| environmentalists
Posted: 2/14/2007 5:19:32 PM | From the other side, being a bit of a greeny, I would have a very hard time living with someone who wasn't any shade of green.
I mean, how hard is it to recycle? You keep a blue box by your garbage can and take both out to the curb on garbage day. Easy.
Why would you not rather walk or cycle when possible...air, a view, a bit of exercise. egads...sounds awful! I've never understood the drive to the gym to run on a treadmill kind of exercise regime. Why bother when you can put on your running shoes and head out the front door? Save time and money too.
Its all about shades of green. I too, although mostly vegetarian (i.e. don't cook meat at home but will have the occasional chicken/seafood while eating out) would have a hard time living with a vegan. No butter on the popcorn? No way.
In terms of eating organic? Fruit and vegetables absolutely and locally whenever possible. I get to support local farmers and enjoy the REAL taste of fruits and vegetables. There is nothing better than a freshly picked tomato. Try one in comparison to the dry, pale things you can buy in Bi-Low or Great Canadian Superstore or any other big shop ...bland flavourless cardboard. Repeat sentiment for cooking REAL food. Its all about the flavour and the processed sh!te ain't got it.
mt.grrl | |
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| environmentalists
Posted: 2/14/2007 5:41:16 PM |
Go vegan or veggie
Dealbreaker. I'd be dead within a week. Being a devout Monetarist, boycotts wouldn't sit well with me either--but I'd at least survive those.  | |
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| environmentalists
Posted: 2/14/2007 6:15:39 PM | Hey, all:
Wow, this a great thread--works as a cool filter for me--I wish every woman would answer it! Hah!
Actually, as a long-time environmentalist, who walks the walk, I find I am not too terribly concerned about these things. Yeah, there are some things that are not as negotiable, but provided there is some balance of attractive qualities and negatives, and no real egregiously stupid behavior, oh, just as a sublime example, turning down the thermostat still the vents freeze, yet sleeping under an electric blanket turned up all the way. (Do they still HAVE electric blankets?) And I eat meat, but not exclusively, and I consume my own fruit and vegetables as long as I have them.
There are others things that are actually more important--smoking, ignorance, and a general disregard for a person's own health stand out. So even in my position, this is not an exhaustive list.
But I am certainly interested in hearing what women's boundaries are in this regard--one item not included is, would you be willing to live off-the-grid?
David
Messages done with sustainable energy, with Wind and Sun! | |
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| environmentalists
Posted: 2/14/2007 8:47:54 PM | >Could you live with an enviornmentalist or would you find it a total nightmare having to
>Recycle all waste
Define "all". I can't see recycling everything
>Switch off anything not being used
I thought that was just about saving money on your energy bills. LOL That's just a habit - I could probably do that. I mean, I try to do it now, I'm just not always very good at it (as my roommate will attest).
>Cook real food (no processed foods)
I would love to avoid processed foods simply because of the health factor. Well, most of them. Okay, some of them. Look, my diet depends on processed foods, all right? Cooking? You mean, like, on the stove? Who has time for that? I don't. Sorry, I fail this one.
>Buy organic foods, cosmetics etc....
I could do that. To a limited degree. If it's of the same quality but slightly more expensive, happy to do it. If it's lesser quality but similar or lower price, happy to do it. But I draw the line at more expensive and lesser quality.
>Go vegan or veggie
No. Meat good. More steak. Steak good. Bye-bye veggie man.
>Walk or cycle rather than take the car on short trips
define "short". 'cause I think my definition of 'short' might be a bit different from what an environmentalist might consider 'short'. I might get called 'lazy' a lot.
>Avoid flying
and what? Drive the 3,000 miles to visit my mother ('cause I really have time for that). Take a ship across the Atlantic? Nope, sorry, not giving up planes for anyone, either.
>Go on campaign marches/offer support to campaigns
I can't see it happening.
>Bycott products
I have no problem boycotting products. As long as they're products I don't use anyway.
>What do you think? would you find this difficult? Can a greeny live with a non greeny? Whats your views?
Isn't a relationship about compromise? I'm thinking it's do-able if the non-greeny is willing to make a few changes and the greeny can accept that the non-greeny is always going to be a little, well, non-green.
