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Climate Change Fight |OT|

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Pomerlaw

Pomerlaw

Erarboreal
Banned
Feb 25, 2018
8,536

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Use Ecosia as your search engine! https://www.ecosia.org/

Despite Google's management team owning a fleet of jets, the company has used carbon neutral servers since 2017. Ecosia also runs on 100% renewable energy and is building new solar plants as its user base grows.

Since Ecosia uses its profits to plant trees, however, every search with Ecosia actually removes about 1 kg of CO2 from the atmosphere.
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Rewild your lawn / garden! Details HERE : https://theconversation.com/you-can...iature-rainforest-imagine-newsletter-4-119150

Individual actions are fantastic, but we also need a collective effort. Check out groups and get involved in any way you can.

Environmental Groups
Sunrise Movement
Sierra Club
Greenpeace
Extinction Rebellion (located in the UK and Endorsed by Watchmen's Alan Moore!)

General Political/Social Action (not always climate-related, but they push for change that helps with climate legislation)
Adbusters
ActBlue
IGDA Special Interest Groups (SIG)
Change.org climate petitions
Resistbot



There is another thread on carbon saving with amazing info, you can check it out here :
https://www.resetera.com/threads/climate-change-action-ot-reduced-carbon.32171/
 
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TrueSloth

TrueSloth

Member
Oct 27, 2017
6,065
The easiest change for everyone to make is to drop consumption of mass produced poultry and meats. If you can't do that, eat local grass fed beef and free range chickens. Don't eat foods that have been doused with pesticides.
 
Astronut325

Astronut325

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,948
Los Angeles, CA
My next car is the Tesla Model 3. And maybe a Model X equivalent a few years later.

Will have solar on my roof in 2-3 years.

Eat meat in 4-5 meals a week. Namely on weekends or when we're dining out.

I don't use public transit anymore because I have to drop my kids off at school/daycare. Taking public transit after dropping then off isn't feasible since bus service to my work ends at 9am. Stuck this way for the next drcade. :/

Just planted two trees this past year.

Who are the companies proactively fighting CC?

I vote for candidates that prioritize CC. But CC is topic number 12 or 30 for vast majority of people and candidates.
 
Maven

Maven

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
2,076
Earth
What have you accomplished OP?

Because you are wanting people to spend tens of thousands for this supposed fight
 
Sasliquid

Sasliquid

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,292
These threads typically disappear too quickly but I hope one takes hold.

I don't eat beef or drive a car and I work in the sustainability sector but I can always do more.
 

Kitad

Banned
Feb 15, 2018
164
Alethiometer said:
Don't have children.
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Yeah but the problem with this is that the people following this advise will be sensible, reasonable people who care. And sensible, reasonable people who care are more likely to have sensible, reasonable children who care.

Meanwhile, bigoted, uneducated people keep reproducing at higher rates.

Do you see the problem?
 
Ampersands

Ampersands

Member
Oct 25, 2017
495
An underrated change that helps the environment and is good for your wallet is carpooling. Carpooling reduces emissions by taking cars off the road and decongesting traffic.
 
takriel

takriel

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
10,221
There's this little voice inside of my head telling me that it's too late.
 
Kurdel

Kurdel

Member
Nov 7, 2017
12,157
Alethiometer said:
Don't have children.
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I'm doing my part! Can't in good conscience spawn another human just because I want to see more lf my stupid genes. If I ever do have kids, it will be adoption.

Pomerlaw said:
It depends man. If you educate your kids to respect life & nature, and with the tools of critical thinking and science, they can grow up and do a lot of great things.
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The effort of trying to reduce your carbon footprint is like a fart in the wind compared to creating a whole other human being, nevermind multiple kids.
 
marrec

marrec

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
6,775
Pomerlaw said:
Why? Water consumption?
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Water consumption and additional pesticide and fertilizer use. Per capita, as it were, local growers use more water and chemicals on their crops than agri-business does.

Strictly speaking from a climate change point of view, growing local is not a good option.
 
Tater

Tater

Member
Oct 30, 2017
2,581
I just got my solar panels installed a couple of weeks ago. I know it's a drop in the bucket, but it's a pretty nice feeling seeing my meter go backwards even during the summer with high electricity usage.

