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It's Not About Global Warming

plant in hand It seems these days lines are being drawn between those that "believe" in global warming and those that don't. Well guess what, I am not an environmentalist ("tree-hugger" as some might call me) because of global warming, although it is worth mentioning that I do believe the planet is warming, and I do believe that people do have some effect on that process.

Here are the OTHER reasons that I think green practices are important:

Because I think that dependence on foreign oil puts the country in a bad political position.
Because I think that people waste to0 much and that our culture has become over-commercialized.
Because I prefer quality over quantity, especially in houses. (and I don't want to clean a big house)
Because I want to breath clean air and drink clean water.
Because I believe that toxic products should not be applied to our food and that they probably cause a variety of health problems.
Because I believe that eventually we will run out of natural resources if we don't start using more sustainable practices.
Because I want to see more well-paying green energy jobs not overseas junk creation jobs.
Because I believe it is my duty to leave behind the earth in a better condition than I found it.

and yes, this one does have to do with global warming...

Because I love to ski and with the winters we have been having in Western PA I don't know how much longer I will be able to do that here at home.

So you see, being green doesn't just mean choosing a side on the global warming debate. There are a lot more immediate, local reasons to be concerned for our environment.

Live green in Western PA. Call Christa Ross from RE/MAX Select Realty, your certified green agent and RE/MAX green specialist at 724-933-6300 x214 or visit my website at www.greenhomespgh.com.

Posted by Christa Ross on 12/09/2009 02:12 PM

Comments (55)

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55 Comments on It's Not About Global Warming

DEC

2009

Thanks for sharing your "becauses" with us in your blog. They really made me think.

Hi Christa ~ All great reasons! I don't ski but it really bums me out what will happen to the landscape as the climate changes. I like my foliage and New England trees!

Liz

Hi Christa - I do believe that we need to take care of our planet and keep it clean but there is nothing that we can do that would change the temperature of our planet. The climate is like Real Estate and is cyclical. For example, man didn't do anything to melt the glaciers that created the great lakes, its the cycles of the sun.

Recycling and conserving energy are good things. We just need to make sure politicians don't push cap and trade on everyone. Its not fair to create a massive tax on energy in the US. That's the last thing our fragile economy needs!

There is no way to look at history, never in the history of the world have there been this many people, this much deforestation or this much burning of fossil fuel. We can only look at what we have and do our best not to make it any worse. And we are a long way from really doing our best as a society.

DEC

2009

Christa~

I appreciate your point, "...immediate, local reasons to be concerned for our environment..."

PS...I am reBlogging this point and recommending that it be Featured.

Global warming may be occuring because of the sun and increased solar flare activity or radiation flowing through the universe. If this is the case, we cannot stop it. There may be other factors besides the fear mongering from our politicians whom blow more hot air than any of us that is causing global warming. Just a thought.

I couldn't agree more, I have no idea why people even argue over this stuff. Right or wrong is irrelevant, your points are well said!

Christa:

Hurray for your post, we heartily agree!

Thanks for sharing your views. It takes a lot of gumption to stand up for something that has so much controversy surrounding it right now.

Nice well written post and taking care of the planet we inhabit is always a good idea... and is not controversial!

Nice well written post and taking care of the planet we inhabit is always a good idea. and is not controversial!

Hi Christa. We have our reasons though I do not like how some corporations are riding on the backs of indigenous people who have practiced being "green" for centuries and somehow living "green" is new. Politically and economically the "green" tag lines also affects Americans' daily lives. Many corporations are benefitting while many Americans pay. It's personal thus personal reasons... for many of us to express ourselves and while I disagree with a few assertions it's a good thing that people are discussing and talking because issues like these can divide people.... ~ Lana

Christa, I think we all would agree with your concerns about the planet. I do believe that we have hurt our environment, but we do need to understand the natural order of things and follow that order.

Hi Christa, Those living in denial will be the first to criticize our gov't for being asleep at the wheel. Take care of the planet and pass on to the next generation a better world !

Thanks for pointing out the many reasons that being green doesn't have to be political. For me, not importing oil from people who mean us ill is enough reason all by itself. Also, I seem to remember from my Boy Scout days that being thrifty was a virtue and conservation mean taking care of our soil, air and water. We should all be green.

Because I want my nieces and nephews to enjoy the beautiful lakes I enjoyed fishing in.

I love this post - it doesn't have to be a political debate. I drink filtered water out of a re-usable bottle and take my own shopping bags to the grocery store - there are many EASY things we can do to be kinder to our planet.

Hope you get to ski much this winter!

Want snow & cold come to the Midwest! We just had a record snowstorm. Single digit temps and 50 MPH wind gusts.

