Post by: Sindawe on May 10, 2008, 07:25:54 AM
Quote
Seeing red because I'm green
Posted: May 10, 2008
1:00 am Eastern
By Patrice Lewis
© 2008
Hey, here's a newsflash: My family and I are green. Whoa!
Why do we qualify? We work at home (no commuting). We grow or raise a large portion of our own food (ooh, organic). We don't use a clothes dryer; we heat with wood we cut ourselves (no heating oil, gas, or electrical heat); we buy almost everything (clothes, furniture, household items) second-hand. We don't have cell phones or television reception. We don't have air conditioning or central heating. The list goes on … and it's a long list (available upon request).
Our greenness came about when we decided to do something bold and daring, something most people only dream about. Fourteen years ago, we chucked our urban, two-income, professional lifestyle in the city and bought a fixer-upper on four acres in the country. No jobs, no income. No kidding.
So there we were – poor. That was our first step toward greenness.
Unable to find a job, we decided to start our own woodcraft business so we could work at home. If we had known that we were embarking on a decade of being really poor, we may have taken a different path. But ignorance was bliss, so we continued. Now we were well on our way toward environmental consciousness.
We chugged along without health insurance through the birth of our two daughters. (We departed from true greenness by insisting that we pay our own hospital bills, however.) I worked nights outside the home and my husband worked days in the shop because we couldn't afford (nor did we want) day care. We used cloth diapers and I breastfed because we couldn't afford disposable diapers and formula. See the greenery building up?
I learned to can fruits and vegetables. We had a cow/calf and chickens, so we milked and butchered and gathered eggs and made cheese. (Oops, we're not vegans. Strike one.) Our business slowly stabilized until I could stop working outside the home and could split the hours in the shop with my husband. (Oops, a stay-at-home mom. Strike two.)
We homeschooled because we couldn't afford private schools. We figured our kids, in the long run, couldn't "afford" government schools either. If my kids are going to get propagandized, they may as well get it from me.
Fast-forward to today. Because we work at home and are not dependent on proximity to a city, we had the freedom to relocate to an area where property prices are low. Now we have 40 acres, more cows, more chickens and a bigger garden.
But we try to stay frugal. To save on propane, we never use our dryer (line-dry in the summer, rack-dry in the winter). We still heat with wood from our own woodlot. We produce our own fruits, vegetables, meat, milk, eggs, cheese, yogurt and butter (wheat is next on our list of things to try). We buy in bulk. We drive a small car. We buy all our clothes (except socks and underwear), furniture and most of our household goods at thrift stores.
The funny thing is we moved to an area where most people are greener than we are. They out-green just about everyone I know – living off-grid, building their own homes with no mortgage, making their own soap, grinding their own grain, making their own pasta. …
We're still pretty low income – but that's "green" too, isn't it? After all, most environmentalists love poor folk. They must, or they wouldn't be so interested in making everyone uniformly poor by taking our money away to equalize the misery.
Recently, I got curious about the extent of our carbon footprint and logged onto www.carbonfootprint.com to see just how bad we are. According to this website, the average footprint for people in the U.S. is 20 tons of carbon per year. The average for the industrialized nations is about 11 tons/year. The average worldwide footprint is about four tons/year. To combat climate change (wait, wasn't it "global warming" last week?), the worldwide average needs to reduce to two tons/year, approximately cave man status.
Our results: 4.165 tons/year. I also learned that I could offset my evil capitalistic consumerist lifestyle by planting six trees in Kenya, planting six trees in another "approved" country of my choice, or contributing toward "VCS verified carbon reduction projects around the world which reduce carbon emissions through the displacement of fossil fuels through clean / renewable energy generation." But wait, we're too poor to purchase these indulgences, so I guess we'll have to keep spewing out carbon unabated through our evil capitalistic consumerist lifestyle. The 48 trees we've planted so far on our property probably don't count because we're not in Kenya.
Nonetheless, because we're walking the walk but not talking the talk, I've been accused on various forums of not being green. That makes me see red. What will it take? Reducing our standard of living to cave man status?
Probably. I think the greenies won't be satisfied until their advanced socialism has reduced everyone to stark poverty (except the environmentalist leaders, of course – they get to live in 10,000 square foot homes they tell us are "green").
