An Inconvenient Truth

[Winnie G]

Out of all the things I have posted on this board I think this is the most important I have ever written or posted.

I have had more time on my hands as of late since our new home is months away we are renting and killing time. So we watch a lot of videos.

After a day time talk show were Al Gore introduced his documentary An inconvenient truth, I have kept my eye out for it in the video store.

Two days ago I found it brought it home and it was such a eye opener my lounging hubby sat straight up and on the edge of the love set and watched riveted to his set.

I can not tell you how important this video is to watch.

If you have not seen it get out of your computer chair and go rent it NOW

This evening I visited the web sight because I wanted to see what we could do to do our part for my plant. The web site is www.climatecrisis.net

There is down loads and a take action link that will tell you what you can do.

This video is bipartisan it shows you fact from fiction and the biggest myth of all.

“That being climate friendly will cost us more” $$$

That is what those who are the largest admitters of carbon dioxide what us to believe.

It will cost them much less then what they admit to, to decreases the amount of carbon dioxide they are now admitting.

I was surprised that something as a different your choice of light bulbs could change so much and save you $$ in the long run. I have looked at them in the store and passed them by because of the extra cost.

We have changed our minds about the extra cost, buying one every pay day will not hurt us and they last much longer then the old light bulbs.

Most of what is asked of you in the take action part of the web site we are doing already here in Canada, and in my house.

We can not ignore this any longer.

If the video does not change your out look think about this.

I have lived in Canada since I was 12. Back then when I walked to school I wore a Sky-do suit, (a heavy snow suit)

It use to be so cold by Halloween indoor activity’s were attended then door to door trick or treats.

Two years ago I sat on my front step with my neighbor and handed out candy in a t-shirt and jeans.

I lived in the Yukon in the 80’s it would sink in to -40’s and stay that way until spring brake up in early June. There was no way I could walk to work six blocks away with out freezing any exposed skin. I know I did it once only once and my glasses froze to the bridge of my nose. I would listen to the radio in the morning for ice crystal warnings in the air and well as to how cold it was.

That would tell you that breathing without having your mouth and nose covered was extremely dangerous. Therefore, what is the big deal? It was warmer yesterday there then were I now live in southern Alberta.

Its January in Canada and I’m wearing a spring jacket!

We plug our car in so we can start it in the mornings in Canada. (Block heaters) I have not had to do it yet this year, last year maybe ten times I use it. Just a few years ago I would have never dreamed of not doing it. I use to leave my car running locked with a extra set of keys so it would not freeze up (The Block) while I was in the grocery store, that was so my car would start and my lettuce would not freeze on the way home. You could not use your trunk.

My ex husband use to drive cab, so big deal right? Well his cab was never turn off between shifts in

less it was in the shop for maintenance. Can you imagine not shutting off your car?

Permafrost is disappearing, why is that a big deal? Watch the video and find out why you should care.

Check out the web site it could mean a better world we leave our children and grandchildren.

Check out the savings by just doing simple things and the money you will save and the pounds of "POUNDS" of carbon dioxide you don't admit in to the air.

[Gwen]

i assume this is about global warming. lol i'm not saying we shouldn't do our part to help the world, but my husband is an environmental engineer and he works with the epa all the time. says a lot of it is blown way out of porportion and the facts are turned to show what they want them to show. in fact i saw an interesting show on global warming and had some questions about it so i asked him over the dinner table, that was stupid, oh he got on one, i've rarely seen him so fired up. i use it as a threat now, next time he makes me go to one of those overly long boring work dinners, i'm going to say "so, what about that global warming, bad stuff huh?" and then get out of the way and watch the fire works. lol we are replacing the light bulbs with those new ones as the ones we have burn out, almost got the whole house changed over. so yes i think we should be aware and do what we can, but at the same time, i'm not losing sleep over it.

[Guest Monica]

Global warming is mentioned in the book of Revelation in the bible.

Rev 16:8 ¶ And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. 9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.

