Carbon Footprint=Pathetic Scam

By ParaTed2k Posted March 31, 2008 02:39:25

The reason I say, "Carbon Footprint = Pathetic Scam" sometimes puts those who are concerned with the environment on the defensive. They see it as a personal attack, or at least an attack on their causes.

I see "Carbon Footprint" as nothing more than an exuse. As long as a person boasts a "neutral" carbon footprint, they act like they are actually accomplishing something.

The concept reminds me of a good concept called "low impact camping". Low impact camping means that you do all you can to leave the campsite the way you found it (or better than you found it). A low impact camper will pack out everything they packed in. They will clean the coals, partially burnt wood, and other debris out of the fire pit. They don't cut down trees, dig holes without refilling them, or clear the ground cover from a spot without cover it up again.

If low impact campers followed the "carbon footprint" model, they wouldn't care what they did with the campsite, as long as they "made up for it" other ways. If they biked or hiked in, they wouldn't feel quilty for leaving food behind because "hey, we didn't pollute on the way here, and besides the animals can eat that food we left." They would feel justified in leaving a hole they dug, as long as they covered it with leaves to prevent erosion.

For anyone who cares about the environment, "carbon neutral" should be a joke.

The ONLY thing that helps the environment is Reducing our impact on it. If you decide to walk when you can, that is awesome! But what good did you do the environment if all it means to you is, now it's ok for you to continue doing something destructive?

If you're "carbon footprint" is "zero", but you are burning 20 gallons of gasoline more than necessary, wouldn't it be better to continue what you are doing that brought your footprint down, but then quit burning unnecessary fuel also?

And if you say you care about the environment, but buy "carbon credits", you are just a liar... especially to yourself.

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Love your camping analogy! And I think it is right on. Those who spew the carbon neutral idiocy are worse than any other poluters. Because they can EASILY reduce polution, but decide to pass the buck onto the poor and those who do not have that capabilty out of necessity. They are the new slave masters of the world. Proudly surveying their plantation, while watching the slaves sing in the fields. Justifying their barbarity with the rationalization that they are doing good (providing crops to the needy masses), and not killing anyone (at least not at this moment).

It boggles the mind that almost 3/4million Americans had to die to rid this country of an insidious institution, yet less than 150 years later, we have new slave masters just using a different excuse to keep people enslaved. And why? because they can.

It is no surprise that the party perpetuating this slavery is the same one that fought so hard to preserve the old slavery as well.

Every time you poop in the woods and don't cover it up a bigfoot cries.

~Zoo

I like the camping analogy as well. I have been on a "low impact camping trip" (well, it was called something different, but it was the same idea), and I like the concept of being as environmentally responsible as one can be. Paying for "special indulgences" just doesn't cut it.

Dr. Guy:

It boggles the mind that almost 3/4million Americans had to die to rid this country of an insidious institution, yet less than 150 years later, we have new slave masters just using a different excuse to keep people enslaved. And why? because they can.

Everything old is new again. ;~D

Zoo:

Every time you poop in the woods and don't cover it up a bigfoot cries.

~Zoo

Them big feet make for a lot of scraping! ;~D

I believe in a footprint that everyone leaves by what they consume and what they leave behind in waste, like emisssions, etc... Does that mean that Carbon credits are the way to go, no. They're frivilous in my opinion. I'm kinda along the same thought process you are, just reduce your footprint as much as you can, and do whatever else you can.