Quote:
Originally Posted by Truenorth00
The problem with delivery services is that they are:
1) Expensive, relative to the item being delivered.
2) Inflexible on schedule, requiring you to book based on the stores availability and timing.
3) Requires a different arrangement at every store.
Carsharing is catching on for all of the above reasons elsewhere. Book what you want, when you want, for how long you want.
Should be noted that delivery is better in places with more public transit too. It's pretty basic in North America, because stores generally assume that most customers will drive over and pick it up themselves. Meanwhile, it's routine to get fresh groceries delivered in many of the denser cities of Europe, and get same day delivery of appliances in Japan.
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TBH, I've never tried car share, but I have had great service from store delivery. They've always delivered at a convenient time and placed the product (like bricks or lumber, for example) where I wanted it. As a bonus, for appliances they will usually have a couple of young guys with strong backs bring it right into your house, hook it up for you, and take the old one away for recycling. For older people, that can be a godsend.
So car sharing will allow you to have the vehicle you want, when you want it, and where you want it? To the best of my knowledge, I don't think that it has caught on yet in my area, but it sounds like it would be a useful resource to keep in mind for the future. Will probably still rely on delivery services as long as they are offered, though.
Either way, I still don't plan on buying a truck, nor carry large and heavy items on the roof of my sedan...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Truenorth00
This has been mentioned numerous times in the Climate Change Thread. And it still comes up. It's a convenient excuse for the West to avoid any action. "We aren't the ones having too many babies." Meanwhile, one Canadian has the footprint of 40 Bangladeshis. So really, is the problem too many Bangladeshis in the world?
Fertility rates are highly correlated with economic growth and female levels of education (which itself is somewhat correlated with economic growth). As those go up, fertility falls. We're now at the point, where there's only one continent with growing fertility: Africa. Even India has now fallen below replacement and is about to start seeing its population age and decline. And they did it without China's draconian one-child policy. The sooner we can reduce poverty in Africa, they sooner we will see similar trends take hold there.
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I don't appreciate being blocked into the group of people who want to use this for an excuse to do 'nothing', but that's OK, I understand that there are still climate deniers on the internet. It would be good if you could understand that not everybody who raises a concern is necessarily one of them.
The only reason I brought this up is that the data indicates that the world is still experiencing continual population growth. While we in privileged rich countries are enjoying all of our luxuries, like cars, refrigerators, electronic devices, heated and air conditioned homes, etc etc, it doesn't mean that the poorer countries don't aspire to live the same kind of lifestyle, generally. To look at it purely logically, the trend will be moving towards more people living 'better' lifestyles and thus using more resources and creating more carbon, etc. It appears that it will be a race to create technology that will offset the increased usage and thus still result in a net decline. If technology loses the race, then the planet is still going to be in trouble, despite our best efforts. This isn't a call to do 'nothing', but just a statement of logic and fact. Of course we still have to try our best and make sacrifices to save our environment - it would be stupid to think that wasn't necessary.
If, as you assert, that population will decline naturally, then it will be good for the environment as well. However, are not most developed nations are still working with a growth-based economy? So I am curious on how that will play out moving forward.
Regardless, it looks like I was wrong in saying that it's an elephant in the room, as from what you say it has been discussed thoroughly several times on this forum - I guess I just haven't read those threads enough (I don't have as much free time to devote to this forum as some members appear to have).