Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Oh, Please!

I don't think I can start too many mornings with headlines like this one: Study suggests divorce depletes environment!

First, you have got to figure the cost of higher education is out of sight because universities are funding studies such as this. Sheesh!

Michigan State researchers have determined that a serious toll is exacted on the environment when people divorce because they are setting up a household that didn't previously exist. It states a multitude of statistics to show just how dire this is. It continues on to note that a problem exists in many countries, Japan in particular, because women are choosing to marry later or not at all. Why he pointed out it is women rather than men and women I have no idea.

No matter. Men, women, not marrying or divorcing, I am going to dispute his findings.

I'm concerned, you see. We're at the age now where soon we'll be fighting to stay in our own home. Empty Nest Syndrome and all that. Communal living, ie: the "home", is not on the drawing board just yet. We don't have adult children who could move back in, but I have plenty of friends who would not welcome it, what's more newly weds who can't afford their own digs or adult children and grand kids rooming and boarding away their retirement!

Okay. Divorce is not in the cards here. But we'd probably save water and energy if we lived under separate roofs.
1. We no longer shower together.
2. We shower longer because it feels good on our aches and pains
3. He wants to watch TV and I don't; 2 rooms consuming power
4. We want to watch different programs; 2 different TVs on
5. His computer, my computer
6. Grocery shopping versus the hardware store, 2 cars, etc., etc.

I'm sure if it wasn't time to feed the dog I could think of some more.

What is there to say other than to let these high priced "thinkers" figure it out. "I'm not sure how to get around this. Shifting to more energy efficient appliances is the answer, not trying to prevent divorce or trying to make divorce more difficult."

Can you believe they even considered trying to make divorce more difficult to save energy? Next thing you know states will be adopting florescents as their state light bulbs!

1 comment:

raymond pert said...

I participated in the first Earth Day. I recycle. Religiously. I drive a subcompact car. I've been involved in the environmentalist movement, even edited a monthly environmental newspaper for the Sierra Club.

And, now, it's all for naught. My best efforts undermined by my failures at marriage. I'm twice divorced and am married for the third time.

I may as well have built a Zinc Plant in my back yard and spewed tons of sulfur dioxide into the air. I may as well have clear cut 4000 square acres of virgin timber. I'm a walking oil spill.

And I thought I was just lousy at marriage.

Oh! How this haunts me!

;)