i tried working on environmental issues but got tired of constantly going in circles over groups like ELF. mention environmentalists and that is what most people think of. i wonder if groups like this will ever figure it out that they are doing more harm to thier own cause by going out and doing the things they do.
i care about the planet but am done working on issues just to have idiots like this undermine it all.

The environmental movement has changed from emphasizing saving wilderness areas to now regulating, controlling, restricting, and micromanaging private properties as well. It was not happy with simply enlarging wild areas, but now is trying to turn our own homes, properties, farms, cities, workplaces and properties into state parks for wildlife. The federal government already owns some 50% of the entire West already, which has largely been left undeveloped, and yet this still has proven not to be enough for them. Worse, is that practically speaking, all that federal land in the West essentially belongs to the environmentalist, which has given them enormous clout in DC where a few environmental elites can sit on their high horses in their Washington offices and dictate policy across the country which would never work politically in most of the states in which they have regulatory control. Closely connected to this is that the definition of pollution and state waters has been so broadly defined that our entire society has been placed under an ecological gauntlet, where environmental suspicion against development, cars, farms, energy, recreation, and even our homes, all of which are crucial to human well being and health, is now threatening our way of life, especially our constitutional freedoms. Add on top of this the Global Warming debate, and here we have the air assault on our country, where we are about to hand the control of our weather over to the EPA as well. We are being completely surrounded by an environmental ethic that is most willing to sacrifice humans for nature. Human sacrifice seems to be returning to our modern world in a most bizarre and all encompassing fashion. Moreover, the fact that the average environmentalist is most concerned about overpopulation is not a good harbinger of things to come.

I think that making positive lifestyle chances in my has made me LESS stressed. I feel healthier, happier and it has become habitual. It's the easiest thing in the world to just bring burlap bags from home to Safeway, taking the bus I can just sit back and listen to my MP3 player, buying organic and local has made me watch my diet, help out local agriculture, and has definitely encouraged me to start an exercise plan. I think going green has done everything BUT stress me out. It's the Christians and the rich who think that positive environmental compromise is stressful and that just means natural selection will take care of them.

Quinn Updike in comment 3 has just confirmed his eco-nazism when he says that the natural selection will take care of the Christians and the rich. This is nothing short of Social Darwinism that is raising its ugly head, all ready and willing to watch a group of people be sacrificed for its own political-social-environmental agenda. Even the "local only" stuff exposes the whiff of "Germans only" Nazi plans (by the way, the Nazis were extreme environmentalitsts & had institutionalized organic farming. Lastly is that environmental rules and regulations actually benefit the rich, because only they can afford them. The smaller businesses are less able to compete, and so the exact opposite of what Quinn Updike is advocating takes place all thanks to environmental government planning. The locals are increasingly pushed out of the way by big corporations.

Quinn Updike in comment 3 has just confirmed his eco-nazism when he says that the natural selection will take care of the Christians and the rich. This is nothing short of Social Darwinism that is raising its ugly head, all ready and willing to watch a group of people be sacrificed for its own political-social-environmental agenda. Even the "local only" stuff exposes the whiff of "Germans only" Nazi plans (by the way, the Nazis were extreme environmentalitsts & had institutionalized organic farming. Lastly is that environmental rules and regulations actually benefit the rich, because only they can afford them. The smaller businesses are less able to compete, and so the exact opposite of what Quinn Updike is advocating takes place all thanks to environmental government planning. The locals are increasingly pushed out of the way by big corporations.

rmarkms,

You're sick. I can't believe you are really bringing up the Nazi's in this situation. The people who don't think global warming is real, the people who think the war is a good idea, the people standing with George Bush, and the people who think that 'god' should be in schools are certainly more reminiscent of the Nazi's than the environmentalists!!! What’s so Nazi like to recycle or drive a hybrid?? Darwinism? I wish! At least American's would look a little more intelligent to the rest of the world. Hell, the dollar is dying, the Euro is prospering... I mean, Europe is more 'green' and secular than we are and they're not killing each other anymore, in fact, they look a lot more poised and mature than we do!! I can't believe that there are still KKK chapters in the United States!! You know what? They're all christians who drive their big trucks, alone, and they don't recycle, and they're all racist. I bet you are too! Pull your head out of your ass and come on board to the 21st century before it's too late.

I personally don't believe that an individual or family 'going green' is anything more than ego. Until such a time as big industry 'goes green' and stops massive pollution, then the individual effort will have some meaning. Until we have a major reduction in industrial pollution and a mass transit system that works for everyone (that means frequently and ON TIME) everything else is just an ego massage for the individual.

Astra,

I agree with you, however, there cannot be legislation to improve mass transportation or a reduction of greenhouse gas production unless the consumers demand it. So, it's not really an ego massage, it's like boycotting those that are up to their chins in money and don't feel there is a need to change their ways.

Going Green doesn't invoke stress. Dealing with local government agencies and their rules and regulations is what causes stress! Trying to install or build anything not 'normal' involves dealing with inspectors that have absolutely no idea what that is or what it does. Think I'm kidding? Try building a solar powered earth sheltered monolithic dome in Mason County.

One other thing: I still think the government, if they're really serious about all this, should, instead of sending money overseas to feed people that grow up to hate us anyway, pay 50% of the cost for each household that installs a geothermal heating unit (which would save more than they are spending on importing heating oil). They should do the same for those that can install solar power/wind units (saving on the cost of producing electricity) and virtually any other (proven) energy saving system. Make these things more affordable! How about tax breaks for households/companies that can cut their electrical usage by 10% a year? Maybe make it easier to build alternative buildings? There are thousands of things we could do!
But we won't. Especially if it takes money out of someone's pockets...

Human caused Global Warming is a hoax. Going green is a bunch of BS. Some of the biggest greenies I know are also some of the largest consumers of natural resourses. They do what they do for peer recognition and to absolve their guilt for existing. Anyone remember hurricane Katrina? The Army Corps of Engineers got blamed. They knew what was there would fail long ago. When they tried to fix the situation the Sierra Club filed lawsuits stoping them. Three times! Yet when the storm hit did anyone from the Sierra Club step up and accept responsibility? No. Cowards if you ask me.