I agree with your "other reasons" and I certainly agree about the dependence on foreign oil and the $700 billion a year being sent out of this country every year...

As for Global Warming... there have been periods on earth where the average temperature was actually warmer then today's panic. And there have been periods where it was much, much colder...

And right now... it's pretty cold outside.

As for skiing... we have some pretty fresh powder less then an hour away from Las Vegas...

By the way... did you see the report on all of the Limos and Private Jets being used in Copenhagen for the climate summit?

Pretty mind boggling... especially the part about free....

It is very important how we choose to use our limited resources. The resources we use to eliminate CO2 could be used to possibly clean up water supplies or cure diseases or feed starving people.

What if increased CO2 was the result of warming temperatures and not the cause? You'd be wasting precious resources for nothing. CO2 isn't toxic. Increased levels are actually good for increased food production.

Let's say that warming is being caused by something like the sun. Since Mars is experiencing some global warming, this might be a valid theory. The warmer oceans would release CO2 into the atmosphere. So using resources to lower CO2 would be a big waste. I'm sure the starving kids in Africa would never notice less CO2 in the air they breathe but they surely would notice the lack of food that could have been sent their way instead.

Great blog, I feel most sorry for our loved ones that have to live with whats left in the years to come. No matter what we do, we can't stop global warming.

A lot of it comes down to the fact that we are such a wasteful society and take everything we have for granted. If everyone stopped to think for just one mintue about the product they are using, or the trash they are throwing away and what would be a better way, we might start to make a dent in the problem. For everyone who bought a real Christmas tree, I hope you go out and plant one in the spring. Stop buying water in plastic bottles, there are better ways - I could go on forever but thank you for raising sthis subject - We all need to start the process of going green at home in small yet measurable ways.

Christa- I'm on the other side of the line when it comes to global warming. My personal belief is that the earth warms in cools in cyles and people have little if any participation in it. On the other hand, I think we should take care of our earth. We only have one, and resourses are limited. So I try to do my part. I drive a hybrid car to save fuel, I save up several errands for my "trip to town", I recycle, I compost to help the land fill. I plant a tree when I have to cut one down on my land and generally try to not make "trash" by using real coffee cups even when I go out and I no longer buy bottled water. So even though our opinions over global warming differ, we're certainly on the same side when it comes to taking care of our planet.

The only thing I haven't done is downsize my household. I live in the same house I built when I had three busy teenagers there and while I don't heat their rooms when they aren't visiting now, I'm not about to try to sell with my local market prices being where they are... plus my location 2 miles from my office is great for saving gas. (and I don't like to clean a big house either so I keep my husband out of some of the rooms so cleaning is quick and easy LOL)

I love Tim's comment. Right on. The word "Green" has become so "part of" some politicians that some people would dismiss anything green because they are not associated with that political bias. It is also a mjaor money maker. Don't get me started ...

Global warming is a a hoax and cap and trade will do nothing but take money from Americans and give it to people like Al Gore and 3rd world countries who will sell their "carbon credits" to our power companies who will still make the same amount of pollution as they have been for years. Even obama said our energy bills will "skyrocket" buy carbon credits if you are worried but PLEASE leave the rest of us alone.

If one is worried about global warming they should not

Drive

Eat Beef

Drink out of a plastic bottle

cut their grass by hand

You are right about one thing we should cut our dependence on middle east oil.

My solution? Build more nuclear plants, we do it right and it doesnt pump out nearly the polution of a coal or other means.

Thanks Christa for your comments. Not sure how I feel about the concept of global warming, but conservation is just good common sense.

I agree we all need to be more green. Who wants to be guilty of polluting in excess? (We all pollute some just by being alive.) Don't know about the global warming thing though. Most scientists agree that the Earth has been through dozens of Ice Ages over the past millions of years - certainly they weren't caused by man.

Funny thing is, I am a staunch conservative and I put out 4-5 recycling bins worth of stuff every week. Our family recycles everything. I see people throw an aluminum can or plastic bottle and I snatch it out of the trash and take it home to get recylced.

On the other hand, most of my tenants - nearly all of whom voted for the liberals in office today - throw away hundreds of pounds of perfectly good plastics, metals, and glass every year. So sad.

Nice Post. Weather or not you think people are responsable to the slight rise in global temps, there is no need to be wastefull. We all breath the same air and admire the same landscapes, wouldn't it be nice if they were kept clean?

I agree. I do think Global Warming is intended to be more of a political rallying cry to gain followers for certain folks. However it IS important to teach our kids to respect Mother Earth (I hate to see litterbugs!) and I am concerned with losing natural areas to development without proper planning to make sure we don't pave over the entire globe before it's all over. Great points!

