Future Generations

[Lacbe]

I'm 55 yrs old and retired, I'v lived my life to the fullest and have many more adventures that I wan't to accomplise. My grandson, who just turn 7, has been packpacking with me since he was 3, he has his own packpack and poles and loves the outdoords. He enjoys nature, seeing the sun come up in the morning and hearing the birds sing when they look for food. We went thru an area about 3 months ago and saw alot of trees and wildlife. THIS WEEKEND I DROVE THRU THE SAME AREA AND ALL THE TREES WERE GONE. He aked me, WHY DID THEY DESTRORY NATURE. How do you answer that? We, as parents or grandparents need to explain to the future genenrations that the land that we all love, needs to be protected from those who love the all mighty dollar and there are those who need to protect our wildernes. So my question is, WHAT DO YOU TELL THEM. Because in future generations, some of them will lead our nation into the future. Please no smart ass remarks. We live in a time that that needs solutions. Our future genarations depend on them finding solutions to this.

[SlowLightTrek]

Well, we do need homes which are currently mostly made from trees. Commercial buisness type buildings are made from steel studs rather than wood. Mostly for fireproofness. We use paper which is made from trees. Alot of what you buy at the store is packaged in cardboard. Recycling helps the demand for more trees quite a bit. I walked through a section this summer they were cutting trees right on the AT. No consideration for the damage they were doing to the trail either. Really pushing for wildlife areas is the best means of protection of the land and its inhabitants. It really took me by surprise when I found out that the AT wasn't a protected place from start to finish.

[rafe]

Tell me about it. A year and a half ago, the old woman in the house next door moved out to some assisted-living place. Some dickhead with more money than brains bought the place. Per the usual MO in our neighborhood, his plan was to tear down the house and build a McMansion in its place. Of course, the VERY FIRST thing he did was to hire a logging company to cut down and haul away all the trees. Every last one.

In the meantime, the housing market has collapsed. Mr. Dickhead is left holding the bag, paying the mortgage on an unoccupied house and lot. The old house still sits there, in the middle of an ugly clear-cut. Sad.

[zoidfu]

Don't talk about it, get active. We all know what Edward Abbey's strategy is. It isn't exactly legal but then again, legal measures will never be on the planet's side.

[Lacbe]

So, all we have left will be state and federal parks for our future nature. I don't want to turn this into politics thread. This is something that will effect all of our future generations.

[Blissful]

Tell me about it.
Per the usual MO in our neighborhood, his plan was to tear down the house and build a McMansion in its place. Of course, the VERY FIRST thing he did was to hire a logging company to cut down and haul away all the trees. Every last one.

Sad.

That happened in a lot diagonally from us on a hill, the guy cleared out every single tree and piece of vegetation. Then when the summer thunderstorms came, we had mud coming down the hill onto our property. I really miss the trees, and esp how they helped prevent erosion. I know it's his land but it made no sense.

[Pedaling Fool]

This is a political issue, it's called overpopulation, but it's ignored because of the hype over global warming. I'll say no more because it's political/sensitive.

[rafe]

Kinda makes you long for a "revenge of the Ents" (as in Lord of the Rings, at the end of the 2nd book.)

[Two Speed]

. . . Of course, the VERY FIRST thing he did was to hire a logging company to cut down and haul away all the trees. Every last one.

Depending on the timber he may have been counting on the value of the timber as part of his financing.

In the meantime, the housing market has collapsed. Mr. Dickhead is left holding the bag, paying the mortgage on an unoccupied house and lot. The old house still sits there, in the middle of an ugly clear-cut. Sad.

Except for the eye sore aspect that falls under the heading of "ain't that too bad."

That happened in a lot diagonally from us on a hill, the guy cleared out every single tree and piece of vegetation. Then when the summer thunderstorms came, we had mud coming down the hill onto our property. I really miss the trees, and esp how they helped prevent erosion. I know it's his land but it made no sense.

In Georgia allowing sediment to escape from a construction site is a no-no and can get the builder awarded citations and/or a Stop Work Order.* Have you called the county or city and reported that?

* Stop Work Orders in Georgia mean stop construction; the only activity allowed is erosion control; builders in Georgia have been known to try the "if I get a Stop Work Order I'll never be able to do my erosion control" line of BS.

[JAK]

We do need homes, but now is the time to start thinking about living sustainably, including sustainable housing. The fact that we need homes is no excuse to do things unsustainably. In fact, if you think about it, it is all the more reason to start doing things sustainably.

I don't know why we are so adverse to sustainability. Once we realize we can and must start living sustainably at some point, we will then realize it may as well be sooner as later, and it might as well include forests and other natural habitats rather than exclude them. Why not?

[Lacbe]

This is a political issue, it's called overpopulation, but it's ignored because of the hype over global warming. I'll say no more because it's political/sensitive.

That is the problem, why is it sensitive? This is a problem for all of us, why put our head in the sand ?

[zoidfu]

That is the problem, why is it sensitive? This is a problem for all of us, why put our head in the sand ?

Because this site suffers from "group think". If you deviate from the prevailing opinion, you get PMs and "warnings".

[Lacbe]

Because this site suffers from "group think". If you deviate from the prevailing opinion, you get PMs and "warnings".

I don't agree with that, this site cares with what happens to our chidren and there futurte love of this land!!!

[zoidfu]

I don't agree with that, this site cares with what happens to our chidren and there futurte love of this land!!!

Does it? You bring up an extremely valid problem and nobody wants to talk about it...

[zoidfu]

This is a political issue, it's called overpopulation, but it's ignored because of the hype over global warming. I'll say no more because it's political/sensitive.

They're both related.

[Lacbe]

Does it? You bring up an extremely valid problem and nobody wants to talk about it...

Why not I'm pissed off> sorry for that, But my grandson needs a better answer than than money rules over the love of our forrest land.

[zoidfu]

We do need homes, but now is the time to start thinking about living sustainably, including sustainable housing. The fact that we need homes is no excuse to do things unsustainably. In fact, if you think about it, it is all the more reason to start doing things sustainably.

I don't know why we are so adverse to sustainability. Once we realize we can and must start living sustainably at some point, we will then realize it may as well be sooner as later, and it might as well include forests and other natural habitats rather than exclude them. Why not?

Profits. It's what it always comes down to. People like us, standing atop a mountain or ridge see the natural beauty. They see future roads, hotels, timber profits, damming opportunities and the like. Sustainability is a dirty word these days.

[JAK]

Sustainability is more of a political challenge than a scientific or technical challenge.
It is still fundamentally a scientific issue however.

I agree that sustainability is being overshadowed by global warming.
Global warming is a subset of sustainability, and a critical issue, but not the only issue.
Equally critical are population, loss of soil and biomass, and loss of biodiversity.
It's all part of sustainability in my opinion.

Sustainability doesn't mean keep things the same forever. Sustainability simply means working with and within the natural cycles rather than oblivious to them for short term narrow self-interests.

[JAK]

Water. I left out water. We have lots of water here but most places don't.

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

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