Today is Earth Day!

[LDSgirl]

I celebrated Earth Day by planting five pine trees! Did anyone else do anything special for this day?

[sixpacktr]

whoopde doo...

I went out and burned some tires...

[Maya]

Hmm maybe I should get something pretty for my mom in her balcony boxes...

I think I will thank for this beautiful Earth we got today!:)

[john doe]

I bought a chainsaw so I can cut down 5 or 6 old-growth trees for firewood. It can't warm up fast enough for me, this winter is going on way too long.

[JcDean78]

Its all that global warming ya know making it so cold so long! No matter what the weather does, of course it is global warming!

I would like Earth day more if it was not high jacked but the anti capitalist commies and was actually about the environment.

[kona0197]

That's the issue about earth day and global warming. No one cares.

[Fiannan]

Just by coincidence (I think) April 22nd. is also this famous red head's birthday!

[sixpacktr]

Fiannan,

I'm sure it is no coincidence...

[Palerider]

That's the issue about earth day and global warming. No one cares.

never fear...Al Gore cares.....we only have about 7yrs left before we burn up according to his time frame...:)

[DigitalShadow]

To blindly believe that humans are changing the climate of the earth is stupid, but it is just as stupid if not more so to blindly believe that it is impossible for our presence to change the climate of the earth. Weather is a chaotic system, throwing more energy into the mix can have various affects including spikes of warm AND cold.

[NeuroTypical]

Did anyone else do anything special for this day?

I entered a raffle at my work, and won a cheap plastic water bottle and a bag that says "paper or plastic? NEITHER" on it.

LM

(corporate drone)

[Canuck Mormon]

We got a little booklet at work, ironically not made with recycled paper, and a note on how to be earth friendly. Later I drove to the 7-11, a block away, in my truck, bought some plastic bagged Nacho Chips, drove back home, again a block away, and turned on my big screen TV and watched a hockey game.

[sgallan]

Leaving global warming out of the equation...... am I to conclude by this thread that most LDS don't really care much about the environment?

[DigitalShadow]

Leaving global warming out of the equation...... am I to conclude by this thread that most LDS don't really care much about the environment?

That is the unfortunate impression I got as well.

[NeuroTypical]

Leaving global warming out of the equation...... am I to conclude by this thread that most LDS don't really care much about the environment?

Speaking just for myeslf, I do indeed believe in the concept of stewardship: That we humans have been given stewardship over the earth, and we'll be held accountable by God for how we've handled things.

That said, I believe that much of what I hear about threats to the environment and global warming is complete hogwash. Here are some of my beliefs - take them for what they're worth:

* Generating trash is a sign of a healthy society.

* Landfills are meant to be used, and no, we'll never run out of them.

* Cutting down trees and using the wood to build stuff is also a good thing - and AFAIK, no first-world country is running out of forests.

* Mountains are beautiful. Strip-mining mountains to extract their valueable minerals is also beautiful.

* A wise steward understands that occasionally it is necessary to kill a whole bunch of fuzzy little cute critters.

Now, here are also some of my beliefs:

* There is rampant destructive deforestation happening in some places of the world, and it is causing problems.

* It is important to dispose of hazzardous waste appropriately.

* The "Corporate Greening" we've been seeing over the last decade might cost money, but it isn't necessarily a bad thing.

* CFL's rock, LED lighbulbs will be here soon, and they'll rock more.

* Solar power is finally starting to rock.

LM

[Guest tomk]

I celebrated Earth Day by planting five pine trees! Did anyone else do anything special for this day?

I poured a can of motor oil in the Provo river.

[JohnBirchSociety]

That is the unfortunate impression I got as well.

Fortunately, a lot of LDS folk haven't fallen for the globalist montra that is "Earth Day"...

There certainly are regional environmental issues (mainly in nations / areas where there exists no free market)...Those should be resolved by the nations involved...

There exists no human caused, global environmental issue.

In fact, I doubt, speaking scientifically, that absent all-out nuclear war, we could, even if we wanted to, have a global climate impact.

Did you know the SUN puts out 3,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 Watts of power per SECOND? Thankfully only a small portion of that gets to us (or we'd fry like KFC extra crispy). Did you also know that in less than a minute the SUN expels more energy than all of humankind, throughout history has used / created?

