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| Something, somewhere, might prove an 'alternative' energy source |
Then consider that alcohol is just one of many addictive chemicals out there, i.e. cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, prescription drugs and, of course, let's not forget about the most widespread one of all-- tobacco. Now add in addictive behaviours like eating, sex, video gaming and texting, even work. The point is humans are primed to be addicts of some sort and it is incredibly difficult for us to break the habit.
Oh by the way, how do you heat your home?
Let's get back to alcoholics who are the group with which I'm most familiar. Although everybody's situation is unique the reason people start overusing alcohol in the first place is usually because they find alcohol is the miracle drug that eases anxiety, social awkwardness, physical and emotional pain and bad memories. It makes boring lives exciting and hectic lives calming. Thank goodness for alcohol! But then eventually the same people find that nothing in their lives is going right. They can't hold a job. They are deep in debt. Nobody trusts them. All their relationships go bust. For a long time they just put it down to bad luck. They can't understand what is wrong. It certainly can't be alcohol because that is what made life worth living.
From my perspective the tide starts to shift toward sobriety when it occurs to the person that if he wants to change his life, he needs to do something differently although what to do is still a mystery.
Alcoholism-help groups put it this way: to continue doing things the same way and expect different results is the definition of insanity.
In an effort to do things differently the person might switch from liquor to beer or beer to wine or only drink on the weekends or only at the bar or only with friends, etc. If he is lucky it will gradually dawn on him that perhaps, just maybe, he shouldn't drink at all. He then faces the difficult task of learning to live life without what used to be his best friend.
Anyone who has gone down this road is a hero in my book. They have fought the toughest battle of all -- the one within -- and continue fighting it every day. They deserve all the respect in the world.
Their experiences offer a life lesson for every one of us: if we want our lives to change, we must start doing things differently.
It seems simple enough, doesn't it? But remember when you are addicted to something, the answer to your problem might be the last thing you think of.
"This nation is addicted to oil"
What left-winged, granola-crunching, tree-hugger said this? It actually was President George W. Bush.With these words President Bush hit the solution to climate change squarely on the head.
The world is facing the most dire of futures due to the consumption of fossil fuels like oil. Because we are oil addicts it doesn't seem possible that we can live our lives without it. Our belief is so strong that we ignore the options right in front of us. But if it occurs to us that we must do something differently then that is at least a start.
Oh, and about the question I posed about how you heat your home, how many people answered "with the sun?" That should have been almost everybody's answer. If you instead put down oil, natural gas, propane or electricity it is an indication of oil's addictive power over you. All the fossil fuels are just storage systems of the sun's energy from the past. Hydro electricity too is a result of solar radiation since it creates the evaporation that fills lakes and rivers that turn turbines. It is the sun's energy that also creates the wind to drive wind turbines. Wood heat is another product of the sun but it is a renewable resource.
Now I wonder what holds the answer to our oil addiction?
6 comments:
Considering a wood stove a viable and safe alternative to heating your home could also be considered an addiction, don't you think?
Good point. I know I'm not right in the head if I don't have the opportunity to cut and split firewood and gaze into the flames through the glass door once in awhile. Safety comes down to an approved installation to begin with and then a regular regimen of stove pipe cleaning.
By the way, I'm not advocating everyone heat their homes with wood. Rather, I want us to consider alternatives to fossil fuels. Passive solar energy as well as active means such as solar water heaters are a couple choices. Keeping the heat inside through better insulation, windows and doors pays immediate dividends. Using the "solar clothes dryer" instead of the one in the laundry room is absolutely pollution-free and just free, period. Solar lights, solar electricity, wind generators are other options. Heat recovery air systems cut your home's heating needs while still providing fresh air and getting rid of air from bathrooms and kitchens at the same time. Want to cut your electricity bills big time? Ditch the old beer fridge. New fridges use a tiny fraction of ones from just 10 years ago. We were shocked to discover our satellite dish pulls as much juice as the fridge? A UPS (universal power system) monitor ($25) told us that. Now we shut it off when we aren't watching TV. LED lightbulbs use about 15% the power of incandescents. The money you save by cutting your electric bill if put toward electric heat might replace your fossil fuel heating system. Just sayin'.
I was suggesting that a wood stove is not safe for the environment, not that it's physically unsafe (although it certainty is). That fossil fuel 2 stroke Husq. certainly pollutes a lot. Wood stoves produce more particulate pollution than any gas burning HVAC system. https://www.treehugger.com/renewable-energy/is-burning-wood-for-heat-really-green.html
Your post has a lot of truths. We ARE addicted to fossil fuels but the only reason is that our governments are being bought by fossil fuel. I run a small business and as such, investigate the most reasonable alternatives to reduce costs while being conscious of tomorrow. Every single light is LED. We donate out spent grain from brewing to local farms for compost/animal feed. We recycle the water that is used to chill wort back into on-demand heaters that is then used to clean equipment or brew again. If Chicago was a sunnier place (or if the cost of solar/wind was more reasonable) we would have all systems in place. The truth is that technology isn't quite there yet and we burn fossils because it is the most economical route.
All I am trying to say is that hydro power and wood burning stoves are no more beneficial to the environment than nuclear power or natural gas. Look at how water turbines have ruined natural stream habitat for migratory fisheries.
An addict is one who doesn't believe they have a problem.
Lots of good talking points there. Thanks, Neil.
Great that you're bringing up the conversation. Most of us sit back and worry about ourselves and ignore the big picture. Remember when you convinced your customers that conservation was the way to go? I'm sure some had a difficult time with that. It took years for me to convince my Dad not to keep a 23" walleye... but as the fishing improved and catch rates increased dramatically, people finally started to understand. We need a universal approach in a similar way but it's going to be very difficult with the current US administration which is focused on destroying the conservation policies that were enacted in the last 10 years. I don't understand why we don't open major factories in the US, particularly in the coal belt and oil producing areas, to manufacture alternative fuel technology. If the jobs remain or improve, the only people barking against it would be the billionaire fossil fuel guys.
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