Sunday November 8th, 2009
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Enviro-Etiquette
Posted by Su Avasthi on September 19, 2006 - 6:56pm.
Rarely am I asked to weigh in on ethical dilemmas. (I dunno why, maybe people aren't convinced that I have any ethics.)
However, one brave soul just sent me an ethical question. Fortunately, he also posed it to more reliable sources. So, given that his bases are covered, I'll take a stab:
Dear Su,
On a recent dinner outing, my friends and I spent an hour-long wait in front of the restaurant. Parked directly in front of the waiting area was an oversized SUV with the engine running. The car was left running for the majority of our wait (and presumably before we arrived) to keep a dog cool while its owners ate dinner.
I'm no advocate of torturing dogs, but if you're dining out it would seem smarter to leave your dog at home, be kind to Mother Earth and be considerate to other diners who are overheated by your vehicle.
One of my friends wrote the word "WASTEFUL" with his finger in the foggy driver-side window of the vehicle. When the car owners returned and realized what he had done, my friend was berated. "How dare you violate my private property" and "Mind your own business" were his more printable criticisms.
Were we wrong? No harm came to the vehicle and freedom of speech would seem to protect the criticism. In these days of eco-awareness, aren't we obligated to speak up for our planet? ---- Jimmy H.
Dear Jimmy:
Whoa, did real life just imitate the movies? After all, how often does mundane day-to-day life present us with such a clear-cut good guy vs. bad guy scenario?
In my opinion, you and your friend — being champions of Mother Earth and concerned about the welfare of a canine — are on the side of good. The SUV-driving, fume-producing, planet-destroying guy who gave your buddy a tongue lashing is, well, a jerk.
Now, let's suppose that the SUV driver happened to live miles away, had his dog in tow and, for some reason, absolutely needed to eat at that restaurant. Upon being called out, his only acceptable response was to acknowledge the mistake, apologize sheepishly, and skulk away into the night to wash his window and conscience. Instead, he turned belligerent in a weak attempt to save face. But who knows? Maybe he'll think twice before pulling that stunt next time. Maybe he'll keep the car on, the air-conditioner running, and the windows rolled down.
Bottom line: Keep defending the planet, man. It won't always be easy, but it's only way to become a superhero.
Have a enviro-etiquette question for Su? Mail her at su@lime.com.
I drive a Ford Excursion with dual exhaust combined with "tractor trailer" exhaust pipes that come out of the roof. I find that this maximizes total exhaust.
Also, I replaced the pleather seats with real leather. I find that this maximizes total leather, as I am a fan of leather products.
I find that my vehicle, which I have named "Fordzilla", runs best on leaded gasoline, so I decided to replace the engine with the engine from a 1937 Packard. This seems to give me more bang for my buck when using leaded gas, thereby maximizing "old school" gas consumption.
I love my car, and you shouldnt have an opinion. And if you ever see it running in the parking lot with oversized dog sitting shotgun and decide to write on it remember this; I made the stupid choice to leave it running and to buy it, and eventually, because of economic forces, it will be completely impractical rather than kind of impractical to drive it, thereby minimizing my bank account.
So when you see an SUV running in the parking lot do not write on it. That isnt cool.
Why not write wasteful all over Mr. Gore. He's blowing more hot air than any SUV ever could. He might have invented the internet, but he has no clue about science. He is not willing to address evidence contrary to his own.
Of Course, with all his air travel, the contrails left behind are cooling the earth, so maybe he's just a net zero sum.
Although planet earth is the most precious resource and should be defended when appropriate, confronting someone about their lack of eco-awareness can come across as being "preachy".
Be thankful his belligerence did not turn into something worse.
This isn't Kansas, Toto.
Hm, what can I say? Valid points from the other commenters.
It probably wasn't the most mature response on our part, but it was done in the heat of the moment to make a statement. We didn't anticipate that we'd still be around when the driver returned, it just kinda worked out that way.
Either way, I feel better that some action was taken rather than ignoring it alltogether.
I think maybe it's taking it a bit far to actually touch other people's property, despite their nonchalance about touching our air quality.
On the other hand, if you'd put up a sign next to the vehicle, or marched around it's perimeter shouting slogans, or maybe even slipped an educational note under the windshield wiper, I'd be more supportive.
Maybe it's an arbitrary distinction. I guess everybody has to draw a line somewhere about how preachy and judgmental and aggressive they want to be, but I think we can all agree it's important to spread the word against the looming destruction of the planet.
Great suggestion, Josh. I so wish we'd had our picket signs handy. How great if you had to cross a picket line just to enter your Escalade.
Can I mention one other great detail to the story? The SUV in question had a special "Georgia Wildlife Federation" license plate. I found that added bit of irony especially amusing.
I've tried being nice, but that usually escalates into a situation where I seem to be preaching at the other person. If anyone has ever "corrected" a stranger and had success, please share your secret.
You don't know all the details. The problem with environmentalists is they think everyone is an idiot except them. This guy was probably on a trip away from home and he did the right thing. If he would not of left the vehicle running with the AC on another self appointed know it all would have broken the window and given the dog to the aspca.
People need to assume that others are making appropriate decisions and mind their own business or they might get hurt. Think how much unnecessary exhaust the ambulance will make when I catch you touching my car.