Well, theres much to be considered here... I enjoy a nice comfortable seat in the middle of this situation. being 20 something in America we all have to come to understand that we expend, we consume, and we rarely provide.
Hes right
Hes wrong
Your right
Your wrong
And the best part is your both right in the middle. his argument is sound, were wasting copious amounts of water on tank changes. were burning electricity on our lights heaters and filters.
Now, hes 16 and ill take a stab and hope you don't stab me, are in your late 30's to early 40's there's a serious age gap and with that comes a gap in the ability to converse problems and issues.
You should be happy as a pig in #### that your son is aware that there's a situation on the planet that going to rear end all of us if we don't fix it.
Some leeway is necessary in that respect, turning off all his electronics and making his life bare essentials is not going to drive a point home because its in fact no way related to your own situation, his understanding of the situation vs your experience in this world is not going to meet eye to eye.
All you can do, is explain to him that your plants are consuming the CO2 and your housing fish that would normally be dead in a tank in a store, granted your justification of the situation also isn't going to ring home.
Being 16 not to long ago, i can honestly say what you already know, wait 5 - 6 years and hell get it better, once upon a time i might have stood on his soap box but sure as #### 25 and I've got a nice tank of my own.
Aside from actually reducing the human footprint. the best you can do is actually just discuss this with him, hes going to yell your going to be a ***** and no doubt both will walk away before the fights over, but this is where you get to be a good mom, and wait 10 minutes, go in apologize even tho you shouldn't, then have it out properly and discuss ways you can BOTH help reduce your environmental consumption.
another option, get him a girlfriend. There's nothing more distracting then teenage love.
Just don't fight him on it or else hell see you as always wrong and youll see him as always some dumb kid.
Talk
Discuss
Compromise
Agree (to disagree if you have to)
KraKen... lighten up a little..
As for the OP... personally, I like the idea of cutting off the power to his room. Taking away all his toys, telling him to grow his own food, etc etc etc as others have suggested. I'm sure he'll come around soon enough. Damn mouthy teenagers.
You know you may think that's a punishment, but if i wasn't sucked into this #### show of a society I'd be out there growing my food slaughtering my animals and busting my ass 18 hours a day building my cabin in the woods. my wagon WOULDN'T bust a wheel, and no, we wouldn't die of dysentery.