I'm seeing a lot of people who obviously consider themselves non-green talking about what they would do, but few of the other side. Given that the greenies are the ones who feel passionately about these things, how about more of them chiming in about what they could or couldn't live with?
sv | |
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| environmentalists
Posted: 2/14/2007 8:59:54 PM | I'm for the concept, in general. I fill the recycle bin as much as the trash, try not to pollute, walk to a lunch place druing the workweek, and turn off the unused electrical things.
But most meals have lean meat, I solo commute but would carpool a few times a week.
What about points for putting a small barrel under the rain downspout? My fruit tree likes the pure h2O instead of the clorinated city water.
Am I a greeny? | |
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| environmentalists
Posted: 2/14/2007 9:08:50 PM | I just want to say, I'm vegan, and I'm NOT an environmentalist.
Just would like to make sure you're aware not all veg-heads are tree-huggers.
That is all.
Oh, and no, it wouldn't work out with me. They(the greenies)'d be too annoying to live/deal with.
Edit: That's not to say I don't care about my surroundings. I do, no doubt. But all this recycling crap, for example...just...no. | |
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| environmentalists
Posted: 2/14/2007 9:11:35 PM | | yeah life with a hunter would drive a greeny nuts | |
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| environmentalists
Posted: 2/14/2007 9:25:09 PM |
Bycott products
Ya mean like those companies that use
toxic hazardous non degradable chemicals
in the manufacture of computer chips and
various micro-processors?
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| environmentalists
Posted: 2/15/2007 1:40:26 AM | You mean living with someone who has taken an honest concern and turned it into a complete obsessive lifestyle ?
Personally, I prefer people who can think for themselves rather than filling the void of their minds with regurgitated sound bites of self-satisfied propaganda.
Environmentalism is a noble thing, so is religion, politics, economics, and a lot of other things.
But, being totally neurotic about something is a type of mental illness. | |
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| environmentalists
Posted: 2/15/2007 4:54:25 AM | I'd have no problem w/ anything on that list since that's how I live already....
But I agree with the above post that being nuerotic or militant about it is self-defeating.
BTW, I have no problem w/ my GF eating red meat when she gets the urge.....I just suggest she buy it from a local rancher to ensure it's healthy for her, raised humanely & minimize transpo impact. Same w/ our veggies, dairy, baked goods, etc.
Buying local is really great...not only do you get better, fresher, healthier products....but you keep money in your community AND get to meet some great neighbors that you might have otherwise missed! | |
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| environmentalists
Posted: 2/15/2007 5:10:22 AM | I do what I can to help the environment, but unfortunately too many people don't care.
Some of the things mentioned are very easy to do,
Recycling waste is more common now, with a recycling waste bin seperate from general garbage.
I eat real food most of the time anyway, to stay healthy and in shape. Don't really look into organics though, sometimes I find that too impractical.
I couldn't go veggie, but I do base my diet on vegetable sources, with a little meat etc.
I definately cycle a lot, I cover more distance on my bicycle every year than in my car. I ride to work everyday.
I don't avoid flying, I like travelling, I don't go on campaign marches. Everyone should just do more to help though, even if it is just a little thing. Start getting on the bike more, turn off lights in rooms that aren't occupied. Come on people, its not too hard to make a difference, is it? | |
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| environmentalists
Posted: 2/15/2007 5:30:41 AM | | Hell, it'd never work for me. He'd spend all his time trying to figure out a way to blow up my full-sized gas-guzzling SUV to save the environment. | |
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| environmentalists
Posted: 2/15/2007 8:39:15 AM |
Could you live with an enviornmentalist or would you find it a total nightmare having to -
Recycle all waste.... as much as possible
Switch off anything not being used..... yep
Cook real food (no processed foods).....as much as possible
Buy organic foods, cosmetics etc....nope
Go vegan or veggie.... no way
Walk or cycle rather than take the car on short trips.....within reason
Avoid flying..... nope but I do prefer driving when possible
Go on campaign marches/offer support to campaigns..... forget it
Bycott products.... not likely
What do you think? would you find this difficult? Can a greeny live with a non greeny? Whats your views?
I think it would be very difficult. I think both parties would have to co operate together on this and share the same basic philosophies and willingness to compromise. It's a lifestyle that you either love or hate. | |
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| environmentalists
Posted: 2/15/2007 8:43:44 AM | I couldn't do it; my kid was on a vegan kick for a while and it took me for freaking ever to shop for groceries; do you realize whey (a milk byproduct) is in just about everything out there?