Did you know that in the US there are more trees now than there were 200 years ago, by nearly all accounts? Have any of you ever flown in the day over the USA and looked down? More trees / vegetation than we can count...

My friends, not only do we have absolutely nothing to do with global weather / climate, we can't do a darn thing about it. It is the SUN, plus the "wobble" over time of the Earth's axis / rotation / orbit around the SUN, which causes cyclical patterns of change.

We are in one right now. And there is nothing to be done about it.

Earth Day is a means to use fear to enslave people into globalist, socialist / communistic anti-private property systems, ruled by the elite few who are "informed" (AKA Al Gore Zombies)...

Fortunately we have scripture that tells us how absurd the "earth day" paradigm is.

"17 For the earth is full, and there is enough and to spare; yea, I prepared all things, and have given unto the children of men to be agents unto themselves." Doctrine and Covenants 104:17

[DigitalShadow]

Fortunately, a lot of LDS folk haven't fallen for the globalist montra that is "Earth Day"...

There certainly are regional environmental issues (mainly in nations / areas where there exists no free market)...Those should be resolved by the nations involved...

There exists no human caused, global environmental issue.

In fact, I doubt, speaking scientifically, that absent all-out nuclear war, we could, even if we wanted to, have a global climate impact.

Did you know the SUN puts out 3,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 Watts of power per SECOND? Thankfully only a small portion of that gets to us (or we'd fry like KFC extra crispy). Did you also know that in less than a minute the SUN expels more energy than all of humankind, throughout history has used / created?

Did you know that in the US there are more trees now than there were 200 years ago, by nearly all accounts? Have any of you ever flown in the day over the USA and looked down? More trees / vegetation than we can count...

My friends, not only do we have absolutely nothing to do with global weather / climate, we can't do a darn thing about it. It is the SUN, plus the "wobble" over time of the Earth's axis / rotation / orbit around the SUN, which causes cyclical patterns of change.

We are in one right now. And there is nothing to be done about it.

Earth Day is a means to use fear to enslave people into globalist, socialist / communistic anti-private property systems, ruled by the elite few who are "informed" (AKA Al Gore Zombies)...

Fortunately we have scripture that tells us how absurd the "earth day" paradigm is.

"17 For the earth is full, and there is enough and to spare; yea, I prepared all things, and have given unto the children of men to be agents unto themselves." Doctrine and Covenants 104:17

If you're right, there is nothing to worry about. If you're wrong, we're contributing to our own extinction. Forgive me if I don't simply take your "expert" opinion that it is not possible for humans to have a global impact on climate rather than the scientists who have reason to believe that it is possible. Yes, there is dispute in the scientific community over global climate change and the reasons behind it, but for now what is so wrong with erring on the side of caution?

And one more thing, even assuming the Earth is a gift from God made specially for us, why are you so opposed to treating that gift with some respect? From my point of view, that is what Earth Day is about, respecting the planet that supports our existance.

[JohnBirchSociety]

If you're right, there is nothing to worry about. If you're wrong, we're contributing to our own extinction. Forgive me if I don't simply take your "expert" opinion that it is not possible for humans to have a global impact on climate rather than the scientists who have reason to believe that it is possible. Yes, there is dispute in the scientific community over global climate change and the reasons behind it, but for now what is so wrong with erring on the side of caution?

And one more thing, even assuming the Earth is a gift from God made specially for us, why are you so opposed to treating that gift with some respect? From my point of view, that is what Earth Day is about, respecting the planet that supports our existance.

The problem is that these cycles have occurred throughout time, with no input from man. This is a demonstrated fact.

There is no evidence that we are accelerating this trend. There is no scientific demonstration that any human activity can impact global weather / climate. Yet we can demonstrate without question that the SUN and orbit of the Earth around it has, throughout known time, generate "climate change".

The problem with "Earth Day" is the trend towards globalizing of government to "deal with" these "problems". I've no problem with recycling that is viable in a free market. I've no problem with buying vehicles that get better mileage because that's the cost effective thing to do. The free market will resolve these regional issues. Lack of one, quite frankly, contributes to regional environmental problems.

