Pics from my "Earth Night" celebration

[Laure]

Tucson looks pretty normal tonight; it may always be a little dim compared to other cities, because we are being polite to our astronomers on Kitt Peak.

Here's my house:

[studiodekadent]

LOL..... HAHAHAA!!! Show those tree fuckers whose boss!

Really, go you. Thats brilliant.

[BAMF]

I think it's silly to be honest, but your house is AWESOMENESS.

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

That's a beautiful house, Laure.

As to earth day, I missed it. I forgot all about it while studying. I am not being coy, either. It totally slipped my mind.

btw - Did they end up saving the earth?

(OK, now I'm being coy. )

Michael

[Mike Renzulli]

YOU GO, GIRL! Mygirlfriend and I went out that evening and left the lights at our house on that we normally do (i.e. outside lights and interior lights that go on automatically).

I also think your home looks awesome!

Tucson looks pretty normal tonight; it may always be a little dim compared to other cities, because we are being polite to our astronomers on Kitt Peak.

[Kat]

Mike, we did earth night here to a small degree, but you were downstairs not participating. Most of the lights and stuff in the house were one but Tina had candles going in her room and turned off her computer during that time. She is by no means a tree-hugger, but is very frugal has a healthy respect for the environment without be a fanatic. She is getting into the simple living thing.

I see nothing wrong with individuals living greener and trying to do their part to consciously reduce their own carbon footprint. It is their choice. They are living consciously for their own values. It is the politically correct foolishness and self-congratulatory smugness and preachiness that annoy me, regardless of the issue. When you don't join in with their cause some people get pretty weirded out or offended and take it personally.

btw- Laure, great house! Can we move our cult out of Brant's shack and into your place? I promise not to turn off any lights.

Kat

[Brant Gaede]

Mike, we did earth night here to a small degree, but you were downstairs not participating. Most of the lights and stuff in the house were one but Tina had candles going in her room and turned off her computer during that time. She is by no means a tree-hugger, but is very frugal has a healthy respect for the environment without be a fanatic. She is getting into the simple living thing.

I see nothing wrong with individuals living greener and trying to do their part to consciously reduce their own carbon footprint. It is their choice. They are living consciously for their own values. It is the politically correct foolishness and self-congratulatory smugness and preachiness that annoy me, regardless of the issue. When you don't join in with their cause some people get pretty weirded out or offended and take it personally.

btw- Laure, great house! Can we move our cult out of Brant's shack and into your place? I promise not to turn off any lights.

Kat

I'm doing my part for the environment by increasing my carbon footprint.

Laure, that's quite a house. Compared to yours I do indeed live in a shack. However, I've got central ac. Tell me you've got evaporative so I can turn off my green eyes of envy.

I live in the Tucson Mtn foothills. From the way the city lights appear, I'd say you live way up in the Catalina foothills. Maybe someday we'll meet at Trader Joes, near Campbell and River.

--Brant

Edited April 19, 2008 by Brant Gaede

[Mike Renzulli]

Kat,

I can appreciate your live-and-let-live attitude with regards to people's lifestyles. Especially environmentalists who like to practice what they preach. However, I think the important thing to point out is that activism, like your friend is doing, is based on the assumption that humans are wasteful in terms of our consumption of the earth's resources and exist only to use the earth's resources without regard to the effects it has on the planet.

As Objectivists we have to assert ourselves to stand AGAINST this very attitude since it is only geared to being an attack on the ability of human beings to sustain their lives and prosper too.

Ex-Greenpeace founder Patrick Moore said it best:

I think one of the most pernicious aspects of the modern environmental movement is the romanticization of peasant life. And the idea that industrial societies are the destroyers of the world. The environmental movement has evolved into the strongest force there is for preventing development in the developing countries. I think it's legitimate for me to call them anti-human.

Since Objectivism is an affirmation of human life and people are an end in itself we must stand against philosophies, like environmentalism, that treat people like a means to an end and persuade the rank-and-file that their cause is actually detrimental to their existence. Especially the people they claim to want to help.

I apologize for the preachiness of this reply but, as you can see, I am passionate about this.

Mike, we did earth night here to a small degree, but you were downstairs not participating. Most of the lights and stuff in the house were one but Tina had candles going in her room and turned off her computer during that time. She is by no means a tree-hugger, but is very frugal has a healthy respect for the environment without be a fanatic. She is getting into the simple living thing.

I see nothing wrong with individuals living greener and trying to do their part to consciously reduce their own carbon footprint. It is their choice. They are living consciously for their own values. It is the politically correct foolishness and self-congratulatory smugness and preachiness that annoy me, regardless of the issue. When you don't join in with their cause some people get pretty weirded out or offended and take it personally.

Kat

Edited April 19, 2008 by Mike Renzulli

[Laure]

...

I'm doing my part for the environment by increasing my carbon footprint.

Laure, that's quite a house. Compared to yours I do indeed live in a shack. However, I've got central ac. Tell me you've got evaporative so I can turn off my green eyes of envy.

I live in the Tucson Mtn foothills. From the way the city lights appear, I'd say you live way up in the Catalina foothills. Maybe someday we'll meet at Trader Joes, near Campbell and River.

--Brant

Hey Brant, right you are. We have 5 acres bordering the Catalina National Forest. We have central AC - sorry. ;-) But, no pool and no hot tub, unlike our last house. I tell you, it's hard to be a profilgate user of electricity in this house. Those pool pumps use a lot of power. Last electric bill here was just $135. One drawback of this house is the substandard windows & doors. All single-pane, and the doors are kinda warped after 25 years. A few nights ago when we had the strong winds here, the wind noise was just incredible in our bedroom - sounded like a 90-decibel haunted house! So, it does have its drawbacks. But I love the wildlife - javelinas, bobcats, deer, rabbits, raccoons, skunks, lizards, mice.... I'm making a hobby of photographing all the different animals I see around the house. Got a baby Gila Monster this morning.

[Brant Gaede]

...

I'm doing my part for the environment by increasing my carbon footprint.

Laure, that's quite a house. Compared to yours I do indeed live in a shack. However, I've got central ac. Tell me you've got evaporative so I can turn off my green eyes of envy.

I live in the Tucson Mtn foothills. From the way the city lights appear, I'd say you live way up in the Catalina foothills. Maybe someday we'll meet at Trader Joes, near Campbell and River.

--Brant

Hey Brant, right you are. We have 5 acres bordering the Catalina National Forest. We have central AC - sorry. ;-) But, no pool and no hot tub, unlike our last house. I tell you, it's hard to be a profilgate user of electricity in this house. Those pool pumps use a lot of power. Last electric bill here was just $135. One drawback of this house is the substandard windows & doors. All single-pane, and the doors are kinda warped after 25 years. A few nights ago when we had the strong winds here, the wind noise was just incredible in our bedroom - sounded like a 90-decibel haunted house! So, it does have its drawbacks. But I love the wildlife - javelinas, bobcats, deer, rabbits, raccoons, skunks, lizards, mice.... I'm making a hobby of photographing all the different animals I see around the house. Got a baby Gila Monster this morning.

Watch for mountain lions. There was one on somebody's patio near Sunrise and Swan. Photo in the paper.

Anderson probably provides the best value in custom-sized replacement windows.

--Brant