If your belief is that it's impossible to be environmentally conscious without supporting the extreme left, socialistic philosophy, then you're mistaken. Some of the greenest people in this country are those with a fierce love of independence and a wish to be left alone.
Remember, greenies don't really care if you walk the walk. They only want you to talk the talk. The purpose of today's environmentalism is not to get people to live a green lifestyle; otherwise our neighbors and we would be their heroes. No, the purpose, the scheme, the agenda of the greenies is to get us all to knuckle under to socialism. Pure and simple. "Saving the planet" is just their excuse.
Good stewardship of the earth just makes sense. My family does it because it keeps our expenses low and our independence high.
By looking at green issues through the lens of intelligence rather than blind worship or political power-grabbing, people can make sound choices and decisions that can protect the environment … without the hype that can lead to dangerous and socialistic trends.
Source: http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=63861
Posted: May 10, 2008
1:00 am Eastern
By Patrice Lewis
© 2008
Hey, here's a newsflash: My family and I are green. Whoa!
Why do we qualify? We work at home (no commuting). We grow or raise a large portion of our own food (ooh, organic). We don't use a clothes dryer; we heat with wood we cut ourselves (no heating oil, gas, or electrical heat); we buy almost everything (clothes, furniture, household items) second-hand. We don't have cell phones or television reception. We don't have air conditioning or central heating. The list goes on … and it's a long list (available upon request).
Our greenness came about when we decided to do something bold and daring, something most people only dream about. Fourteen years ago, we chucked our urban, two-income, professional lifestyle in the city and bought a fixer-upper on four acres in the country. No jobs, no income. No kidding.
So there we were – poor. That was our first step toward greenness.
Unable to find a job, we decided to start our own woodcraft business so we could work at home. If we had known that we were embarking on a decade of being really poor, we may have taken a different path. But ignorance was bliss, so we continued. Now we were well on our way toward environmental consciousness.
We chugged along without health insurance through the birth of our two daughters. (We departed from true greenness by insisting that we pay our own hospital bills, however.) I worked nights outside the home and my husband worked days in the shop because we couldn't afford (nor did we want) day care. We used cloth diapers and I breastfed because we couldn't afford disposable diapers and formula. See the greenery building up?
I learned to can fruits and vegetables. We had a cow/calf and chickens, so we milked and butchered and gathered eggs and made cheese. (Oops, we're not vegans. Strike one.) Our business slowly stabilized until I could stop working outside the home and could split the hours in the shop with my husband. (Oops, a stay-at-home mom. Strike two.)
We homeschooled because we couldn't afford private schools. We figured our kids, in the long run, couldn't "afford" government schools either. If my kids are going to get propagandized, they may as well get it from me.
Fast-forward to today. Because we work at home and are not dependent on proximity to a city, we had the freedom to relocate to an area where property prices are low. Now we have 40 acres, more cows, more chickens and a bigger garden.
But we try to stay frugal. To save on propane, we never use our dryer (line-dry in the summer, rack-dry in the winter). We still heat with wood from our own woodlot. We produce our own fruits, vegetables, meat, milk, eggs, cheese, yogurt and butter (wheat is next on our list of things to try). We buy in bulk. We drive a small car. We buy all our clothes (except socks and underwear), furniture and most of our household goods at thrift stores.
The funny thing is we moved to an area where most people are greener than we are. They out-green just about everyone I know – living off-grid, building their own homes with no mortgage, making their own soap, grinding their own grain, making their own pasta. …
We're still pretty low income – but that's "green" too, isn't it? After all, most environmentalists love poor folk. They must, or they wouldn't be so interested in making everyone uniformly poor by taking our money away to equalize the misery.
Recently, I got curious about the extent of our carbon footprint and logged onto www.carbonfootprint.com to see just how bad we are. According to this website, the average footprint for people in the U.S. is 20 tons of carbon per year. The average for the industrialized nations is about 11 tons/year. The average worldwide footprint is about four tons/year. To combat climate change (wait, wasn't it "global warming" last week?), the worldwide average needs to reduce to two tons/year, approximately cave man status.
