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I left a comment on Thryston's blog "Reach for the Stars."

The Great Depression of 2008?

     It is fair to say that the U.S. financial crisis, which was ignored, has exceeded the parameters of such expression.  With the solution being taxpayers funding seven hundred billion dollars bailout, I assume many are, or at least should be, aware to the current grave situation.  It should not be an issue of whether taxpayer bailout should be passed but repayment should heavily discussed.  I full heartedly back Barack Obama’s position that taxpayers should be treated as investors and not light heartedly "invest" their money.

     I also believe it is valid argument that repayment should not be the determining factor that slows the approval of the bailout.  If taxpayers don't do their part, the situation will become dire.   Many financial systems are already teetering on the edge.  If Americans do not inject money into markets to uphold liquidity, then we could face a deep recession comparable to the great depression.  If repayments are not to be expected then I believe an overall financial system is in order.  I understand that government meddling is the antithesis of a free market.  I now realize that this "invisible hand of the market" exists only when the economy is doing well.  The situation we are in now is much like the one we were in five years ago when the economy was booming because of the greedy financial institutions that were giving poorly underwritten, but profitable home loans.  One would not think of any government intervention but now that economy is down, it is expected.  Hopefully we can learn from our mistakes.  Any other thoughts?

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle!

“A recent government survey showed that at least 36 states are anticipating local, regional, or statewide water shortages by 2013” (EPA, 2008).  I don’t know what everyone else’s views on recycling are, but I am very passionate about the subject.  There are so many easy and simple things that people can do to make our world a better and safer place to live.  For example:

• When you go to the grocery store, don’t use plastic bags.  Either use a paper bag or take one with you that is recyclable. 
  
• The average bathroom faucet flows at a rate of two gallons per minute. “Turning off the tap while brushing your teeth in the morning and at bedtime can save up to 8 gallons of water per day, which equals 240 gallons a month” (EPA, 2008).
  
• Use fluorescent light bulbs.  “They produce the same amount of light, use one third of the electricity, and last up to ten times as long” (Worldwatch Institute, 2007).  Also, “if every household replaced its most often-used incandescent light bulbs with these energy-efficient bulbs, electricity use for lighting could be cut in half” (Worldwatch Institute, 2007).
  
• Recycle paper!  “Recycling paper instead of making it from new material generates 74 percent less air pollution and uses 50 percent less water” (EPA, 2008).
• Recycle your aluminum cans.  We save enough energy by recycling one aluminum can to run a TV set for three hours.
• Don’t just throw your glass bottles away because they can be recycled too.  If all the glass bottles and jars collected through recycling in the U.S. in 94 were laid end to end, they'd reach the moon and half way back to earth.
  

These are little things each of us can do everyday.  For more facts and easy ways to live green, please visit http://www.eponline.com/articles/58167/.

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I left a comment on JSC's blog about parking at SMU.
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