My hope is that with enough people getting solar, we can prevent the need to build more power plants.
 
Vincent Alexander

Vincent Alexander

Member
Oct 26, 2017
19,720
Tater said:
I just got my solar panels installed a couple of weeks ago. I know it's a drop in the bucket, but it's a pretty nice feeling seeing my meter go backwards even during the summer with high electricity usage.

My hope is that with enough people getting solar, we can prevent the need to build more power plants.
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Since I am really interested in solar, mind regaling us with details? How was the process, install, price tag?
 
OP
OP
Pomerlaw

Pomerlaw

Erarboreal
Banned
Feb 25, 2018
8,536
takriel said:
There's this little voice inside of my head telling me that it's too late.
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marrec said:
Water consumption and additional pesticide and fertilizer use. Per capita, as it were, local growers use more water and chemicals on their crops than agri-business does.

Strictly speaking from a climate change point of view, growing local is not a good option.
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Good point. I'll keep the buy local bit though.

**Added green investing.

Maven said:
What have you accomplished OP?

Because you are wanting people to spend tens of thousands for this supposed fight
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Oh I'm sorry. It seems you think I want to force you to do anything. Move along.
 
miscellaneous houseplant

miscellaneous houseplant

self-requsted ban
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
306
Excellent thread. As others have said, not having children is the largest impact you can make by far. It is also a very hard thing to ask of people, and one I will struggle with.

Cutting down your meat (especially red meat) and dairy consumption provides multiple benefits - fewer agricultural emissions, both from livestock and from crop production to feed livestock, and reduced environmental impact by reducing the amount of land needed for agriculture. If humanity became mostly vegetarian, we could cut back on the amount of land used for agriculture significantly. Which creates more natural habitat and natural carbon sinks, improves water quality by providing natural filters, and reduces the need for pesticides and fertilizers.

If you are already considering moving, consider moving to an area with renewably generated electricity, whether it be via solar, wind, or hydro.

Bicycling is the greenest form of transportation in terms of infrastructure and calories needed to support it. Move closer to work and bike if possible. Push for making bicycling easier and safer in your community.
Tater said:
I just got my solar panels installed a couple of weeks ago. I know it's a drop in the bucket, but it's a pretty nice feeling seeing my meter go backwards even during the summer with high electricity usage.

My hope is that with enough people getting solar, we can prevent the need to build more power plants.
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Please note that installing solar can actually increase your overall greenhouse gas emissions depending on how green your local electricity utility is. The mining and manufacturing of solar panels will have a built-in environmental impact, so its important to be sure it will actually be a net positive for the environment. Installing solar won't offset any greenhouse gas emissions if the majority of your electricity is already generated through renewable sources, or will be in the future. So make sure you check your local electricity utility's fuel mix and plans for renewable energy before making that leap.
 
plagiarize

plagiarize

Eating crackers
Moderator
Oct 25, 2017
27,491
Cape Cod, MA
If people don't want to do anything, that's fine. There is much we can do as individuals, and the more of us that do it, the more impact it will have. Helping others see that they have choices they might not be aware of, is just another thing that could help make a difference. Arguing that there's nothing an individual can do, just ensures things continue on the same dangerous path they are on right now.

Edit: Oh suggestion!

Check to see if your state offers a home energy audit. In MA, if you're paying for electricity you're paying into the fund that covers these already. Not only will they offer you a whole bunch of discounts on energy saving measures, but they'll replace all of your light bulbs with LED, all for no cost. If your state has this and you aren't making use of this, you're wasting money as well as energy.
 
_Karooo

_Karooo

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
4,029
The stuff in the OP are all doable. I don't eat much red meat anyways.

Planting trees is kinda hard but I can donate to orgs that do.
 
Huey

Huey

Member
Oct 27, 2017
13,171
Great idea, OP - any utility to highlighting efforts to reduce plastic consumption? It may not be 1:1 link to climate change, but as part of an over-arching effort to literally try to save the planet, it's a vital component. If you're purely focused on climate change specifically though, I get it.
 
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Astronut325

Astronut325

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,948
Los Angeles, CA
HueyFreeman said:
Great idea, OP - any utility to highlighting efforts to reduce plastic consumption? It may not be 1:1 link to climate change, but as part of an over-arching effort to literally try to save the planet, it's an vital component. If you're purely focused on climate change specifically though, I get it.
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Good point. I no longer buy any styrofoam plates/cups. I don't but plastic stuff as much as possible.