Global warming is now creating problems for polar bears to the extent that they may be protected by the government soon. The polar ice cap is melting causing polar bears to drown or starve to death.

www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2520955,00.html

"Plight of the polar bear forces Bush to recognise climate threat

Tim Reid in Washington

The Bush Administration conceded yesterday that global warming is threatening the polar bear with extinction, the first time that it has singled out climate change as a grave threat to the Arctic and its most iconic inhabitant."

[Outshined]

There are two sides to every issue, and it pays to know about them.

http://www.junkscience.com/Greenhouse

[Palerider]

Last year in Park City Utah at the home of Robert Redford....Al Gore said we would more or less all be dead within 10 yrs because of Global Warming.......if we go back 15yrs or so.....Ted Danson was quoted as saying that within 10yrs we would all die because of Global warming.......

lets not forget this is the same Al Gore who said....he invented the internet.......

[shanstress70]

I am not dismissing global warming, as I know that the temps are getting a bit higher. However, in the many weather and climate classes I took in college (my degree is in Geography, which includes lots of environmental studies), we studied the cyclic patterns of climate. These major cycles only happen about every 18,000 years and there is no where near enough weather data to predict what is happening now.

I do agree that we can all do our part to reduce greenhouse gases, but I'm not totally convinced that we are the factor that is causing the warmer temps. That TAKE ACTION page is all about trying to sell something. It's always about the big buck and this issue is no different. The numbers can be skewed to show either side.

We do a lot of those things on the 'What you can do' page, but I'm not going to reduce my quality of life. For example, we have an SUV because we have a camper and enjoy camping as a family. If we sold it and our camper, we would probably fly more on vacation, AND my child would not have such a great appreciation for nature.

I also agree that there needs to be stricter laws for big corporations who emit tons of CO2 into the air and dump their waste in the waterways. I also believe that we need to find alternatives to gasoline, and stop the big oil companies from lobbying.

There is a happy medium here.

[Winnie G]

The EPA Ok you really need to see this video.

Myths and Truth are pointed out, “Blown out of proportion”

I'm not even going to address the comment "I'm not going to reduce my quality of life"

Talking about it is nice and all but how about doing something.

We can debate both sides of this issue all we want wasting time as CO2 levels, measured by the ponds by the way climes.

See the video with a open mind and check out the web site and take action in your own life.

[BenRaines]

Last article I read said that most greenhouse gases were caused by bovine flatulence. I guess to reverse this trend we need to kill all the cattle and eat chicken. Do chickens have flatulence? I am sure pigs do so have to get rid of them too. Man I know our dog does. Need to get rid of him. I am willing to do my part but sure will miss a nice rare steak a couple of times a month. Maybe eat tofu steak. I have not read anything about tofu flatulence.

Ben Raines

[Fiannan]

The EPA Ok you really need to see this video.

Myths and Truth are pointed out, “Blown out of proportion”

I'm not even going to address the comment "I'm not going to reduce my quality of life"

Talking about it is nice and all but how about doing something.

We can debate both sides of this issue all we want wasting time as CO2 levels, measured by the ponds by the way climes.

See the video with a open mind and check out the web site and take action in your own life.

Wanna help reduce CO2? Plant a tree.

[shanstress70]

I'm not even going to address the comment "I'm not going to reduce my quality of life"

Why? Please do address it.

What I'm saying is that I will do things where I can in order to make a difference. However, I'm sorry but I'm not going to erect a windmill or stop eating meat. And I'm not going to take the time to unplug every electrical device I have when I'm finished using it.

A lot of these things can be skewed as well. For example, a friend of mine wanted to use cloth diapers when she had a baby bc they're better for the environment. However, some figures say that cloth diapers are actually worse for the environment bc of all the washer/dryer/detergent usage.

Do you really unplug everything whenever it's not in use, Winnie?

I'm not going to carpool because doing so would mean that I would have to spend less time with my child every day. No one wants to go to work at 6:30AM like I do. I like it bc I can then get off at 3 and have the rest of the day with my child. My DH and I can't ride together even though we work a block away bc he goes in at 10AM so that our son doesn't have to be in daycare all day. Although the environment is very important to me, spending time with my child trumps it... sorry!

I do pretty most all of the other things they suggest.

