I might be stupid for thinking like this and if so please correct me; what can we do as individuals? Surely it's the massive factories, cooperations and massive business that are causing most of this shit to happen. What difference does me recycling stuff have versus big industrial factories doing fuck all? I say this from a perspective of feeling helpless.
That is not the implication.The implication here is that we should all continue our bad habits because BP devised a deflection tactic.
At the end of the day we have to change, it doesn't matter if BP approves or not.
As another person smoked out in their home, sweating and unable to open a window. I'm sending you the people hugging emoji. I'm computer illiterate apparently, but I just want to let know /hugIt is only the middle of May and to the north and west where I live is on fire. Had quite a bit of smoke earlier today, which when I was younger was pretty unheard of at this time of the year. Last year it was June. Usually it is not till August before smoke from fires ever reach here.
Going to be a great summer! /s
Well said.Don't get hung up on not having kids, capitalism is the problem, not more kids. Younger generations are the ones pushing for climate justice and anti-capitalist sentiment because they realize that fossil capital is the problem.
We need more radical and revolutionary kids that are willing to fight for their futures rather than less. Humans are not outside of nature or inherently destructive, indigenous epistemologies and communal ways of living acted as environmental stewardship. We can pivot to a better way of living in a post capitalist society, but you need the people to make the world. So the "don't have kids" attitude is not the right take.
Yes. It feels like saying "I'm so upset about climate change and fossil fuel companies that I'm going to … refuse to do things that are good for the environment in order to stick it to BP."The implication here is that we should all continue our bad habits because BP devised a deflection tactic.
At the end of the day we have to change, it doesn't matter if BP approves or not.
Do you honestly think that is the context of my posts? I'm stunned at this misreading.Yes. It feels like saying "I'm so upset about climate change and fossil fuel companies that I'm going to … refuse to do things that are good for the environment in order to stick it to BP."
Encouraging apathy and inaction in others on any issue is worse than just doing nothing.
Aw shit, no, it's not directed at you. It's directed at that relatively common sentiment, which is represented multiple times in this thread and in the many others we've had over the past few years.Do you honestly think that is the context of my posts? I'm stunned at this misreading.
I'm actually insulted. How dare you suggest I'm spreading apathy. Quite the opposite.
If you bother to read them, you'll see I consistently encourage people to do what they can. I can also point out the tactics used against us.
Ah, no, I see, I'm sorry. I obviously misunderstood where you were directing that. I can get a bit too sensitive sometimes. It's all good.Aw shit, no, it's not directed at you. It's directed at that relatively common sentiment, which is represented multiple times in this thread and in the many others we've had over the past few years.
I was just meaning to jump off of the sentiment ArkhamFantasy summarized; I think your posts have been really good in this thread, and I apologize for inadvertently sniping at you. I'm really sorry.
This is false since we are already doing major things although not quite enough.I think nothing major will be done to tackle climate change before it starts affecting billionaires' bottomline.
You did nothing wrong - I should have been clearer. The joys of internet communication!Ah, no, I see, I'm sorry. I obviously misunderstood where you were directing that. I can get a bit too sensitive sometimes. It's all good.
I think that's a fair point to make. Perhaps one could make a distinction between the sorts of individual actions that take time / resources in such a way that they further atomize or work against systemic solutions , and those that don't .I don't think it's unhelpful to do things in your personal life to mitigate your carbon footprint. I just worry that people will take that to mean that this is an individualistic problem which, in a society as lonely and atomized as ours is already (by design), can be a potential death knell to collective organization and action. Because this is a systemic problem with capitalism. Ergo, we should be prioritizing systemic solutions above all else.
give up meats
minimize air transportation and use EV
conserve waters
give up video games
This is false since we are already doing major things although not quite enough.
Eating less meat is very beneficial. However, the situation with flying is different. The fuel efficiency of flying is generally higher than driving, especially in the US, where many people drive excessively heavy trucks. Moreover, the average turnover rate for cars in the US is about 10 years. The production of a single truck equates to several transatlantic flights in terms of carbon emissions. This aspect is often overlooked in efficiency calculations. A plane is on service for 30+ years.Buying less animal products and not flying unless you absolutely have to are really the two big ones. (And voting of course)
No, just try and be much more considerate of what impact your own choices can have on our environment and maybe make some changes. It won't kill you I promise.
EU citizens please vote for climate conscious parties in your upcoming elections.
No, just try and be much more considerate of what impact your own choices can have on our environment and maybe make some changes. It won't kill you I promise.
