More Doctors Smoke Camels More Than Any Other Cigarette-I Wonder What They Would Think About Green Homes
It wasn’t that long ago, just 50-60 years or so, that there were doctors on television promoting cigarette smoking. The video below is a t.v. commercial that ran in 1949. The spokesperson boldly states that “doctors in all branches of medicine and doctors from all parts of the country prefer Camel…”
An online resource of tobacco facts states:
“About 10 million people in the United States have died from causes attributed to smoking since the first Surgeon General's report on smoking and health in 1964--2 million of these deaths were the result of lung cancer alone.”
Yet, there are millions of people that continue to smoke.
Is it any wonder then that whenever we discover something new or better many of us search for reasons to hold on to the old. We enjoy our way of life and we resist change even when we know it may harm us or cost us in some way.
Now fast-forward to 2009 and consider the features and benefits of green homes. We now know that there are countless harmful toxins and pollutants in many of the materials used to build our homes. We also know that the air inside the average home is more polluted than the air outside.
According to the USGBC, homes and buildings consume approximately 72% of all electricity, 40% of primary energy use and produce 39% of all carbon emissions in the U.S.
Green homes and buildings significantly reduce energy use (25% - 50%), reduce carbon emissions (33% - 39%), use less water (40%) and produce less solid waste (70%) than non green homes.
In sum, we know green homes are healthier, more comfortable and cost less to operate! So what’s up? What is the delay? Why are we not demanding more green homes?
Personally, I think the answers are hidden in the habitual nature of our conditioned patterns of behavior. It took many years for collective public awareness about cigarettes to take hold. It may take us a while to catch on to the issues around green homes.
I know we’ll get there eventually--better sooner than later as far as I am concerned.
I can't help but wonder what future generations will think when they look back at us on the future equivalent of YouTube?
What are your thoughts and feelings on this subject?
Previous Post: REGREEN Online Green Home Renovation Resources for Homeowners and Professionals
____________________________________________________________________________
John Thomas MSEE, MBA
(m) 720-771-5594 (e) john.thomas@e3greenhomes.com
__________________________________________
Hi John, Yes, it is really sad about all the Camel smokers. My father was one of them. We did not know how harmful cigarettes were, in the early days. I do hope the green home housing materials are safe. They sound excellent
I have never seen a commercial like that. It is amazing that people would produce an ad like that with a straight face. As far as your question goes, it is opportunity cost. Thermo heat systems cost 20-30k. Hard to swallow, even for the benefits.
Amazing post! I'm always skeptical about reports of some new amzing discovery that is supposed to be good for you. 10 years later it's always a different story, yikes!
Great segue, John. I think the same thing will be going on pretty soon with cell phones.
John:
My mother died of lung cancer and became on of the sad statistics you quote. She always claimed as did Bill Clinton that she never inhaled.
I think it always comes down to money....what is the additional cost of green and what is the recovery period?
This is still so comical. I wonder how all those doctors felt when they later heard the truth.
I remember those commercials. It was interesting to me that the only publication that took these commercials to task was the satire magazine Mad. It caught my attention then, and we need that type of bite again against the misinformation. Meanwhile we are lagging behind even countries like Dubai and Abu Dabai who are embracing and producing green technology. Realtors need to get out front and lead on this one.
I agree- it is availability of green homes and perceived cost of a green home. Americans will need to ease into this....but I do think we are moving slowly into the more self sufficient lifestyles which will include green homes at some point. Knowledge is power! The more people learn of all the bad things in our food and environment one would hope healthier decisions would be made. For us and the environment.
Great analogy. That youtube video is classic. I laughed so hard coffee came out my nose lol. It's amazing how much our world has changed in not so many years.
We've come a long way, baby!
Hi John -- Great post. Too bad 45 years later 25% of the population still smokes. I am only marginally familiar with green building, but I remember reading a drawback for adoption is the additional expense.
I am doing some painting now and I only choose Non-VOC paints. I try to use vinegar and water to clean my floors, and other simple things. It's probably only a dent, but I try.
