First of all, before you read this post you must read the 4 that came before. As the regular readers know, there’s no point in talking about global warming on this site unless we talk about money too. Yesterday I established my stance on the issue, stating our impact on the environment has been minimal. That doesn’t mean I haven’t tried to reduce my impact on the environment.
I drive a fuel efficient car, and I drive it slow. In fact, everyone in my family drives 4-cylinder vehicles. Just out of habit we limit unnecessary trips to the grocery store and elsewhere, saving gas. The house I grew up in is full of compact florescent light bulbs, recycling is done weekly, TVs stay off, heat/AC run only when necessary, computers go to sleep mode when not in use, I could go on. Dad, a nature nut, is responsible for the planting of no fewer than 2,000 different trees, bushes, flowers, and ivy on the property. Talk about a carbon offset.
None of these things are done to help the environment. They’re done to save money. Dad loves his plant life, and its a great hobby to have thats good for the environment to boot. Honestly, we don’t really care about the environment, its just our lifestyle of saving money works with helping the environment. When the cost of gas rose quickly back in 2005, my pops inquired about hybrids. The conversation didn’t go very far because the amount of driving required to offset the cost premium would not break even for him for many years. He wanted to save money, not the world.
I think most of us are like my dad. We’re interested in the technologies and programs that will save us money. Going back to barter societies, the accumulation of wealth has always been the primary motivator. If the greenies really want to inspire us moderates, they need to continue the work to make green programs literally WORTH IT TO US. It is win/win, and when I can put some cheap solar cells on the roof, I’ll do it. The energy required to protest in front of an Exxon office is better spent blogging about the new solar powered boat.
So long as our society is driven by greed, and I’m fine with this, you aren’t going to win the global warming battle by trying to appeal to our human side. Our human side is greedy.
 By The Weakonomist |
The Weakonomist is the founder of Weakonomics. Clicking the picture of the puppy will tell you more about him. If you like what you're reading consider subscribing to the blog, following him on Twitter, and checking out the related posts below. Please consider a donation if you really enjoy Weakonomics. |
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