Our results: 4.165 tons/year. I also learned that I could offset my evil capitalistic consumerist lifestyle by planting six trees in Kenya, planting six trees in another "approved" country of my choice, or contributing toward "VCS verified carbon reduction projects around the world which reduce carbon emissions through the displacement of fossil fuels through clean / renewable energy generation." But wait, we're too poor to purchase these indulgences, so I guess we'll have to keep spewing out carbon unabated through our evil capitalistic consumerist lifestyle. The 48 trees we've planted so far on our property probably don't count because we're not in Kenya.
Nonetheless, because we're walking the walk but not talking the talk, I've been accused on various forums of not being green. That makes me see red. What will it take? Reducing our standard of living to cave man status?
Probably. I think the greenies won't be satisfied until their advanced socialism has reduced everyone to stark poverty (except the environmentalist leaders, of course – they get to live in 10,000 square foot homes they tell us are "green").
If your belief is that it's impossible to be environmentally conscious without supporting the extreme left, socialistic philosophy, then you're mistaken. Some of the greenest people in this country are those with a fierce love of independence and a wish to be left alone.
Remember, greenies don't really care if you walk the walk. They only want you to talk the talk. The purpose of today's environmentalism is not to get people to live a green lifestyle; otherwise our neighbors and we would be their heroes. No, the purpose, the scheme, the agenda of the greenies is to get us all to knuckle under to socialism. Pure and simple. "Saving the planet" is just their excuse.
Good stewardship of the earth just makes sense. My family does it because it keeps our expenses low and our independence high.
By looking at green issues through the lens of intelligence rather than blind worship or political power-grabbing, people can make sound choices and decisions that can protect the environment … without the hype that can lead to dangerous and socialistic trends.
Source: http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=63861
Just for grins, I linked into the carbon footprint page and ran my numbers. Even though I don't take a lot of pains to "be green" and live surrounded by electronic toys, my calculated footprint is only 7.5 tons of carbon/year. I could offset that by planting 11 trees (per the noted web site), but only in Kenya or the UK.
Post by: K Frame on May 10, 2008, 07:30:34 AM
HUH?
8.2 tons of carbon per year.
What I want to know is why using a bank or credit union adds to my carbon footprint. That's the stupidest goddamned thing I've ever heard.
Post by: Sindawe on May 10, 2008, 07:35:04 AM
1: Home birth
2: Socialized medicine paying the cost (favored option of those who spout "green" only for control of others)
Post by: K Frame on May 10, 2008, 07:39:37 AM
I bet I know how. Very limited and highly rationed services.
I'm more than willing to send some of this asswipes to Kenya...
You know what? I think I've discovered a flaw in the carbon calculator...
A good chunk of my electricity comes from nuclear power, not the burning of fossil fuels...
Post by: roo_ster on May 10, 2008, 09:22:03 AM
Post by: Silver Bullet on May 10, 2008, 10:53:52 AM
Quote
(except the environmentalist leaders, of course they get to live in 10,000 square foot homes they tell us are "green").
Im gratified he recognized that particular dirty little secret of socialism.
Post by: Perd Hapley on May 10, 2008, 11:04:36 AM
I would tell it what kind of car my wife drives, but it has no listing for Buick Century. Huh? I could enter the annual milage but how would I even have that information? Who tracks that, anyway?
Post by: Werewolf on May 10, 2008, 11:23:38 AM
Try and make me live the way that website seems to think ideal and there's gonna be a problem. I guarantee it won't be me suffering from your solutions.
Post by: Bigjake on May 10, 2008, 11:24:47 AM
Post by: freakazoid on May 10, 2008, 11:34:45 AM
Quote
How the hell am I supposed to rack up points if they don't give better options??
lol, I think your playing it wrong. It is kind of like golf. You know you the lower the score the better... and really boring, :p
Post by: grislyatoms on May 10, 2008, 12:34:10 PM
What a magical pile of feel-good quackery.
Actually, let me rephrase that.
What a magical pile of sanctimonious, feel-good quackery.
Post by: anygunanywhere on May 10, 2008, 02:53:44 PM
29.61 and they did not even count my diesel superduty.
Written as I sit by the pool grillin' some angus ribeyes, slurpin' down a Jack Daniels, listening to the two AC's cool my two story (ahem) bungalow, gazing longingly at my darling wife soaking rays in the 90+ degree Texas heat.
