Dawn,
I believe this was sent to the whole list, but just in case, here it is
again any way.
At 00:59 99/05/03 -0400, Dawn wrote:
> Eric would like to debate the ethics of styrofoam use.
>
> The first thing I did was go to Webster's and looked up the word
> "ethics". It defines it as:
> Ethics- that branch of philosophy dealing with values relating to human
> conduct,
> with respect to the rightness and wrongness of certain actions
> and the goodness and badness of the motives and ends of such actions.
>
> Eric stated:
> >I don't get why you are willing to support the use of styrofoam,
> >when it is just these kinds of materials that make people (and
> >other things) sick.
>
> First of all, I do not support the use of styrofoam. I find it
> unconscionable to use styrofoam cups, plates, food containers, etc. I
> feel the same about these items being made of paper.
> Second, in all my study and trying to find an insulating material that
> would work under footings and concrete foundations, I have not found
> anything other than BlueBoard that will work.
>
> Motive of using BlueBoard:
> The improvement of my health and personal living conditions.
>
> Ends of Blueboard use:
> A certain amount of pollution in it's manufacture, but styrofoam itself
> is a fairly stable and non-toxic material, especially when buried and
> away from UV light which degrades it. As Kathryn wrote in her May 2nd
> email, she had her floors replaced with a waterproof membrane and
> styrofoam insulation and now she burns less fuel, so the insulation
> will continue to save the environment thru the reduction in heating (
> and possibly cooling) costs over the life of the house. With the
> reduction in mold formation there will be no need to use chemicals to
> kill mold, which means a further reduction in pollution. With a
> reduction in humidity gain within the house from ground humidity there
> will be less need for using a dehumidifier which saves electricity and
> thus reduces pollution further. Mold contamination of indoor air is
> becoming a huge problem causing illness even in those people not
> allergic to mold, for example, Legionnaire's Disease ; so thus reducing
> mold also reduces the use of drugs to treat disease which are polluting
> our water supply thru sewage as these drugs are not removed in water
> treatment plants.
>
> In balancing out the pollution formed in the manufacture of BlueBoard
> with the reduction in pollution thru it's use I see a net positive gain
> in favor of the environment. This makes the use of BlueBoard in this
> case an eco-ethically good choice, in my opinion.
>
> >I keep trying to discuss ethics and all I get back is an education
> >on chemical sensitivity.
>
> The education in chemical sensitivity helps to make an informed ethical
> discussion possible. How can you discuss motive without knowing the
> motives of the person wanting to use a item you have objections to?
>
> Dawn
>
> P.S. When I lived in Florida I found that cockroaches like to eat
> styrofoam, so I would never put styrofoam where it was not sealed away.
>
> Molds exist everywhere, especially on the ground as they are part of
> Mother Nature's recycling process. Go in the woods anywhere and you will
> find fallen branches in the process of being composted by molds and
> bugs. Here is an experiment you can do if you live in a damp area. Take
> a fresh piece of wood from the lumberyard and place it on your poach, in
> a few weeks to months you will find mold starting to grow on it. Wood
> will get moldy whenever there is enough moisture available. In fact,
> molds will grow on plastic and metal as anyone who owns a refrigerator
> knows. The moisture that forms on the gasket and metal door comes from
> the temperture difference and then you get mold.
>
>
>
