Do you think BP tricked us? Here’s a way to respond.
Environmentalists constantly point out BP promoting personal carbon footprints and bizarrely use it as an excuse not to act. It would seem counterproductive except when you remember that people are less rational than rationalizing. Whatever their words, if they pollute and deplete without meaningful attempt to change, their deeds oppose their words.
Environmentalists rarely have hands-on practical experience trying to live sustainably. Do you know any who are trying to live sustainably beyond a few little changes? Since they haven’t experienced that living more sustainably improves their lives, they generally still think it makes their lives and cultures worse. Ignorant and sad, but how things are. They prattle on about people “in communities” who can’t afford to buy expensive things, not realizing actually acting as opposed to talking and blaming others saves money and time.
If they—or you, if you’re one of them—want to resist some conspiracy, recall that before refrigerators were in every household, people didn’t demand them. Coal-fired power companies promoted them to create 24-hour-a-day demand for power.
Their power plants were more efficient to keep on permanently. Since the load had to balance all the time, they needed power used all the time. They promoted appliances to use more energy. Hence General Electric selling appliances.
So if you’re so clever to outsmart BP by doing the opposite of what it suggests, why don’t you do it with what GE suggests and unplug your fridge?
Research doesn’t show that refrigeration helps health. On the contrary, it seems to breed stupidity as everyone, when they learn I don’t use a fridge, asks if I have to shop more often. Hands-on practical experience would show that fresh fruits and vegetables don’t need refrigeration. Nor to dried beans and legumes. Ice cream, frozen pizza, and takeout need refrigeration. That people presume less refrigeration means less fresh food or more expensive food shows they don’t know what they’re talking about. Yet they don’t hesitate to imply they know more.
Not using a fridge also means wasting less food. They can’t imagine it.
Try unplugging your fridge. You won’t die. You’ll learn how to live more sustainably.
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