I believe we need to take better care of our planet and we should all strive to leave it in better shape than the way it is now. Taking care of our planet is not political, it is simply the right thing to do.

I believe that global warming is a global conspiracy to extract more taxes and have even more government control over us. However I do believe we can all do a lot better in protecting the environment and most of the things in your blog I agree with. I just get annoyed and tired when the government wants to tell us and charge us all more when we know the government can run anything well. If we all made personally choices to support companies that are doing green things and do not support those taht don't we would have a better palnet in the end.

Cap and Trade-

It is in which the government will tax you on carbon. They quote "measure" how much polution and and toxins that you polute in the planet. Then they tax you on it. so it looks like the government will tax us each time that we exhale, pass gas, drive our car, when we throw away our trash, heat our homes, buy gas, and a whole lot more.

This is not a necessary tax to get us to stop quote "emitting carbon polution". This is just another way for the government to get and waste more of your pay check.

By the way if it passes this will be the largest tax increase in American History.

Lets not forget about the sun too by the way, and how long we've been actually been tracking weather for.

I believe we need to take care of our planet, but a carbon tax? No way!

Great post. The science is firmly on the side of a human component to global warming. For those who think that change in the earths orbit or solar output are to blame, think again. I can't remember wheather I saw this on Discovery or another cable network but several scientist were interviewed and ask those very questions. Current orbit and solar output indicate that the earth should be in a cooling phase. When I worked in research and had access to publications such as Science and Nature, I read a number of peer reviewed scientific papers that overwhelming indicated that there is a significant human impact contributing to warming. Just a few small changes like switching to flourescent bulbs and putting a timer on my hot water heater deceased my electric bill 20% to 25%.

Maybe we will luck out and the earth is cooling at the same time we are heating it up.

You can believe anything you want but it shouldn't give anyone cover to just assume that they don't have a responsibility to take care of the planet. It's sort of like saying I can't change it so I don't care.

Someone earlier mentioned that it would be great if people could just change their habits so the government wouldn't have regulate. I'm all for that, unfortunately that just doesn't seem to be human nature. Most people won't choose to make a change until forced to do so. I think it would be great for power plants to choose to clean up their act rather than make it more expensive for them to do business as usual. But they probably won't and I think it would be great for people to choose more energy efficient homes on principal but they probably won't do that either.

Thank you for bringing up a subject there should be very little disagreement about, especially among Realtors. After all, if a neighborhood, town, state or corner of the country is degrading, sales are not likely to be on the rise in that area!

Here in Jackson Hole, preservation of what we have so we can pass it on to the next generatin of stewards is not just a part of every political decision, it is almost always the PRIMARY consideration. Because we're all a bunch of tree huggers? Far from it. We consider it part of a sustainable, long-term business model.

Great post Christa! I have noticed a sudden media surge in "Believing in Global Warming", this is the great debate of our time. Green is the new Darwinism. I feel that you have a great point, whether you are a 'believer' or not, we should all do our part to support a CLEAN environment. Thanks for sharing this food for thought!

Ok, Larry from Delaware: Beef from feedlots bad. Grass fed beef: Good. Actually, great for the environment. (my husband has a grass fed beef business from his ranch...)

I agree that we waste to much, and as a society we are very spoiled to our electricity. We need to learn to be more self-reliant, less dependent. Reuse is great. HOWEVER, I really suspect that this new recycle/reuse/thrift shop trend in one of the causes of our bad economy. Everyone blames it on loans and housing, but as soon as all the major media picked up on the thrify/reuse trend, sales in retail started dropping, and it started the cycle.

That being said, we as a culture needed an ajustment. I was so amaized after Hurricane Katrina and Ike when the power was off for a few days and people did not know what to do with theirselves! They couldn't cope! It was sad how stupid and spoiled we have become in the last 100 years! They freaked! I was really pitiful!

I never thought of it that way. Being the maneater caveman type I thought tree huggers were more concerned about whales and stuff that wasn't as important as what you have mentioned. congratulations on the feature.

Christa, I was so excited to read your post. I agree with you totally, and can't understand why everyone doesn't agree that we are a wasteful society and we need to preserve our environment. I'm amazed that there's so much controversy about global warming and it's causes. In it's simplistic form, our efforts to curb greenhouse gases is like insurance - taking action now in case of a disaster later. There are many issues in which I can see both sides - but this isn't one of them.

