BP Hearings

The whole congressional hearing process is silly. Nothing ever changes after these hearings. All it does is give congress the chance to grandstand in front of cameras and try to impress everyone with how concerned they are. Meanwhile the oil company lobbies practically own all of congress.

The oil in the gulf isn't the biggest mess that needs to be cleaned up. Somehow congress needs to be disconnected from the flow of money they've been drinking from all these years. I don't know how it'll ever get fixed though.

It doesn't just stop at congress. Every single American is in servitude to the 'oil companies'. If you think BP is worse than any other, you're just misinformed.

The consumer has the power here, we just don't really care enough. Has anyone stopped buying oil yet? Has anyone started to ramp up their donations to clean energy? Is anyone here carbon neutral?

None of us care enough to actually change. Sure we may vote for someone else who may make us change (but probably won't) but we all have the power, information, and resources to change on our own, if we cared too.

Don't blame BP, don't blame Obama, don't blame Bush, put the blame where it belongs. On ourselves.

Yes, the consumer has the power to change the markets, yet we chose not to. Yes, don't blame the people in power for being corrupt as we elected them in the first place. But, blaming ourselves for doing the best we can and putting faith in our system of government doesn't accomplish anything. What can we do to actually change consumers care for the environment if politicians are selling their souls to oil companies and promoting the benefits of supporting our current lifestyles? Who will stop this madness and make us less apathetic?

You can start with your own household. Then work on your family to do something. Then your coworkers. Then your children teacher. Then their classroom. Then your local government. Then the state government.

Don't give me the "it's too big" excuse. The fact is that nobody really wants to do all that. It's so much easier to moan that our government isn't doing anything.

No one here is doing the best they can. No one. If you think you are, then think again.

YOU have the power to make yourself less apathetic......that is if you/we/me cared to.

Please don't direct this at me. I do actually do quite a lot. Not the best I can, but I am an environmental and political activist. One of the worst parts of my life is that I can persuade people to do better things in regards to the environment and economy but I have never been able to persuade my own family to care about these things.
As for the government, I DO believe things are being done. And I do believe that people are trying to change things in the way you proposed. However, my question was not so grandiose: It was just how do we stop the individual from being apathetic and actually make them care about these issues? Is your answer- by convincing them?

My answer is that you (and by that I mean everyone) should get their own houses in order and other people will follow. It will become the normal. People are like sheep and will follow the flock, and those that don't will be eaten by wolves.

It's really that simple I beleive. Not to say that government shouldn't play a role, it just shouldn't be used as anyones excuse for not doing what they know to be right.

I concur.

Theoretically, in a democratic system like ours, the blame will always fall to the people. But there's a difference between theory and practice.

The structural problems with the political system which allow large sources of money (and I'm not just pointing at BP) to dis-proportionally manipulate votes in congress is something which has evolved over generations of congressional turnover and voter lifespans. I'm not sure that any amount of voter awareness will break the cycle now that it's entrenched.

And the idea that anyone will give up gasoline when they can't afford the alternatives (if any are even available) is just unrealistic. It's never going to happen. I agree it's a problem. I just don't know how to fix it.

Partially true, Map, but there's no reason that any corporation can't be controlled by the same legal processes that control citizens. Remember the old American "be a responsible citizen" thingy.

It's not that they are inherently bad, it's just that they are allowed to do inherently bad things.

Try this little experiment: get drunk and crash a small tank load of used, or new, as your heart desires, oil, into the nearest beach.

Your Porsche will be a real vintage auto before you ever sit behind the wheel again.

You're right, the majority just don't care, and there are many examples of that. People are still not recycling like they could, still driving vehicles they needn't (SUVs, minivans, etc), still wasting energy and water, etc. etc. etc. But until the government steps in and mandates these things, like they did with seatbelts, helmets, and no smoking in public places, we're just not going to do it en masse.

And the reasons?

Because we're all individuals who decide for ourselves what's important. Because we're over-regulated as it is and don't like to be told what to do, whether it be by government or scientists. Because many of us have our own problems which may take precedence over finding ways to be more environmentally active. Because some people just don't believe what they're hearing, and others just live for today and don't care.

So many people and so many different reasons. That's just the way it is.

Seatbelt and helmet laws have been in effect for so long now that they are the norm but I see idiots all the time without them. You think those people are going to bike to work or take the bus instead of their car?? Not likely!

The only way I think society can effect real change is to do it in the school system. Teach them early and often, and maybe you'll produce a caring generation.

... they have garburators.

Breaking News about Joe Barton:
http://able2know.org/topic/153117-1#post-4177036