Eco-critic must show respect for people too

D ear Miss Manners: With the onset of global warming, now more than ever we must be more environmentally aware and do more to ensure a safer planet for all of us.

[Dienne]

Dear Miss Manners:

Sometimes my feet get really sweaty and itchy inside my shoes. If I'm alone in my cube, I can take them off and scratch my feet. But what should I do if I'm in a meeting? Should I take off my shoes in the middle of the meeting? Do you think anyone will notice? How can I take notes while I'm doing this? Thanks for your help.

--Eeewww

[Uncomfortable]

Dear Miss Manners,

I sometimes experience discomfort and itching due to my underwear bunching, especially when I wear slacks. I can adjust this discretely when sitting in my cube, but what about when I am in meetings? I am worried to try this, because I notice that the men around me do this all the time, and if I notice them, won't they notice when I do the same?

Scratchy

[Heinie]

LOL Itchy & Scratchy. Problem is not your shoes or bloomers. Probly your hygiene.

On a serious note, this fellow may have a skin condition--in his ears. Since hearing aids are usually properly fitted, new ones may not fix the problem. He may be over cleaning and removing that protective layer of ear wax. See a doctor--seriously.(Wearing aids since '88)

[Misplaced Texan]

Dear Miss Manners,

Do you know what is even more "human-friendly?" Butting out of your friend's (or enemie's) tooth-brushing habits. By mentioning to someone that YOU do something a certain way, it only increases the level of self-glorification that is all too common in the environmental movement.

[suzyq]

I believe in being conservative in using any of our planets resources and I am just frugal by nature, but I don't think I would carry a grudge against someone for a year for letting the water run while brushing their teeth. I'd be more upset if I paid a water bill that my roomie was wasting money. I just love the eco-friendly people, particularly the celebrities who tout conservation while living in their 10,000 sq ft 18 bath house, who use more energy in an hour than I probably use in a month explaining to me how not to waste our precious resources.

[Anne]

To LW1, I assume that while Al Gore was out saving the world, much as you feel that you are doing now, one of the Earth's poles is shrinking as a fast rate....and the other is growing at an even faster rate. Just a fogotten "minor" detail that they keep leaving out.

[Amy]

suzyq wrote:

I believe in being conservative in using any of our planets resources and I am just frugal by nature, but I don't think I would carry a grudge against someone for a year for letting the water run while brushing their teeth. I'd be more upset if I paid a water bill that my roomie was wasting money. I just love the eco-friendly people, particularly the celebrities who tout conservation while living in their 10,000 sq ft 18 bath house, who use more energy in an hour than I probably use in a month explaining to me how not to waste our precious resources.

Hey cut them some slack, they have a 10,000 sq foot house with 18 bathrooms, but they drive a hybrid. That must cancel out at least 1/2 a bath...

[Amy]

I honestly feel bad for the LW with the itchy ears, that must be terrible. Almost as terrible as watching someone scratch the inside of their ears in a meeting.

[Misplaced Texan]

Misplaced Texan wrote:

Dear Miss Manners,
Do you know what is even more "human-friendly?" Butting out of your friend's (or enemie's) tooth-brushing habits. By mentioning to someone that YOU do something a certain way, it only increases the level of self-glorification that is all too common in the environmental movement.

And yes, grammar police, I meant to type "enemy's."

[Shane]

Yeah - seething for a year - for keeping the water running for brushing teeth - she must be one heck of an engaging person to be around.

People who go around lecturing others about their failings do far more harm to whatever cause they are trying to push then by leading by example.(And i realize that she is seething because she didn't say anything - so i kind of give her credit for that...and she did write to MM, i presume, to find a way of nicely getting her point across.)

[Abbie]

I don't think I could shake hands with someone after seeing them scratch the inside of their ear. That's just gross.

I know that everyone puts their hands in all sorts of gross places, but I don't want to actually see it happening.

That being said, I can also empathize with the person wearing the hearing aid. It would be awful to have itchy ears!

[Sun bunny]

I can't wait for more global warming! The poles will melt causing the coasts to flood- there will be less land and mine in Illinois will be worth more. No more shoveling snow, and hopefully someday I'm a short trip from the ocean. Hey the world always changing -remember continents being formed, etc.. why fight it?

[EEE]

Misplaced Texan wrote:

Dear Miss Manners,
Do you know what is even more "human-friendly?" Butting out of your friend's (or enemie's) tooth-brushing habits. By mentioning to someone that YOU do something a certain way, it only increases the level of self-glorification that is all too common in the environmental movement.

But WHY don't you turn the water off when you brush your teeth????

Why do you hate the Baby Jesus?

[Misplaced Texan]

EEE wrote:

<quoted text>
But WHY don't you turn the water off when you brush your teeth????
Why do you hate the Baby Jesus?

Dear Lord baby Jesus, lyin' there in your ghost manger, just lookin' at your Baby Einstein developmental videos, learnin''bout shapes and colors. I would like to thank you for bringin' me and my mama together, and also that my kids no longer sound like retarded gang-bangers.

[SLH]

I am 34 and also wear hearing aids, I can also hear without them, but not nearly as well as I can with. I agree with the person who said if they are properly fitted, maintained and cleaned they shouldn't itch to the extent that you have to write a letter to Miss Manners to ask her how to handle scratching your ears at work. I have very tiny aids and they did itch at first but now they rarely do. The writer should check with their audiologist to make sure everything is fitted properly.

[Wyndie]

Our water heater is a long way from our bathroom. So when I brush my teeth I use the water from the hot tap. It runs cold for quite a while. As soon as it warms up, I can start taking my shower.

In general, when debates occur about scientific issues like conservation or global warming, I want to hear actual numbers. How much energy is wasted using faucet water for three extra minutes versus leaving a porch light on overnight, or having the thermostat set higher for elderly people? Run the numbers and then decide.

[Well]

Dear Miss Manners,
I have an annoying roomate who incessantly harps on "environment this, global that" and uses far too much of her fair share of Earth's oxygen.
How can I completely but tactfully end her use of Mother Nature's precious element?

[Well]

EEE wrote:

<quoted text>

Why do you hate the Baby Jesus?

Because I used to be the baby of the family and then all of the sudden, he appears!
Mom says it's a miracle, Dad say it's the mailman's, I say I lost the room with the cool bathroom.

Signed Well, The Son of God's Big Brother.

[EEE]

Well wrote:

<quoted text>
Because I used to be the baby of the family and then all of the sudden, he appears!
Mom says it's a miracle, Dad say it's the mailman's, I say I lost the room with the cool bathroom.
Signed Well, The Son of God's Big Brother.

*snort*!

You crack me up!!!!

[Cheryl]

Climate change is a fact. I do what I can to conserve. However, I concede that there are quite a number of humorless blowhard on the side of the environment and I understand how difficult they make life for people who aren't as concerned about the environment. So I just do what I can do (like turning the water off when I brush my teeth) and let it go with other people because I've seen the effect of the nagging and the preaching and the holier-than-thou attitude. Nothing positive comes out of it disrepect on either side of the issue.