The dark hobby

[esoxlucius]

As Ghandi said, "be the change you wish to see in the world". I wish more people would.
If even a third of the population acted like this, and just did a little something, even small changes, it all adds up.
People who say small changes will never achieve anything, so don't bother I find to be more narrow minded and naive when looking at the bigger picture. As it has been mentioned before in the thread, they are the kind of people that have the "its not in my front yard so why bother" kind of attitude.

Doing "your bit" is all well and good, but can frustratingly seem so futile at times. Let me give you an example.

I diligently segregate all our household waste into the appropriate bins for recycling. My job is in recycling so what type of a person would I be if I didn't practice what my job preaches.

Then when I'm at work, every single day I see countless refuge trucks turn up and tip their "separated" loads into different bays for further processing. And what I see horrifies me and makes me wonder what is the point of me being diligent at home.

The vast majority of the public, certainly not all, don't do any home segregating at all and I see it with my own eyes every day. But still I carry on doing my "bit" at home.

My example is just one of many many.

 

[..puSkar..]

Doing "your bit" is all well and good, but can frustratingly seem so futile at times. Let me give you an example.

I diligently segregate all our household waste into the appropriate bins for recycling. My job is in recycling so what type of a person would I be if I didn't practice what my job preaches.

Then when I'm at work, every single day I see countless refuge trucks turn up and tip their "separated" loads into different bays for further processing. And what I see horrifies me and makes me wonder what is the point of me being diligent at home.

The vast majority of the public, certainly not all, don't do any home segregating at all and I see it with my own eyes every day. But still I carry on doing my "bit" at home.

My example is just one of many many.

You pick one bottle from the road and put it in the bin. 2 come flying past your face

 

[mattybecks]

You pick one bottle from the road and put it in the bin. 2 come flying past your face

At least you have got rid of one so instead of now being 3, now there is only 2.

 

[skjl47]

Hello; To fight for a good cause can seem a noble thing to do. Some are willing to tilt at windmills even knowing the outcome is repeated failure. I took a stand over 50 years ago and lost. I came to terms with the loss and have watched things I was concerned about come to be. The first real big sign, to me, has been the adoption of bottled water as the way to live day to day. There were two sides of the bottled water. One was the real need as so much of local tap water wound up so treated that it tastes bad even if it is clean enough to drink. That the bottles themselves become part of the environment problems is the other side. ( Side note- an irony was for a time that some of the bottled water was actually just tap water. Not sure if that is still the case. The city water of Atlanta rings a bell but I may be mistaken. )

When the failure of population stabilization became apparent I made sure I would not bring any children into the world. I did not in 1975 see more than a slim hope things would get better. If things had gotten better I would now be troubled by the choice to not have children. As it is I am comfortable with the choice to be childless. In terms of positive impact I do figure not bringing additional humans into the world is the greater of the things I have done.

The recycling and living a smaller footprint is small stuff in comparison. I do not try for a small footprint in order to get praise. In fact it is actually rare to get a kind word. Most do not like having someone living a lifestyle around them which is different. That I rarely run the central air while all around me have it going 24/7 makes me stand out to those who know about it. No one attacks me exactly, but they let me know they will not be coming for a visit and how they do not see how I can stand it. They then go into their air conditioned houses.
So if any decide to live a different lifestyle than you neighbors, fellow workers and family do not expect all to agree. You may find you are tolerated but not cheered on. Sad thing is those who are posting about how there will be plenty of others to tear down anything you may try to save are very likely correct.

Doing "your bit" is all well and good, but can frustratingly seem so futile at times.

This is a true statement. I started collecting and recycling my used engine oil long ago. I had neighbors who were still pouring it on the gravel drive ways. I would get empty five gallon buckets to give to two guys and would go around to pick up the oil and take it to the recycling. One fellow had so many family cars/trucks I wound up getting him two buckets. Eventually they started doing the oil recycle on their own. Not because of me exactly but because the tone of society started to change. Best I did was provide an example of how to do it. But yes I see people using a recycle bin(s) as places to throw trash. So far there has been many more of them than there has been of me.

I live on one of the two busy highways in my County. I pick trash out of the stretch in front of my house all the time. Someone threw a full bag of fast food scraps onto mu lawn yesterday. I picked it up. I do not go down the road tho. If you decide to try to help fix things get a good grip on living with dissapointment. You will be frustrated a lot.

And please do not ask me about dog food and human starvation.

 

[Niki_up]

The vast majority of the public, certainly not all, don't do any home segregating at all and I see it with my own eyes every day. But still I carry on doing my "bit" at home.

My example is just one of many many.

So I’ve started separating garbage at home and cardboard and empty containers are two types of garbage I separate at home and have to physically drive to a disposal location bc our garbage doesn’t have separate collection…I spend a little extra time to rinse my containers and breakdown all cardboard boxes even toilet paper tubes get recycled….I’m constantly bugging my bf about the small cardboard tp rolls and soap boxes that I’ve almost given up on him and just continue to do my own separating and if my bf doesn’t want to or is too lazy I cannot make him change.