Last article I read said that most greenhouse gases were caused by bovine flatulence. I guess to reverse this trend we need to kill all the cattle and eat chicken. Do chickens have flatulence? I am sure pigs do so have to get rid of them too. Man I know our dog does. Need to get rid of him. I am willing to do my part but sure will miss a nice rare steak a couple of times a month. Maybe eat tofu steak. I have not read anything about tofu flatulence.

Ben Raines

Yum, tofu steak!!!

No thanks, I'll stick with ribeye. :)

The poor dog has to go.

[Fiannan]

The poor dog has to go.

You can look up the best dog recipies on the internet. I once saw a bunch under the title of Phillipino dog dishes. Tried dog in soup and stir fry -- it's okay overall.

[Maureen]

A lot of these things can be skewed as well. For example, a friend of mine wanted to use cloth diapers when she had a baby bc they're better for the environment. However, some figures say that cloth diapers are actually worse for the environment bc of all the washer/dryer/detergent usage.

I would have to really question this reasoning. We have to use the washer/dryer/detergent anyways - we wear clothes. I can't imagine that an extra load of diapers in the wash is going to kill the environment over the mass of disposable diapers in dumps.

M.

[BenRaines]

Having raised four children and now with three grandchildren I would say that disposable diapers belong in a toxic waste dump and not the landfill.

Ben Raines

[shanstress70]

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A lot of these things can be skewed as well. For example, a friend of mine wanted to use cloth diapers when she had a baby bc they're better for the environment. However, some figures say that cloth diapers are actually worse for the environment bc of all the washer/dryer/detergent usage.

I would have to really question this reasoning. We have to use the washer/dryer/detergent anyways - we wear clothes. I can't imagine that an extra load of diapers in the wash is going to kill the environment over the mass of disposable diapers in dumps.

M.

Yes Maureen. I'm not saying that this is true, and I do agree with you that cloth diapers seem to be the better choice for the environment. Just saying that I've read debates about it and some do say that.

This is however one of those issues where I'm not going to sacrifice quite that much for the environment. Sorry, but I'm just not. I'm poop-phobic! AND I'm doing my part to help the environment by only having ONE CHILD so I'm done with diapers anyway. We all contribute in our own little ways.

[Fiannan]

Wonder how much gas would be saved if Al Gore sold his big SUV, bought a small car, and lost about 40 pounds (that extra weight must take additional fuel to propell him from one speaking engagement to another).

[BenRaines]

I agree Finnian. I bet he flys around on a personal or private jet as well.

I remember some years ago Tom Cruise going on about Global Warming and need to save the environment, all at the same time he was filming Thunder Road or something like that that I didn't see about high performance car racing.

Hypocrites is what they are. Scientists are divided on the issue, politicians I don't trust and actors and actresses I vote for with my ticket purchases. Remember their whole job, actors and actresses, is to believe they are someone they are not.

Ben Raines

[Outshined]

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_3213.cfm

Study: Overweight drivers, passengers use more gasoline

Overweight drivers and passengers are responsible for cars on U.S. roads burning about 1 billion additional gallons of gasoline each year, according to a new study.

The study, headed by a professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, was based on a mathematical model that tied together federal data on gasoline consumption and weight gain among Americans from 1960 to 2002. It found that Americans are pumping at least 938 million more gallons of gas annually today than four decades ago because extra body weight is dragging down fuel economy.

"We had no idea the numbers would be this big," said Sheldon Jacobson, a computer science professor at the U. of I. who conducted the study with then graduate student Laura McLay.

"We came to the realization that our hunger for food and our hunger for oil are not independent," Jacobson said.

Some 1.7 million cars could be filled with gas for an entire year using the 938 million gallons of fuel that could be saved by trimming down the weight of drivers and passengers, Jacobson said.

The fuel-consumption calculations were based on passenger cars and light trucks driven for non-commercial uses. The weight of cargo and reduced fuel efficiency due to poor vehicle maintenance were eliminated as factors, according to the study.

The study's findings serve as another reminder that the weight of the average American has increased by more than 24 pounds since 1960, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

[john doe]

I don't dispute that global warming is probably happening currently. What I do dispute is whether mankind is as responsible for it as some people claim that we are.

