I got my propaganda
I got revisionism
I got my violence in hi-def ultra-realism.
I'm a part of this great nation... -NIN
Flat-screen television: Another short sighted, detrimental trend.
As prices for such technology drops, the mantra "Spend not Mend" becomes even more apparent. It is easier, faster, even cheaper, to buy a new product than to fix your old one. Furthermore, it is FASHIONABLE to own a new product. This attitude, combined with a tablespoon of advertising and a dash of low self-esteem leaves us with the perfect recipe for the perfect average American customer.
Now onto the life threatening part:
"The rising demand for flat-screen televisions could have a greater impact on global warming than the world's largest coal-fired power stations, a leading environmental scientist warned yesterday.
Manufacturers use a greenhouse gas called nitrogen trifluoride to make the televisions, and as the sets have become more popular, annual production of the gas has risen to about 4,000 tonnes.
As a driver of global warming, nitrogen trifluoride is 17,000 times more potent than carbon dioxide, yet no one knows how much of it is being released into the atmosphere by the industry, said Michael Prather, director of the environment institute at the University of California, Irvine." -[Ian Sample, science correspondent The Guardian, Thursday July 3, 2008]
What lesson can we hope to learn from this information?
-Keep the television you have.
-When it is beyond repair, bring it to a recycling facility (contact your local county offices for more information)
-If you are going to buy another television, opt for a thrift store where you can get an older, safer model.
-Or don't replace your TV.
The news broadcasts are mainly lies, violence and gossip. With the exception of the Daily Show, Colbert Report and Adult Swim, most programming has gone down the tubes whilst advertising and commercial interruptions have been on an all time high rise.
Do yourself a favor: read a book, paint a scene, compose a song, write an essay, plant a garden, take a walk, watch a sunset, adopt a kitten, and/or THINK FOR YOURSELF.
Your brain, and the environment, will thank you.
