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Citizen Voices is a blog about election politics, written by people like you. Six San Diegans give their personal take on the issues, candidates and propositions.
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Greenhouse Gas vs. Green Backs
Have you ever felt you have to defend your "green" IQ? Maybe because I belong to Al Gore's party, I wonder whether the pressure to go all out in an environmentally friendly flurry applies across party lines.
I found myself at the taping of the Envision San Diego special "Global Warming: San Diego's Carbon Footprint", which aired on KPBS-TV on April 17, feeling a little guilty. The hosts were wearing colorful outfits made of soy fiber and bamboo. All I could ask myself was "how much did that soft, flowing ensemble cost? Sure looks pricey." I was afraid the hot studio spotlight would soon scan over the audience asking the basic GQ (green quotient) questions:
Are you green enough, Citizen Sove? Do you recycle? Make your own laundry detergent for pennies on the dollar? Do you drive a Prius? Bike to work twice a week? Compost? Buy local produce at the Farmer's Market? Which Farmer's Market do you go to -- the one closest to your home, right? Right?
Thankfully, the Envision taping held no such interrogation. The audience got to ask questions of two of the guests, including the very cool State Sen. Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego).
I went easy on the questions, considering my own relief at being left alone with my thoughts. My two questions basically revolved around the other green-cash money. My biggest question had an unsatisfactory, but predictable, answer: why can't the public transit infrastructure ever be improved?
"There isn't enough money," said Senator Kehoe.
Look, there are only a few changes I see myself making in order to go green. Honestly, there's no foreseeable way I can afford to drive an electric, a hybrid, or anything other than a used car in the next five years. I'm not going to start composting because of the "ick" factor. Make my own dish soap or detergent? The day I see someone's dishes that look less like they've been licked clean than washed, I'll consider mixing up a batch.
But I don't actually feel all that guilty about my carbon footprint, even after attending the show. My husband and I share one car, and we drive within the (dilatory) speed limit. We consolidate trips and try to accomplish more than one errand at a time. We recycle cardboard, cans, and glass. Buy in bulk at Henry's. Turn off lights. Conserve water and don't buy bottled water.
Our biggest contribution? We don't own a television set, so we aren't constantly bombarded with commercials telling us to buy, buy, buy.
One thing I wish could be said about the environmental movement is that it is a poor person's cause. Right now, you have to be able to be able to afford the choice to go green.
-Citizen Voices blogger Alma Sove has spent most of her life in San Diego and is currently attending law school.
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Only 4% of San Diego residents use public transit, and, given the infrequency of hearing English spoken on my morning trolley ride from Chula Vista, that may be an overestimation.
Not enough money? Bull! Not enough will. Not enough desire. Not enough “because we’re civilized, that’s why.”
Every civilization, back even to the Babylonians, has had public transit. I could make a comment about the driving skills not having changed much since then, but I’ll try to be nice. Even in the Babylonian times, the state subsidized the public transit. Yet, here in San Diego, public transit depends on sales tax for support.
Sales tax! Not gas tax. Not vehicle purchase tax. Certainly not tolls on the one toll road in the County. All of those would make sense; they would be a self-supporting system. But, who wants to make sense?
Sales tax! And, even then, the voters keep voting against any increase in that sales tax.
When MTS (that’s the Metropolitan Transit Service, for the 96% who don’t use public transit) cuts service, not only is there scant little coverage from the local media, there are even less public participation. Not enough money, my --well, I won’t finish that thought.
Oh, but we can buy hybrids and soy clothes. Yeah, Buffy and Skippy, that’s just as good (BTW, full disclosure, I own a hybrid; so I’m smacking my own). It’s no great secret or some state-of-the-art technology that will save the environment. It’s really as simple as letting someone else do the driving for a change (such as that driving might be --oops, I let that one out).
my dishes and clothes are clean.. and we make our own detergent.. pennies on the dollar.
I compost.. no ick factor at all.. just put a bucket/bowl.. or cut the top off a milk jug (built in handle).. and toss the compostables in it during prep.. then carry it out.. dump it.. keep some grass clippings on the side.. and toss them over the top of em.. done.. no ick.
Now.. worm composting has more of an ick factor.. I don’t think so.. but I understand how others might.. because we fear nature.. ick.. a worm!! .. but a broken bottle? we don’t give it a thought… I go ick for the unnatural stuff..
I don’t drive an electric car.. I just don’t drive much.. I even have an old 61 falcon wagon.. as well as our honda and the family van.. but we don’t buy cars every few years..
Mass transit?… it’s the ick factor.. just as you go ick if you see a very natural worm.. most people go ick if they see someone they don’t know and have to sit next to them.. they go ick if they aren’t dressed like them.. they go ick if they speak differently.
We live McDonald lives.. everything the same.. boring… bland.. unhealthy.. but without having to decide between anything except number 1 or number 5..
We won’t save the planet until we reconnect with other humans.. instead of fearing them…
Another thing.. ‘bout the fancy new clothes fibers..
Fine.. wear soy and bamboo.. all fine and dandy.. but there are plenty of clothes to wear that have already been made…
REUSE! that’s what always gets forgotten.. Need a new shirt? go to the thrift store… oh.. wait.. there’s that ick factor again…
Well.. to help over come that ick factor of thrift stores… do you donate your clothes to them?… certainly nobody would go “ick” over _your_ clothes .. right?… well.. that’s who donates the clothes.. you do..
So.. go to the thrift store.. buy a shirt.. .. sorry.. a blouse.. and when Mrs Bamboo comes over.. smile and say you avoided the waste stream all together and reused…
Reusing beats recycling and green-manufacturing… hands down.
Yes, reusing beats recycling and green-manufacturing. That’s a great thing about no television...no constant ads pushing for new stuff.
As for worm composting, Davesnot you’re right; worms in my kitchen would totally gross me out. But that’s just me. You can judge me for not being true to my hippy roots, but honestly, I try to connect w/nature and people daily. Maybe I’ll try the other method again some day....
I was a die hard mass transit user for many years, and it is a different experience than being in a personal vehicle. I fear malls for the same reason some fear buses—too many people crammed together.
I think that worms work on one level, but workable mass transit helps on a huge level in terms of the environment. I can get behind improving that system before I see myself inviting worms for leftovers.
“friendly to the environment” - thats the way of life :D