If someone throws out a water bottle and you interfere and give a lecture, it's just like trying to make people not smoke in their house; you cannot interfere with private property unless it follows a certain procedure like having a search warrant or being a nagging husband or wife. Companies also have choices in what to recycle and what to throw out also. And you can't just stop someone in the street if he is eating a burger and slap the thing out of his hand claiming that he has been supporting cruel treatment for that dead cow. If you do that is considered harassment or an assault. So before you get angry at the Green Police cracking down on your choice of coffee cup, just remember that it was your purchase and you don't have to think of an alternative. But we also have a freedom to think and voice our opinion, although it should be in a respectful manner.
2) It's not just America's fault.
The world has to work together to make a huge change happen. We're concerned with clean air for our children, but I say we have a long ass time before the entire country is under toxic clouds. Have any of you been to Asia? Seriously I have to take medication and wear a mask whenever I go visit my family in the Philippines because the city they live in has terrible air. Still people have to live there and their lungs get adjusted. It sucks in the long run, but I don't think the pollution there is entirely America's fault no matter how many factories or businesses we own. However we do have a responsibility to take care of what is ours and teach who we can about the dangers of pollution. And if you want to take that farther, we have to consider who is teaching because the knowledge does vary.
3)
Population and location. Alright some of you might have tried to argue when I posted about the Philippines having terrible pollution. You might have thought that the city area in the Philippines (mostly Manila) has a crazy concentrated population that is too big especially for a country made up of islands. So of course the people there will have bad air and pollution because there are millions of them squeezed together in one place. But that's not saying much. That's just saying that the concentration in a small country like that makes for more limited resources and more pollution while in a country, like America, that isn't extremely crowded like India or China, has the room and more resources to a person. Proves my point.
But I can say that if the numbers will increase to the point where we do end up like those over populated countries, we will be screwed. However the death rate and birth rate in America are almost balanced and people are finding more reasons to use birth control. I'm sure the government will try to promote and support more emphasis and production of birth control by the time the concern for over population is occurring. But this is also analyzing without thinking about the topic of abortion or immigration. I would say that we have time before this whole thing crashes into over population.
Going back to the idea of an overpopulated location, one thing that is considered an advantage is the emphasis on public transportation. Some areas in the United States can't afford to have public transportation because the population isn't high enough to get buses or make subways. However if you live in NY or Chicago, you got it made. Unfortunately the Health Nut soccer moms win here unless they live in an area with many means of public transportation.
4) Paper vs Electricity
A few of you might have considered at the point that with the increase of technology there would be a great reduce in products because all the information you need will be online or through shared files between a private network. All of that said being true, it is a complete catch 22. Yes you can reduce the amount of paper and ink when it comes to just keeping everything online, but you also use more electricity and energy. Electricity is safe and reliable; however, it's the product itself that is more of a worry. For example light bulbs burn out, batteries die and break, computers get viruses and you have to get another one, and television screens crack. Granted that you do have to go through dozens of electronics in a few years whether one needs to be replaced or you just want to get another one, you can argue that at least you don't need 12 computers to yourself like you need with paper. So this debate can go either way, but in the end I see it as equal.
Companies needs a shit ton of energy to operate. Because this is the 21st century and we are reliable on companies that are up to date and to be the best in the business, they need to be up to date with the latest technology they can afford and using as many resources or energy as they can to do their daily tasks. Companies do try to cut down on anything they can, but in the end they always use more energy than a person living alone in an apartment or house.
5) Previous generation scum.
One more before I bleed you dry of my nonsense, but this issue is always a treat to talk about. Although I am not exactly sure which generation this is (it could be called Generation Me or Generation Change or all I care), being born and part of Generation X sucks because no one wants to hear about your concerns. In fact that's why it's called Generation X which dates from the 70's to some point in the 90's. I can argue why i think it ends in the 90's, but that would be a different article altogether. In short I believe that the 90's was influenced heavily by the 80's so some children who had that mindset while being born in the early 90's could be considered part of that generation.
The Baby Boom generation was on a fast track of producing as soon as the second World War hit. People were collecting metal and making weapons or parts for warfare. Then when the economy was getting better and the 1950's was everyone's happy time, spending money to buy things was starting to hit closer to home when people would go out and buy televisions, cars, and houses. Almost every middle class white family had their own house, car, and television in the suburbs. So after that generation the custom of every family having their own thing started to turn into everyone having their own individual possessions as soon as Generation X started. After Reagan's amazing term his economic team was owning macro and microeconomics like an XBox live geek. Soon people were making more money and wanted to spend it on things. The population was growing after the Baby Boom and more resources were starting to be used up. Not to mention around the 50s the fumes and gases the old cars would leak destroyed the Ozone because it broke down the O3 layer and created holes. Suddenly we started getting an increase in recycling around the 90s, and recycling was starting to become a big theme. But for some reason it faded out like a fad and before you knew it we're in the 2000s and we're screwed. So while I do blame myself for not having the balls to stick with the recycling when I was a child, I do get pissed about the Baby Boom generation creating more families in the United States along with spending money to use up more resources. However this is history and I cannot change it.
I hope you understand how the world can do without Green Nazis and how there are tons of reasons to recycle and reduce along with tons of reasons why we got stuck here in the first place. Remember humans need resources, and we cannot remember to do everything correct all the time. But like Kermit said, it's tough to be green.
