CHAT AND WELCOME (ENERGY & POWER) forum: Welcome...Chat Away!
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| Carol, "buying local"... do you have Farmer's Markets where "locals" sell produce, jam products etc. from cottage operations? ...I'll never forget (and I think I've mentioned this to you before, Carol) driving around the "verbotten" side of Maui (between Fleming Beach and Paia, roughly) seeing a pile of old cars (hundreds) dumped from the (dirt) road into the ocean. Must have been about 300 ft drop into the Pacific. I was appalled. Not the pretty picture of tan bodies happily sitting under the plumeria stringing leis of pikake and plumies. Brenda, That's so nice to know you're peddling to work. Must be win / win all the way around - health, saving gas, environment. With my asthma, I don't think I could handle the altitude or any upward hills but during certain times of the year it must be very enjoyable! Did you keep one of the Escalades? You had black and white as I remember. "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." --Albert Einstein ~ All Things Plants, SOUTHWEST GARDENING ~Cubits.org ENERGY & POWER |
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| Maui is now quite flash...and while that side by Haiku is more remote...it is being quite built up. Yes...buying local here sometimes means buying something from the other islands....but the push is not to buy from the Philippino vendors who get their produce from the same guy to sells to Safeway!!!! Why buy avocados from Mexico? Leap. The net will appear. |
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| Susie, we kept my white Escalade. As you can imagine, the gas mileage isn't great, but it is a great vehicle. It is our everything car/truck now... we haul the firewood in it, it has all wheel drive so it's great in the snow, it can tow anything we need it to. It's 9 years old now! Still a very excellent car. The altitude here used to bother me a bit when we went back and forth from AZ. We're at 7,000 feet, and I sometimes got altitude sickness. Now that we live here (almost 3 years already!), the altitude doesn't really affect us at all. (You can feel it a bit when skiing in Telluride, base is about 10,000 feet, some of the higher peaks are 11 - 12,000 ft.). Riding my bike to work is not really a great feat... work is only about one mile away with a little bit of downhill slope. However, the winds are almost always going the other way, so my biggest challenge is a strong headwind. But, I have my super cute cruiser bike, and I do like riding around our little town. Carol, I can't believe people are selling avacados from Mexico in Hawaii! p.s. We have really excellent local produce here and farmer's markets (it's almost farmer's market season...). Also, when folks have too much produce that they've grown, they tend to bring it to one of our two bars in town and give it away to anyone who wants it! I've gotten lovely peaches, zucchinis, melons, tomatoes, even oranges (that were brought up with snowbirds from AZ)! I love that about here! |
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| I work from home one day a week. Generally Thursday one week, and Friday the next. We also work from home on high pollution advisory days. alan The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart. ~Hellen Keller |
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| Alan, Sounds like you work for a very reasonable company. You nearly always have something favorable to say about them. Certainly, a work at home day a week and the high pollution days are good policy! Good practice for our Valley of the Sun that gets whacked with "brown days" often. "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." --Albert Einstein ~ All Things Plants, SOUTHWEST GARDENING ~Cubits.org ENERGY & POWER |
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| It really depends on the boss you have. Our new boss is much more flexible than my previous boss was. I am thankful for this. The company as a whole encourages working from home on pollution advisory days, but I cannot say all the managers by into that theory. I think maybe the company should be more forceful on that, but they probably won't. They leave it up to the managers to decide. Alan The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart. ~Hellen Keller |
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| Either way... it's a good thing! WAH when it makes sense and unless one has a face-to-face meeting WAH might be the standard. Where I worked it was becoming a standard for certain job functions. Mostly 'cause they don't have a chair for some of the employees.... limited space at the moment. ... which could be a "good thing". "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." --Albert Einstein ~ All Things Plants, SOUTHWEST GARDENING ~Cubits.org ENERGY & POWER |
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| HI all... DH (Bob) sent me this article which I found really interesting. He has this theory that 94.7% of everything printed or on the news is 'horsepucky'... And this article backs that up. The author has a wonderful blog Bob finds really interesting... enjoy http://www.consumerenergyreport.com/2011/06/20/media-misinfo... Leap. The net will appear. |
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| Hi Carol, Happy to see you and glad you posted this great article. Thanks to Bob. I absolutely agree with the premise of Rapier's article. The thrust, the details, the examples, the villains and heroes. Mr. Rapier's piece is so well written with solid, truthful, FIRST HAND examples. After doing all of the searching and research I have on "energy" and how it's presented in the media, how it's actually happening in science, academia, even the U.S. Departments of Energy and Defense and yes, corporate America (or International Corporations, for that matter) it's easy for a thoughtful, curious, mind to see that the media has a STRONG influence on the dumbing down the consumer's intellect as regards learning of our energy research and policy. Media and even government leaders are guilty of not presenting a thorough honest representation of the facts, where we're been, where we are and where we're going with policy. It's definitely up to the truth seeker/ curious mind to search for the facts. Granted, facts and used to support agenda; always have, always will. But, still, the truth in the kernel is evident. I'm a news junkie with a brain focused more on deciphering spin based on facts as they are presented. It's a bad habit I have (or good, depending on if you want to control my reasoning). I'd love to read a similar article focusing on the reason we're in a war in Afghanistan and a "war" in Libya. I've read a lot on both region's conflicts and find there is so much more in the details and facts and history than what we're being fed by the government and the media. Nothing much has changed since reporting on the war in Vietnam. The facts will be known. I recommend that all our members at "Energy and Power" read this article and consider it in a broad context. "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." --Albert Einstein ~ All Things Plants, SOUTHWEST GARDENING ~Cubits.org ENERGY & POWER |