Actually the Eath is cooling and the proof is completely clear. It used to be a ball of molten lava and now it is cold hard rock. However, I agree with you - being environmentally responsible is not only critically important, it is beautiful. I love your reasons. It's too bad when politically or economically motivated fabrications like the man-created global warming scare come along and can often turn people OFF being responsible. If they'd just stick to the facts, people would follow.

I am all for living a more Green life as it just makes sense, but I do not support any government or organization mandating things that will transform the basic fabric of America and plunge my off spring into a load of debt never before seen.

I find it most amusing that the 'same scientists' who were clamouring about global cooling and a mini ice age, just a few decades ago ( and yes they were wrong) are now claiming the AGW. It would be laughable if the proposed ways of dealing with 'the problem' were not so contrary and damaging to the american way

Has anyone considered 'our dependence on M.E. oil' as a strategic National Security Act. We keep our reserves, while the ME burns through theirs and after a few decades the Middle East becomes irrelevant again while we have our reserves, and we develop alternative energies. If anybody should be putting billions into Alternative Energies it is the Middle East, their cash crop is running out

It's hard to disagree with any of your points in here. But still, the only time I will ever hug a tree is if it's covered in bacon.

I do agree that we all should be concerned for our environment, but I don't belive in global warming. I think it is another way to take money from the people. Great video to watch: Global Warming or Global Governance? http://www.sprword.com/videos/globalgovernance/

I don't believe in anthropogenic global warming. Aside from the now obvious manipulation of data and public opinion by scientists... politicians are using their created crisis to exert more control.

For them it isn't about energy independence... if it was, we could eliminate importation from the middle east in 10 years... and we could have started 15 years ago.

It isn't about saving the planet... if it was, they wouldn't propose a cap and trade scheme that is going to send good manufacturing jobs overseas (where there will be no such limitations), AND result in increased productionof the same gases they are trying to limit (the places where the manufacturing will be going will allow "dirtier" plants, and materials will need to be shipped there while finished products are shipped back)

There are a few reasons to be "green"... Saving money (and saving resources...) by being more efficient is probably the best one.

Anthropogenic global warming is a tool for the political class to attack freedom. It is a tool for the collectivist class to attack individualism. It isn't a reality.

I have been living 'green' when you could not even find products that were so called 'green'. I use non toxic cleaners, grow our vegis, eat organic, don't eat dairy, and all that we do is for the health of my family. I did not make these decisions because of global warming because I do not believe that climate change is caused by man. I went green, no preservatives, no pesticides because they cause cancer in humans. Pure and simple reasons, no politics involved.

How arrogant is man that they think that GOD is not smarter than man. If you believe in God then you must believe that God knows everything and would put safeguards in place so that arrogant people would not destroy his earth and if there is climate change that nature is creating- there is nothing that man can do about it to stop it and that just makes it a part of God's plan towards cleansing his earth that he created.

That being said, I have always recycled and I don't litter and I don't pollute any more than I need to to live my lifestyle- not because of global warming but because I respect what the Lord has made and to show my respect I don't do things like litter.

I know we need to get off of foreign oil. But we need to drill here in our country. There are super clean ways to get oil out of the ground here in the US. The natural gas pipeline from Alaska is so full of abundant clean gas energy that if we would use it- the ships from other countries would be coming here to get their energy instead of us going there. The foreign oil thing is a stupid political thing that has been going on for years and needs to stop.

The cap and trade bill is not going to give you a cleaner earth. If you are a Realtor you need to be very concerned on how cap and trade would effect your business and people's ability to sell their homes. We are already having people in a part of Florida who can not sell their homes because of a state EPA type ruling that they have to buy new septic tanks which would cost so much money that no one can afford to sell their homes.

The only people who gain in all of this are the super rich GE's of the world. And sadly none of them are becoming super rich through capitalism and free markets but rather through regulations and legislations which is called fascism in politics 101 classes. Al Gore will become the first green billionaire and all the people who hate big corporations are just sitting back and allowing it to happen because they think that it is better to have the elitists take over all aspects of our lives with the small change you are helping the planet when in reality you are not. It is a huge marketing scheme.

Case in Point- Clorox bleach is a huge poisonous toxin. We don't use bleach. Vinegar does the same thing without being toxic. But Chlorox knows that and they still peddled their clorox and most of you bought it. Now they jump on the band wagon and sell so called natural earth friendly cleaners with their label on it. What hypocrites. Just to make money and because they have to jump on the green band wagon. Where were they when they were knowingly allowing people all over the earth to breathe those bleach fumes? I will NEVER buy products from a company who jumps on the band wagon for the wrong reasons. I will go out of my way to buy a light bulb that is NOT made by GE.