John, great stuff here. I can't wait to see the day we "ALL" start living green, not just a select few. I even get angry when I see the recycle barrels in my neighborhood never used, and/or full of trash and non recyclables. I am a real stickler on that.
Do they smoke the filter or non-filters??? Hahahaha!
I've always found it funny that humans are so evolved but so many of us hate change. It's an interesting thing.
A little more than 10 years ago some organization was mass mailing Realtors the cassett tape(remember them) " Dead Doctors Don't Lie"!!! The basis of it was; very few of them had little or ANY training in the area of nutrition(despite the fact that their patients sought their advice) and had an average lifespan of only 57-58 years !!!
Wow, so many great comments. Thanks everyone. I'll try to address a couple.
Ginger...I'm sorry to hear about your dad. My mom was a heavy smoker too. It seems like we all have learned this lesson together. Some quicker than others.
J. We don't need geo-thermal or pv solar to have a green homes. There is lots of low hanging fruit that can greatly improve energy efficiency and indoor air environment without breaking the bank. A lot of it is about changing the way we approach things and being willing to do things different.
Carol...I'm sorry about your mom. I don't know what's worse, the denial or the disease it can lead to.
Cheryl...You're right, the stats say it all. Hopefully, more people will listen and start to get the message. I have come to realize that by focusing my business on green homes, a big part of my job is about education.
Gary...I understand your point but it's not just the money. Our values have expanded to include social and environmental issues in addition to economic issues. Of course, the economics are important, but when it comes to health, comfort and quality of life, those things have value too. Having said that, the cost savings in monthly energy bills can easily offset the added costs of most green improvements. So when you consider the cost of operations, green homes usually cost less compared to other similar size homes that are not green.
Joe...Very good points. There are many places in the world that are way ahead of us in terms of the efficiency and performance of homes. We'll catch up eventually...until then, we'll need to do our best to promote green home features and benefits every chance we get. Most people don't know, for example, you can use a FHA 203k loan to purchas a home and make green renovation improvements.
Lisa...I totally agree with everything you say. Unfortunately, the cost myth is one of the biggest hurddles to overcome--see my comments to Gary above.
Michael...Funny and sad, and sick at the same time. Careful with that coffee, you may end up with a stained shirt;-)
Chris...It's interesting how we continue to do things that we know are not good for us. It's also interesting that cigarettes are even available given what we know about them.
Jean & Nathan...Many of us resist change until it clubs us over the head.
Michael...It's true, dead doctors, or anyone for that matter, don't lie.
Thanks again everyone...Here's to healthier homes for all of us.
Cheers,
john
How to Quit Chewing Tobacco: Anyone who has ever tried to quit chewing knows that it is difficult. Doctors are saying that chewing tobacco is even more addictive than smoking. In fact, a person taking 8-10 "chews" a day receive as much nicotine in a day as to a person that smokes 30-40 cigarettes a day. 1. Decide you are going to stop. This is the first step in breaking any habit, and overcoming any addiction, and until you make up your mind to do it, you have little chance of success. 2. Remove the temptation. Chewing tobacco is not as easy to "bum" as are cigarettes and not having any on hand will make it easier to resist the urge. 3. Substitute bubble gum, hard candy, or beef jerky if the desire to have something in your mouth is overwhelming. This will do absolutely nothing for the nicotine craving (the chemical dependency), but it will act as a placebo for your desire to chew. 4. Take a day at a time. Since with most addictions, the first day is usually the hardest, it may help to substitute the nicotine in your tobacco with a nicotine patch or gum, but use this sparingly, and decrease the amount incrementally so that after a reasonable period, you will be completely free of the chemical dependency. 5. Keep yourself busy. Starting to quit this habit when you have a lot of idle time may be difficult, since the idea of having a chew is always right there. If you are involved in something which keeps your mind occupied, there will be less time thinking about what you are missing.
Best regards www.stopsmokinghabits.com