People need to stop buying polyester clothing.
 
Roberto Larcos

Roberto Larcos

Member
Oct 25, 2017
607
UK users, I can recommend Ecotricity (energy supplier). They supply electric and gas - all electric comes from renewable sources (wind, solar, hydro), and they're also increasing the percentage of gas they supply from renewable sources. Against fracking too, so none of their gas comes from that. If you're with them, you know you're not contributing to fracking, at all. Among others, they're partnered with Friends of the Earth and the RSPB.

Also, if you're in the UK, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands or Belgium, check out Triodos Bank. Triodos is unusual in that it only lends to businesses and charities judged to be of social or ecological benefit.
 
Huey

Huey

Member
Oct 27, 2017
13,171
Roberto Larcos said:
UK users, I can recommend Ecotricity (energy supplier). They supply electric and gas - all electric comes from renewable sources (wind, solar, hydro), and they're also increasing the percentage of gas they supply from renewable sources. Against fracking too, so none of their gas comes from that. If you're with them, you know you're not contributing to fracking, at all. Among others, they're partnered with Friends of the Earth and the RSPB.

Also, if you're in the UK, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands or Belgium, check out Triodos Bank. Triodos is unusual in that it only lends to businesses and charities judged to be of social or ecological benefit.
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and for Canadians, Bullfrog Power
 
Neo C.

Neo C.

Member
Nov 9, 2017
2,992
Aside from not having kids (an argument I normally don't use often because it pisses off many people with good will but no concept of math), I strongly recommend people to do this:
Pomerlaw said:
Vote for people that believe in science and want to take action against Climate Change. Make your voice heard.
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Every small political victory for the progressive side can save huge amount of energy. If you have a mayor who is willing to change the street lights to LED, it will already have a huge impact - much more than you possibly can do on a personal level.
 
ghostemoji

ghostemoji

Member
Oct 27, 2017
4,816
I have to add another objection to buying local produce. On the surface it seems logical, but it's actually pretty complicated and counter productive in a lot of cases due to losses in efficiency during the growing process.

https://www.realclearscience.com/blog/2015/06/the_biggest_myth_about_buying_local_food.html
(Note that this is a blog post, but Real Clear Science is rather well regarded; I was just looking for the SGU episode quoted in this post)
Proponents of local food are absolutely correct in saying that closer production reduces the carbon impact of transporation, but transportation is not the only facet of food production that releases greenhouse gases, which contribute to climate change. In fact, it's actually a pretty paltry one. Production accounts for the vast majority of agriculture's carbon footprint, while transport to the grocery store, and finally your table, accounts for less than a tenth! This value varies depending upon the foodstuff, ranging from a low of 1% for red meat to a high of 11% for fruits and vegetables.
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Considering that production accounts for such a significant chunk of the energy that goes into food, there are actually many circumstances where buying local can actually be worse for the climate.

"For example, an acre of land in Idaho can produce about 50% more potatoes than an acre of land in Kansas," Steven Novella, president of the New England Skeptic Society, pointed out on a recent episode of The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe. Buying a local potato in this circumstance would be quite inefficient.

Moreover, for eco-conscious lamb consumers in the United Kingdom, it actually makes more sense to purchase lamb raised 11,000 miles away in New Zealand than lamb raised down the street. Why?

"New Zealand sheep are generally pastured and raised on farms using hydroelectric power," wrote Gary Adamkiewicz, an environmental scientist at Harvard.

The simple fact is that certain climates and soils are more suited to certain crops. It's more economically efficient and climate-friendly to mass produce in those locations and distribute across thousands of miles.
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So, if you're only buying local produce that is native or otherwise suited to your local ecosystem, sure. But if you live in Kansas, buying potatoes grown in Kansas vs. buying potatoes grown in Idaho is a net loss in the goal of reducing impacts to climate change.
 
Neo C.

Neo C.

Member
Nov 9, 2017
2,992
Yeah, the local vs. international trade is a very tricky one. People always forget that scale matters a lot. It's also why organic food is not always the best, especially when the production is very small scale.
 
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