"Manliness" and Environmentally Awareness

[seth89]

So, I am talking to one of my girlfriends on the phone ( one of my best friends the last 4+ years...while there have been occasional crushes both ways, nothing physical outside a couple drunken kisses has happened) tonite while on the way into grocery store and make a comment about how I have to go back to my car to get my 're-usable shopping bags'. She laughs and says how she just doesn't see any of the 'manly men' she is attracted to using a re-usable shopping bag and that I really need to find an 'earthy type' girl.

Now while I usually take what she says about the type of men she is attracted to with a grain of salt, being that she often goes out of her way to make sure I know it is the 'redneck, big armed' types; it struck me tonight how I am sure many other women must stereotype those of us men who occasionally try to make a difference by being more environmentally aware.

What is funny to me about it, is that while I do try to make a difference in many parts of my life, I am still just a regular 'country boy' in my mind: I love to hunt, fish, be in the woods, watch football and hockey, drink Busch beer and Jack Daniels, dislike reality TV and love to have sex (and only with women )

So while I have no doubts about my sexuality, my 'manliness' or really care about stereotypes, I became curious about what women do think about men who actually give a flying rats ass about some 'green issues'? Do they think of us as over sensitive, weak, and unmanly or do they think it is cool, smart and strong willed to make a difference?

Interested to see what the females and if any other dudes have had similar experiences.....

 

[~~whimsy~~]

Yes! Nothing is hotter than throwing a big slab of packaged animal carcass to cook later on, eh!? Got a good girl there! Just make sure she knows how to cook it proper! Sarcasm ends.

Just make sure you air it out, they can be dangerous by harboring those microorganisms from meats and other foods.

I have a cat so I use the plastic grocery bags for bagging kitty litter.

 

[jod0565]

Do you recycle, use those mercury bulbs, drive a hybrid, have all the charts of the Inconvenient Truth on your walls?
If not, you are truly not doing your part to save the Earth.
If you are doing all these things, it won't matter in the end.
We will all be gone before the fruits of any of that "green" living is ever felt. Way before.
If global warming is your concern, it's called sun flares.
I don't know what women think of guys who go green, but anyone who thinks recycling will save the planet needs to know what resources and chemicals and pollutants it takes to recycle. If all the energy and pollution expended - large trucks picking up your trash and trucking it to several plants to be processed, is just one example - to recycle is okay with people, then by all means, recycle, go green.
Me, all my trash goes into the the trash bin - result - ONE truck takes it to the dump - one trip, done. I saved more CO2 emissions than a person who recycles.

 

[~~whimsy~~]

I see my trash truck just throw the stuff in the proper recycling box into the same trash truck they just emptied the regular trash into. Sad thing is, it is by law to recycle, yet it all goes in the same damn truck! Another useless, bullshit law! $500 can be fined if caught not recycling.

Bullshit, I declare!

Meh, I throw away my trash. I don't like trashy sights. I do not run in and out during winter so the heat won't keep kicking on. Same with summer, if I have AC on, I will not being running in and out so that won't keep kicking on. Not because of some environmental bullshit, but to keep the damn bills down!

I use plastic grocery bags as I said above in my post I have a cat. I use that for the kitty litter she so cruelly leaves behind. I use a bag a week for that. Keep it tied tight in the garage until the next night.

Global warming is just another tax to screw we the people over.

 

[seth89]

Do you recycle, use those mercury bulbs, drive a hybrid, have all the charts of the Inconvenient Truth on your walls?
If not, you are truly not doing your part to save the Earth.
If you are doing all these things, it won't matter in the end.
We will all be gone before the fruits of any of that "green" living is ever felt. Way before.
If global warming is your concern, it's called sun flares.
I don't know what women think of guys who go green, but anyone who thinks recycling will save the planet needs to know what resources and chemicals and pollutants it takes to recycle. If all the energy and pollution expended - large trucks picking up your trash and trucking it to several plants to be processed, is just one example - to recycle is okay with people, then by all means, recycle, go green.
Me, all my trash goes into the the trash bin - result - ONE truck takes it to the dump - one trip, done. I saved more CO2 emissions than a person who recycles.

sidetrack threads much? I don't have a 'recycling truck' for my neighborhood, so I take mine to the community center once every couple months when I am on my way to that area anyway. And recycling is about more then "CO2" emissions; it is about reusing and cutting back on other unneeded consumptions.

Btw, I wasn't asking for your political, scientific theories or futuristic opinions of humanity a'ight? If you wish to justify your actions or those of others, go for it. I wasn't trying to make this a green vs non-green thread, as I have not always been perfect and never will and don't care what others do. If I want to make some minor changes in my life and I know for a FACT that they do help my child's future and his children's then that is my right to do without being judged. Just as I am sure you don't wish to be judged for visiting a 'porn site' right

My question was on what a woman thinks of men who do give a damn about being more aware about his impact on the earth and uses products or accessories that may/may not be considered 'manly'.

 

[~~whimsy~~]

I wonder how many men recycle their balls to impress women......

 

[Facial_King]

Most things that are supposed to be "manly" or "macho" are just b.s.

Using eco-friendly shopping bags is not like wearing lacy lingerie or watching soaps all day on the couch, eating bon-bons.

Although I hope your shopping bags aren't pink with (hemp) lace fringe!

 

[~~whimsy~~]

Since when has watching soaps and eating bon-bons for a portion of the day considered unmanly???

Damn!

 

[seth89]

lol, no, I have two green ones, a brown one and a target red one...the only hemp I have is buds in my bowl

 

[Wainkerr99]

At the very least, working with minimum figures, by reusing plastic bags, I figure I have saved the use of approximately 2000 bags over a ten year period. This is by reusing bags at what would normally be the rate of four bags every weekend when shopping for food.

This also includes handing back the plastic bag that cafe owners invariably give one. Every so often, when the bags are too torn to use, I let the cashier use some more.

Multiply that by 250 000 people you get 500 000 000 bags that would be saved if others were to do the same.

Imagine if everyone were to do that.

People have different ideas that they encourage and discourage others with. It is assumed that a man does this and does that.

Truth is, you are the man. She must get her ass in line behind you and follow your example.

 

[jod0565]

sidetrack threads much?

What's so sidetracked - you gave an environmental view, so did I.

I did comment on your question also -

"I don't know what women think of guys who go green."

Thanks.

 

[busenbust]

I think the environmentally caring/sharing divide is about equal amongst the sexes. Certainly, I don't see women being any more environmentally conscious than men...anyhow, in our household we tend do the groceries as a couple, so we can(not) blame one another re environmental concerns.

Us guys better start wearing environmentally conscious make-up. Cue yet another film about our feelings towards one another

 

[Rey C.]

My question was on what a woman thinks of men who do give a damn about being more aware about his impact on the earth and uses products or accessories that may/may not be considered 'manly'.

Just like men, different women have different views. :dunno:

If you're a "green guy", some women eat that up. And others... well, like some guys, they don't give a shit one way or the other. There's no easy/right answer.