I don't think I can be friends with moms who drive huge SUVs

[Anonymous]

My ex has an electric SUV. I have a gas powered small car (Ford Fiesta). I’m not sure which is worse for the environment.

My main problem with oversized SUV’s is I’ve seen too many drivers around here who can’t keep their big car in their lane. If they’re making a left turn, they edge over the line into my lane so they can swing wide. i don’t mind making allowances if someone seems to have a specific need (ex. driving a U-Haul to move). If it’s your everyday vehicle, you either need to learn to drive it safely or get a small enough car that you can.

As for the environment, I think we need to promote working from home with infrastructure investments and incentives. The government should be leading tge way with its employees. I think public transportation should be subsidized.

Finally, while I can see how earthquakes might be related to fracking, I don’t see a direct connection to global warming.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We do a lot of things for the environment, but we also need to carpool. Our Subaru Outback won’t suffice much longer for the reason that we have 2 kids. We can’t car pool except to bring 1 more kid. There are not a ton of 1 kid families and those families don’t always have space in their cars for our two.

If you want to fit 3-5 kids + sports gear, you will need an SUV or minivan.

So in Europe and the rest of the world why are they able to do this without the need for a HUGE suv?

They dont do travel sports the same way. Cars are really really expensive. Public transport and trains is more developed and they all just have less stuff.

They don't do travel sports because travel sports are stupid, and American invention designed to ensure UMC spend more money by privatizing kids playing soccer (something they could do in rec leagues! which are cheap and convenient). Cars are expensive there because cars are really, really inefficient ways to move people around and those countries actually want to reduce fossil fuels and not just destroy the planet for future generations. And they have more public transport because they use the money from taxes (including high taxes on cars and fuel) to fund high quality and convenient public transportations specifically because it reduces reliance on cars plus it also ensures that people with lower incomes can still get to school and work, thus improving economic inequality.

And having less stuff is good! We should all have less stuff. "Stuff" is killing the planet.

Europe is not just culturally different resulting in fewer SUVs and smaller homes. These are choices they have made through policies and also collective action. Choices intended to make things better for everyone. In the US, we don't believe in making things better for everyone. We only want to make things better for ourselves on an individual basis. And it will kill us in the end.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You really think that someone who lives in the suburbs and drives to the grocery store and everywhere else can criticize others over eco consciousness? You have just multiplied your family’s carbon footprint by moving there. So apparently you can make selfish eco decisions but others cannot? Glass houses op. If you really cared about these issues you would have stayed in the city. Did you bike to Aldi? Lol nope.

It's the same distance I used to drive when I lived in the city. 5 minutes to the grocery store. My child takes the bus to school. We couldn't afford a house in the city, so we bought a townhouse further out. My work commute is 5 minutes and my husband goes into the city twice a week via train. We are a one car family. I do care about these issues, which is why I posted. I hate the car idling at Americans schools. That's also wasteful and our kids are standing around taking the pollution in.

Ok, so you wanted a house more than you care about your impact on the environment. These people want an suv more than they care about their impact on the environment. You are not so different from them. Most European families live in apartments, it’s easily doable. And why were you driving to the grocery store in the city? You don’t seem to understand that the five minute car trips are actually the most harmful type of pollution. You seem completely uneducated on environmental issues and are just looking for an excuse to feel superior to your neighbors. Or a troll.

I have a small child. It would take 30 minutes to walk to the grocery store. No time for that.

[Anonymous]

They have a car big enough to take both my kids home after school for a playdate AND they shop at Aldi? I think I’m in love.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We recently moved to the suburbs, and they are everywhere. Some of the kids are in travel lacrosse and soccer and they are in FIRST grade. They all have the same exact huge white SUV. It was hilarious the other day because a few of them ran into each other at the grocery store and were talking obnoxiously about their vacations while standing in line at Aldi. Anyway, once I got to the parking lot, they were all talking and loading their groceries. They all have the exact type of car a HUGE white SUV. [b]My first car in high school was a Prius. [i] Dh wants an SUV but I am adamant about having a sedan. We have two kids, and it's fine. Do these people not care about global warming? We had an earthquake a week ago, killing thousands of people. Driving these huge cars is such a waste and global warming contributes to more earthquakes. I went from living in an apartment to this. It's such a big change.