Oops. The ash fell off of my Cohiba onto the keyboard.
THe queen palms are green. Does that count??
Anygunanywhere
Post by: Manedwolf on May 10, 2008, 02:56:56 PM
Post by: grampster on May 10, 2008, 03:29:54 PM
Post by: Scout26 on May 10, 2008, 05:51:30 PM
Post by: Nick1911 on May 10, 2008, 07:37:06 PM
I wanna see some negative numbers!
Post by: BridgeRunner on May 11, 2008, 03:36:17 AM
Post by: Jamisjockey on May 11, 2008, 03:47:32 AM
It'd have been more if we actually had to commute in the behemouth Escalade the wife drives.
I love how it immediately directs you to offset your footprint with credits. I can't wait to see Joe Slickhair on the Environmental channel....faith healing the environment and promising to assuage white guilt if you call in and buy credits.....
This whole thing is starting to smack of the televangelists of the 80's and 90's.
Post by: Tallpine on May 11, 2008, 03:59:29 AM
Quote
No place to enter the age of one's vehicle. Over the course of twenty years, one truck is more efficient that ten Priuses.
Until we got a 2 yr old vehicle (30mpg) last month, the combined age of our other two trucks totalled 49 years
Post by: Declaration Day on May 11, 2008, 04:00:03 AM
What I want to know is why using a bank or credit union adds to my carbon footprint. That's the stupidest goddamned thing I've ever heard.
By using a bank / credit union, you contribute to their energy consumption, everything from the electricity they use to the fossil fuels burned in the production of their paper and other supplies.
Post by: stevelyn on May 11, 2008, 04:03:34 AM
Screw the greenies.
Post by: Glock Glockler on May 11, 2008, 04:34:43 AM
We have a winner! That's why they're called watermelons, green on the outside and red on the inside.
Post by: Jamisjockey on May 11, 2008, 04:38:38 AM
What I want to know is why using a bank or credit union adds to my carbon footprint. That's the stupidest goddamned thing I've ever heard.
By using a bank / credit union, you contribute to their energy consumption, everything from the electricity they use to the fossil fuels burned in the production of their paper and other supplies.
But without using a bank, how can I use my debit card to
Post by: wmenorr67 on May 11, 2008, 04:43:48 AM
What I want to know is why using a bank or credit union adds to my carbon footprint. That's the stupidest goddamned thing I've ever heard.
By using a bank / credit union, you contribute to their energy consumption, everything from the electricity they use to the fossil fuels burned in the production of their paper and other supplies.
But without using a bank, how can I use my debit card to
Oh the never ending circle of life and death.
Post by: Bigjake on May 11, 2008, 05:00:27 AM
Post by: grislyatoms on May 11, 2008, 05:05:46 AM
I wonder if Enviro-Weenies would burn better than the slabwood I'm using now.
They burn just fine, you just gotta watch out for the patchouli stench. It'll run you right out of the house!
Post by: grislyatoms on May 11, 2008, 06:28:49 AM
But they just want you to buy some Ponzi carbon credits!
Ahh, I see.
"I threw my money away on this nebulous scheme so you should, too..."
Still seems to be a self-righteous element there, too, though.
Post by: The Annoyed Man on May 11, 2008, 07:01:52 AM
I wonder if Enviro-Weenies would burn better than the slabwood I'm using now.
Better solution: Make Soylent Green out of them. Not that I would eat Post by: RocketMan on May 11, 2008, 07:09:52 AM
I wonder if Enviro-Weenies would burn better than the slabwood I'm using now.
Better solution: Make Soylent Green out of them. Not that I would eat Hey, Soylent Greenies! I coined a new term.
We can donate the Soylent Greenies to the starving masses in various Third World pits. That way, we can reduce world hunger, and at the same time, further assuage our feelings of Liberal White Guilt.
Post by: The Annoyed Man on May 11, 2008, 07:42:29 AM
I wonder if Enviro-Weenies would burn better than the slabwood I'm using now.
Better solution: Make Soylent Green out of them. Not that I would eat Hey, Soylent Greenies! I coined a new term.
