Posted on 12/27/2008 9:48:19 AM PST by andrew roman
Being good for the sake of goodness alone - without all of that God nonsense mixed in - may indeed be one of the more industrious advertising campaigns implemented by atheists this holiday season, but fear not ... environmentalists aren't too happy with Christmas either. In fact, according to scientists at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) of Australia, Christmas may be ruining the planet.
If you happen to be one of those self-involved, less-than-conscientious observers of Christmas who bothers to decorate his or her home with holiday lights, without as much as a stitch of consideration for what you are doing to the environment, you are dead-red guilty of contributing to the demise of the Earth.
In other words, your string of Christmas lights is killing us.
From the Courier Mail in Australia:
Scientists have warned that Christmas lights are bad for the planet due to huge electricity waste and urged people to get energy efficient festive bulbs.
CSIRO researchers said householders should know that each bulb turned on in the name of Christmas will increase emissions of greenhouse gases.
Dr Glenn Platt, who leads research on energy demand, said Australia got 80 per cent of its electricity by burning coal which pumps harmful emissions into the atmosphere.
The culprit here is electricity - or rather, "centralized carbon intensive, coal-based power stations" that produce the electricity needed to power these little flickering balls of grim death.
"Energy efficient bulbs, such as LEDs, and putting your Christmas lights on a timer are two very easy ways to minimize the amount of electricity you use to power your lights."
Dr Platt added: "For a zero-emission Christmas light show, you may consider using solar powered lights ..."
That sounds so remarkably festive, doesn't it? A "zero-emission Christmas light show." Someone ought to compose a song.
While the increase of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere has not - repeat not - been proven to cause a rise in surface temperatures (as the Al Gore Green-o-crats would have you believe), I'm willing to pretend for a moment it does.
My question then would be ... can we possibly get more cars on the road? More smoke stacks a-pumping? More incandescent light bulbs a-burning?
If growing carbon dioxide levels do lead to rising temperatures, we need more of it here in the United States.
I assure you, I did my part. I even had Christmas lights burning inside the damn mailbox.
And to all of you across the nation who experienced some of the worst ice storms in decades, please accept my most sincere apologies. I strung up as many lights as I possibly could.
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These jerks will be happy to hear I bought all new outside lights this year. (helping to stimulate the economy) All my tree lights are actually solar powered LEDs. The house lights are still plug-ins, but they are also LEDs - very low power.
To make up for the energy the house LEDs do use, I'll just rent one or two less DVDs over Christmas and turn my 56" wide screen off. Sure, that hurts their leftist buddies in Hollywood, but oh well, sacrifices must be made.
Just wait until the plugin their all electric cars.
Hey, my husband, son, and daughter all qualify for Mensa. Not all high IQ people are environmental whackos.
That said, it was Jimmy Carter and the energy crisis that really dampened Christmas. I remember when I was little before Carter, everyone had lights up at Christmas. Then there was the “energy crisis” of the 70s. I don’t think decorations have ever been as pretty as before the 70s.
Or the algoreacle's expended energy on jets, mansions...
Or the hollyweird limousine liberals...
Or...
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