8 Elephants Worth of Stuff

[meierlde]

Here is what I am getting at - This planet we live on has finite resources and we are consuming them at an unsustainable rate. As citizens of the world whose lives are interconnected with one another, all of us (IMO) have an obligation to do all we can so as not to waste our abundance and/or create an abundance of waste. This is what we owe ourselves, our neighbors, our progeny and others who must walk this earth.

Ah yes the Malthusian theory which has held the view posted above for over 200 years and for at least a long time has been proven wrong. Just like I suspect that the trends in electricity cost from solar now being for utility scale solar being such that if build in deserts cost less that any other source of power, give one hope. If you think about it the western edge of the great plains in the US is ideal for solar as it is to dry for much but cattle grazing. Further you can also integrate wind and solar on the same plot. (the wind tends to blow stronger at night that during the day for example).
Another point 83% of steel made in the US is now recycled. The energy needed to make a ton of steel from iron ore is down over 60% from 110 years ago.
(now for the electricity issue a big piece is now the NIMBY problem for power lines to move the power to where it is needed all be it DC lines are are a lot less intrusive and much better for long distance lines i.e. from the western great plains to east of the Mississippi river, just like pwer moves to new england from Churchill Falls in Labrador.

 

[unclemick]

Potatoes and poop. I read The Martian. It's nice to know we humans can figure things out.

heh heh heh - Mother Nature can still toss in a curve ball now and then. I still have Tsunami on my bucket list - river flood, volcano, earthquake, forest fire, tornado, hurricane/s are checked off.

 

[Helena]

Here is what I am getting at - This planet we live on has finite resources and we are consuming them at an unsustainable rate. As citizens of the world whose lives are interconnected with one another, all of us (IMO) have an obligation to do all we can so as not to waste our abundance and/or create an abundance of waste. This is what we owe ourselves, our neighbors, our progeny and others who must walk this earth.

It is my nature to live simply and frugally.

Another poster here said to pay attention to how much trash you generate.

In times past, physical assets would be repaired... today the are routinely thrown away and replaced.

Blame our consumer-driven economic system which encourages people to throw away the old [even if it is still functioning] and replace it with the "new and improved."

As for me... I am typing on a 16 year old keyboard/computer.

.

 

[target2019]

We live in an area of conspicuous consumption. Some have 4 of the larger trash cans that get picked up by town collection. We walked last evening and a family of 3, including young child, generates over 200 gallons of waste, I estimate, every week.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

Sometimes when I take bags of clutter to the charity thrift shops they say they are full and not accepting donations. I dropped some bags off at Goodwill the other day and a person from the back came out and told the register clerk to to accept any more donations for the day, so I got in under the wire. I was glad as that was the second shop I'd been to that day the first one I tried was already full.

We had an all wood desk with a small water mark on top and had trouble finding a place to accept it, even with giving it away for free, just because of the water mark. I'm not sure what that all means exactly but it seems like a sign of too many consumer goods floating around if it is hard to even give things away for free.

 

[unclemick]

Sometimes when I take bags of clutter to the charity thrift shops they say they are full and not accepting donations. I dropped some bags off at Goodwill the other day and a person from the back came out and told the register clerk to to accept any more donations for the day, so I got in under the wire. I was glad as that was the second shop I'd been to that day the first one I tried was already full.

We had an all wood desk with a small water mark on top and had trouble finding a place to accept it, even with giving it away for free, just because of the water mark. I'm not sure what that all means exactly but it seems like a sign of too many consumer goods floating around if it is hard to even give things away for free.

'In another Galaxy er time far far away(sic)' a certain relative worked for a Goodwill that accepted donations from 'Microsoft Millionaires'. They hired a woman with 'expertise' out of fear they were mispricing or didn't know what had been donated.

heh heh heh -