Man made global warming is real.

[Wingspan]

im not sure if this helps or not, but last weekend, i literally poured a gallon of lead based paint on a humpback whale

Funny you should mention that, I was feeding lead to dolphins and keeping their mouths shut with six pack holders to be sure they swallowed.

[Cerevant]

I'm not trying to say it.  I'm saying it.  He's being a smug, pompous dick.

By using myself as an example for how farged up the American attitude is?  Hell, I thought I was doing my US $0.02 by putting my milk bottles and beer bottles in the recycle bin.  (Up here milk is in recycleable plastic bags, and beer bottles are washed and re-used)

He's also basing entire countries' habits on his personal experience.

Says the guy who calls the entire country of Canada hippie douches?

Yes, I used examples from my life to illustrate the difference I observed.  I felt that using my consumption habits as a baseline would allow an apples to apples comparison.  I haven't changed how I live (well, I did change a bunch of lightbulbs to flourescent, but...) and I am just amazed how easy they make it to do the right thing.

But, his generalizations are a cock in the eye to the many people in America that are doing their part.

This Christmas I visited Raleigh, North Carolina for most of a week.  When I went to a pizza joint, my soda was served in a styrofoam cup.  The homes I visited did not have recycling.

My ex has family in Davis, CA...about as granola as I've seen in the US.  Their conservation habits are somewhat better than PA, but not even close to where I live (Peterborough, Ontario).

The last 2 years I spent traveling all over the country and the world.  I try not to make generalizations lightly.

Still, I will concede that I've only really been exposed to life in Ontario - I'm sure there are parts of Canada (especially the rural plains and far north) that do not compare to what is one of the wealthier areas of the country.

The government needs to effect this change in the people,

I agree - as I stated before, what makes this really work is that they make it easy to do the right thing here.  You don't have to badger people to recycle when just about everything is recyclable.

So, the last thing I want to hear is some transplanted American in Canada bragging about how awesome they are for the planet.  farg Canada.  We have our own problems.

That's why I'm embarrassed.  The US is supposed to be the richest, most technologically advanced country in the world.  As someone who has been a pretty staunch capitalist in the past, it kills me to see how the lobbyists and big money corporations are taking control of my home and running it into the ground.

I use Canada as an example to show that it can be done.  If a country with 1/10 the population of the US and a crippled, import dependent economy can do it, there is no farging reason why the US can't.  They just don't farging want to.  It might cost another 2% in taxes or inconvenience some icehole in North Carolina who doesn't like his Coke to make his hand cold.

[SunMo]

Funny you should mention that, I was feeding lead to dolphins and keeping their mouths shut with six pack holders to be sure they swallowed.

ah, the mystery of nature

[Diomedes]

(well, I did change a bunch of lightbulbs to flourescent, but...)

I did that too.  They're expensive up front, but they use a lot less energy and they last forever.  Used to be they were only good for overhead lights and the like because the light was a bit harsh and poorly suited to table lamps, but they've gotten much better and I now use them throughout the apartment.

[SD_Eagle5]

You piss on toilet seats, don't you?

I noticed when I piss sometimes I can't help but have it spray. Like it's not a solid stream, a little goes off somewhere else. This doesn't happen often, maybe once a month, but it does happen.

[SunMo]

they don't work so good outside though

[Cerevant]

(well, I did change a bunch of lightbulbs to flourescent, but...)

I did that too.  They're expensive up front, but they use a lot less energy and they last forever.  Used to be they were only good for overhead lights and the like because the light was a bit harsh and poorly suited to table lamps, but they've gotten much better and I now use them throughout the apartment.

Since my wife works at home, and her office is in the basement, it ended up saving us ~$15/month in electricity.

[Diomedes]

they don't work so good outside though

Yeah, they aren't made for outdoor duty.

[Rome]

We switched over to these months ago:



I haven't really noticed a big savings in the electric bill because I'm a pain in the ass about turning lights off in the house, but I'm sure we've saved a little bit by switching.

And no, they're not meant for outdoor lighting.

[Cerevant]

they don't work so good outside though

Yeah, they aren't made for outdoor duty.

What's the problem?  I find they are really bright.  The nice thing is that you can use a higher rated bulb - if the fixture is rated for 60 watts, you can put in a 100 watt equivalent (actually 15W), because they do not generate much heat.

[Cerevant]

I haven't really noticed a big savings in the electric bill because I'm a pain in the ass about turning lights off in the house, but I'm sure we've saved a little bit by switching.

The propaganda around here is that one bulb will save $50/year, so not so much monthly.  I think I'm an exception because my wife is home all day and keeps all the lights on.

[ice grillin you]

i use them outside as well...i dont know that you could read under one but they work fine to light up my front stoop and my back porch

oh and lol @ It might cost another 2% in taxes or inconvenience some icehole in North Carolina who doesn't like his Coke to make his hand cold

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

This Christmas I visited Raleigh, North Carolina for most of a week.  When I went to a pizza joint, my soda was served in a styrofoam cup.  The homes I visited did not have recycling.

That's funny.  I live right near Raleigh.  I don't remember the last time I drank out of a styrofoam cup.  I don't remember the last time I saw a trash can at the curb without a recycling bin right next to it.  In fact, my recycling bin regularly is filled so much that I put the extras in a cardboard box.  Oh, and I haven't replaced an indoor lightbulb in my house with anything but compact flourescent in over a year.

You're being a self-righteous shtein.

[rjs246]

You piss on toilet seats, don't you?

I noticed when I piss sometimes I can't help but have it spray. Like it's not a solid stream, a little goes off somewhere else. This doesn't happen often, maybe once a month, but it does happen.

Well if you don't take the 30 seconds to wipe it up when you're done then you are a farging dickhole.

[SD_Eagle5]

I'll usually wipe it off but if there is no toilet paper handy it stays.