Saving your lazy ass ;)

[blustocking]

And when I say "your", I don't mean "you"...I mean that guy..over there..yeah, him.

I forgot to mention that the other day, when I went to the LACCD board meeting (for Greenpeace, and as a LAVC student) that I had to speak. This is the third time I think...I'm sure they're getting tired of me. I didn't know I was going to have to speak, but that's okay. I did alright. (And the bright orange shirt matches wonderfully with the blue hair...because you know, it's all about color-coordinating when you're saving the world. ;) Anyway, it was a success! Look at the first item that says Victory for March 6th. XD

Now, next week, we get to work on them for 25% solar for all new buildings.

You should have seen them. It was astounding, a real feeling of coming together. We complimented the board and they complimented us. All of them were in favor, even the ones who had previously been skeptical or opposed. It was great to all be on the same page for a greater good, if only for a little while. Now let's hope they stay on that same page.

Oh, and it was at WLAC too. Don't you go there Nej? It's a really pretty campus, reminds me a little of KU with the hilltops and greenery. Perhaps I will move closer to work and go there instead of Valley...

p.s. If you would like to help out in another way, check this out.

Comments

Nerve struck, going for root canal

[junglust.livejournal.com]

Aye, I did, but I guess what I mean by it is, there are those people who sit around and talk about how crappy the world is and do nothing to change it... I never said you didn't, in fact you do just the opposite...

What always gets me down about environmentalists, animal rights activists, and etc, etc. is that it seems not for one moment do they think about how 80% of the world is in poverty, or hmmm lets see, if the cure for most diseases in the world was just clean water, it wouldn't be possible... even for many, many generations from now... That close to 3 billion people in the world are held under draconian rule by their government and have restrictions placed upon every aspect of their lives... But we live in America... We don't have to worry about that... All we worry about is some owl or grubworm that might go extinct because of man's trepidations... In our country, animals have more rights than most women in the Middle East... Now, how does any of this strike you? It plainly pisses me off...

And I must say I actually DO take care of the environment everyway I can... I recycle, I have an extremely fuel efficient car, I conserve water and electricity... In other words, I do my small part... When we make companies in our country start respecting the rights of our land (the World) and our people (the world's people, not just Americans) then progress can be made... Once WE MAKE THEM take it beyond our borders and in our vehicles, then possibly we might have some solutions...

[blustocking.livejournal.com]

Damn, way to stereotype. Know what I'm sick of, people who stereotype environmentalists. Do you know the looks I get when I tell people where I'm going or what I'm doing. Yeah, everyone can fuck off...I'm a tree-hugger and proud. I guess I just don't see it. All of the envronmentalists I know are of the whole "Think Globally, Act Locally". People who are serious about it, usually are. I agree, and it's pissed me off for years. We're so isolated over here in the "land of opportunity". Hell, we don't even know about world events, unless it interrupts our Must See TV...that is, most of us. But I digress, as I'm beginning to generalize as well, but it's true for the majority of the country. Not all of it is our fault though. Our media is run by communications conglomorates and the entertainment industry, we see what they want us to see...yet by the ratings, we want to see fluff...it's a catch 22. The only way to break this, is to demand better reporting, listen to more respected news sources (NPR, BBC, no longer CNN after last February's elections) and just plain fucking CARE. And I also agree that more people need to get off their ass, stop saying they care, and start acting. I guess in the end, you have your causes, and I have mine. Hell, together we could SAVE THE WORLD! ;)

I like owls. I like animals more than a hell of a lot of people. Doesn't mean people don't deserve saving, especially when it's about equality...but, again, I don't see owls staging an uprising anytime soon. Unless, while I was out, they developed voice boxes, gained a few pounds, and grew opposable thumbs. I find it harder to pity people when they don't try and help themselves. They underestimate their power, especially in large numbers.

I guess what we're both saying is, "Don't like it, do something about it." That, and fucking find out what's going on in the world around you, really. Get educated, and yes, that includes environmental issues. If these people understood the implications and outcomes, the far-reaching effects of what we're doing, then maybe we wouldn't be looked at as screaming freaks.