Who are we to tell other people how to live, what to eat, what to say, what to do? I choose to live a healthy lifestyle and recycle and use vinegar but who am I to tell you that you HAVE to do that too? You let the government take over one aspect of your life, and soon it will be another and another. I know this based on life experiences of my mother and her family that had to escape from Stalin and my husband who escaped from Cuba.

The forcing of this green thing is going to cause some of the worst poverty ever imagined because poor people will not be able to afford the changes. Most the state of Kentucky will be devastated if Al Gore gets his way about coal.

Common sense, yes, but going overboard, no. Katerina

Hi Christa -- Well said, I totally agree with you.

I love how religious people can use it rationalize anything they need to. Like "God is smart and so we shouldnt worry about global warming."

so to to the people that call global warming a hoax.... You really think that this is some kind of vast left wing conspiracy to drain you of your all mighty dollar? The right can justify anything if it saves them a dime.

DEC

2009

nice points - if everyone does just a little bit - it will make a huge difference

I can relate to the Skiing and fear of shorter Winters. Something is happening and it's not good. I bought new skis on Thanksgiving and still haven't been able to use them here in Utah and I live 20 minutes from 3 huge ski resorts.

If something doesn't change than Skiing will be something I tell my grandkids about vs. showing them what it's about.

Great post Christa. Tough to believe how many people still have blinders on relative to what's happening to our planet, and how this will effect so many globally. There is so much science out there relative to the impact of global warming, yet there still remain those who only want to see a small slice of information and call it the "truth" on the issue.

Referring to members of our government as "fascists" is really extreme and irresponsible and inciteful. I suggest that these people take a basic 101 class on fascism. I, for one, am so sick and tired of people who speak in this manner, and use "God" in the same breath.

Renee- And those who keep their heads in the sand will wake up one day to a great loss of liberties, as the rest of us keep fighting to keep our liberties. Those who don't believe as you do, do not have blinders on. We are looking at different data than you. We are listening to the other thousands of scientists that you are not listening to. Your blinders statement cuts both ways. You say there is "so much science out there relative to the impact of global warming"- what science are you referring to? The misinformation from Al Gore? I have lists and lists of published scientists who say there is no global warming but there is climate change but it is not caused by humans. It is the natural weather cycles that have happened all throughout the history of the earth. Man was not the cause of the ice age.

Read my comment again because you read it wrong based on your comment. Fascism- what is irresponsible of stating the definition of big business sleeping in bed with big government- big business getting legislation passed in order for them to profit without the consent of the people- the banks holding the congress and Americans hostage for their profits- how is that NOT fascism? That certainly is not capitalism or a republic, it is certainly not socialism or a democracy. So what else would you call it. I have taken the 101 course on fascism. And I have the history to back it up, I have the facts to back it up and I have the experience of my family to back it up. Katerina

Reverse Mortgage- How do you know I am right wing? You don't even know me! How do you make an assumption like that? Just because I don't agree with global warming! Sorry to break it to you but the Republicans in congress are just as guilty about this scam as the left is. John McCain if for cap and trade- they all sleep in bed with the same big corporations. No, it is more than just taking away our money- they are rich enough, it is about control.

And you did not read my comment in its entirety or else you would not make such a comment about God that you did. My comment specifically stated that we need to respect God's earth and take care of it. I just said, that man is so arrogant to think he is mightier than God. Katerina

Building green practices are very important yet I really wonder if this ever changing world we are in can be salvaged from our abuses. I have watched shows that say that global warming took place in the past and without man, so hoax or no hoax, we all still should do our part.

My biggest concern is I went into a Garden Ridge last week and it was as large as a super Wal-Mart. Could I find an American product... 20 minutes of looking and found one. Americans and America needs to wake up or it won't be Global Warming that gets us but being servants to the largest polluters in the world.

DEC

2009

It seems impossible to me to think that human activities have NOT had an effect on climate, considering that there are something like 6.8 billion of us on earth and more arriving all the time. And in the industrialized countries, our effect on everything else in nature is painfully obvious. Why is climate magically immune to what humans do?

We've been recycling, reusing, etc., since the 1970s. Most weeks, we send about half of one small trash can to the dump...everything else is in the green barrel or the recycling barrel. We drive a Prius, walk or carpool whenever we can, etc. I've had a good science education and understand the effects of sunspots, climate cycles, etc., on the earth...but as I said before it is impossible to believe that billions of people and all their activities have not had an effect (99% detrimental) on the earth and its climate.

DEC

2009

Very well said - it's nice to know others are on the right path as well.

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Christa Ross

Pittsburgh, PA

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RE/MAX Select Realty - REALTOR and Green Homes Specialist

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