30 years ago the claim from scientists was that we were in a global cooling phase and would soon enter a new ice age. I think there is a lot of junk science out there that can prove just about any point you wanted to make.

While I agree that we should be responsible stewards of the earth, I am not convinced that man is solely or even a major reason for global warming or cooling. It may just be that these are normal cycles that the earth is going through.

[Fiannan]

The weather works in cycles. The Vikings who landed on Greenland around the 11th. Century found a nice place to establish colonies and farms. That was during a peak in a warm cycle. The temperature cooled and the Vikings perished over time because they were too stubborn to all leave and also too stubborn to adapt to the native Eskimo style of living.

Sweden at that time had lush vinyards -- no longer -- and due to the water levels being higher many channels from the Baltic existed. As the cooling took place these channels disappeared and villages wound up with no sea access.

It'll happen again ... warming will take place and some places like Miami and New Orleans will be in sad shape. That's not because some fat politician like Al Gore guzzles gas although it may have a bit to do with increasing pollution levels overall.

[Winnie G]

Address it sure OK.

Yes, I do now shut things off when I am not using it.

I do the same during bad storms don’t You?

I line dry cloths I just love the smell.

My children wore cloth dippers, disposable ones when traveling. Even then, they did not have paraldehyde gel in them.

Who knows what that is doing to our children’s reproductive systems, land fills etc.

I also cook from scratch, per made mixes are taxed, things like flour are not.

We did up grade to a bigger car from a Jeep but things like admission controls and gas mileage played a big roll in our choice.

BTW, we have a camper and use it a lot, and have just as much fun as you and we don’t need a SUV.

Driving a big gas sucking truck to pull a home on wheels is, (and I am going to say it) selfish and irresponsible towards the world we live in.

I like to ask each of you to think, “Do I really need it or do I want it”? (Fallow the Prophet)

That is our mantra in our home when it comes to buying any big-ticket items.

BTW, I have a pool and I know to call a water hauling company to come and fill my pool once a session. It cost less and my water and electricity bill my run me $10.00 more a month to run the pump on a timer. Also doing this cuts out the cost of running my pump and the town pump to get it to me.

BTW its not gas from the cows its what they breath out, That was news to me too.

No I wont stop eating red meat.

When I live in the city, I did take mass transit or car pool. The bus took me right from my block to down town in less time to drive and pay for parking. Taking the bus now is a federal tax deduction! So is the cost of organized sports for children!

A nice new year’s gift from Ottawa.

I will switch light bulbs and I plan to use the LED lights I bought that I did not like on my tree as lighting for my patio and back yard this summer.

I already buy recycled products, I recycle bottles cans, and plastic and pop cans and pop bottles, card board and milk cartons. We receive a rebated for doing so.

Talk about cutting back on trash. We do way more then 10 %

I also love bulk food barns and reuse bags of all kinds, cutting back on packaging.

I will and have for years bought organic products from farmers markets. I love to can and I use what is best for my family.

We bought an electric blanket 3 years ago to cut back on our electric and gas bill.

We also bought a electric fire place instead of heating the whole house, we keep our thermostat down and enjoy the .40 cents a hour to heat our living room in the evenings.

Because of my asthma, we change our furnace filters often.

We have and will continue to buy energy star appliances.

We are installing a new hot water system (no tank) in our new house and in the past we wrapped our tank and hot water pips.

We have already planes on planting shad trees on the south side of our house and evergreens on the north side. I also will plant trees that will give back something more then just shad, fruit trees.

You will most likely laugh at this but we already use an old fashion push mower to cut our grass. I have always teleworked from home, you can too by doing on line banking paying your bills and buying over the internet at times. It saves me on running around burning up gas and my time to bank and pay my bills.

My last job I walked to work, I was lucky.

I do not fly in less I have too.

I would like to hear from those of you that are open minded and checked out the web site and rent the movie.

This is not just a passing fad you can blow off people.

I have never given lip service to an idea when someone else has asked me to read something or see a documentary. I even give those who are not LDS the courtesy to hear what they have to say about the church or something of their interest.

So do me the courtesy to take this seriously and check it out.

[Traveler]

Outshined and a few other seem to be only the right track. The earth is getting warmer but so is the sun. The sun is the cause of current and past global warming.