 

[C. Breeze]

I think you are misunderstanding, he is saying he didn’t procreate….so yes he did take part in voluntary population reduction. He has effectively (once his time is complete on this earth) taken his contributions to the end with him and it stops when he stops. He is now trying to lead a minimal life with the smallest foot print he possibly can.

I think more people need to be like him and not reproduce for the sake of reproducing.

He didn’t want kids. He doesn’t have them. And he’s typed a couple paragraphs about how good it makes him feel not to have them
That’s the benefit. He feels better. It’s self serving entirely. It’s all about that comfort zone. He could have participated in a couple several conflicts according to his age. He could have reduced the population by dozens or more, or left it less by one much sooner.

His half measures aren’t for the benefit of the planet (what?) or the population…. Or his partners along the way according to one of his posts.

His half measures protect him in the chrysalis of his comfort zone. He even steps up to that pulpit in a fish keeping discussion….

Quick glance at some survey data by API and accompanying glance at some census data indicates that approximately 1% of American Households keep saltwater fish tanks.

this isn’t a conversation about population control. Even if old boy really likes talking about it.

I guess if you want to bring population control to conversation about unethical/illegal fish/invetabrate harvest from fragile ecosystems- you probably need to be prepared to have the integrity of your position challenged- but maybe that’s just me being narrow minded. Or shortsighted even!

 

[esoxlucius]

So I’ve started separating garbage at home and cardboard and empty containers are two types of garbage I separate at home and have to physically drive to a disposal location bc our garbage doesn’t have separate collection…I spend a little extra time to rinse my containers and breakdown all cardboard boxes even toilet paper tubes get recycled….I’m constantly bugging my bf about the small cardboard tp rolls and soap boxes that I’ve almost given up on him and just continue to do my own separating and if my bf doesn’t want to or is too lazy I cannot make him change.

If you are familiar with the whereabouts of where your garbage recycling wagons tip their loads for further processing, and indeed if the general public are allowed on site, if you paid them a visit it would open your eyes to how poor the segregation of everyday recyclables is.

The vast majority of joe public, sadly, have your boyfriend's attitude. I'm afraid crusaders such as us Nik are in the minority, lol.

 

[Niki_up]

If you are familiar with the whereabouts of where your garbage recycling wagons tip their loads for further processing, and indeed if the general public are allowed on site, if you paid them a visit it would open your eyes to how poor the segregation of everyday recyclables is.

The vast majority of joe public, sadly, have your boyfriend's attitude. I'm afraid crusaders such as us Nik are in the minority, lol.

I’m not well aware of the garbage processing in my area, I know the location and have been a couple of times to our local dump to toss larger items. Anytime I have gone we just back the truck up to a ledge and push the garbage out the back and over the ledge and then it’s pushed into a larger pile to be buried I assume.

I also work in “environmental health and safety” now the name implies I care for the environment as that’s supposed to be a main concern…one thing I monitor and inspect is asbestos waste removal and disposal…it’s part of my job to determine if additional materials have been contaminated with asbestos and if so it gets disposed of as asbestos waste….there’s a lot of plastic that gets thrown out with asbestos waste…it does make me sad but it is in my job scope of work.

 

[skjl47]

He didn’t want kids. He doesn’t have them. And he’s typed a couple paragraphs about how good it makes him feel not to have them
That’s the benefit. He feels better. It’s self serving entirely. It’s all about that comfort zone. He could have participated in a couple several conflicts according to his age. He could have reduced the population by dozens or more, or left it less by one much sooner.

Hello; So you have reversed course again. I had figured you were being critical in earlier posts then you did the abrupt change. now you are back the being critical.

You have twisted my comments. I did not say it made me fee good to just not have children. I said it is good to not have to worry about the children I do not have. A big difference in my mind. I have a brother who had two children and now five grandkids. I have other friends who now have some great grand children. They do not talk about it much but ever y now and then the worry comes out. Thing is I have run into the sort of criticism you spout before. Like I posted today some do not like having a person around who lives a different lifestyle.

The children I did not have do not keep me up at night with worry in the face of environmental concerns I envisioned 50+ years ago. I could not face bringing a child into the world as I predicted it would turn out to be. In a sense I am more comfortable now with that distant past choice, if not having to worry is the standard. So take it however you wish. Think me self serving if it makes you feel better. I came to grips with my choice decades ago. If you have kids and/or grandkids consider that the children and/or grandchildren I did not have are not in competition for diminished resources today.

Your bit about war, is to be sure, a way to reduce population for a time. Thing is the survivors can repopulate quickly and have. But here is another prediction from my past. That being there will be wars fought over the depleted resources. In a sense such has been going on over the middle east oil fields already.

On a serious note- let me be the first to thank you for everything you've done on our behalf!

Hello; Can I take it you are withdrawing your thanks?

 

[skjl47]

his isn’t a conversation about population control. Even if old boy really likes talking about it.

I guess if you want to bring population control to conversation about unethical/illegal fish/invetabrate harvest from fragile ecosystems- you probably need to be prepared to have the integrity of your position challenged- but maybe that’s just me being narrow minded. Or shortsighted even!

Hello; I went back to see and it was not me who introduced human population into this thread. It was someone else. I did comment. Anything else you want to throw out about me? Old boy huh. Been called better names than that.