[ausev] Some thoughts about ROI

[Michael Bonard]

John,

If you look at ROI in everything you buy, you are ABSOLUTELY right if 
you consider your _personal_ interest for the _short term_.

However, we have to think about the future, and if we do not take 
drastic measures now, we, as well as our children and grandchildren, 
will be the victims of our present behavior.

If you have children, you have certainly invested large sums of money in 
their education: $100,000 per child is currently the lowest cost I can 
find. We do that for their well being in the future. Were is the ROI there?

Why not considering investments in energy independence and for the fight 
against global warming _as an investment for our children, grandchildren 
and future generations_? We do not need to look at the ROI here, we 
cannot even define it!!

For me, any other view is a complete contradiction: if I am willing to 
pay for my children education to make sure that they have a better 
chance of living a happy life and, at the same time, if I refuse to 
invest in energy independence because of ROI, I am preparing for them a 
future that will be terrible. This does not make sense!

On the moral side, I find that ignoring the future generations is 
horribly selfish.

By the way, what is the ROI of buying a $75,000 sports car? ROI is an 
invention of bean counters, and ROI has no consideration for human life. 
ROI is a tool for businesses and corporations, not for every day's 
personal life!

We should think about the consequences of our actions, not only for 
ourselves, but for the rest of the society and for the future. We need 
to open our mind and grasp the big picture!


Michael Bonard
Washington DC

By the way, ROI means "king" in French. We live in the country where ROI 
is king!



John Penry at TransTexasTrucks wrote:
> I object to the "green tax" that companies charge.
> I buy Folgers by the pound, not Starbucks by the cup.  I look for value.
> I object to calling it "Windtricity" when it is the same electricity my 
> neighbor gets, but I have to pay more.
> Now if they called it a "rate lock", I would buy it.
> So why should I buy it if it costs more?
> Is it up to me as a consumer, or is it up to our elected officials?
> These types of questions could go on forever, but the fact is, I DO look at 
> ROI in everything I buy.
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Rush" <Rush at ironandwood.org>
> To: "Dustin" <ullearn at gmail.com>; "AustinEV News Announcements and General 
> Discussion" <ausev at austinev.org>
> Sent: Thursday, August 07, 2008 8:28 PM
> Subject: Re: [ausev] Residental Solar Power
>
>
>   
>> Hi,
>>
>> I'm way west of you all, but I find lots of interesting stuff on the 
>> list...
>> besides I used to live in Austin, on Congress.
>>
>> I often wonder how people figure pay back on shoes, on washing machines, 
>> on
>> cars... Why all of a sudden is there this big need to say it will or it
>> won't pay me back. Why does that become the motivating factor for so many
>> people? The need for people to justify an expenditure that puts oneself
>> ahead of the curve on responsibility seems pretty lame to me...
>>
>> Just my .06 kWh worth.
>>
>> Rush
>> Tucson, AZ
>> 2000 Insight, 62lmpg, #4965
>> www.ironandwood.org
>> www.Airphibian.com
>> www.TEVA2.com
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> AusEV mailing list
>> AusEV at austinev.org
>> http://www.austinev.org/mailman/listinfo/ausev
>>
>>
>>     
>
>