How To Talk An Enviroskeptic Around

How To Talk Green To Non-Green Folks

Firest Published Date: October 25, 2013 ADawnJournal.com

Many people in this day and age do not view the environment as a cause for concern at all. This does not just show itself in climate change skepticism, although that does seem to be the forefront issue that gets the most attention from the doubters. No, the attitude of people who do not view the environment to be an issue – enviroskepticism, for want of a better word – is gaining currency as a response to the growth of the green movement, and what is more, it seems to be gaining popularity in no small part from a tactic of blaming people who have Green concerns for trying to guilt-trip individuals into not enjoying themselves. The theory goes that people with an interest in Green issues have such boring lives themselves that they will do anything to spoil everyone else’s fun.

That, of course, is nonsense. But it is a simple enough message to digest and gets people off the hook for environmentally unfriendly behaviour, so it is a popular one. Those of us who genuinely care about environmental issues, therefore, have a tougher job on our hands, faced not only with the problems besetting our environment but also the twin fronts of apathy and antipathy which face the movement. People who say “oh yeah, I do worry about the environment, but there is so much else to worry about too” are understandable. Those who say “Green issues are unimportant – they are just a front for people who want to stop others doing what they want to” are the truly dangerous ones. Not only is their message destructive and entirely false – it’s also a seductive one for people who do not really want to live responsibly and welcome the chance to make their lack of concern a human rights issue.

The fact of the matter is that with the global economy in the extremely poor shape it is in, the enviroskeptics have the perfect chance to spread their message. Don’t want to positively impact your carbon footprint? Blame the credit crunch for making it too expensive to try. Want to buy a gas-guzzling car? Well, the hybrid fuel cars are more expensive upfront, aren’t they? It is not your fault the cheaper cars are the ones that hurt the environment more.

The only way to counter this kind of message is to bring a message that addresses the same concerns, without sinking to the levels often inhabited by enviroskeptics. Yes, hybrid fuel cars are more expensive, but they will pay for themselves over time – you will spend less cash filling your car up with hybrid fuel than if you keep the pure gas one. And you will not have to do it as often because the fuel efficiency of a hybrid car is better. A lot of Green decisions, it is true, cost a little more up front. But in the long run they will save you money, and this is where the Green counter-attack on the enviroskeptic appeals to greed need to be addressed.

To streamline and minimize blog maintenance, I will be discontinuing maintaining the Thegreenlivingblog.com website (however, I will still hold the domain). I will gradually move all articles from this site to A Dawn Journal. This article originally published on the above website on Feb 6, 2009.

Save Our Dying Oceans

Oceans Threatened By Garbage Waves

First Published Date: November 2, 2013 ADawnJournal.com

With the news in recent weeks that global warming may be happening quicker than anyone had expected, it was only to be expected that further bad news would be on its way. And lo and behold, the latest news on the environment seems to show that things are getting worse on levels other than a climatological one. The latest news is that an increase in irresponsible trash dumping is likely to have a more profound effect than expected on seas already suffering, the effects, of global climate change – and worse yet, this is a worldwide trend. The revelations come from a report by the US-based group Ocean Conservancy that tracks and catalogues what they refer to as “a global snapshot of marine debris”.

The breadth of the action – nearly 400,000 volunteers set to the task, in 104 different locations – has revealed the extent of the problems of irresponsible dumping. On that one day alone last September, nearly seven million pounds of trash was collected from waterways from oceans to lakes, and from rivers to canals. That amounts to the weight of eighteen adult blue whales, and accounts for only what was found on that one day. What it demonstrates is a worrying tendency for humanity to put things where they cannot see them, and hope that they will go away. The only logical outcome of this attitude is a major pollution problem that will have results that so far can only be imagined.

On that single day in September 2008, 11.4 million items of garbage were collected. Included among these were cigarette butts, food containers and plastic bags. Although the latter of these has already come in for some scrutiny and has been targeted by conservation plans – with supermarkets now charging for plastic bags in some place, and offering stronger, re-usable canvas bags at a discount – the rest currently go unnoticed, and are providing a serious concern. The effects of toxins contained within the cigarette butts alone really do not bear thinking about. One other effect of the research was to show exactly which items are causing pollution off the coasts of which nations.

