Comments on: earth day sucks.

By: efeinblatt

efeinblatt — Mon, 05 May 2008 12:15:26 +0000

D’Arcy, I share your concerns about Earth Day and other feel good lifestyle solutions, which only sidestep the much more difficult economic and geopolitical analysis and action that is needed if we do, indeed, want to continue to survive. Despite very good intentions, recycling, turning off light bulbs, etc. is like trying to cure HIV/AIDS with aspirin. It’s delusional and actually counterproductive if it lulls us into thinking that this is what’s needed to be effective. I’ve just finished George Monbiot’s brilliant book, HEAT, which pulls no punches as it systematically takes stock of where we are and what we need to do to unravel the mess we’ve created. It’s not a pretty picture, but it’s a very, very important read.

By: Sami Khan

Sami Khan — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 08:03:23 +0000

{Insert my lament here}. Seriously, I got pissed off and started a diatribe when my little brother asked me whether I had turned off the lights for Earth day… I was told to calm down, which I did… Top down solutions are always better than bottom up “solutions”, which only exist calm people down so it’s business as usual. In the end I think that only the rich can save the planet. We’re peon that do as told. So yeah, get me a billion dollars stat and I will spend each and every penny on saving the Earth, solving conflicts, and bring peace to the planet. Otherwise, my day is lost writing lines of code so that one person can give a bit of money to someone else in a third world country (Kiva). That’s the extent of my contribution to saving the planet without any real money. That’s all I can do… That’s it.

By: dnorman

dnorman — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:23:20 +0000

I suppose Earth Day isn’t _completely_ harmful. But it does send a message that a single day is enough. What if there was a “don’t hit your spouse day” - that would imply that the other 364 days are fair game. “don’t steal from work day” - cool. I’m grabbing staplers for the rest of the year. “don’t destroy your planet day” - awesome. I’m going to behave then, but am going to crank the A/C all summer.

By: Chris L

Chris L — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 04:31:14 +0000

I get your frustration, but the logic only works if there is some alternative that provides pressure on those who otherwise do nothing. As it stands, having earth day provides a net gain, even if it is only 1/365th of what most participants could be doing (and I suspect it is somewhat more than that as even in my very limited personal experience I have seen people– in fact companies– adopt continuing environmental measures as a direct result of earth day activities and advertising, while I’m not aware of too many who have been spurred to pollute more… other than you and your hummer, of course :)… not having earth day results in losing even those tiny gains.

Which is why I don’t have a problem with it, or other good ideas adopted by half-wits and well-meaning folks alike (witness National Poetry Month)– I see no evidence that they hurt because of the false assumption that without them any of the folks that get involved would pursue the *real* changes you talk about. I see no evidence that Earth Day provides an out because there are no ramifications to doing nothing, while Earth Day provides good propaganda. The whole system is broken. Reminds me of education.

In D’Normian the whole thing’s called a “clusterfrack” I think…

By: Jim

Jim — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 01:39:13 +0000

D’Arcy,

I think I sent the two commentators above a bumper sticker. And i couldn’t agree more, let God sort out the trash –I think your on to something with this thread, we no longer need Earth day but just a good old Rapture day.

By: dnorman

dnorman — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 15:11:22 +0000

@wetjet That’s the spirit! Why try to do anything with the life we’ve got, when all we have to do is say “sorry!” and a big, friendly ghost will grant us access to eternal paradise! Screw the earth, man! I want nirvana!

By: wetjet

wetjet — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 05:34:44 +0000

I don’t recycle because I know Jesus Christ WILL one day judge this entire planet. Great will be humanity’s fall. The heaven and earth will pass away, but the word of God will never pass away. So after that is said, what’s the point in recycling? It’s a futile attempt in delaying the inevitable.

By: dnorman

dnorman — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:23:01 +0000

@synonymous - I’m trusting that you’re not a sneaky spammer trying to insert a link to your online community site…

The world will not end soon. This planet will survive global warming, nuclear war, and whatever else we can throw at it.

We might not, but the planet will…

By: Synonymous

Synonymous — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:19:28 +0000

The world will end soon. By a fair means…but there is no fair means

People will eventually kill themselves off.

Stressing over petty environment things like this won’t help, nobody is going to listen to you wackjobs.

The faster the apocalypse comes, the better. Some people are bored.