It is interesting to me that Al Gore, et al, needed to lie in his documentary to support his paradigm of "we're going to die in seven years if we don't introduce globally inforceable governmental solutions to global warming". If the case was so rock solid, there should be plenty of facts to back it up. There isn't.

We don't need global government. What we need is freedom. Free markets. Free Enterprise. What we need in the USA is to return to limited, constitutional government. We don't need to abdicate our soveriegnty to unelected supra-national / communist groups like the UN...

"Less Government, More Individual Responsibility, and, with GOD's help, a Better World"

That is the appropriate means to prosperity for all.

[DigitalShadow]

The problem is that these cycles have occurred throughout time, with no input from man. This is a demonstrated fact.

There is no evidence that we are accelerating this trend. There is no scientific demonstration that any human activity can impact global weather / climate. Yet we can demonstrate without question that the SUN and orbit of the Earth around it has, throughout known time, generate "climate change".

The problem with "Earth Day" is the trend towards globalizing of government to "deal with" these "problems". I've no problem with recycling that is viable in a free market. I've no problem with buying vehicles that get better mileage because that's the cost effective thing to do. The free market will resolve these regional issues. Lack of one, quite frankly, contributes to regional environmental problems.

It is interesting to me that Al Gore, et al, needed to lie in his documentary to support his paradigm of "we're going to die in seven years if we don't introduce globally inforceable governmental solutions to global warming". If the case was so rock solid, there should be plenty of facts to back it up. There isn't.

We don't need global government. What we need is freedom. Free markets. Free Enterprise. What we need in the USA is to return to limited, constitutional government. We don't need to abdicate our soveriegnty to unelected supra-national / communist groups like the UN...

"Less Government, More Individual Responsibility, and, with GOD's help, a Better World"

That is the appropriate means to prosperity for all.

Yes, these cycles have occurred eons before man existed, but that doesn't mean we can simply blame every change in the environment on them without investigating the possible interference we're creating.

So because Al Gore may have lied and exaggerated claims, global climate change is impossible? I agree with you completely that there are global warming zealots out there willing to distort facts to further their agenda and I dislike them as much as you, but that doesn't mean you have to be an anti global warming zealot.

All I'm saying is that it's possible and worth investigating rather than just doing that is best for the market regardless of possible consequences.

[sixpacktr]

There is a difference btw the wacko environmentalists and the conservationists I believe most if not all LDS are (and most of the people of the US for that matter) conservationists. The wacko environmentalists want nothing more than to destroy the US and our economy. All of the stupid laws that have been enacted to 'protect' the earth are nothing more than taxes levied to try and drive companies that the wackos deem 'evil' in their eyes out of business.

Conservationists, on the other hand, take care of their land and are stewards over what they own. If you really want to be a good little environmentalist, buy all the duck stamps and hunting licenses you can. Those moneys are used to preserve refuges for all the game birds, deer, etc., and do much good. But of course, you'd have to get off of your high horse about the evil of guns for a bit...

But that's another argument...

Algore, friend of the earth. And making a pile of money off of it. If he were in charge of, say, General Electric, the wacko enviros would be having a conniption (sp?) fit about his lifestyle, but since he is 'pro-Earth' he is given a pass for making obscene amounts of money to teach us how to live better. Kind of like Teddy 'the swimmer' Kennedy gets a pass everytime he molests a young woman because he is fighting for women's rights.

Libs just don't make sense...

[JohnBirchSociety]

Yes, these cycles have occurred eons before man existed, but that doesn't mean we can simply blame every change in the environment on them without investigating the possible interference we're creating.

So because Al Gore may have lied and exaggerated claims, global climate change is impossible? I agree with you completely that there are global warming zealots out there willing to distort facts to further their agenda and I dislike them as much as you, but that doesn't mean you have to be an anti global warming zealot.

All I'm saying is that it's possible and worth investigating rather than just doing that is best for the market regardless of possible consequences.

Friend, monumental climate change has occurred throughout history, with no human intervention. And, it will continue to occur, with no respect to what we try to do about it.

I suppose in a sense my deep skepticism of the "Earth Day" movement / paradigm comes from examining what the vast majority of such activists propose for "solutions". Essentially, it is communism wrapped in fear driven pseudo-science. Therefore, I reject the premise.

