If only we would voluntarily reduce our consumption we could avoid many bad outcomes as we move into our less energy intensive future.
But NO!
We don't do conservation. It has never been a solution in our waste-based consumer economy.
It is our consumer given right to waste resources on things like ready-on televisions that use electricity even when they are "off".
For convenience, of course. Who wants to wait 15 seconds for their TV to spring to glorious light-filled life?
Thoreau said "Simplify, simplify, simplify", but he could also have said, "Conserve, conserve, conserve". Same, same, same.
What if we did voluntarily promise to never use a lot when a little would suffice?
We could delay the building of new power plants, or might not need them at all.
We wouldn't have to continue to deplete all water, soil, air, mineral, and energy resources.
We wouldn't have to worry and fret about waiting another 10 years for the fusion/modular nuclear/hydrogen dream to materialize.
Old growth forests would stay standing and providing valuable ecological services to nature and humans alike.
We wouldn't have to flood valuable farmland and displace millions of people to build dams and reservoirs.
If only we would see the (sun)light and voluntarily conserve all resources. Be smarter about what we use. Cut all waste. Be as efficient as possible.
It would make an amazing difference to everything and everyone.
What if we don't have a resource problem, but a consumption problem? What would the answer be in that case?
Conserve, conserve, conserve!
Great post. Is there a reason why more people in the USA don't line dry? It's normal to line dry here...I think every home is built with an outside clothesline? Even townhouses I think have them? I would only ever consider using a clothes dryer if I was absolutely desperate and the weather had been rubbish for weeks on end. I guess if you live in an apartment it might be harder? Clean washing smells so good when it's been outside all day, even if it's been a cloudy day. And the sun provides free stain removal :)
ReplyDeleteUSA here! In our previous house we had a large yard with a clothesline strung between 3 trees. In our current home we have an association that does not allow for clotheslines, but we have a bathtub with a drying rack and a sturdy shower curtain rod where we hang things to dry on hangers. Of course, it's just the two of us. We love our current home - it's 1/3 the size of the old one (and I'd like even smaller). Deva
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