Obama and the smaller carbon footprint

[sleepyjeff]

Originally Posted by Gemini Cricket

.. And if ten people, for example, stop buying water in plastic water bottles because of what he did, I think it's quite an accomplishment.

A fair point......however, if only one person decides to take a trip to Hawaii because they saw Obama there...................

[Gemini Cricket]

Originally Posted by sleepyjeff

A fair point......however, if only one person decides to take a trip to Hawaii because they saw Obama there...................

But that's a huge part of Hawai'i's economy. If visiting Hawai'i is now a must for certain people because of Obama, then good for HI.
It's amazing, actually, how many people visit HI because of 'Lost'. Tourism skyrocketed.

[sleepyjeff]

Originally Posted by Gemini Cricket

But that's a huge part of Hawai'i's economy. If visiting Hawai'i is now a must for certain people because of Obama, then good for HI.
It's amazing, actually, how many people visit HI because of 'Lost'. Tourism skyrocketed.

If you're saying it's ok to pollute if it helps the economy I don't see where we disagree.

[Kevy Baby]

Originally Posted by sleepyjeff

So we've established here today that it's ok to pollute the planet if your job requires it or if you are on vacation...so long as you, once in a while, do some small gesture, a nod if you will, towards living a more green lifestyle.

Originally Posted by sleepyjeff

If you're saying it's ok to pollute if it helps the economy I don't see where we disagree.

Well, that is certainly one spin that could be placed on it.

No one ever said that "it is okay to pollute." We all pollute in varying forms. With currently mass available/reasonably affordable technology, the question becomes whether one is doing their best to reduce their carbon footprint.

[Gemini Cricket]

Originally Posted by sleepyjeff

If you're saying it's ok to pollute if it helps the economy I don't see where we disagree.

So it's your thinking that in order for Obama to be green with integrity, he should not fly, drive, drink any beverage out of bottles ever... I find that to be extreme thinking. Drinking bottled water is not necessary in Hawai'i, the water is fine. Using a plane to get to Hawai'i is necessary.

Obama is trying to change people's thinking about green issues. This is a small step. Gavin Newsom did a smiliar thing, getting people who work in his building not to drink bottled water. In that case, I don't know if I agree with him because the water in SF doesn't taste good to me.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by sleepyjeff

If you're saying it's ok to pollute if it helps the economy I don't see where we disagree.

Do you have a magic fairy wand that will let us snap our fingers and make all pollution-generating technology disappear and be replaced with non-polluting?

It's absurd to ask the world to come to a stop while we figure sh*t out. Things still need to get done and it unfortunately still takes burning fossil fuels to do it. So you do the best you can with what's available now. What more can you ask for?

[Gemini Cricket]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

What more can you ask for?

GD, I want a magic fairy wand.

[sleepyjeff]

Originally Posted by BarTopDancer

SJ,

I'm really confused about the point you are trying to make. It sounds like you're saying that if you prefer to drink tap water instead of bottled water you shouldn't be drinking any other bottled beverages, participate in any sort of travel and live a completely green lifestyle.

Is that correct?

No. Not at all. What I am saying is that Obama is polluting....more than most anyone else.....his reasons for polluting are valid and I don't expect him to stop flying or drink only tap water, etc.....but that does not change the fact that he does pollute a lot more than most.

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

Things still need to get done and it unfortunately still takes burning fossil fuels to do it.

Exactly.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by sleepyjeff

No. Not at all. What I am saying is that Obama is polluting....more than most anyone else.....his reasons for polluting are valid and I don't expect him to stop flying or drink only tap water, etc.....but that does not change the fact that he does pollute a lot more than most.





Exactly.

So just because he is required to pollute in one way completely invalidates his efforts to pollute less in other ways?

Try again.

ETA: Or, to put it another way, "I'd better not try to improve my driving habits and use less gas because the food I buy is trucked across the country and that uses gas, so it's not environmentally sound to use less gas myself."

[sleepyjeff]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

So just because he is required to pollute in one way completely invalidates his efforts to pollute less in other ways?

Not completely, no.

I suppose if an arsonist brought along a squirt gun to the scene of his next crime we should applaud his foresight.


(and no, I am not, in any way, comparing a good man like Senator Obama to someone like an arsonist...just an analogy I pulled out of thin air)