Example of communism disguised as "environmentalism":

I live on the central coast of CA. One of the long time members of my ward (his family goes back at least 4 generations here), owns a large ranch outside of town (probably around 5,000 acres). It just so happens that this ranch has probably the highest concentration of California Salamanders in the world. This type of critter has been give endangered status. So, what did the environmentalists attempt to do? Shut down the ranch from operating? Why, well, to protect the critters from harm... NOW, think!

If his land has the highest concentration of such critters in the area or even perhaps the world, don't you think he is doing something right? Shouldn't the environmentalist applaud?

See, the global movement (and you aren't part of it, I can tell) isn't about the environment, it is about collectivism / communism. It is this same collectivism / communism in the name of the "environment" that is at this very moment causing a REAL global problem "food shortages" of monumental scale, because the largest producer of food in the world (USA) is now burning said food for fuel...It is this same communism that made farmers go under in the Klamath River range because of a fish...and on and on...

So, I'm all for individual choice. I'm all for choosing renewable materials and reusing what we have (by voluntary free market motivations). I'm all for having cleaner air in Pittsburgh from steel mills. I'm all for stopping paper mills from pumping mercury byproducts into local water supplies...etc...These are all local problems, with local solutions. Government is best that is local. Where there are problems, we, as responsible citizens must act.

There are no global environmental problems caused by the activity of man. We are merely participants in natural global cycles of climate change.

And communism disguised as "environmentalism" is not the answer to anything.

[DigitalShadow]

Friend, monumental climate change has occurred throughout history, with no human intervention. And, it will continue to occur, with no respect to what we try to do about it.

I suppose in a sense my deep skepticism of the "Earth Day" movement / paradigm comes from examining what the vast majority of such activists propose for "solutions". Essentially, it is communism wrapped in fear driven pseudo-science. Therefore, I reject the premise.

Example of communism disguised as "environmentalism":

I live on the central coast of CA. One of the long time members of my ward (his family goes back at least 4 generations here), owns a large ranch outside of town (probably around 5,000 acres). It just so happens that this ranch has probably the highest concentration of California Salamanders in the world. This type of critter has been give endangered status. So, what did the environmentalists attempt to do? Shut down the ranch from operating? Why, well, to protect the critters from harm... NOW, think!

If his land has the highest concentration of such critters in the area or even perhaps the world, don't you think he is doing something right? Shouldn't the environmentalist applaud?

See, the global movement (and you aren't part of it, I can tell) isn't about the environment, it is about collectivism / communism. It is this same collectivism / communism in the name of the "environment" that is at this very moment causing a REAL global problem "food shortages" of monumental scale, because the largest producer of food in the world (USA) is now burning said food for fuel...It is this same communism that made farmers go under in the Klamath River range because of a fish...and on and on...

So, I'm all for individual choice. I'm all for choosing renewable materials and reusing what we have (by voluntary free market motivations). I'm all for having cleaner air in Pittsburgh from steel mills. I'm all for stopping paper mills from pumping mercury byproducts into local water supplies...etc...These are all local problems, with local solutions. Government is best that is local. Where there are problems, we, as responsible citizens must act.

There are no global environmental problems caused by the activity of man. We are merely participants in natural global cycles of climate change.

And communism disguised as "environmentalism" is not the answer to anything.

Monumental climate change has occured throughout history and there is probably little we can do about it when it happens, but you still have not given a logical argument as to how that leads to the conclusion that it is impossible for us to instigate climate change and we therefore shouldn't worry about it.

I agree with you to the extent that "environmentalism" is taken to wacky extremes in many places, but I believe you are alltogether too paranoid about "communism" and people trying to take away your rights.

[sgallan]

Okay the explanations pretty much answered my question...... it would appear to most LDS that 'stewardship' means pretty much stipping the land for everything it's worth, to heck with the potential consequences. Sort of the James Watt approach.

Got it..... another reason to stay away from religions that worship conservative politics as much as they do God.

[sgallan]

On second thought.... either what I just said, or..... God is exactly like conservative white western Americans. In which case I'd 'never' want to go to that heaven!