I agree that we all should be prudent and avoid waist. But lets us not convict anybody to death based on faulty testimony. If we are going to outlaw or think we must change something or die we must have better that circumstantial evidence. The earth has gone through many cycles of global warming and cooling without man messing up the climate. Until we know and account for what caused it in the past - we will not and cannot change anything for the better in the future.

The Traveller

[LionHeart]

I also agree that we should not waste, and I firmly believe that we should be researching new technologies to eliminate our dependence on oil.

As far as global warming is concerned, I heard a geologist say that one volcano eruption produces more greenhouse gases than the whole human race could produce in 500 years. They also say that the Earth is actually in an ice age right now; and that it's just going through warm and cold cycles. This makes sense to me because I have also noticed that the winters are not nearly as harsh as they were when I was a child. But, I was reading in a book about John Taylor in which he explained the weather conditons when the mormons arrived to the Salt Lake valley. The description given closely resembles the weather in Salt Lake today.

Personally, I don't buy the global warming theory. The same guys that are screaming about it are also the same guys that are screaming about the hole in the ozone layer. It helps to know where that hole is. It is right on the south pole. If it was caused by our automobiles, wouldn't it more likely be over New York, or LA? But right over the south pole; a place that only sees maybe 500 people a year. Go figure. I'll bet that hole has been there as long as the Earth has existed.

Perhaps I would more readily believe some of these theories if the guys conjuring them were not the same guys getting paid off by large corporations to produce such theories in order to benefit said large corporation. For example, a pesticide called DDT. Or a refridgerant gas called R-12.

L.H.

[shanstress70]

Yes, I do now shut things off when I am not using it.

I do the same during bad storms don’t You?

But the website you're talking about said that you should UNPLUG everything when you aren't using the electrical devices. Do you do this? Probably not, because it is too inconvenient... probably just like me, you're willing to do certain things, but you don't want to drastically reduce your quality of life.

No I wont stop eating red meat.

Just like you won't give up eating meat or get rid of your pool, we all have our things that we don't want to give up, and frankly, shouldn't have to give up.

I'm sure there are things I do where I go above and beyond what you do. And yes, I do just about all those things you mentioned.

I am also joining a local organic farmer's co-op and have given them a hefty chunk of money 4 months before I will ever even see any produce. I also buy organic whenever possible. However, everyone needs to understand that it's not possible for everyone to do this. I wasn't able to until just a few years ago... it is quite a bit more expensive.

BTW, we have a camper and use it a lot, and have just as much fun as you and we don’t need a SUV.

Driving a big gas sucking truck to pull a home on wheels is, (and I am going to say it) selfish and irresponsible towards the world we live in.

We don't have a 'home on wheels', and our Toyota 4Runner gets 5 MPG less than our Saturn did. We have a small pop-up. We did pull it with a Saturn stationwagon until it started ripping the metal on the frame and we had to have it welded back together. It wasn't meant for towing... so we got something better designed for towing.

However, it's not cool to judge people for their choices. I feel that I'm a very responsible Earth citizen, thank you very much! I don't do all I can, but I do a lot! I don't think there are many of us who can say they do all they can.

[BenRaines]

I do my part to conserve. We don't have a pool, rocks and a few trees in our landscaping, no grass, no lawn.

I take a shower every other day and often team up to shower. Flush the toilet only at night before going to bed. Wear my clothes two or three times or until they stink to much before washing and don't iron anything since it would use electricity. Walk around in the dark at night in the house and drive a Dodge Ram Truck with a 5.7 L Hemi engine.

Hey we all do our part.

Ben Raines

[shanstress70]

I do my part to conserve. We don't have a pool, rocks and a few trees in our landscaping, no grass, no lawn.

I take a shower every other day and often team up to shower. Flush the toilet only at night before going to bed. Wear my clothes two or three times or until they stink to much before washing and don't iron anything since it would use electricity. Walk around in the dark at night in the house and drive a Dodge Ram Truck with a 5.7 L Hemi engine.

Hey we all do our part.

Ben Raines

Dude, that's the funniest post I've ever read here, possibly. You really shouldn't take showers with your coworker guys though!