A week or so ago, Oprah did a show with Leonardo deCaprio (I think that is his name) about the environment and how we can become more user friendly. There were some good ideas that we all can start using, but, while I was watching it, I thought about the average person who does good just to pay rent and feed his/her kids. How can someone who is existing on minimum wage or welfare supposed to buy a hybrid car? Or, faced with the choice of buying eco-friendly light bulbs that cost like $7.00 each (but which do last longer) or buying the 49 cent special, how can they think six months down the road and take the eco-friendly one? When you see someone driving an old clinker down the road with black smoke pouring out the tailpipe, do you get all holier-than-thou and sneer at them? Or, do you think that maybe that is all they can afford to get back and forth to work.
This has been rolling around in the back of my mind since I watched the show. What are most people in this country supposed to do? (I will wait till another post to holler about the people who can afford hybrids but who buy Humvees and SUVs). Is there a website with info for the common man? Something that people can slowly start doing? If not, why not? I am going to spend some time in the next few days searching for one, and if there is none, maybe there is info spread out that could be collected all together on a site.
And, then, there is another thing. How many of the people who are on welfare, etc have computer access? And, if they have, how many of the older people are computer savvy? There is a need in this country and it is not being met. Getting all superior acting and saying how the environment is dying and that we need to do something is all well and good. But, to those in the know, get the info together for those who are subsisting. Have any of you had to decide to buy food, pay the electric bill or buy $7.00 light bulbs? Get real.
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1 comment:
LOL, I know, all those self-righteous hollywood people that don't even follow the same rules they impose on the general public! UGH! We do have some of those $7 lightbulbs that I got on clearance for like $2.50 a few years back. I'd love to buy a hybrid Toyota Highlander (an SUV, but hybrid) or something that a family can fit in, but I can barely afford the cars I have now. The government is (or at least was, who knows with budget cuts) giving tax credits to those who buy hybrid cars I think through 2007. Maybe I'll be able to get one by then.
God bless, Jo
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