We can donate the Soylent Greenies to the starving masses in various Third World pits. That way, we can reduce world hunger, and at the same time, further assuage our feelings of Liberal White Guilt.
Post by: Perd Hapley on May 11, 2008, 08:22:28 AM
further assuage our feelings of Liberal White Guilt.
People burdened by White Guilt should just blame me.
This calculator could be a very useful tool in identifying godless commies. Anything under a ten, and you're an obvious communist. And right now I'm looking at you, Sindawe.
Post by: Bigjake on May 11, 2008, 08:42:43 AM
further assuage our feelings of Liberal White Guilt.
People burdened by White Guilt should just blame me.
This calculator could be a very useful tool in identifying godless commies. Anything under a ten, and you're an obvious communist. And right now I'm looking at you, Sindawe.
No, that makes him a Pagan Commie
Soylent Greenies sounds like some kind of twisted breakfast cereal.
I wonder if Enviro-Weenies would burn better than the slabwood I'm using now.
They burn just fine, you just gotta watch out for the patchouli stench. It'll run you right out of the house!
Didn't think of that..... still, it would be "green" energy right? thats how they want it, and we kill 2 birds with one shot.
Post by: Sindawe on May 11, 2008, 08:52:19 AM
Quote
This calculator could be a very useful tool in identifying godless commies. Anything under a ten, and you're an obvious communist. And right now I'm looking at you, Sindawe.
So I'm a communist because rather than spending my hard earned money on gasoline for a huge SUV and heating/cooling/lighting a 3500+ sq. foot mansion for myself and the cats, I live in a modest condo, drive a fuel efficient car and spend my earnings on stuff that REALLY matters like guns, ammo, cats, computers, booze and porn?
You really are a sad little man fistful. No wonder everybody hates you and blames you for all the evils of the world. : neener :
Post by: Art Eatman on May 11, 2008, 08:55:08 AM
Post by: Bigjake on May 11, 2008, 08:57:00 AM
Quote
This calculator could be a very useful tool in identifying godless commies. Anything under a ten, and you're an obvious communist. And right now I'm looking at you, Sindawe.
So I'm a communist because rather than spending my hard earned money on gasoline for a huge SUV and heating/cooling/lighting a 3500+ sq. foot mansion for myself and the cats, I live in a modest condo, drive a fuel efficient car and spend my earnings on stuff that REALLY matters like guns, ammo, cats, computers, booze and porn?
Take away the miserable cats and add a pickup truck, and I could adopt that as a mission statement.....
Post by: Silver Bullet on May 11, 2008, 10:53:10 AM
Post by: Perd Hapley on May 11, 2008, 01:08:52 PM
Quote
This calculator could be a very useful tool in identifying godless commies. Anything under a ten, and you're an obvious communist. And right now I'm looking at you, Sindawe.
So I'm a communist because rather than spending my hard earned money on gasoline for a huge SUV and heating/cooling/lighting a 3500+ sq. foot mansion for myself and the cats, I live in a modest condo, drive a fuel efficient car and spend my earnings on stuff that REALLY matters like guns, ammo, cats, computers, booze and porn?
You really are a sad little man fistful. No wonder everybody hates you and blames you for all the evils of the world. : neener :
No, it is YOU who should be neenered! Neenered because you are a commie! Commie!
But just go club some baby seals, and I think we can all be friends again.
Post by: HankB on May 11, 2008, 02:09:46 PM
Quote
I also learned that I could offset my evil capitalistic consumerist lifestyle by planting six trees in Kenya, planting six trees in another "approved" country of my choice, or contributing toward "VCS verified carbon reduction projects around the world which reduce carbon emissions through the displacement of fossil fuels through clean / renewable energy generation."
Bingo - the purpose is to transfer YOUR $$$ to turd world dungheaps. Unless only trees in "approved" nations absorb CO2, planting six trees anywhere would be a good offset . . . and common sense would suggest the closer to the source, the better, so as to absorb the CO2 faster.
