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On 18 Nov 2004 17:58:07 GMT, (LaBomba182) wrote:
While I believe in doing all we can to keep the earth clean and I enjoy
sailing, I can't see myself sitting in my plastic hulled, teak trimmed sail
boat with toxic bottom paint on it reading by my lead/acid battery or genset
powered light, while perhaps my Freon based aircon/ fridge units are keeping
things cool, feeling all superior to next guy down the mooring field in his
stink pot.
Hey, *thinking* about these issues--as opposed to knee-jerk
tree-hugging, or worse, turning up the A/C on your stinkpotter--is a
good start.
Even though I am hard pressed to use 12 gallons of gas per year on my
boat, I am well aware of the 150 pounds of lead in the batteries, the
bottles of oil I consume, and the propane I burn. As I don't own a car
and have spent a fair bit to properly insulate the house, I know I am
below average in energy usage for the average North American.
But I could do better through proper planning.
On my next boat, such considerations will play a large part in my
systems design. I am watching closely the electric motor development
(batteries can be recycled to a great extent) and figuring how I can
keep the concepts of low pollution and self-sufficiency near the top
of my list.
It's not about feeling superior as much as it's about noticing even in
my 40s how much the weather has changed. It's also about saving money
in the long run, and mostly it's about wanting to do as little harm as
possible to a planet my kid will eventually inherit.
R.
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