However, all that said. There are some things about "environmentalists" and activists that piss me off. They are so in-the-know and so opinionated, they can come off as belligerent or, basically, just in-your-face. Take PeTA for example. Not one of my favorite organizations, and I wouldn't belong. They don't know how to get their message out there, they're extremists. Nothing gets accomplished when they're around and it makes people like you roll your eyes at the mention of animal rights or environmental issues. So yes, there are some bad apples in the bunch, but the same could be said for any major cause, etc. Greenpeace however, I am proud to be a part of.

As for the companies and corporations getting involved, you're right...but that's changing, if ever so slightly. There are now corporate buildings with their own solar power generators, they supply their own power. Hell, the California utility company, DWP, is a major player in this campaign I'm working on. They want to help the school board get solar power, how cool is that? Sure, they benefit from it, but in this case, everyone does. It's a win-win situation, the virture of selfishness, blah, blah, blah.

So I guess we end up agreeing on most points, I just don't like the label that environmentalists have been given. What's wrong with being a tree-hugger? Those trees help your sorry ass breathe(and I don't mean "you" personally). Sorry I was so testy. :}

pleasant, happy thoughts

[junglust.livejournal.com]

I keep offending you and I don't mean to... You wanna hear how middle-of-the-road I am?

First off, I love this country. Never, ever doubt that. We have more freedom than anywhere else can think about. But government policy of our country both crushes the backs of the poor (ok, I hate saying something like this without an example... We allow our corporations which are based here in the U.S. to violate international law because it's for the almighty dollar, children forced into labor into mines... Don't believe it doesn't go on? Head over to Papau New Guinea) and the breath out of Mother Nature... But I am a big believer in free enterprise, capitalism and supply-side economics (go freaking figure)... I am what you would call an extremist politically because I want both, but noone ever can see how my ideas are possible...

Now addressing organizations I would join... WHO, Amnesty International, Peace Corp... I actually can't think of a human rights/help group that has become "extremist." I would gladly goto any country to help in any little way I could (well duh, I am a nurse).

And don't let the power company fool you... I'm sure they own plenty of coal burning plants, a common problem that every corporation can speak out of both sides of their mouths. SURE! Let's get solar power for the kids! But for the rest of you, here's some fossilized dinosaur poop and guts that when burned make such pretty smoke. Ya know, that's not fair... Fossil fuels are a renewable resource... Once we die, we'll become fossilzed remains for hopefully a smarter civilization...

You ask why they can't do things for themselves? Well, two big things stand in the way of most of the impoverished world... Lack of food and clean water makes you constantly sick and you really don't care... In other words, we need to be the person without a voice, much like animals... Also, if they are part of the middle-class or whatever, they can eat and drink water that doesn't have shit in it, protests are crushed in their country like mosquitos in a hot Texas summer (i.e. China's student protests of 1989). Another sad note, in third world nations, 99% of the populace has some sort of infestation either in their bowels or in their blood. Yum yum.

I wish I had some cute name for wanting to help the populace of the world, but peoplehugger sounds far too stupid. Makes me sound like I have a fetish or something. I guess I don't need a label, and that's fine by me... And I will laugh at anyone that calls me a liberal... Far far from it... I'm so middle-of-the-road, I will make your head spin...

Sorry about being stereotyping-ish-ness... I can't say it won't happen again, but I'll apologize if it does...

dude, you are such a people-hugger.

[blustocking.livejournal.com]

Because you're intelligent and have strong opinions, you couldn't piss me off enough to where I would dislike you. I enjoy a good debate, as long as people know how to do it. :)

As for your first paragraph, I completely agree. I have no arguments against anything you said and it's a shame that more Americans don't know what goes on outside our borders.

