We are terrible people....

[ACBlinky]

With the scares of global warming and polluting the earth, we are on a roll people. It occurred to me there are many countries out there with no access to fresh water. We play n it, we turn perfect drinking water into saltwater, plus we throw most of it from the rodi units into a drain. With freshwater getting less and less it makes me feel irresponsible.

Not to mention the havoc we cause in the reefs, either by depleting or by mixing. Example would be the lion fish in the Atlantic, pretty sure we are to blame for that one, and the mysterious tangs in the keys.

I run mh which isn't gentle wit power, while many use LEDs and make ourselves feel like we are making a difference, I run LEDs to lol. But only cause I'm cheap. These things still eat power.

As I'm a new parent I can't help but worry about what kind of world I'm leaving for my son, makes me wanna make a difference. I'm not suggesting extenction of the hobby, I love it. I've been racking my brains trying to think of something to make a difference. Who else would like to join me?

Maybe the only right thing to do is eradicate the hobby....

Am I Insain? :headwalls:

I don't think you're insane... maybe sleep deprived (you're a new parent, goes with the territory), and needlessly guilty, but not insane.

First off I think you ARE making a positive difference. You're going to demonstrate animal husbandry and caring for nature, which are very important things for children to learn. You clearly also feel a responsibility to take the least toll on the environment possible, and you're going to pass on that 'green' mentality -- children learn what they live, what they see their parents do every day.

As someone said above, you using a few less watts of electricity or less water in your home doesn't directly translate to someone else having a better quality of life on the other side of the world. You're not hoarding resources for yourself that other people then can't access.

Live a good life, reduce, reuse, and recycle (in that order), and teach your child to love the planet the way you do. And keep your tank, it will bring a huge amount of joy into your child's life and help him/her learn to love nature. My son is four now, and over the last few years he has progressed from being a baby soothed by colourful movements, to a toddler smearing cheese on the tank in the pursuit of artistic endeavours, to a little boy who now chooses, names, and helps care for the fish in our tank. He understands what corals and anemones are, has learned which fish eat which things and why (vegetarians vs. carnivores), and we talk about the reefs the fish come from. He says nearly daily how much he loves Nemo (he hugs the tank, it's pretty cute) and talks about the fishes' relationships with each other. They aren't just fish, they're his friends, and therefore worth protecting. I think that's a pretty good argument for keeping the tank, despite its carbon footprint

 

[AcroporAddict]

With the scares of global warming and polluting the earth, we are on a roll people. It occurred to me there are many countries out there with no access to fresh water. We play n it, we turn perfect drinking water into saltwater, plus we throw most of it from the rodi units into a drain. With freshwater getting less and less it makes me feel irresponsible.

Not to mention the havoc we cause in the reefs, either by depleting or by mixing. Example would be the lion fish in the Atlantic, pretty sure we are to blame for that one, and the mysterious tangs in the keys.

I run mh which isn't gentle wit power, while many use LEDs and make ourselves feel like we are making a difference, I run LEDs to lol. But only cause I'm cheap. These things still eat power.

As I'm a new parent I can't help but worry about what kind of world I'm leaving for my son, makes me wanna make a difference. I'm not suggesting extenction of the hobby, I love it. I've been racking my brains trying to think of something to make a difference. Who else would like to join me?

Maybe the only right thing to do is eradicate the hobby....

Am I Insain? :headwalls:

I think you should get out of the hobby.

 

[Biocubehqi]

I live in a big building where some DIY solar panels wouldn't fly, and if I tap into the river for energy source il prolly end up in jail lol. There has to be a first for everything.

Acroporaddict, you made me laugh.

 

[potterjon]

Potter I agree. But it stems to more than just frag swapping and captive breeding.

There must be a way to recycle water from water changes or a more efficient way to deal with the waste of rodi units. Or a alternator that I can run our systems with just a jump start of electricity. Many cities get their power from water movement... We should be capable of the same feet.

As far as the aquaculture goes, we have made great feet in that.... That dollar bill can be a nasty thing.

It is way beyond the frag swap but I get your point. I dropped out of the hobby for a few years because I felt the same way at one point. I was killing fish quicker than my lfs could teach me how.
But with sites like this and internet in general, the hobby and industry behind it has come a long way.
I think you opened pandoras box here :hmm4::beer:

 

[Wolverine]

more efficient way to deal with the waste of rodi units.

Some people run the water from the RO into the dishwasher or the clothes washer (depending on where it's located). Others just collect it and use it as grey water.

 

[BrianD]

I'm not sure of the point here, but I am fairly confident of the direction this thread will turn.

Closed.

 

[BrianD]

Dave was posting as I did, so I will leave it up to him if he wants to watch over it. Frankly, arguing in a reef discussion forum that we are destroying the planet with captive reefs seems a nowhere place to go.