Weights are they bad for the Environment.

[drifter136]

Goober, I apologize if you took my statement personally. I wasn't saying that what you said or that you were silly or stupid, but that people who don't do the little extra things to help just because they do not want to give up all the conviences are being silly. And everyone's opinions and suggestions, including yours, are quite valid. Doing the larger things, such as planting a garden, riding a bike, or reducing daily consumables are extremely helpful and even moreso than the little things. But, the little things do still add up as well. Hope there are no hard feelings.

[adv_diver1]

Well considering that fisherman lose whole lead weights everyday and boats leak oil and gas, hunter shooting lead into the woods... the effect from the lead weight belts is propbably minimal if even detectable.

I would say if you are that concerned about the environment, ride a bke once a week or collect your neighbors recyclables or something that will actually do some good... or you could just start using some big rocks as weights wwhen you dive. You could start your own brand... maybe it would catch on!!

Also, dont forget to change EVERY light bulb in your house to either flourescent engery savers or the new LED bulbs.

[kancho]

I drive but some things can't be avoided.. I drive a low emission vehicle, If there are alternatives (a simple one) I don't mind switching. I will most likely switch to plastic coated weights. We do recycle here. That is all I can do.. Our house used flourescent bulbs Great deals at Costco..

[WV Diver]

You could always replace your lead with gold.

[CompuDude]

Originally Posted by WV Diver

You could always replace your lead with gold.

Best idea yet!

Look, in reality, the fishing weights argument has some merit. The lead you are releasing is relatively small (by comparison to the fishing industry) and unlikely to be a significant contributor.

A few things to consider, however.

1) Every little bit helps. Think compact fluorescent.

2) What actual advantage do soft weights offer over hard weights? Aside from protecting you if you're a dork and drop on on your foot. On a weight belt, I really see zero advantage. On a pocket weight belt, I see less than zero advantage. Weight Integrated, I see some... but honestly, not THAT much.

3) It's not the environment, dummy, it's YOU. That you're protecting. A little lead dust washed into the big ocean? Not such a big deal. Coating your hands with lead dust every time you go diving? It's called lead poisoning, and there are warning signs posted near lead weights sold in stores for reasons.

4) Longevity. Soft weights WILL break eventually. Hard weights? I suppose it's possible to hurt them... but it's not very likely.

[CaribbeanDiver]

people are overestimating themselves if they think they can effect the enviroment with what they do (to an extreme). our great planet earth is self healing and cyclical. everything will resolve itself in due course.
now go dive, dont touch the wildlife and stay off the coral/reefs.

[adv_diver1]

Carribean Diver is exactly right. The environment is overrated. I am talking about not being wasteful, use only what you need. The planet will destroy us and take itself back over before we can destroy it.

Also global warming is a crock. We had a near record temperature of nearly 80 degrees yesterday and the weatherman said, "Well we did not set a new record today but we were close. The record was 81 degrees on this day in 1926." 1926!!!!!! It has not been this hot since 1926...

Go figure. It is not about the environment, it is about how much of you use vs. how much of it you really need.

[CompuDude]

Originally Posted by adv_diver1

Carribean Diver is exactly right. The environment is overrated. I am talking about not being wasteful, use only what you need. The planet will destroy us and take itself back over before we can destroy it.

Also global warming is a crock. We had a near record temperature of nearly 80 degrees yesterday and the weatherman said, "Well we did not set a new record today but we were close. The record was 81 degrees on this day in 1926." 1926!!!!!! It has not been this hot since 1926...

1) It's not about us, it's about our kids and eventually our grandkids... and their kids. You may not care of your actions accelerate the loss of things for them, but I do. I would like my grandkids to be able to dive on a coral reef some day and see the same incredible diversity of species I do today. But what I see today is already a fraction of what people say 20 years ago. And the worldwide loss of species is only accelerating.

2) Just because temps in your neck of the woods are stable means nothing compared to the rising global averages and increasing instability in other regions.

[FOUNDATIONER]

Hmmm. Don't see a whole lotta change there...
Guess what GOD is GOD , not algore. It's a WHOLE PLANET.
Incredibly large, Incredibly dynamic. It's the height of conceit
to believe you can actually alter it. Is global climate change happening?
It BETTER be, it has been for 4 BILLION years!
More species of creatures are DEAD and GONE than are alive now.
BEFORE humans arrived. You could set off every nuclear weapon and
cut down every tree in the world and all you would do is kill US.
The PLANET does NOT care about you. It is a PLANET.
People "BELIEVE" in global warming.
I prefer to place my faith in something greater.

Oh, by the way, lead, yeah, it comes from the earth.

[CompuDude]

Originally Posted by FOUNDATIONER

Hmmm. Don't see a whole lotta change there...
Guess what GOD is GOD , not algore. It's a WHOLE PLANET.
Incredibly large, Incredibly dynamic. It's the height of conceit
to believe you can actually alter it. Is global climate change happening?
It BETTER be, it has been for 4 BILLION years!
More species of creatures are DEAD and GONE than are alive now.
BEFORE humans arrived. You could set off every nuclear weapon and
cut down every tree in the world and all you would do is kill US.
The PLANET does NOT care about you. It is a PLANET.
People "BELIEVE" in global warming.
I prefer to place my faith in something greater.

Oh, by the way, lead, yeah, it comes from the earth.

Personally, I care about losing the US (that's "us", not "U.S."). I guess you don't care about future generations?