I'm not going ot argue about who's pet causes have the most extremists. Being an extremist is a human trait and I'm sure there are people like that in both areas. Anytime you have a group of people who feel very passionate, there's the opportunity for extremism. Amnesty is a very good group though, they ride the line quite nicely. Hard enough to get things done, subtle enough to get the message into thick skulls. :)

As for the DWP, absolutely. I'm sure they do too. But I don't see any other power companies out here making an effort, at least in this area. They're doing it because they see a market for it, they see a profit, they're getting in on the ground floor so to speak. So it's motivated with capitalistic intentions, so what. As long as it's for a greater good, I don't give a fuck why they're doing it..,in this case anyway. I'm sure you heard about California's "energy crisis". So the DWP wants to buy solar panels for the LACCD and then sell the power back to us, good for them. They're finding alternative sources of energy that will save money in the end and do less harm. They want customers and that's understandable. They want to be the one power company, when we start having blackouts again, to be able to say, "Hey, we've got solar, we HAVE energy, come buy it from us." Understandable and everybody wins. It's a slow step with corporations, and though I'm sure they have their wasteful, resources-heavy moments, in the end California DWP is TRYING. They're trying to keep their company alive by finding a more reliable, renewable, cheaper source of energy. And in California, what's better to use than the sun?
I go off, I know, but the point is, I've never seen a utilities company try so hard for green power than they have. They even offer their residential customers the option to use more green power than they have to, which I do. Sure, it costs a little more, but at least they're giving you that option, because they know this won't last and they want to stay afloat, nothing wrong with that. It just makes sense. I'm pretty cynical myself, but this is just plain common sense.

As for people helping themselves, yes, I fell prey to what I was rallying against earlier, thinking in terms of outside America. Yes, there are horrible instances where people literally CANNOT help themselves, that is not what I was talking about. I was referring more to the lazy bastards in this country, and I'm sure others, who could help themselves and choose not to. But I digress, if you're speaking of human rights, we're one of the richest and take what we have for granted. Once again, it's a shame that more people don't know what goes on outside our borders. I'm no better sometimes, because you can listen to the radio and read the papers all you want, but what I KNOW, what I really and truly KNOW is what I see, and that happens to be in this country. I too would gladly help out those who could not help themselves, if that is truly what is going on. Again with the cynicism though.


(cont.)

[blustocking.livejournal.com]

Oh, and I would gladly drink water that ONLY has shit in it. Do you know what's in our water today? You know we're probably ALL drinking poo, right...and that's the least of it. There are spreading grounds about 20 miles away where they dump sewage and let it naturally filter through the ground to become our drinking water...well, I don't drink the tap water in California, but still. Yet another instance of fucking with the planet so much that our water is becoming either over-loaded with chemicals or unfit for human consumption (hello, Mexico). How long do you think it will take before we can't even touch the ocean or water? Maybe not in our lifetime, but certainly down the line. Which brings me to a point I wanted to make. You said you had a problem with environmentalists because essentially you think they're ignoring the human problems of the world. But what do you think all of this "saving the planet" is for? Catwoman was right, most of it is for people, and not even for ourselves. We'll never see a balanced earth or the benefits of our hard work. I'll never see the long-term benefits of working for a cleaner energy...but I can only hope that someone does, that future generations will be able to keep it going and improve it further. So yeah, it's not for "us" per se, but for future generations of human beings. It's all connected.
All of that said, I know what you are trying to say and I agree, comparitively, we are so much better off, it's sick and we take it for granted. I wans't trying to compare our state of drinking water with, say, Somalia. There IS no comparison. I was just trying to illustrate how inter-connected the environment is to basic human rights.

I wish I didn't have "some cute name" for what I stand for. Makes it seem unimportant and belittles the cause. So, nyah. ;p

Hey, have you read "The State of the World"? It's put out by the Worldwatch Institute every year, I think 2002 is out now. It has reports on...well, the state of the world, dealing with envrionmental, political, and human rights issues. I haven't been able to get the new one yet, but you might enjoy it. :)

I apologize for my wordiness, or if I've offended you in any way.