Post by: BlueStarLizzard on May 11, 2008, 02:39:54 PM
oh, yeah. i was a little over 15. but i couldn't get the second car in the list (it loaded screwy). the only reson is 'cause i poor. if i had more money i could get a much bigger footprint.
its funny how being green (in the eyes of the envro weenies) and how being not green, is both expensive.
things not counted, which i'm sure add up.
dogs, we have three.
cats, thats three more.
magizines, books and newspapers (me and dad are junkys of the written word)
ciggerettes. yep, bet that would have gotten us slamed.
not to mention my tolietries. my one splerg is fancy shampoos and conditioners and soaps and lotions. i like to smell pretty.
not to mention dad. he uses so much of that Axe body spray in the morning that i can taste it in the air all the way out in the living room. and what they hell does planting trees in kenya do?
isn't kenya in a drought. won't the trees just die?
Post by: Boomhauer on May 11, 2008, 03:49:46 PM
Our freakin secondary footprint alone is 18 tons!
Post by: AZRedhawk44 on May 11, 2008, 07:30:14 PM
I'm envious of all you guys with your neat toys taking you to 30, 40 and 60 tons.
I need more toys. Heck, my Dodge Ram 1500 2WD 4.7L was half my foot print. Sounds like I need to augment it with a weekend cruiser running a 5.7L hemi and 4WD. And I don't even have a motorcycle. An entire page to fill out in the future! I'm excited at what I have to look forward to.
Post by: wmenorr67 on May 11, 2008, 08:11:54 PM
Post by: BridgeRunner on May 11, 2008, 08:26:50 PM
Post by: wmenorr67 on May 11, 2008, 08:33:18 PM
Post by: BridgeRunner on May 11, 2008, 08:36:03 PM
Whatever floats your boat BW.
So many obscene comments come to mind, and all of them would get me booted :-/
I was just thinking of Sindawe, or rather trying not to...
Post by: wmenorr67 on May 11, 2008, 09:00:04 PM
Post by: Sindawe on May 11, 2008, 09:18:22 PM
Quote
Take away the miserable cats...Sindawe lose the cats...
Whats the matter with you guys? Is your sense of masculinity so weak as to be challenged by a small furry animal that has daggers for teeth and knives in its feet?
Think what you will, but at least cats have enough sense to not eat scat. Unlike another popular household pet I can think of.
Quote
But just go club some baby seals..
Sorry fistful, it is my belief that baby seals have no place in clubs.
Quote
I was trying hard not to think about cats and porn. Please tell those aren't at the same time, alright?
Nope, no Furry here. Even if female felinoids are sometimes quite fetching, I don't think that would qualify as rishathra.
Post by: wmenorr67 on May 11, 2008, 09:21:47 PM
I don't have a fear of cats, just don't like them.
Post by: LAK on May 11, 2008, 10:37:25 PM
Quote
Probably. I think the greenies won't be satisfied until their advanced socialism has reduced everyone to stark poverty (except the environmentalist leaders, of course they get to live in 10,000 square foot homes they tell us are "green").
This is what is behind trendy green; another ball and chain for the middle class, to help them along into the grovelling class. Green, independent, and prospering does not fit in with the socialist trendy green agenda. Unless you are one of the lieutenants, managers, change agents, conducting a funded never-ending "wolf study", etc. It's OK for them.-----------------------------------
http://searchronpaul.com
http://ussliberty.org/oldindex.html
http://www.gtr5.com
http://ssunitedstates.org
Post by: Perd Hapley on May 12, 2008, 02:13:45 AM
Whats the matter with you guys? Is your sense of masculinity so weak as to be challenged by a small furry animal that has daggers for teeth and knives in its feet?
So, does it make you feel manly to be scratched?
Is your masculinity so weak as to be challenged by an animal that's so much cuter than a cat? 
Quote
Think what you will, but at least cats have enough sense to not eat scat. Unlike another popular household pet I can think of.
Post by: LadySmith on May 12, 2008, 02:56:29 AM
I live in a modest condo, drive a fuel efficient car and spend my earnings on stuff that REALLY matters like guns, ammo, cats, computers, booze and porn?
Similar situation, except for the computers, booze and porn. I looped at "guns, ammo, animals". Now my desire is not merely to expand my carbon footprint, but to leave a freakin' crater!
62 tons.
My hero! 
Let's please not turn this into a cat vs dog bashing thread.
Or a "rish" thread.
And let me know how eco it would be to feed my critters Soylent Greenies.
Post by: grampster on May 12, 2008, 05:15:32 AM