In the Philippines, 11,077 diapers were picked up. Off the coast of Britain, 19,504 fishing nets were found. Across Canada, the major offender appeared to be cigarettes and cigarette butts, with 323,706 showing up. As well as these, straws, beverage bottles and food receptacles were found to be a major source of the problem, which hints at beach parties and similar events carrying much of the burden of blame. The overall outcome of such polluted oceans is damaged marine ecosystems and polluted beaches – affecting more than one major industry very adversely indeed. In respect of this, another International Coastal Cleanup is being arranged by Ocean Conservancy for the 19th of September, 2009. Again, the focus will be worldwide, with a close eye being kept on what the figures are this time.

To streamline and minimize blog maintenance, I will be discontinuing maintaining the Thegreenlivingblog.com website (however, I will still hold the domain). I will gradually move all articles from this site to A Dawn Journal. This article originally published on the above website on March 14, 2009.

The World’s Top Richest People

The World’s Top Ten Billionaires

First Published Date: November 18, 2013 ADawnJournal.com

Bloomberg Market just came up with their list of the world’s top 100 billionaires. These billionaires are the rich of the richest on earth. Here are the top ten richest people from that list:

1.    Bill Gates – Unites States

2.    Carlos Slim – Mexico

3.    Amancio Ortega – Spain

4.    Warren Buffett – United States

5.    Ingvar Kamprad – Sweden

6.    Charles Koch – United States

7.    David Koch – United States

8.    Larry Ellison – United States

9.    Christy Walton – United States

10.    Jim Walton – United States

Source: Bloomberg

Here are some other interesting facts from the Bloomberg Market’s Richest of the Rich report:

– Canada’s David Thompson (of Thompson Reuters) is #22 on the top 100 list.

– U.S. (37) and Russia (11) have the most top 100 billionaires.

– Mark Zuckerberg (29) is the youngest billionaire among the top 100.

– Karl Albrecht (93) is the oldest.

– There are 11 women in the top 100 list.

– Median net worth is $15.7B of these top 100.

– Net worth is $2.1 Trillion of these top 100 billionaires.

The view the full report, visit Bloomberg Market’s Richest of the Rich

Alexandria Day Trip – Part 5 | Egypt Travel Blog: Day 1 (Part 10)

Egypt Travel Blog: 10 DAYS Egypt Explorer - Felucca Cruise & Red Sea

Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa

The catacombs of Kom El Shofaqa; date back to the second century AD and were accidentally discovered in 1900 when a donkey got lost.

The catacombs are the largest-known Roman burial site in Egypt and they consist of three tiers of tombs and chambers cut into bedrock to a depth of 35m.

The catacombs of Alexandria were originally a private tomb, but later expanded and became a public cemetery. These are one of the last major works of construction dedicated to ancient Egyptian religion.

Inside the catacombs, the endless tunnels were like a maze and it was impressive how they carved them in the solid rock.

The entry was like a spiral staircase. In the old days, the dead bodies were lowered on ropes to the centre of the circular shaft. This archaeological site was one of the Seven Wonders in the Middle Ages.

When the catacombs started in the 2nd century AD, there was only the triclinium (left) and principal tomb chamber. Later on, over 300 years of time, more and more chambers were added to accommodate bodies numbering 300 or even more.

The antechamber, the most important part or major sight, had decorations and statues. It had carvings of the Egyptian god Anubis (the god of the dead) dressed like a Roman. There were some statues of Roman emperors who ruled Egypt during this period.

We were to visit Pompey’s Pillar next, which I will talk about in the next post.

China Eases One Child Policy

China Relaxes One Child Policy

First Published Date: November 27, 2013 ADawnJournal.com

In the past, I wrote about how the Chinese economy got its boost from its one-child policy: China’s One Child Policy. In a recent announcement, after months of speculation China announced that it is relaxing its unpopular and decades-old one-child policy.

The new policy change will apply to those families where one parent is an only child. In some places, especially in the countryside, families can have a second child if the first child is a girl. It is estimated that some 20 million parents will be affected and can have a second child.

There are possibly 2 reasons behind this policy shift by the Chinese government. China will face enormous labour shortages in the future due to its heavy concentration of aging population. Over 25 percent of its population is expected to be over 65 by 2050.

And then there is another problem of gender imbalance. Unless changes are made rapidly, in the near future Chinese males will be unable to find a female partner to get married, and this could mean nearly 24 million men will be unable to find wives by the end of the decade.

Despite the easing the one-child policy, the policymakers are not expecting a dramatic growth of newborn babies creating a Chinese baby boom. New generation Chinese families are opting for smaller families and the fertility rate is already on the decline.

As time goes by, if no significant or unexpected population influx arises it is possible that the Chinese authorities will abolish the remaining family planning restrictions altogether.