The Oil Drum

34 comments on Social Norms, Climate Change, and the Energy Crisis We Face

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ericy on September 30, 2007 - 12:52pm

This does suggests that individuals can make a difference in cases where their actions are highly visible. An example would would be something like commuting to work on a bicycle. Although there are days when it is hot and I am tired that that ride home is a bit longer than I would like.

A fuel efficient car is somewhat visible, but people buy vehicles for all sorts of reasons.

Cutting VMT is even less visible, as you aren't out there as much. Speaking of which, yesterday I realized that it had been 2 weeks since my last fillup, and the fuel gauge still reads 5/8.

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biologist on September 30, 2007 - 2:29pm

The trouble is that if you act alone, you will be seen as the odd one out, the crazy guy. Try to go shopping at Wal-Mart with a leather tote bag and refuse any plastic bag. The associates will probably not understand what you want, pack your items into plastic bags and then those plastic bags into the leather bag, and will thing that you are quite an odd guy.

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TnGranny on September 30, 2007 - 2:50pm

You are quite right about that! For years I have taken my canvas bag to the grocery and my reusable carry out meal container('turkey') to restaurants to avoid getting either plastic bags or styrofoam containers. These days I shop mostly at the local 'fresh' market where canvas bags are the norm but if I wander into a conventional grocery with my canvas bag usually the clerk frowns and asks 'Do we sell these?'. When I explain that I carried it in to hold my purchases, I usually have to prevent the bagger from just putting the plastic bags into it. My friends that I eat with are used to me bringing along my 'turkey' but they regard this as 'ecentric' behavior and none of them have elected to do the same despite considering themselves as 'environmentally aware'. They all do get the styrofoam 'doggie bags' at nearly every meal for leftovers.

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Aniya on October 5, 2007 - 5:13pm

HI TnGran,

Probably no one will see this, but when I tried to reply back when, there were computer problems - somewhere!

Anyway, just wanted to mention that a friend suggested to a local, commerical (not co-op or anything) grocery store that they make up canvas bags w. a logo (which I believe he designed) - on it. They have and they do sell.

So...And the great marketer "Trader Joe" has a kind of raffle, if people bring their own bags, they get a ticket for a drawing. Of course, this depends on "green" being in. Even if it's not - this can change.

Just some ideas you might try, if anyone might listen.

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Engineer-Poet on October 5, 2007 - 5:48pm

I have a couple of reusable shopping bags, one canvas (from Land's End), one synthetic. I don't use them all the time (right now the canvas one is full of computer) but they've saved quite a bit of plastic over the years and won me a few dollars of bag credits (Meijer gives you 5¢ per re-used paper bag, and they give it to me for canvas).

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ericy on September 30, 2007 - 3:07pm

Well, shopping at WalMart is another matter entirely, and I would argue that WalMart would probably be the last place to start something like this. If you go to a farmer's market, the people there would probably understand exactly what you want.

I guess my point is that if you act in visible ways, other people can see it, and it becomes incrementally less odd. The next person to start can see that they aren't the first to try something.

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yartrebo on September 30, 2007 - 2:55pm

Even worse, if you cut VMT, you reduce congestion. People then drive more to make up, as in many cities it is congestion that puts a limit on how much driving is done.