Comments on: Illuminating Irresponsibility http://www.somervillevoices.org/2009/11/26/environment-and-open-space/illuminating-irresponsibility/ An independent, open forum for reports and opinions about life in our city. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:37:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Tricky http://www.somervillevoices.org/2009/11/26/environment-and-open-space/illuminating-irresponsibility/comment-page-1/#comment-10402 Tricky Fri, 04 Dec 2009 22:58:13 +0000 http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=3804#comment-10402 Turn on every light you can find, what, do you have free electricity? Here's a better idea: set your money directly on fire. You'll leave a larger carbon footprint that way. Turn on every light you can find, what, do you have free electricity?

Here’s a better idea: set your money directly on fire. You’ll leave a larger carbon footprint that way.

]]> By: Ron Newman http://www.somervillevoices.org/2009/11/26/environment-and-open-space/illuminating-irresponsibility/comment-page-1/#comment-10401 Ron Newman Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:41:06 +0000 http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=3804#comment-10401 If you are not concerned about global warming, then you must live on a high hill or some other area that won't be swamped by rising sea level from melting glaciers. If you are not concerned about global warming, then you must live on a high hill or some other area that won’t be swamped by rising sea level from melting glaciers.

]]> By: Xumi http://www.somervillevoices.org/2009/11/26/environment-and-open-space/illuminating-irresponsibility/comment-page-1/#comment-10400 Xumi Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:37:26 +0000 http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=3804#comment-10400 Any of you knuckleheads that believe Al "private jet/Mcmansion" Gore's global warming hoax deserve to have your money fleeced. It's been debunked. In the meantime; I pledge to never recycle and turn on every light I can find. Any of you knuckleheads that believe Al “private jet/Mcmansion” Gore’s global warming hoax deserve to have your money fleeced. It’s been debunked.

In the meantime; I pledge to never recycle and turn on every light I can find.

]]> By: Columbine http://www.somervillevoices.org/2009/11/26/environment-and-open-space/illuminating-irresponsibility/comment-page-1/#comment-10399 Columbine Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:50:38 +0000 http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=3804#comment-10399 At the risk of sounding like an annoying hipster: This. ;-) At the risk of sounding like an annoying hipster:

This. ;-)

]]> By: empowerment http://www.somervillevoices.org/2009/11/26/environment-and-open-space/illuminating-irresponsibility/comment-page-1/#comment-10398 empowerment Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:45:54 +0000 http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=3804#comment-10398 It's not a choice between abandoning versus continuing, it's about finding joyous ways of evolving our behaviors and traditions so that our children and their children will have the luxury of continuing them. We can't tune out the reality of the physical world because it's inconvenient or difficult to address. We need to wake up and get creative and have fun changing the way we do things. We are sleepwalking into disaster. But the alternative doesn't have to be painful: http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/12/02/copenhagens-christmas-tree-will-be-pedal-powered/ It’s not a choice between abandoning versus continuing, it’s about finding joyous ways of evolving our behaviors and traditions so that our children and their children will have the luxury of continuing them. We can’t tune out the reality of the physical world because it’s inconvenient or difficult to address. We need to wake up and get creative and have fun changing the way we do things. We are sleepwalking into disaster. But the alternative doesn’t have to be painful:
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/12/02/copenhagens-christmas-tree-will-be-pedal-powered/

]]> By: Jonathan Rich http://www.somervillevoices.org/2009/11/26/environment-and-open-space/illuminating-irresponsibility/comment-page-1/#comment-10387 Jonathan Rich Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:26:36 +0000 http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=3804#comment-10387 I have to say I think it would be a mistake to abandon this event. However, I do take it seriously when I hear that Boston rates fourth among American cities that will be damaged by rising ocean levels (after Miami, New York, and New Orleans). How far above sea level is your house, Xumi? I have to say I think it would be a mistake to abandon this event. However, I do take it seriously when I hear that Boston rates fourth among American cities that will be damaged by rising ocean levels (after Miami, New York, and New Orleans). How far above sea level is your house, Xumi?

