View Poll Results: How much do you do to help the environment?

Voters
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  • I make a concious effort to do as much as I can

    5 15.15%
  • I care about it but I don't go out of my way

    17 51.52%
  • I don't really do very much at all

    8 24.24%
  • I don't care, environmental issue don't apply to me.

    3 9.09%

Thread: The Environment

  1. #1
    Funniest man in this seat minesweeper's Avatar
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    The Environment

    The Istitution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) stipulate that to get a masters in engineering we have to have some element of ethical study in our degree. As part of this course we had to do an assignment that included amongst other things, the effect of the motor car on the environment. I thought the assignment was quite pointless in what it was actually trying to teach but it did make me think about environmental issues and more importantly, how little I actually do to help.

    It interests me to see how much other people do.

    I mean for instance the other week, myself and my housemate were puttig the garbage out. There was STACKS!! And we just throw it black bags, stick it outside and it's gone in the morning. But if everyone does that.......you get my point.

    So how much do you or your family actually do? Do you conciously filter your trash to see what you can recycle? What about your choice of car? Are you willing to accept a reduction in performance to ensure an efficient use of fuel? Or even a new type of fuel, one that's cleaner? Do you use public transport where possible?

    Be honest so the poll shows a true reflection of people's attitude towards the environment.
    Last edited by minesweeper; 12-15-2002 at 08:04 AM.

  2. #2
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    We also had to have an element of ethical study in our degree, I studied electrical engineering. Ours was quite interesting and had to do with the relation between people and technology.

    As electrical engineers and software engineers we can create a lot of nice electronics, like robot-dogs, a wealth on new functionalities on mobile phones etc, but one can wonder if people are really waiting for all this.

    In Japan new technologies are much faster accepted by the consumers than in Europe. When looking around, I see most people walking around with a mobile phone they bought a few years ago, only a few, mostly young people, walk around with the latest models and the latest gadgets. I read that in Japan things like i-mode are quite common, but they are new here.

    So an interesting question is: are engineers looking too less at the real needs of consumers instead of creating all those electronics with the most recent technology built in it? Our prof, she was a non-technician, stated that engineers should get more feeling with the customers, with people who we want to use our technology.

    When it comes to the environment, I do care about it, but to be honest, I must say that I often, perhaps too often, I do little to help. In the Netherlands we have to filter trash, which I do, but there are many things I don't. My car can use LPG or benzine, I usually driver benzine, since it drives much more comfortable in my car, but I know LPG is better for the environment.

  3. #3
    I lurk
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    Our city has a very nice system. Along with garbage pickup, there's compost pickup a few days later. We have a city-supplied compost container which you can put A LOT of different types of stuff in. I'd estimate that it reduces the amount of stuff that goes out in the garbage by 50%... where just 5 years ago this system never existed, and 100% of "trash" went in the garbage.

    Whenever i'm out with friends, most usually throw their garbage out the window or on the ground... i'm usually the one to put it in my pocket and wait to see if I can find a garbage.

    I don't care THAT much, it's not as if the earth is going to become unhabitable in my lifetime.

  4. #4
    Registered User Cruxus's Avatar
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    I'm in the hypocritical majority. I care about the environment, but I don't go out of my way to recycle or buy environmentally friendly products. If recycling were more convenient, as it is for Eibro, most people would probably do it.

  5. #5
    Shadow12345
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    i sleep too much

  6. #6
    Registered User adamviper's Avatar
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    i hate to say it but the enviroment is going to die b\c if we stoped all cfc's NOW then we still have 30 years for the cfc's to get to the o-zone layer and IF that goes we all go.
    Last edited by adamviper; 12-16-2002 at 07:49 AM.

  7. #7
    The Earth is not flat. Clyde's Avatar
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    " hate to sya it but the enviroment is going to die b\c if we stoped all cfc's NOW then we still have 30 years for the cfc's to get to the o-zone layer and IF that goes we all go"

    ....... the ozone hole is closing up. So hopefully that won't be a problem, there are bigger things to worry about IMO.

  8. #8
    Shadow12345
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    birth regulations should be used in all countries, that would help a lot, too many people on this small planet.

    EDIT:
    Relying on the goodness of people to clean up the environment is almost as precarious as relying on them to get along with each other: Even if many could do it there will always be the 'few' that will screw things up for everyone, whether it be a terrorist group or a government.

  9. #9
    Funniest man in this seat minesweeper's Avatar
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    >>Relying on the goodness of people to clean up the environment is almost as precarious as relying on them to get along with each other: Even if many could do it there will always be the 'few' that will screw things up for everyone, whether it be a terrorist group or a government.<<

    Sad, but very very true!!

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