Now she's a vegetarian, and I CAN live with that; we have to recycle anyway, where I live, so that is about as far as I can see myself going.
I walk when I can, and all that happy crappy, but when you get down to the whole hug a tree business, count me out.
Fry | |
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| environmentalists
Posted: 2/15/2007 8:57:38 AM | You post brings back many unpleasant memories.....never again for me!!
"There ain't that much love in the world" as the saying goes.LOL. | |
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| environmentalists
Posted: 2/15/2007 9:05:32 AM | | i would probibly kill them... however out of respect, i would put their body in the recycle bin. | |
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| environmentalists
Posted: 2/15/2007 9:22:39 AM | | no. but i would have no problem letting you do your thing. | |
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| environmentalists
Posted: 2/15/2007 9:28:25 AM | Wow, this is a great topic. I've enjoyed reading every single post.
Although, I think it should actually be two separate topics. One, would be basically 'greenies versus non greenies'. This one would probably be one of those posts that end up being twenty pages long and go on for years.
The other would be 'on topic' - which is 'can a greenie and a non greenie co habitate?'
So 'on topic'.........I would say........
Sure they can get along. As long as they both respect each other and their oposing view points. If my s.o. wants to go digging into my garbage and separate out the various co-mingling bits and pieces. HAVE AT IT !! | |
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| environmentalists
Posted: 2/15/2007 9:40:43 AM | I love environmentalists ... they taste like chicken.
Just kidding | |
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| environmentalists
Posted: 2/15/2007 10:12:11 AM | I think it'd be good: it'd support my efforts and motivate me to do more. I went vegan when I was 18 so that comes naturally, I don't really cook now: plenty of variations in fruit and salads and I eat very little that is processed. To me "processed food" means breakfast cereal or bread. I recycle what I can, I'm not entirely in favour of organic foods because I think they are a bit of a con (and they do things like spray the veggies with dried blood as fertiliser). The shortest trip I ever do is 6 miles and I am in too much of a hurry usually to have time to walk that. I don't think much of marchers, having met some and found that they cared only about the protesting and socialising, not caring about the actual problems. I'm happy to boycott stuff if I find out about it, and the facts are clear, but I don't go looking and I'm not obsessive over it.
I'm bad about switching things off: my computer and lights, anyway. I like the house to not be in darkness and I don't like waiting for the machine to boot up: that one is laziness really, or impatience. If I was living with someone with better habits I'd mend my own. But I can't avoid flying, not right now, because a certain Someone lives across the sea, 4000 miles away and I need to go to see him. (Tomorrow tomorrow!! *jumps about*).
There are limits: it is impossible to be perfect in environmentalism, like anything else. It could consume your life if you began to look too deeply into everything. Humans cannot live on the planet without causing some 'harm' (harm is rather subjective). The best we can hope for is to minimise this in a rational way, without compromising ourselves so much that we can no-longer contribute anything because we are too busy making sure we don't breathe too hard.
I do think that once you become aware of things, is impossible not to want to do something. I was curious, reading this thread, about the people who said "I could do that" to many things: if you feel you could, why do you choose not to? Too pessimistic about it having any effect? Anything that is done by one person is just a drop in the ocean but each drop counts, and I believe that the effects go deeper than that one drop, as each drop comes into contact with many others. I think that a person who chose to treat the environment carelessly would either have their eyes opened and start behaving differently or would be on too much of a different wavelength to the environmentally-concerned one to relate to them very well in the first place. | |
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| environmentalists
Posted: 2/15/2007 10:36:50 AM | I've been vegan off and on now for about 3 years. I'm not rigid and would never expect anyone else to do this. my weakness is eggs and cheese. I could definitely be with someone who is an environmentalist. I'm not one to march and wave flags but do what i can do at home. I've always wanted to build an self sufficient eco home a bit of a dream of mine. done a lot of research and i think solar panels are finally starting to make advances that will make them reachable for the masses.
I don't know how anyone can be insensitive to our environment. It doesn't even make sense. the air we breathe, the water we drink, the trees we need to live, they are all part of us. Without a healthy environment we will not survive.