Cross-posting from the other thread:
Very interesting article, thank you for sharing. Some additional takeaways:
The median expectation in their survey is 2.7C, which is in-line with the projection of the Climate Action Tracker. This is a tremendous decrease from a couple of decades ago, when the projected warming was around 4C.
1.5C is dead, but 2.0-2.5 is still very much on the table, and every tenth of a degree makes a huge difference. Even just fully implementing announced policies would keep us under 2.5C. This is why climate action NOW is still critically important. Human beings don't go extinct in any of these scenarios, so we have to improve things as much as we can.
I'm not a single issue voter on anything, but the issue I'm closest to being a single issue voter for is climate policy.
EU citizens please vote for climate conscious parties in your upcoming elections.
I find it really depressing how defeated even a community like era can be with climate change.
Nobody knows what to do because we can't do anything because nobody wants to change. top to bottom. until we are all dying and fighting for food, water, shelter I guess we wont see much change in inertia.
It's May 12th and I can't open a window because my city is engulfed in smoke. I'm so tired of this shit.
From what I know letting a machine separate trash is much more effective compared with asking citizens to throw stuff in the right container. So maybe that's what they are doing.Until China, India and the United States sort their shit out with large restrictions and reductions, paper straws and only buying one phone every decade isn't gonna do shit haha.
Literally visited Chicago (from the UK) the other year and it's like recycling was some sort of futuristic invention that hadn't arrived in the city yet. Nowhere was there to recycle anything everywhere I went. Fully 100% recyclable aluminium cans straight into the black bin.
Until China, India and the United States sort their shit out with large restrictions and reductions, paper straws and only buying one phone every decade isn't gonna do shit haha.
Literally visited Chicago (from the UK) the other year and it's like recycling was some sort of futuristic invention that hadn't arrived in the city yet. Nowhere was there to recycle anything everywhere I went. Fully 100% recyclable aluminium cans straight into the black bin.
Actually I haven't played bought or played a game in about 3-4 weeks, so just lately I am 👍 not through any deliberate cut back though I have to say.The give up video games line is absurd, thus my response. I somehow doubt you're up to that standard.
I don't mean to crush anyones optimism but it's worth pointing out that the 2.7 degrees of warming we're on track for means 2 billion people leaving the 'climate niche' by 2030, leaving the level of temperatures humans are able to successfully live and thrive. Also places like India and Nigeria, of nearly a billion people just between them, would be completely fucked. Optimistic is not how I would feel in that scenario. If people have optimism then use it now. Do things now.
The throwing the right trash to its appropriate bin is only a streamlining process for the deposits. There is not much to gain. However, the amount of trash in the US is simply on another level compared to Europe… at least in my experience.Until China, India and the United States sort their shit out with large restrictions and reductions, paper straws and only buying one phone every decade isn't gonna do shit haha.
Literally visited Chicago (from the UK) the other year and it's like recycling was some sort of futuristic invention that hadn't arrived in the city yet. Nowhere was there to recycle anything everywhere I went. Fully 100% recyclable aluminium cans straight into the black bin.
It's not really optimism to note that 2.7 degrees is a tremendous improvement from the track we were on 20 years ago, and that the actions we take for the next few decades can push us down into the 2.0-2.5 range. Every tenth of a degree makes a huge difference.I don't mean to crush anyones optimism but it's worth pointing out that the 2.7 degrees of warming we're on track for means 2 billion people leaving the 'climate niche' by 2030, leaving the level of temperatures humans are able to successfully live and thrive. Also places like India and Nigeria, of nearly a billion people just between them, would be completely fucked. Optimistic is not how I would feel in that scenario. If people have optimism then use it now. Do things now.
What happens at 2.7 degrees
Also slightly off topic but The Guardian have been smashing it over the last few days/week. I follow a lot of climate scientists that have been pulling their hair out because the media has been doing a piss poor job conveying the gravity of things to people and they've been expressing gratitude for their recent pieces.
While the projections mentioned here are scary there is some good news that came out recently: last year marks the peak of greenhouse gas emissions from the power industry as renewable energy accounted for over 30% of all energy generated last year with solar energy specifically more than tripling from the prior year. The shift towards renewable and sustainable energy shows no sign of slowing this year either. For more details see this section of the climate news recap I posted yesterday:
Actually I haven't played bought or played a game in about 3-4 weeks, so just lately I am 👍 not through any deliberate cut back though I have to say.
I don't mean to crush anyones optimism but it's worth pointing out that the 2.7 degrees of warming we're on track for means 2 billion people leaving the 'climate niche' by 2030, leaving the level of temperatures humans are able to successfully live and thrive. Also places like India and Nigeria, of nearly a billion people just between them, would be completely fucked. Optimistic is not how I would feel in that scenario. If people have optimism then use it now. Do things now.
