sorry if I offend anyone
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| Thu, 01-03-2008 - 8:09pm |
I just came in from the office ( yup its close to 7:30,,got to retire!) and well, had not the time this morning to apologize
I should have added the word North to Americans because many Canucks are just as wasteful with water. We all here have to learn to conserve. That statement I do not take back. Advertisers have us all believing if we don't have constant showers with antibiotic soap in sanitized immaculate homes devoid of "germs" and drench ourselves with scents and mask the natural smells of our homes, we are somehow deficient and unclean. If it wasn't so insulting, it would be funny. No wonder so many of this generation of kids have problems with allergies!
Although this country has the largest reserve of fresh water in the world, it is not inexhaustible and we will not have enough to import it down south, in a generation, even if we conserve here. With the changing weather patterns,the days of unthinking use of natural resources are over. The "dust bowl" of the 30s will be nothing. We have to start modifying our lifestyles before we find that we are forced to. Just look to the recent water problems in GA.
Drinking water is much more important and many parts of the world it is at a premium.
Now, I will get off my pure soap box, go upstairs with wash cloth in hand to wash up, put on my ugly PJs, and relax.

Thanks for clarifying, iteadrinker! I agree with you about the fact that we all need to learn to be less wasteful. Hope you have a relaxing evening!
:-)
ej
We are pretty big resource/energy hogs here in the U.S. compared to other countries, but our "GDP per ton of CO2 emissions" is not the worst. It is worse than the western European countries, but better than Canada's. (I think that's cuz of all the natural resources you've got--the Arab oil countries are even worse.)
We should always be thinking about it. Recently DH had to go to Ohio for work and the airfare was going to be $1,300. I said it was ridiculous, and instead we drove and I visited my brother and SIL there. It was an 8-hr drive, one-way, and only afterward did I think of the pollution resulting from the car trip. Had he flown, the incremental amount of pollution would have been insignificant. Dumb me!
We are the biggest water hogs, but I think with the industrialization of China and India, that will soon change: http://www.waterfootprint.org/Reports/Hoekstra_and_Chapagain_2007.pdf
(Thanks a lot for making me research this. Now I really feel guilty. I've come to the conclusion that we have to go back to living like the Amish if our civilization is to make it to the next century.)
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http://www.pnhp.org/news/2009/october/meet_the_new_health_.php
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQTBYQlQ7yM
Tea Drinker, I chose just to laugh it off last night anyway.
MY DH is an avid water waster, and he gets mad when I harrass him. He does not need to have the hot water running fast the entire time he shaves. I've got all the kids trained to turn off the water when they brush. Keep laundry to a minimum. Wear things twice. Little things. OTOH, I am a water hog in that I have a swimming pool.
I think I can be pretty conservative, my mother was very strict about such things. I lived thru the oil crisis in the 70's and saw the worry in my father's eyes every day. And I had the good fortune to make a very good friend in college who was well ahead of the curve in many things. She was a staunch environmentalist and taught me many things. 30 years later she is still a good friend. Back then, she was a vegetarian, banned all fast foods from her diet, grew her own food, baked her own whole grain breads, and was always very careful. Now, at age 50, she is still a size 8, has zero skin damage, and has the energy of a 20 year old. Wait! I hate her! (yes, I'm kidding)