This is another of my "reality check" posts, based upon current events. Why would I post this? I think it is useful to remember that we don't live in a vacuum. What occurs in our neighborhood, nearby Chicago, the State of Illinois and even the country will have an impact on us. That may show up as changes in property values, or taxes or even the quality of life.
Today there are thousands marching for the climate.
Here's the critical question. How many of us live within our means? How many live in small condos or very small homes? How many of us drive small, very efficient automobiles? How many of us actually do the things necessary to reduce our carbon footprint? Or reduce and minimize the utilities (water, natural gas, electricity and waste facilities)? In fact, every resident of BLMH is living in a unit constructed in the late 1970s which is potentially more energy efficient than most of the homes nearby. No 3,000 square foot McMansions for us. We have eight units in the typical BLMH manor home, which means reduced exterior wall exposure per unit.
Are there benefits? Yes, indeed. Lower energy costs is directly attributable to the amount of outside surface area per unit. That reduced wall exposure translates into more efficiency per unit. More efficiency also means lower energy costs for the residents. And, our units sell for about half of the average cost of personal dwellings in our community. We have walking paths, streams and so on on landscaped grounds. But don't tell anyone.
Let the others march and complain. I prefer to live modestly and well.
But don't believe me, Listen to Al Gore, DiCaprio and the rest of the political/Hollywood elites and those who follow them.
Today is a big day I am led to believe. Today is the "Climate March" which is being used as a platform to blast President Trump's policies.
Okay, so who is showing up and why? I think it is useful to be aware of this.
Among those in the crowds are government employees who may lose their jobs if Pres. Trump does move forward and remove some of the Obama era jobs. For example, as reported in one popular news media "Among those attending the Chicago rally were members of the union representing Environmental Protection Agency employees. Trump has proposed cutting the EPA's budget by almost one-third, eliminating more than 3,000 jobs." It was also reported that "John O'Grady, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Council 238, called the march "a chance to speak out in unity against this administration" and its "ridiculous gutting of the EPA budget and staffing."" So what's more ridiculous, increasing EPA staffing by thousands to reach 17,000? And for what purpose?
Of course, one could expect union employees in government jobs that might be eliminated to march for whatever purpose to protect those wonderful, high paying jobs paid for by you and me, the taxpayers.
So, for example, what are the facts about EPA employment? It has been previously reported that "From 1972 until 2011, the number of EPA employees increased by 107 percent while the number of total federal personnel decreased by 15 percent." In fact, "the EPA had a staff of 8,358 in 1972 and it grew to 17,359 in 2011, according to data from the agency." That’s an increase of 107.7 percent.
But by December 2013 the number of employees had dropped to 15,913. Why? Because many EPA employees cashed in on an early retirement incentive offered to federal workers under the Obama administration. Cha-Ching! Those incentives were paid for by you and me, and by the $10 trillion the Obama administration borrowed. So our kiddies will be paying for that, too!
So who else is marching?
In Boston it was reported that the Rev. Mariama White-Hammond of Bethel AME Church told a rally "We are here because there is no Planet B,"
I'd suggest that these people don't have a personal Plan A either. Do they practice what they preach? Not likely. Most likely they expect us to carry the load.
No to be left behind, the Hollywood elites stepped up to the plate, too. Former Vice President Al Gore and actor Leonardo DiCaprio showed up in Washington DC. It was reported that Sen. Bernie Sanders called the marches "Part of a fight for the future of the planet." Actor DiCaprio put out the tweet "Honored to join Indigenous leaders and native peoples as they fight for climate justice,"
DiCaprio's net worth is reported as $245 million. He lives like a king. DiCaprio owns a home in Los Angeles, California, an apartment in the TriBeCa neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York, an entire island in Belize, an apartment in Riverhouse, a building overlooking the Hudson River in Manhattan.
Former Vice President Al Gore has a net worth of about $300 million.
Sen. Bernie Sanders is in the top 3.8% of US households according to CNBC. Not bad for a socialist.
What does this mean? We have a lot of rich, fat cats who live in opulence telling us to be green, etc.
