Disaster Necessary?

[Lachie]

[Marcus]

[bomohwkl]

I think a car signifiy the freedom of movement. It is difficult to abandon a car. I have no car and yearn the freedom of movement and independent offered by a car. In case I am going to get a car, I am going to get a clean car. In uk, the cost of owning a car is crazy no need to say a house!

[Marcus]

I think a car signifiy the freedom of movement. It is difficult to abandon a car. I have no car and yearn the freedom of movement and independent offered by a car. In case I am going to get a car, I am going to get a clean car. In uk, the cost of owning a car is crazy no need to say a house!

The good thing about England is that most cars over there are of a smaller engine, ie 1ltr or less. I think it is the insurance that makes cars too expensive to have over there?

Here in Australia and I would say America we have a fascination with bigger and more powerful cars, Our car market is "driven" by this. Europe seems to be more wiser in this area and I see that smaller, more economical, cleaner cars are in favour. Just in the last year, Australia has seen the introduction of the Toyato Prius - a hybrid electric/fuel car. The good thing about this car is the fact that this car is affordable.

[Greg]

I must admit I am guilty of the car thing. I just got a Eagle Talon TSI AWD. I deliver pizzas for a job, so basically I am getting paid to help ruin the environment and help people eat very unhealthy food. That being said, yes I think a disaster is necessary to make people change (including myself).

[GreatIntellect]

It seems like everywhere I look now, I see a Hummer. I just get so angry every time I see one. They burn up so much gasoline! I've seen old guys who drive their Hummers two blocks to the grocery store. Now, that is NOT necessary!

As for me, I drive a Toyota with pretty good gas mileage. And I don't drive around too much. (I hope that I'm doing my part, at least.)

[Meedan]

I do not own a car and I have no intention of ever buying one (unless hydrogen cars are mass-produced soon). I am lucky in that I am still at the start of my life and I can set out to avoid becoming dependent on cars. I am choosing to fit my life around this self-imposed limitation. Choosing and living under self-imposed limitations (as well as breaking through some) is the whole point of physical lives. As much as possible, if I can't do something without a car, I won't do it. I don't yet know how much more difficult this is going to make my life, but I see plenty of people without cars doing fine.

The problem is that the car companies have got us - over the past century - used to travelling far with cars. Our civilisations have developed with this in mind. It is the car companies' responsibility to now make a transition. For those dependent on cars, all you can do is use it only when it is absolutely necessary. However, we know that the big corporations are not going to make any kind of change any time soon, so the disasters are inevitable.

"...the source of the coming disasters is the pollution which is growing daily on your planet, and its consequences will be felt very soon - much sooner than you can imagine . . ."

[Lachie]

It is the car companies' responsibility to now make a transition.

Surely it is the consumer's responsibility to buy hydrogen or otherwise efficient cars, rather than expecting the companies to change?

I am interested in how you think about your self-imposed limitations. When you say self-imposed, do you mean higher-self-imposed (like a lifelong disability) or a truly self-imposed (like a choice not to use cars) or both?

LUV LUV LUV

Lachie

[Meedan]

It is the responsibility of the car companies to make cleaner cars available, which they are not currently doing. The consumer cannot find/afford hydrogen cars at the moment.

Just like living in a physical body is a self-imposed limitation, this more recently added self-imposed limitation is my own choice not to use cars. So I am limited in that I must find other ways to travel.

[Marcus]

It is the responsibility of the car companies to make cleaner cars available, which they are not currently doing. The consumer cannot find/afford hydrogen cars at the moment.

To a small extent, yes. But really it is up to the consumer to make the changes they want to see. It's been said before by a couple of intelligent people.

With the oil prices as they are going, I'm sure consumers will be crying out for alternate fuelled cars, don't you agree?

[Lachie]

I think oil will become too expensive / become too rare for a fully fledged planetary explosion to happen. I hope so!

Lachie

[Meedan]

I think oil will become too expensive / become too rare for a fully fledged planetary explosion to happen. I hope so!

Lachie

Unlikely, From The Book in 1987 (emphasis mine):

'But the people on Earth can no longer allow themselves to be treated as fools and led to the abattoirs like flocks of sheep by the leaders that they, themselves, have democratically elected. The people form the vast majority. In a nation of one hundred million, it is absurd that a group of financiers comprising perhaps a thousand individuals can decide the fate of the others - like the butcher does at the abattoir.'

'Such a group has well and truly stifled the business of the hydrogen motor so that it is no longer mentioned.'

'These people couldn't care less what might happen to your planet in years to come. Selfishly, they seek their gains, expecting to be dead before 'whatever is going to happen' happens. If the Earth disappears, as a result of horrific cataclysms, they assume they will already be dead.'

'There, they are making a big mistake, for the source of the coming disasters is the pollution which is growing daily on your planet, and its consequences will be felt very soon - much sooner than you can imagine . . .'

Although, planetary explosion is the worst case scenario. Remember that in the best case scenario, the core will release its extra heat through volcanic explosions (not eruptions), creating a nuclear winter and a mini-ice age, cooling the planet down. That is, after all of the initial cataclysmic disasters of course.

Here's that link to Tom's helpful compilation of quotes again: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepage ... h_/env.htm

[Kestrel]

I have a relative whom made some choices and is responsible for much of this, his names Henery ford, he was my great great great great uncle. I know the Ford Motor Compnay has specimines of fully running fine hydrogen fuel cell Ford Taruses and Focus's. Its pretty sad we dont even want to take care of our planet. (Well when I say us I refer to the majority)

On a lighter note, the people in India know how to car pool.



I can tell these people want to make the best out of it !

[GreatIntellect]

That's awesome.

[Lachie]

I don't know guys... i just don't know.

I still have a sense of fatalism, of indifference. I'm not scared. Can someone tell me why this is a big thing? Won't we be born on another planet, just like always, but this time prematurely?

Lachie