I never had a car in HS or college. You seem wasteful to me.

NP. Did you not work in college? I had two jobs and went to school full-time. I had to have a car.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We recently moved to the suburbs, and they are everywhere. Some of the kids are in travel lacrosse and soccer and they are in FIRST grade. They all have the same exact huge white SUV. It was hilarious the other day because a few of them ran into each other at the grocery store and were talking obnoxiously about their vacations while standing in line at Aldi. Anyway, once I got to the parking lot, they were all talking and loading their groceries. They all have the exact type of car a HUGE white SUV. My first car in high school was a Prius. Dh wants an SUV but I am adamant about having a sedan. We have two kids, and it's fine. Do these people not care about global warming? We had an earthquake a week ago, killing thousands of people. Driving these huge cars is such a waste and global warming contributes to more earthquakes. I went from living in an apartment to this. It's such a big change.

Sounds like you shouldn't be friends with your DH either

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We recently moved to the suburbs, and they are everywhere. Some of the kids are in travel lacrosse and soccer and they are in FIRST grade. They all have the same exact huge white SUV. It was hilarious the other day because a few of them ran into each other at the grocery store and were talking obnoxiously about their vacations while standing in line at Aldi. Anyway, once I got to the parking lot, they were all talking and loading their groceries. They all have the exact type of car a HUGE white SUV. My first car in high school was a Prius. Dh wants an SUV but I am adamant about having a sedan. We have two kids, and it's fine. Do these people not care about global warming? We had an earthquake a week ago, killing thousands of people. Driving these huge cars is such a waste and global warming contributes to more earthquakes. I went from living in an apartment to this. It's such a big change.

OMG, you are me! We went from a small house to an apartment and now a huge house in the burbs. Things are different here! Everyone has a freaking large SUV with a BMW/LEXUS/ blah blah sign on their car.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We recently moved to the suburbs, and they are everywhere. Some of the kids are in travel lacrosse and soccer and they are in FIRST grade. They all have the same exact huge white SUV. It was hilarious the other day because a few of them ran into each other at the grocery store and were talking obnoxiously about their vacations while standing in line at Aldi. Anyway, once I got to the parking lot, they were all talking and loading their groceries. They all have the exact type of car a HUGE white SUV. My first car in high school was a Prius. Dh wants an SUV but I am adamant about having a sedan. We have two kids, and it's fine. Do these people not care about global warming? We had an earthquake a week ago, killing thousands of people. Driving these huge cars is such a waste and global warming contributes to more earthquakes. I went from living in an apartment to this. It's such a big change.

OMG, you are me! We went from a small house to an apartment and now a huge house in the burbs. Things are different here! Everyone has a freaking large SUV with a BMW/LEXUS/ blah blah sign on their car.

Gross.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We recently moved to the suburbs, and they are everywhere. Some of the kids are in travel lacrosse and soccer and they are in FIRST grade. They all have the same exact huge white SUV. It was hilarious the other day because a few of them ran into each other at the grocery store and were talking obnoxiously about their vacations while standing in line at Aldi. Anyway, once I got to the parking lot, they were all talking and loading their groceries. They all have the exact type of car a HUGE white SUV. My first car in high school was a Prius. Dh wants an SUV but I am adamant about having a sedan. We have two kids, and it's fine. Do these people not care about global warming? We had an earthquake a week ago, killing thousands of people. Driving these huge cars is such a waste and global warming contributes to more earthquakes. I went from living in an apartment to this. It's such a big change.

OMG, you are me! We went from a small house to an apartment and now a huge house in the burbs. Things are different here! Everyone has a freaking large SUV with a BMW/LEXUS/ blah blah sign on their car.