]]> By: Xumi http://www.somervillevoices.org/2009/11/26/environment-and-open-space/illuminating-irresponsibility/comment-page-1/#comment-10365 Xumi Wed, 02 Dec 2009 05:09:16 +0000 http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=3804#comment-10365 You guys are funny. We have Intrepid wanting the city/government to regulate fun and then tax it. Intrepid, remember if it's yellow let it mellow... if it's brown flush it down. Well, I bet you'd propose flushing it down only between the hours of 5 and 7, right? In your opinion, is there any tax too high, anything the gov't shouldn't tax and regulate? And then we have Barry/Columbine and a few of you others tripping all over yourselfs' yapping about a theory that has recently been debunked. Do you guys read the news in between sips of your latte? You ought to.... global warming is a made up "catastrophe" that has made empty suits like Al Gore very rich. That's all it ever was about. I'm off to turn every light on in the city - and keep it on for days. I may even rip the insulation out of my houses now. Just to hear you guys wail, moan, pull your hair out and gnash your teeth in pain. You guys are funny. We have Intrepid wanting the city/government to regulate fun and then tax it. Intrepid, remember if it’s yellow let it mellow… if it’s brown flush it down. Well, I bet you’d propose flushing it down only between the hours of 5 and 7, right? In your opinion, is there any tax too high, anything the gov’t shouldn’t tax and regulate?

And then we have Barry/Columbine and a few of you others tripping all over yourselfs’ yapping about a theory that has recently been debunked. Do you guys read the news in between sips of your latte? You ought to…. global warming is a made up “catastrophe” that has made empty suits like Al Gore very rich. That’s all it ever was about.

I’m off to turn every light on in the city – and keep it on for days. I may even rip the insulation out of my houses now. Just to hear you guys wail, moan, pull your hair out and gnash your teeth in pain.

]]> By: Barry Rafkind http://www.somervillevoices.org/2009/11/26/environment-and-open-space/illuminating-irresponsibility/comment-page-1/#comment-10361 Barry Rafkind Wed, 02 Dec 2009 03:25:50 +0000 http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=3804#comment-10361 I second Columbine's warning against the false dichotomy of sustainability v. enjoyability. I second Columbine’s warning against the false dichotomy of sustainability v. enjoyability.

]]> By: Columbine http://www.somervillevoices.org/2009/11/26/environment-and-open-space/illuminating-irresponsibility/comment-page-1/#comment-10359 Columbine Tue, 01 Dec 2009 22:52:58 +0000 http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=3804#comment-10359 Skyler - it's true that people need fun, good looking things to be happy, but the false dichotomy between fun/good looking/happy and responsible just causes confusion. If you look at some of the newer green architectural designs, they're actually quite beautiful, and will soon be affordable for folks who are now stuck with "drab concrete block homes" that also cost them a fortune to heat. The way to keep enjoying ourselves - and actually still be here to do it - is to innovate; find/devise/envision things that are beautiful, fun, delicious, interesting, and useful without making a mess that we can't clean up. And soon LED lights will be down to where you can afford them too. Skyler – it’s true that people need fun, good looking things to be happy, but the false dichotomy between fun/good looking/happy and responsible just causes confusion. If you look at some of the newer green architectural designs, they’re actually quite beautiful, and will soon be affordable for folks who are now stuck with “drab concrete block homes” that also cost them a fortune to heat.

The way to keep enjoying ourselves – and actually still be here to do it – is to innovate; find/devise/envision things that are beautiful, fun, delicious, interesting, and useful without making a mess that we can’t clean up. And soon LED lights will be down to where you can afford them too.

]]> By: Skyler http://www.somervillevoices.org/2009/11/26/environment-and-open-space/illuminating-irresponsibility/comment-page-1/#comment-10358 Skyler Tue, 01 Dec 2009 22:24:03 +0000 http://www.somervillevoices.org/?p=3804#comment-10358 I haven't seen any numbers, and I can't speak to this specific event, but I think keeping up holiday traditions--even if they involve lots of electricity--is important. People need fun, good looking things to be happy even if they don't need them to just survive. We could probably save the environment and money by living in drab concrete block homes and only using those new fangled swirly lights. But concrete is ugly and those lights hurt my eyes. I haven’t seen any numbers, and I can’t speak to this specific event, but I think keeping up holiday traditions–even if they involve lots of electricity–is important.

People need fun, good looking things to be happy even if they don’t need them to just survive.

We could probably save the environment and money by living in drab concrete block homes and only using those new fangled swirly lights. But concrete is ugly and those lights hurt my eyes.

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