Comments on: Why I Don’t Focus on Sustainability Much… http://moralequivalentofwar.wordpress.com/2007/08/27/why-i-dont-focus-on-sustainability-much/ Preparing one's self and family for an uncertain future. News and opinion on peak oil, economic and environmental crises, and sustainability in a post-carbon world. Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:58:21 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Mauricio Babilonia http://moralequivalentofwar.wordpress.com/2007/08/27/why-i-dont-focus-on-sustainability-much/#comment-4960 Mauricio Babilonia Thu, 30 Aug 2007 03:56:18 +0000 http://moralequivalentofwar.wordpress.com/2007/08/27/why-i-dont-focus-on-sustainability-much/#comment-4960 It really is remarkable to watch how some folks will recognize a problem and choose to criticize those who in large part agree with them for creating or perpetuating that problem. I think it's much easier to rail against those with whom one has a common interest. Think about how a common understanding of concepts and common vocabulary facilitate this. Add a little fear of confronting the unknown, and pretty soon you're pulling out the pots and pans, ready to cook and eat your own. Consider the case a couple of years ago, of the <a href="http://dclxvi.org/chunk/what/index.html" rel="nofollow">chunk 666</a>-type bicycle group in our town showed up to protest the annual Bike to Work Week gathering. They carried signs calling the event "Middle-Class Cop-Out Week." Okay, so most of the chunkers were car-free types, dedicated to selflessly creating a better world by welding bits of salvaged tricycles and Huffys together in the basements of their low-rent apartment buildings between shifts as dishwashers; and maybe some of the Bike to Work Week participants only rode to work that one and only week of the year; but really, give me a break. Who the hell protests transportation cycling? Why couldn't someone protest a car show or something that represented a real challenge to cycling? Probably because it wasn't a safe bet. On another note, the very same folks who would find Miranda’s Achilles Heel in her five kids reveal in themselves a certain affection for Thomas Malthus. Unfortunately, these very same people would be revolted at the idea of being labelled Mathusian. It really is remarkable to watch how some folks will recognize a problem and choose to criticize those who in large part agree with them for creating or perpetuating that problem. I think it’s much easier to rail against those with whom one has a common interest. Think about how a common understanding of concepts and common vocabulary facilitate this. Add a little fear of confronting the unknown, and pretty soon you’re pulling out the pots and pans, ready to cook and eat your own.

Consider the case a couple of years ago, of the chunk 666-type bicycle group in our town showed up to protest the annual Bike to Work Week gathering. They carried signs calling the event “Middle-Class Cop-Out Week.” Okay, so most of the chunkers were car-free types, dedicated to selflessly creating a better world by welding bits of salvaged tricycles and Huffys together in the basements of their low-rent apartment buildings between shifts as dishwashers; and maybe some of the Bike to Work Week participants only rode to work that one and only week of the year; but really, give me a break. Who the hell protests transportation cycling? Why couldn’t someone protest a car show or something that represented a real challenge to cycling?

Probably because it wasn’t a safe bet.

On another note, the very same folks who would find Miranda’s Achilles Heel in her five kids reveal in themselves a certain affection for Thomas Malthus. Unfortunately, these very same people would be revolted at the idea of being labelled Mathusian.

]]> By: Theresa http://moralequivalentofwar.wordpress.com/2007/08/27/why-i-dont-focus-on-sustainability-much/#comment-4954 Theresa Wed, 29 Aug 2007 21:36:00 +0000 http://moralequivalentofwar.wordpress.com/2007/08/27/why-i-dont-focus-on-sustainability-much/#comment-4954 Thanks for your plain speaking - it's good to hear someone tell it like it is. I'll have to stick around and read a bit more... Thanks for your plain speaking – it’s good to hear someone tell it like it is. I’ll have to stick around and read a bit more…

]]> By: Beo http://moralequivalentofwar.wordpress.com/2007/08/27/why-i-dont-focus-on-sustainability-much/#comment-4947 Beo Wed, 29 Aug 2007 12:17:52 +0000 http://moralequivalentofwar.wordpress.com/2007/08/27/why-i-dont-focus-on-sustainability-much/#comment-4947 Mia and I have dubbed the "you aren't doing enough" crowd the "Lamers". Like Bart and Miranda, hell all of us have heard too many times the comments like :You drive a Prius? That is so lame, I take the bus" "You take the bus to work? That is so lame, I bike to work!" "You bike to work? That is so lame, my bike was made in a fair trade education facility in Uganda from recycled AK-47's by AIDs orphans" etc. etc. ad nauseum. We feel that the most important change is the one of mindset. Admitting you have the problem has the biggest impact. Going from biking to work to walking doesn't have nearly as much impact as the initial descion to drive less or buy a more fuel effecient car. Worse yet-I would wager that the Lamers are having a net Carbon Positive impact due to the amount of people they turn off. I know people refusing to buy hybrids so as to not be associated with the wacko fringe aka Lamers. Way to go Lamers! After all, self righteousness is what it is all about. eff that. We need to stop eating our own and get our eye back on the prize. I will keep pushing my envelope, but will be much more proactive in recognizing the progress of others. Burdockboy, Bart, Miranda, et all. You Rock. On behalf on my children, I thank you. Mia and I have dubbed the “you aren’t doing enough” crowd the “Lamers”. Like Bart and Miranda, hell all of us have heard too many times the comments like :You drive a Prius? That is so lame, I take the bus” “You take the bus to work? That is so lame, I bike to work!” “You bike to work? That is so lame, my bike was made in a fair trade education facility in Uganda from recycled AK-47’s by AIDs orphans” etc. etc. ad nauseum.

We feel that the most important change is the one of mindset. Admitting you have the problem has the biggest impact. Going from biking to work to walking doesn’t have nearly as much impact as the initial descion to drive less or buy a more fuel effecient car. Worse yet-I would wager that the Lamers are having a net Carbon Positive impact due to the amount of people they turn off. I know people refusing to buy hybrids so as to not be associated with the wacko fringe aka Lamers.

Way to go Lamers! After all, self righteousness is what it is all about. eff that.
We need to stop eating our own and get our eye back on the prize. I will keep pushing my envelope, but will be much more proactive in recognizing the progress of others.

Burdockboy, Bart, Miranda, et all. You Rock. On behalf on my children, I thank you.

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