Yes and loudly talking about their trips to Paris, etc...OBNOXIOUS. We were trick or treating for the first time in our hoood and even trick or treating some mom was bragging about her Paris trip to my daughter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We recently moved to the suburbs, and they are everywhere. Some of the kids are in travel lacrosse and soccer and they are in FIRST grade. They all have the same exact huge white SUV. It was hilarious the other day because a few of them ran into each other at the grocery store and were talking obnoxiously about their vacations while standing in line at Aldi. Anyway, once I got to the parking lot, they were all talking and loading their groceries. They all have the exact type of car a HUGE white SUV. My first car in high school was a Prius. Dh wants an SUV but I am adamant about having a sedan. We have two kids, and it's fine. Do these people not care about global warming? We had an earthquake a week ago, killing thousands of people. Driving these huge cars is such a waste and global warming contributes to more earthquakes. I went from living in an apartment to this. It's such a big change.

OMG, you are me! We went from a small house to an apartment and now a huge house in the burbs. Things are different here! Everyone has a freaking large SUV with a BMW/LEXUS/ blah blah sign on their car.

Yes and loudly talking about their trips to Paris, etc...OBNOXIOUS. We were trick or treating for the first time in our hoood and even trick or treating some mom was bragging about her Paris trip to my daughter.

I mean, really? Just give her a piece of candy and move on!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We recently moved to the suburbs, and they are everywhere. Some of the kids are in travel lacrosse and soccer and they are in FIRST grade. They all have the same exact huge white SUV. It was hilarious the other day because a few of them ran into each other at the grocery store and were talking obnoxiously about their vacations while standing in line at Aldi. Anyway, once I got to the parking lot, they were all talking and loading their groceries. They all have the exact type of car a HUGE white SUV. My first car in high school was a Prius. Dh wants an SUV but I am adamant about having a sedan. We have two kids, and it's fine. Do these people not care about global warming? We had an earthquake a week ago, killing thousands of people. Driving these huge cars is such a waste and global warming contributes to more earthquakes. I went from living in an apartment to this. It's such a big change.

We don't have earthquakes because of the car you drive. You could all bike around and we would still have earthquakes, hurricanes, snow storms etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please tell me OP you live in a new build and the perfectly good 2000 sq ft original build is sitting in a land fill. Tell me it's true. And the potential buyer will now consider a new shiny townhouse in a new concrete jungle because it's the only affordable housing left where green space used to be

I live in a townhouse that is less than 2000 Square feet. No house was torn down. This was a field. We couldn't get an existing house. Tried for 11 months. My work is five minutes away. Half of the community is south asian. We are an international family Turkish/ Asian. The community I live in is friendly and not flashy. I have noticed these other mom's at the birthday parties. Thanks for mentioning that travel sports doesn't mean they fly every weekend. I had no idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please tell me OP you live in a new build and the perfectly good 2000 sq ft original build is sitting in a land fill. Tell me it's true. And the potential buyer will now consider a new shiny townhouse in a new concrete jungle because it's the only affordable housing left where green space used to be

I live in a townhouse that is less than 2000 Square feet. No house was torn down. This was a field. We couldn't get an existing house. Tried for 11 months. My work is five minutes away. Half of the community is south asian. We are an international family Turkish/ Asian. The community I live in is friendly and not flashy. I have noticed these other mom's at the birthday parties. Thanks for mentioning that travel sports doesn't mean they fly every weekend. I had no idea.

Why not stay in your apartment then? A townhome consumes more energy than an apartment. Hypocrite?

[Anonymous]

Nice job, troll! You should have pushed the age when kids start travel sports to 2nd grade though. Maybe 3rd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Good lord. This is what you spend your time being upset about? We have one big white SUV and one electric sedan. If you met me driving the sedan, you'd like me but if I was driving the SUV (that we use every damn square inch of), you'd be like "you're a garbage person". Got it.

(and it's only white because that was what was available at the time so I guess you can assign meaning to the color, if you want).

Hello neighbor, and I agree, you definitely need a big SUV for all the kids and their various travel sports. I don't judge, I just don't have as large a family, so I'm more mid-sized SUVs.