We need a new word. There's Road Rage, so why not Global Warming Rage? Last week, I was walking (yes, walking) home from the train station, slogging my way up the hill back to our house (and, yes, getting a bit sweaty in the 60ish degrees) when I saw a woman in her gigantic Volvo waiting for "Timmy/Tommy/Tiffany" to finish his/her soccer game WHILE SITTING IN A RUNNING CAR reading a magazine, while the FertilityBitch, of childbearing age, is sucking her %$)(#$*#$& exhaust and also making projections about exactly when the jetstream will poop out due to Global Warming. I made sure to glare at her, but she didn't even look up from her )(#$&*#$^ House Beautiful!Also, during school pickup and dropoff, the line of idling SUVs (yes, that's the majority at this private school, there is the occasional Prius) goes around the block. I don't get it--there's not need to have the car on while you're waiting (and if it's in the 60s here, ahem, I assume no need for the heater, not quite aircon time, either). It seems more like a "look at me I can waste because I can."
We have one car, and had trouble renting out house for the sabbatical years because people (1) couldn't fit their blotational SUVs in our tiny garage AND (2) it's only a one-car garage (plus, we don't have cable, but that's an entirely different story). Sometiems I get so depressed that all the effort we put out to reduce out footprint and we just get STOMPED on by everyone else.
Check out Jill Sobule's Manhattan in January. 'Cause here we have, uh, Manhattan in January:
Thanks to the Worsted Witch for the head's up.
(photo: The New York Times)
And remember, this little cold snap we are currently experiencing shouldn't put anyone at ease (I saw someone today jogging in shorts, fueled by the memories of 60 degrees last week). Global Warming is a misnomer--it might also make things colder (esp. if the jetstream stops), and will definitely make the weather wackier. Three blizzards in Denver? Snow in Texas?
Need more? See Global Fertility: Polar Bears Declared Endangered.
4 comments:
I have a visceral hatred of large SUVs. Women are "supposed" to care more about the environment than men because of their children, but the majority of solo gigundo SUV drivers I see around are women. On cellphones. Wake up sisters!
Readers might be interested in checking out my Green Goddess Gazette blog, which talks about global warming and possible mitigations on a regular (somewhat obsessive) basis! Like twice this past week. :-).
Http://green-gazette.blogspot.com
The "good moms" and "good dads" these days are only concerned about their immediate family and needs. Many women say they get an SUV because it's easier for their backs when lifting their children in and out of the "car" and that it's safer for their children. Be damned the environment and any other car that's half its size that get into an accident with an SUV. I have also heard many SUV drivers complain about global warning, Bush's take on the environment and etc. But for some reason, personal accountability doesn't make a huge impression. I think this is a huge problem. The government can certainly do more but so should individuals. And we can do more. Americans are extraordinarily wasteful.
In the spirit of proactivity, here is my little petroleum conserving eco-tip. I love these bags! http://www.chicobag.com/ I've always been bad about bringing my own bag to the grocery store. I never seemed to have them on me whenever I spontaneously went. These bags compact very nicely so I always have a few in my purse. Love'em.
Ali
Oh yeah, Ali, thanks for bringing up the SUV vs car issue. Hubby in our compact was rearended by a one of those x-ton pickups--can you say complete bumper mismatch??--and half our car was destroyed, he got whiplash, etc. I'm sure the other guy was glad he was in a "safe" vehicle when he rammed into MAN FERTILITY. Does anyone want to consider the possibility that people in big cars also drive like nuts and cause accidents???? His insurance company didn't even make a peep of objection doling out 6K for the repair and getting us a rental for 3 months...
---> gotta check out those bags and Miranda's posts.
Plastic vs paper vs reusable: at least we can make some simple/obvious choices about bags. I recommend www.reusablebags.com. They sell bags and bottles, and have a counter going showing the # of plastic bags used this year: over a billion a day -- watching it makes me feel nauseous!
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