Quote:
Originally Posted by mjh215
To elaborate that point, if the overall quality of a product is not known or is under question I don't feel that any authority would be in the right to make required usage of that product. On the overall topic I wouldn't feel mandating would be proper either but that would be an expansion of the point.
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In an ideal world, with no threat of global warming, no bad manufacturers, and no resistance on the part of consumers to buy the most appropriate products, I would probably agree with your position. My position is that we are far past that point, however, and whether we like it or not, these are the realities we have to deal with. I don't like being told what to buy or not buy either, but I understand the need to do so, and as someone who cares about my country and my planet, am willing to forego the "freedom" to buy cheap, wasteful products, for all of our sakes.
That's why our best duty is to follow up government mandates with counter-mandates, forcing those governments to make sure the products we are being told to buy are worth buying. And since, as I said, this is not an ideal world, our second duty is to make our own efforts to make sure we buy quality products, and not have to depend on the government telling us which ones to buy.
I sympathize if your money is tight, but we're not talking about an electric car, here... even a quality CFL isn't
that expensive. I could buy a good bulb with the money I'd save on a single mixed drink at a restaurant. Priorities...