[SustainableTompkins] total life cycle costs=conservation

[Margaret McCasland]

George is correct that Jeanne's point brings us into a "profound and 
difficult" arena: people changing the ways they think and act.  And 
yet conservation in general, plus changes in eating habits (and thus 
lower production of methane etc) can reduce more heat-trapping gases 
with existing technology than any other area.

I was at a teachers for a Sustainable Future meeting yesterday, and 
heard a wonderful presentation about kids composting in the Ithaca 
schools.

Re Needed changes:
	Profound, yes.
	Difficult, only if we don't change our thinking.
	Do-able?  Absolutely!

Those kids gave me more hope than I've felt in a L-O-N-G time. Not 
because composting by itself is going to turn things around, but 
because they turned their thinking--and doing--around so quickly, and 
because these kids are eager to take a leadership role.

The more people know about the true life-cycle costs of their 
actions, the more willing they will be to change them.  We have some 
learning and education to do.

Margaret


>[this is in response to Jeanne's mention of a Thomas Hartmann book in the
>"new solar panel technology" thread.  I am trying to keep the topic
>indicative of the contents as the thread broadens and meanders....hey, it
>happens]
>
>Concerning coal, the "gorilla in the room" that Hartmann may have ignored:
>What we need to keep from poisoning ourselves on cheap carbon fuels is
>profound and difficult.  Instead of viewing plentiful coal a godsend, we
>should view the air, the atmospheric composition more or less as humanity
>found it, to be the godsend.  We have taken the boon of cool blue skies for
>granted.  That is a value shift some on this list have made or are making.
>What will train the rest of the world about the need to see this matter
>differently?  Until that persuader is found, our best efforts at
>conservation will be largely drowned out by consumption-as-usual:(
>
>-George
>--
>freedom is not more important than fairness and much easier to fake.
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