TH Forums Highlights: Light Bulb Moments, Mass Transit + More
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.14.08
What's the rumpus over at TreeHugger Forums? Here are some of the recent highlights...
1) Forums user davidari poses an interesting question to the community: "What information -- and please be specific -- won you over to the concept of anthropogenic global warming? Was it the IPCC report(s), or had you made up your mind earlier? Was it the media reports regarding the IPCC releases, if not the releases themselves? Was it your circle of friends, or related interests? Was it a gut feeling?" We have a feeling Al Gore will be involved in a few of these answers...
2) User inkabinkaboo182 raises an issue a lot of people would like to have an answer for: "I'm trying to help my Mom work out a way to use public transportation to get to her work and back. And it's killing me. I live near Philadelphia, and right now I'm really wishing that public transportation would be more like it is in Europe. What do you think can be done to get it that way?" Is it as simple as changing the infrastructure, or does it require a total shift in the way we think about where we live, and how we get around? Is it the fault of the suburbs? Short of moving, what can we do to get out of our cars?
3) Lastly, Forums user jcoffman is thinking outside the box; who else is up for it? "What are a couple of your ideas on things that you see everyday that could be changed to be better. BUT...try to think of way to allow the continued convenience. Sure we can all say just stop driving and ride a bike, but the reality is that most people cant do that..." To start off the thread, the idea is this: "Take all of those marketing CD's (like AOL) or those CD's shipped in computer gaming magazines and use re-writable CD's instead of single use. That way folks who get them, rather than tossing them when they are done can re-use them as needed." Anyone else?
I'll take a shot at these questions:
1. My dad was always a big environmental guy and I watched alot of PBS/nature shows growing up. So it was already a part of my life. I have always felt it did not get enough attention. What did it for alot of my friends was Al Gore's movie. A surprising number of my non-eco friends were convinced after that movie that we had to do something.
2. I think this one is hard. A big problem is that most ppl don't take public transport so cities don't provide it. Since most cities are so spread apart, its also not very economical.
I'm not sure alot can be done to help your/your mom's situation, but as far as making it more economical to run public transport systems, I don't understand why more public transport systems aren't filled w/ ads. I ride public transportation in San Francisco and ride it in Tokyo japan, and no wonder people here are talking about budget shortfalls and such! there are no ads! I certainly wouldn't mind the ads if that means more on time trains and a better public transport network.
3.Its funny to me how many businesses just leave their lights on at night or when the room is not in use.
Not only is this environmentally unsound but it is also a big waste of company money!
If you are at a corporation (alas many of us are) and you notice that the lights are consistently left on, just take a few minutes and email the facilities people. You'll save the environment and save the company money at the same time.