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| Funny...that's what Bob said when he first read Rapier's blogs...that he writes so incredibly clearly!!! Also funny because Bob and I talk about the spins all the time...and how the news is presented in such a 'covetous' way...never really a lie (usually) but short of the truth.... So we read all kinds of media and then compare notes over a glass of wine for the World News which is a laugh!!! Then we watch BBC and NHK. Aguane...did you ever see "Charlie Wilsons' War"...very interesting....when you add it to what's happening now so many years later....  Leap. The net will appear. |
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| Carol, I didn't see "Charlie Wilson's War"- I read a couple of reviews but skipped. I tend to seek out foreign language films but occasionally a feature. I think Tom Hanks was in C.Wilson's..... can't remember. I need to look it up at imdb. I love the Economist and Christian Science Monitor for news.... and some blogs. I do like some T.V. news reporters. I was watching a show on CNBC this afternoon. Alternative "energy"; bio, algae, solar.... all that we've been discussing here including an interview with Richard Branson and his Virgin Atlantic algae fuel jet flight. If I can find the program I'll post it. It was a good show. BUT, it drives home the ridiculous belief that you need pop celebrities to sell the masses on a "movement". Sheryl Crow, Willie Nelson, and more made appearances in the film to encourage individuals to fight the "machine" (oil, defense, energy, gov't) and make a "difference". They are so misguided (or mean to mislead). The "machine" (institutions) is exactly who is leading and funding a lot of the alternative energy research and development. I realized they are creating a "market" to sell the "solutions" to by airing the comments of the celebs. Not a bad thing... but, BUT! why can't people who are doing the work, the brains, the scientists (who are much more interesting individuals) be the people to explain the technology, the science, the pros and cons, the what-ifs, the consequences.... celebrities? WTF? I'm going into a coma. "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." --Albert Einstein ~ All Things Plants, SOUTHWEST GARDENING ~Cubits.org ENERGY & POWER |
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It's simple, I think...it's all about "if you make it complicated, no one can understand and they will keep coming back for more information (maybe) and we can sell more advertising." They don't want anyone to really understand...if 'they' (we) understood 'they' wouldn't 'tune in tomorrow'. And in America it is all about 'tomorrow'...not today.  Leap. The net will appear. |
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| For certain. The media is all about viewership and readership. Constantly using cliches to tell their tales, talk in circles and platitudes. We're all a lot better off to seek out the answers to the questions we have. With the Internet it's a whole lot easier to find the answers. I hate listening to the constant whine of the politicians and the media. I feel like they'd have me in a choke hold if allowed. So, yes, I really appreciate the article. I just wish he might write on other topics! "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." --Albert Einstein ~ All Things Plants, SOUTHWEST GARDENING ~Cubits.org ENERGY & POWER |
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ME TOO!  Leap. The net will appear. |
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| Susie, is it appropriate to ask questions about the power consumption necessary for recycling here? I've really been trying to help conserve energy but I'm wondering what is the impact of all of the energy necessary to recycle plastics? I hate that I am filling that recycling bin up every week, but it's getting harder and harder to avoid buying things that come in plastic containers. |
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| Stormy, me too. I use as much as I can for painting containers (small types like dip cups, yogurt, lids for coffee cans etc)and also I use Krylons paint-for- plastic paint and make a lot into planters. Susie will know the answer to your question, I thought I'd just share what I'm trying to keep out of the recycle bin. |
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| Hmmmm, Stormy, Something to think about, certainly. Thought: *My neighbor is single, female, lives alone, doesn't entertain much, has all of her groceries delivered and shops for just about everything on-line. Saves a ton on burning her gasoline and time. *I am single, female, live alone (with standard Poodle), entertain about once a week, shop at Whole Foods once a week, do very little purchasing, period, some retail, some on-line. I buy very good quality stuff and lasts. She overfills her weekly recycle bin and I fill mine about every month. In this case consumption is an obvious comparison and difference in our habits. If we're talking about shopping at the grocer there are things you can do to reduce recycle material. Make everything possible from scratch (electricity, cooking, refridgeration would be required). Don't buy crackers, for instance. Instead, make them. Don't buy a can of coffee, buy a bag of coffee. Don't use paper napkins or paper towels, use cloth (that's all I have used for 40 years nearly exclusively). There are some energy/recycle/consumption stores where you can bring your