I do not want my body to be a grave yard for the animals we share the world with. And i don't want to kill them by destroying theirs and our eco system. But i'm realistic. Without the internet and planes I would of never met my special someone. That thought is hard to imagine at this point. All we can do is minimize our impact on the earth and if everyone did that a better place it would be indeed.
crazylilting | |
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| environmentalists
Posted: 2/15/2007 1:02:36 PM | interesting answers people.
Im not that bad by the way, i believe in the saying 'teach dont preach'. It seems so many of us live our lives without thinking of the consequences on this planet we call home.
Im not perfect but i do all i can. Of course people have to get to work, people have to enjoy their leisure time but i think its important that we do this with as lighter impact on our planet as possible, after all, it is our home and were just lodgers here till were finally evicted, our own actions will lead to permanant eviction sadly if we dont make changes.
The environment means a lot to me, id love to share my life with someone who shares my passion for life and our beautiful earth.
Yes i really do hug trees too. Try it you might like it, even learn something
Love n light | |
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| environmentalists
Posted: 2/15/2007 1:22:21 PM | What is it about eating eggs that hurts the chicken ?
What is it about drinking milk that hurts the cow ?
And, what about the cow ? Is that cow a natural cow ?
Go to any grocery store, find something there that is truly natural.
We are not eating meat from wild animals on the African Plains or the Great American Plains.
We eat the meat from animals that have been domesticated for thousands of years. They have been altered from their wild state by thousands of years of selective breeding.
I really have to chuckle at hard core vegetarians who claim vegetables are more natural than meat. Natural ? There's nothing natural about any of those vegetables ! They too are the products of untold generations of selective breeding. Does corn grow like that in the wild ? Do onions grow that big naturally ?
There's even a new really hard core group which eat only raw vegetables, no cooking allowed.
One guy I know, not only eats raw vegetables but only those vegetables and fruits which grow ABOVE ground and not below ground. Somehow, anything growing below ground isn't as pure as above ground ! Corn is good for you but potatoes are poisonous.
I'm sorry, but there's a lot of real silliness that goes on in this.
Some people have had a too luxurious lifestyle and have too much free time on their hands. | |
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| environmentalists
Posted: 2/15/2007 2:42:27 PM | Hello nipoleon,
I don't want to change your mind about what you eat. I changed my diet because of health and ethical reasons. I am definitely the last person who can judge someone on diet. And i've done some strange things to heal myself, even as far as going on the bruse juice diet that you don't eat any food at all for over a month.
One thing i'd like to say about eating another animals flesh is that when something dies and i mean the very moment it dies there is a metabolic change that turns the flesh to acid. And a fly can detect this from one mile away. imagine that one mile away!!!! People who eat meat actually smell like rotting flesh, they can't smell this because they are used to the smell, much like ethnic people don't realize they smell like curry. When we eat meat we are essentially a grave yard for the animals we consume. Not even to mention just how barbaric it is to captivate animals and kill them just to eat. Even chickens are fed antibiotics just to survive the living conditions they are put through just to provide us with eggs.
Red meat is absolutely heart breaking to me. How these animals are butchered should be a punishable crime. Not to mention the parasites that we consume along with the meat. There are thousands of health reasons not to eat meat and animal by products. But it boils down to personal choice and ones life style. My son is a meat eater and i see the differences in him when he eats a vegan diet. He has what is called aspergers syndrome or i would say he displays traits of someone who has aspergers syndrome. When he is on a vegan diet most of those traits disappear. And even his teachers noticed the differences within three weeks of the diet change.
I can live without much food consumption. Give me my burce juice, a tofu shake in the morning with lots of fruit, a wheat grass shot, Some nuts and seeds and plenty of fruit through out the day, weetibix with fruit and soy milk for dinner and i'm good. Infact when i adhere to this i have so much energy and feel completely alive and in my body. Of course i add things in as i have a craving, i dont deny my body what it craves. it tells me what i need. And rarely is that meat.
No one wants to take away your free will, but if you educate yourself on the ethical and health issues you would see exactly why people make the choice.
crazylilting | |
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| environmentalists
Posted: 2/15/2007 4:16:40 PM | | I'm nearly at that stage already myself. But I'm open to both sides of the equation. I'm a greeny open to a non-greeny, and would gladly meet another greeny. And if she wants to go all veggie, she's welcome to teach me how. | |
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