I Want To Write My Random Thoughts And Feelings
I passed a climate change protest yesterday. Tens of thousands of school kids carrying half the Amazon rainforest in shoddy handmade paper placards...
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Theseus · 46-50, M
I am an environmentalist, so I don't mind, and even applaud, youth involvement in the issue.
What I don't like is force--specifically, using the proxy of government to force people to bend to the eco fad du jour (e.g., climate change).
There are tons of ways to convince people to be good stewards of the earth WITHOUT involving government.
What I don't like is force--specifically, using the proxy of government to force people to bend to the eco fad du jour (e.g., climate change).
There are tons of ways to convince people to be good stewards of the earth WITHOUT involving government.
Theseus · 46-50, M
@SW-User Wrong. Flat out. I'm one of the most environmentally conscious people you're ever likely to meet. 35 percent of the power we use in our home comes from solar power. We recycle everything from biomatter to tin cans. We buy goods in recyclable packaging whener it's available. As an avid gardner I use fertilizers, pesticides, etc. very judiciously, and prefer non-eco-toxic chemicals (e.g., vinegar, compost, etc.). We have a massive greywater system which I built myself, and one of our vehicles uses syngas or NG.
And we do all of this and more WITHOUT GOVERNMENT. So can you and everyone else, so spare me the statist hogwash please.
And we do all of this and more WITHOUT GOVERNMENT. So can you and everyone else, so spare me the statist hogwash please.
Theseus · 46-50, M
@SW-User I believe forcing people to do anything is the wrong approach. Doing so turns people AGAINST the very cause we're trying to support. Want an example?: "climate change." The [b]very moment[/b] the issue became about what government should do, everybody's defenses went up.
Contrast that with the environmentalist movements of the 60's and 70's. Those movements built grass roots support through ad campaigns, documentaries, etc. It wasn't till the public got on board that government could effectively step in to join the movement--AFTER the public had stepped up.
Contrast that with the environmentalist movements of the 60's and 70's. Those movements built grass roots support through ad campaigns, documentaries, etc. It wasn't till the public got on board that government could effectively step in to join the movement--AFTER the public had stepped up.
Theseus · 46-50, M
@SW-User There are those who say life is a succession of choices between the lesser of two evils. I disagree. I choose not to be or to take part in evil. Being a good steward of the earth is not evil whereas forcing others to comply with my stance, no matter how noble, is.
NOW, as a libertarian I also believe that polluting the common environment is an unjust "first-use-of-force," and is thus a violation of the non-aggression principle (NAP). If you want to pass laws which prohibit pollution along those lines, fine--but here's the rub: people will invariably define "pollution" differently.
Certainly, nuclear waste would qualify. I think everyone would agree that no amount of nuclear waste is or should be permissible. CO^2 is another matter. Why? Because, at certain levels, CO^2 is actually beneficial. The bulk of it is absorbed by plants in the processing of water and carbon into sugars (photosynthesis). So exactly how much is "too much," and who decides?
NOW, as a libertarian I also believe that polluting the common environment is an unjust "first-use-of-force," and is thus a violation of the non-aggression principle (NAP). If you want to pass laws which prohibit pollution along those lines, fine--but here's the rub: people will invariably define "pollution" differently.
Certainly, nuclear waste would qualify. I think everyone would agree that no amount of nuclear waste is or should be permissible. CO^2 is another matter. Why? Because, at certain levels, CO^2 is actually beneficial. The bulk of it is absorbed by plants in the processing of water and carbon into sugars (photosynthesis). So exactly how much is "too much," and who decides?