How do you power your reef?
- Thread starter virginiadiver69
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virginiadiver69
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Relax, it will be okay I promise!
If you like I will give you a list of the conservation practices that I have been following for longer than you have been alive. The big difference between you and me is I don't have a soap box.
Our economy depends on people that CONTRIBUTE to it.
When it comes to ideologues and true believers, I am. I like to poke my finger in the eye of hypocrisy.
On the subject of ecology vs. economy, they can compliment each other. In fact for some areas of the world (my own included), the economy depends on the ecology. No one's spending money to come visit polluted beaches and fisherman can't make a living from polluted waters...and that's just my little corner of the world.
virginiadiver69
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That money could be spent buying carbon credits.
HippieSmell
Occupy Reef Central
It was a gift.
Fair enough Richard, I must admit I was halfway through a lengthy response to you yesterday when I realised it was beer o'clock on a Friday afternoon. Not to worry, did the article Hippie linked to help at all? or do you still have questions? happy to attempt to answer whatever you need to know.
MC Lighting
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Before I give my opinion I want to answer the original question and that is with solar and windpower supplementation to grid power...
Now for the funny part about it all of the supporters for solar even though I am one of them not for saving the world but being independent of the utility company is that most people do not even understand that it takes over 20 years of solar panel operation to equivocate the energy that was used in the creation of the panel, what people just don't get is that it takes energy to make these great planet savers its like the stupid hybrid cars it take so much more environmental impact to build the vehicle than its fossil burning counterpart would ever consume.
Like stated above I drive a 1 ton diesel pickup and you know sadly that 9000# oil burner gets the same mileage as my neighbors 3000# Ford escape hybrid that has toxic batteries and motor components not to mention all of the energy to create the chips for computer components that it took to make it work that all took big amounts of energy.
The Toyota Prias is proud that it gets 50mpg but yet a VW bug with a Turbo diesel gets the same mileage and again without all of the other crap that it took to make it work and in the end of the vehicles life it gets crushed for metal where the hybrid has to be carefully disassembled since it has all of the making for a toxic mess but yet so many fall for this saving the planet.
Ok sorry for the rant I am off of my soapbox now.
Now for the funny part about it all of the supporters for solar even though I am one of them not for saving the world but being independent of the utility company is that most people do not even understand that it takes over 20 years of solar panel operation to equivocate the energy that was used in the creation of the panel, what people just don't get is that it takes energy to make these great planet savers its like the stupid hybrid cars it take so much more environmental impact to build the vehicle than its fossil burning counterpart would ever consume.
Like stated above I drive a 1 ton diesel pickup and you know sadly that 9000# oil burner gets the same mileage as my neighbors 3000# Ford escape hybrid that has toxic batteries and motor components not to mention all of the energy to create the chips for computer components that it took to make it work that all took big amounts of energy.
The Toyota Prias is proud that it gets 50mpg but yet a VW bug with a Turbo diesel gets the same mileage and again without all of the other crap that it took to make it work and in the end of the vehicles life it gets crushed for metal where the hybrid has to be carefully disassembled since it has all of the making for a toxic mess but yet so many fall for this saving the planet.
Ok sorry for the rant I am off of my soapbox now.
HippieSmell
Occupy Reef Central
You've been on a soap box just as much as I have, don't kid yourself. Please list the conservative practices you've engaged in. FYI, you should have done more than me, you're OLDER.
Sure it does. But what happens when the ecology fails? Why don't you read up on that.
I'm not a hypocrite. I've done way more than most people in my age and tax bracket. But because I don't spend every last dollar to my name to buy carbon credits, and I have an aquarium, I'm a hypocrite :rolleye1: Get a life.
HippieSmell
Occupy Reef Central
virginiadiver and wlagarde:
Since you two think that I'm a hypocrite because I have an aquarium, and you two feel that I should spend every last dollar I have to buy carbon credits, here's a proposal. My W2 shows that I made $8081.25 last year. Apparently $200 to buy carbon credits is no big deal. Ok, fair enough. PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS! $200 is ~2.5% of my income. What would that be for you wlagarde? My guess is at least $6,000. How about you virginia? If you two want to cry about how I'm a hypocrite, why don't you two put up or shut up?
Since you two think that I'm a hypocrite because I have an aquarium, and you two feel that I should spend every last dollar I have to buy carbon credits, here's a proposal. My W2 shows that I made $8081.25 last year. Apparently $200 to buy carbon credits is no big deal. Ok, fair enough. PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS! $200 is ~2.5% of my income. What would that be for you wlagarde? My guess is at least $6,000. How about you virginia? If you two want to cry about how I'm a hypocrite, why don't you two put up or shut up?
HippieSmell
Occupy Reef Central
Do you EVER say anything that resembles an intelligent thought? It's all childish insults with you. I thought you were a doctor. I've had my doubts before, but you keep reinforcing them.
I have heard a few people say that about solar panels. Do you have a link to anything as I have searched quite a bit to see if it just misinformation or if it is indeed correct.
As far as hybrids go, I am with you on that one. If they were half the price I would think about it but even then I do not think they are worth it. Better to go a small turbo diesel like the VW you mentioned. Even slightly better is the citroen c4 tdi. Not only would you save money in purchase price compared to the prius, you will not have to replace the batteries in 10 years. Can you imagine what that does to a cars resale value.
virginiadiver69
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I don't suggest you start eating cat food or anything. I have gathered you are someone who is so certain of OUR imminent demise that can be averted by human intervention. I'm sure even someone who is as "poor" as you are could find funds to offset your carbon footprint. Some examples; reduce the minutes on your cell phone...hell, get rid of your cell phone. Do you have cable tv, satellite even? How many video games do you buy in a year, how much music do you download?
I built my house about 1 1/2 yrs ago. I calculated about a 20% premium to have it built in manner that would allow me to be very low impact. As stated before, all of my non-potable water is a rain water collection system($15,000), I take military style showers(soap up, turn off water while I wash then back on to rinse.), turn OFF the water when actually brushing my teeth instead of letting it run the whole time, hot water heater is a demand only system about the size of a brief case($1,500), I use a hot water loop so I don't have to let the water run to get hot water($50), cloths washer is a front loading style that uses less than a gallon of water per load($1,500), cloths are hung out to dry when the temp allows for it(which is most of the year), geothermal water loop for mid range temp control($10,000), 16 SEER furnace and air conditioning for extreme temps($3,000 x 3), about 50% of my daytime lighting is provided by solar tubes($2,000), I recycle and compost, most of my "refrigeration" is done in my root/wine cellar(I do have a small refrigerator for fresh fish, dairy and meat). All of my meat and dairy is harvested locally and last but not least not a SINGLE splinter of wood was used in any fashion in the construction. It is 100% concrete, recycled plastic polymers, steel and glass. It's not one of these ultra modern homes either. If you didn't no any better you would swear it was a circa 1800 Victorian.
My motivation was not to "save the earth" either. I live in a roual aria where "services" are iffy at best. I also like the idea of self sufficiency.
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virginiadiver69
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