There's so much to comment about in this excellent article, but I'll limit myself to bottled water. I shop at Costco. Every time I go there, I see people with carts or flatbeds loaded with cases of bottled water. In a country where nearly everyone has access to clean drinkable water, I find this astounding. The reasons people give are convenience, my water tastes bad, etc. These issues are easy to address, and the solution is much less expensive, both financially and environmentally.
I live in an area where the city water supply is stored in old gravel pits that line a river. Although the water is clean and drinkable, frankly it's hard and tastes like rocks. To address this admittedly "first world problem," we rent a water softener, a reverse osmosis (RO) water purification system, and a bottle-free hot/cold water dispenser from Culligan. In addition to the water dispenser, the RO system is connected to our refrigerator ice maker and a dedicated faucet at the kitchen sink for filling cooking pots.
We pay $21 a month for the RO system and water dispenser. With it we have an unlimited supply of bottled-water-quality purified water that we can use for cooking, drinking (either alone or as a brewed beverage), and filling our reusable water bottles. A case of bottled water (12-40 single-use plastic bottles, shrink wrapped) costs from around $9 to $25, depending on whether you buy the Kirkland Signature brand (16.9 oz. per bottle, 40 bottles) or one of the "upscale" brands like Fiji (23.7 oz., 12 bottles).
Assuming two bottles of water a day for a month for one person, with none of it used for cooking or for preparing hot or cold beverages, buying bottled water in areas that have access to clean, drinkable water makes absolutely no sense financially. Furthermore, almost every single bottle ends up in a landfill because although they're "recyclable," the vast majority are just thrown away.
Again, another very well documented writing. One other thing that is not nearly talked about as much; permafrost. Greenland's frozen ground is a repository for carbon and methane. When that ground thaws, methane is released into the atmosphere. And, methane is much more destructive than CO2.
If only we could convict and sieze the assets of the entire Epstein Class! Ronald Lauder has deep connections. I am willing to bet that a lot of Epstein's associates are out there, still causing trouble. Hoarding wealth while carelessly hurting other people. It's the mentality of a rapist; take whatever you want and threaten anyone who gets in the way. How do we reign in these entitled bastards?
Any stories out there about what the wealthiest are doing preparing for Climate Change? Any of them building mini desalination plants at their immense plots of land next to oceans? (think Hawaii) Owning land on huge lakes? (think Tahoe, Lake Superior). Any of them have their own runway for their own plane?
Read The Haves and the Have Yachts by Evan Osnos…they’re building underground bunkers and fortifying their private islands off the coast of New Zealand and making sure they have space to accommodate their pilot’s family. It would be laughable if not for the sheer ego and greed.
There's so much to comment about in this excellent article, but I'll limit myself to bottled water. I shop at Costco. Every time I go there, I see people with carts or flatbeds loaded with cases of bottled water. In a country where nearly everyone has access to clean drinkable water, I find this astounding. The reasons people give are convenience, my water tastes bad, etc. These issues are easy to address, and the solution is much less expensive, both financially and environmentally.
I live in an area where the city water supply is stored in old gravel pits that line a river. Although the water is clean and drinkable, frankly it's hard and tastes like rocks. To address this admittedly "first world problem," we rent a water softener, a reverse osmosis (RO) water purification system, and a bottle-free hot/cold water dispenser from Culligan. In addition to the water dispenser, the RO system is connected to our refrigerator ice maker and a dedicated faucet at the kitchen sink for filling cooking pots.
We pay $21 a month for the RO system and water dispenser. With it we have an unlimited supply of bottled-water-quality purified water that we can use for cooking, drinking (either alone or as a brewed beverage), and filling our reusable water bottles. A case of bottled water (12-40 single-use plastic bottles, shrink wrapped) costs from around $9 to $25, depending on whether you buy the Kirkland Signature brand (16.9 oz. per bottle, 40 bottles) or one of the "upscale" brands like Fiji (23.7 oz., 12 bottles).
Assuming two bottles of water a day for a month for one person, with none of it used for cooking or for preparing hot or cold beverages, buying bottled water in areas that have access to clean, drinkable water makes absolutely no sense financially. Furthermore, almost every single bottle ends up in a landfill because although they're "recyclable," the vast majority are just thrown away.
Again, another very well documented writing. One other thing that is not nearly talked about as much; permafrost. Greenland's frozen ground is a repository for carbon and methane. When that ground thaws, methane is released into the atmosphere. And, methane is much more destructive than CO2.
If only we could convict and sieze the assets of the entire Epstein Class! Ronald Lauder has deep connections. I am willing to bet that a lot of Epstein's associates are out there, still causing trouble. Hoarding wealth while carelessly hurting other people. It's the mentality of a rapist; take whatever you want and threaten anyone who gets in the way. How do we reign in these entitled bastards?
Any stories out there about what the wealthiest are doing preparing for Climate Change? Any of them building mini desalination plants at their immense plots of land next to oceans? (think Hawaii) Owning land on huge lakes? (think Tahoe, Lake Superior). Any of them have their own runway for their own plane?
Read The Haves and the Have Yachts by Evan Osnos…they’re building underground bunkers and fortifying their private islands off the coast of New Zealand and making sure they have space to accommodate their pilot’s family. It would be laughable if not for the sheer ego and greed.
And for Trump, he only sees more money.