own container and fill up with shampoo, dish soap and such. Recycling is a huge industry and provides jobs. For instance, some carpeting is made from recycled water bottles (Coke and Pepsi and the like). The carpeting would be made no matter what and probably from newly spun/produced plastic. Recycling the containers keeps them off the ocean floor. (You know that the lower troughs of ocean floor are loaded with plastic waste that didn't make it to a recycle facility?). It actually cost less to make a glass, reusable storage container than it does to make a plastic storage container. I have almost no plastic storage containers for food. I use Pyrex. I've had the same containers for decades. Granted, I use water to clean them, but they aren't going into landfill. Don't buy those disposable Zip Lock storage containers. Display and shipping packaging seems wasteful but it does allow ease of handling and prevents breakage. However, when you think about it, when buying a lot of the stuff that comes in hard plastic and cardboard packaging one might consider if they REALLY NEED that item. I was at a Dollar Tree today for the first time ever. (I've never been to a Toys R Us) I couldn't believe all of the $1 toy items hanging from the hooks wrapped in hard plastic and cardboard. My God, the packaging alone has got to be a good fraction of that $1 value. Does one kid REALLY NEED another soldier toy? I really don't think so. I know that in the 1950s when the oil fields in the Middle East were opened for drilling the US (at least) found so much oil entire industries were created to figure out what to do with the oil. "The Graduate".... remember the line, "plastics"? Silk stocking and cotton and wool leggings were replaced with disposable stockings and panty hose. Here's a really good site that might give you some ideas to personally put into use. The movement to reduce consumption is alive and well... we might just need to convince the folks in China who make all this stuff and packages it for global consumption that metal make Tonka toys are better, last longer than the plastic junk we demand. But, then we need the metal for the "war effort". I'm kidding of course, but just thinking of what happened during WWII. I'd love to know your thoughts. http://www.ecologycenter.org/ptf/misconceptions.html "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." --Albert Einstein ~ All Things Plants, SOUTHWEST GARDENING ~Cubits.org ENERGY & POWER |
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| I dosie-doed with Boopaints. :) "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." --Albert Einstein ~ All Things Plants, SOUTHWEST GARDENING ~Cubits.org ENERGY & POWER |
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| All great points and info, Susie! I also use fabric napkins (they make me feel happier, believe it or not) but do use paper towel sparingly. One roll lasts me about 4 months. I also have my groceries delivered except when I go with friends. Sadly it all comes in those plastic bags but I give them to a local organization who make sleeping mats fro the homeless. (VERY COOL!) I use my glass jars for everything imaginable and use a type of Pyrex glass container for left overs. I'm not perfect with recycling but try hard to do what I can. I do up-cycle a lot. edited to fix a typo. |
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| Yes, Boo & Susie, I too use those containers to death before finally putting them out, but it just seems that I get so many of them. Yogurt, cottage and ricotta cheeses, gorganzola, parmesean, hommus, sour cream, deli goods, puddings, apple sauce and so many other things like olives from the olive bar, roasted peppers, rotisserie chickens, spring mix, mache, arugula, fresh herbs, berries all come in plastic containers. I stopped the bottled water long ago. just an occasional juice or soda bottle now. I do save all glass jars to store my nuts, grains, flours and sugar. I make almost everything from scratch so rarely have any cans other than cat food or an occasional olive, tomato or bean can. I am very bad about plastic zip bag consumption because I do freeze so much stuff from my garden in them. I don't buy any of that disposable plastic. My plastic ware was also 20 years old and still very pliable. I have been using that Libbey glass covered oven to freezer ware. My coffee comes in bags too. I find myself going around in the supermarket choosing foods by what they come packaged in. Isn't that crazy? I do wash and reuse my ziplock bags. I don't make crackers. I usually cook nightly with my small convection oven, but will fire up the big oven once a week or so and cook a bunch of things in it at once. I've not increased the size of my garden, because I would need a bigger freezer. I do take my own bags to the grocers, but still usually come home with a few of theirs. Oh, you are so right about all of the plastic packaging on everything. I save the bigger pieces for mixing vanishes and paints and such, but how much of this stuff can you save? Even nails which used to come in cardboard boxes, now come in plastic. I know that making these items and then recycling them creates jobs, but it uses energy to transport them and to melt and reshape them. The plastic diapers are the worst. I have never seen any of the places that sell shampoo that way. I think that before I went that route, I would make my own shampoo. I used to make all of my body lotions, face, hand and foot creams. The linen napkins is something that I go back and forth on. Laundering them consumes resources that probably mitigates their benefits. I try to keep the paper towel use down too. I buy really cheap wash and scrub cloths at Walmart that last forever. I don't even know why all vitamins and prescriptions have to come in plastic containers. Years ago pills came in small envelopes. Our state does not have a bottle return program. I wish it did and soda and milk could come in glass bottles again. I liked what the last suggestion on that link said. I just might try sending some of these containers back to the companies and telling them to dispose of them. They might just get the message. My township accepts no flower pots in the recycling. I have taken some back to the nurseries, but they really didn't want them back, not even the flats. |
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