Hence I am a Buddhist. That actually IS the human nature, but we are separated from it and can get back.

When you add in the energy cost of producing it in the first place, then things really seem exponential. I doubt there are many power plants that are even 50% efficient at creating electricity. Plug that into the ~ 1.5x we said is needed to get x to you, that means that you need to burn something like 3x the energy required to deliver it.

First … To equate the choice she faces with your dislike of efficient light bulbs is just sickening.

You probably could have stopped right there. But, thankfully:

Here’s a thought exercise: suppose Japan were run by Libertarians who insisted the free market should determine what Earthquake resistance standards should prevail. Maybe consumer choice should dictate whether public funds were spent on tsunami evacuation drills. What do you think the Japan fatality rate would be?

That’s one of the problems with “free market” ideology. A market only takes consideration of the things the people in it are aware of, and even then, considerably less efficiently than any sane person would like. No one thinks “Oh, it’s possible that a quake that happens once a millenium will happen in the ten years I probably will be in this house. Maybe I should pay lots of money to reinforce it.” Building codes provide a somewhat level playing field there, assuming someone cares to enforce them. Yet the potential tragedy of not having those building codes is immense for a quake like this one.

I am socially libertarian; the government shouldn’t interfere with how we pursue happiness as long as it doesn’t harm others. But economically (and thus environmentally) I think we shouldn’t take our eyes off the interests of the others. The tricky part is achieving a balance between the two. And no that’s not something that can be left to individual choice, because we humans are disinclined (and perhaps unable) to fully consider how our actions affect the others.

I linked to this post on my Facebook page. I don’t know if it will change anyone’s way of thinking, in fact, I am afraid that this country is so polarized in opinion that it may very well be useless… Still, I keep trying. Thank you for writing this.