What happens at 2.7 degrees
Also slightly off topic but The Guardian have been smashing it over the last few days/week. I follow a lot of climate scientists that have been pulling their hair out because the media has been doing a piss poor job conveying the gravity of things to people and they've been expressing gratitude for their recent pieces.
The Idiocracy scenario...Nothing terrifies me more than the idea that people who care about the planet won't have children while people that don't care will have lots.
The single most impactful thing is probably voting for politicians who will enact good climate policy. And then calling those elected representatives and insisting that they follow through on their campaign promises.
Obviously each individual's climate footprint is tiny compared to the corporations, governments, and armies of the world, but it's still worth doing what you can to lower your individual impact. Some of the most impactful things you can do as an individual are:
If you want to go more in depth than that UC Berkeley's CoolClimate Calculator will help you calculate your footprint and identify the most impactful actions you can take.
- Minimize flying
- Stop eating red meat
- Buy less stuff
Plugging all of our numbers into that calculator a few years ago motivated my partner and I to cut way back on meat & animal products, start buying way more things used (when possible), install solar panels, and get into a number of other zero waste practices like composting.
Since we're Americans with family and friends strewn across the whole country and three other continents flying is our biggest sin, but I don't know what we can do about that - tell our parents we won't be seeing them anymore? We take trains whenever possible, and I use Google Flights to filter for which flights have the lowest carbon emissions, but I've had to accept we can't be perfect. At least the CoolClimate calculator reassures me that even with the flying my emissions are 40% lower than average for my area.
My understanding is that pet food is primarily made from the waste products of meat production for human consumption. Also keeping pets is something that people have done for thousands of years, so while there are more and less sustainable ways to care for pets (like buying them less plastic bullshit that they don't need) it isn't really something that has to go away completely.Not to mention the bigger things:
About 25-30 percent of the impact of meat eating comes from pets.
- Dont get pets
- Dont get kids
We're walking towards a dystopian future and to get past this we cant lay the blame on individuals. Without getting corporations on board or by essentially switching out every single oil and coal powerplant in the world in a few years there's not really anything we can do.
Actually I haven't played bought or played a game in about 3-4 weeks, so just lately I am 👍 not through any deliberate cut back though I have to say.
give up meats
minimize air transportation and use EV
conserve waters
give up video games
That coexists with things like giving up red meat, reducing animal product intake, conserving water, and minimizing air travel being changes everyone (who is able) should make because they are generally good things that have a generally good effect.None of this matters unless the billionaires and corporations stop. Like the poster above said doing this as an individual is like trying to drain the ocean with a thimble. You're basically letting billionaires and corporations live great lives while you suffer in hopes that your thimble will make a dent.
100 companies are responsible for 71% of the emissions.Just 100 companies responsible for 71% of global emissions, study says
A relatively small number of fossil fuel producers and their investors could hold the key to tackling climate changewww.theguardian.com
None of this matters unless the billionaires and corporations stop. Like the poster above said doing this as an individual is like trying to drain the ocean with a thimble. You're basically letting billionaires and corporations live great lives while you suffer in hopes that your thimble will make a dent.
100 companies are responsible for 71% of the emissions.Just 100 companies responsible for 71% of global emissions, study says
A relatively small number of fossil fuel producers and their investors could hold the key to tackling climate changewww.theguardian.com
None of this matters unless the billionaires and corporations stop. Like the poster above said doing this as an individual is like trying to drain the ocean with a thimble. You're basically letting billionaires and corporations live great lives while you suffer in hopes that your thimble will make a dent.
100 companies are responsible for 71% of the emissions.Just 100 companies responsible for 71% of global emissions, study says
A relatively small number of fossil fuel producers and their investors could hold the key to tackling climate changewww.theguardian.com
If you don't want to change that's fine, but there's no reason to come in here and tell everyone their hard work doesn't matter, it's fucking insulting and there are other ways to make yourself feel better about your bad habits.
as always an rdcworld1 clip is useful for these occasions in the next decade or two
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCo3XwTRg9o
The math of individual impacts on any global issue is not a reason to not do good things that are good for the world and help people - or to go even further and discourage other people from doing them.It has nothing to do with me. It's just math it has no bias. I know it's a tough pill to swallow knowing that until corporations start changing individual contributions aren't going to impact the amount of CO2 going into the atmosphere. Even if by some crazy technological break through you could lower ALL of our food emissions to 0. (20-25% overall) that's 75-80% of greenhouse emissions that haven't changed. I know I'm pessimistic but it's just reality.