Climate Change

[fuse]

Is this a taboo topic for DBR?

Not looking for debate.
Looking for ways we might encourage each other, and have a positive impact not just as individuals.

Some ways I understand individually we can have a positive impact:
1) Limiting meat (mostly focused on beef)
2) Limiting driving (linking errand trips)
3) Planting trees

Another way to have a positive impact is to lobby your municipal government to reduce your town’s carbon footprint.

[gus]

Is this a taboo topic for DBR?

Not looking for debate.
Looking for ways we might encourage each other, and have a positive impact not just as individuals.

Some ways I understand individually we can have a positive impact:
1) Limiting meat (mostly focused on beef)
2) Limiting driving (linking errand trips)
3) Planting trees

Another way to have a positive impact is to lobby your municipal government to reduce your town’s carbon footprint.

This shouldn't be taboo.

1) I've eliminated meat. When people ask me why I'm vegetarian, this is the first reason I cite.
2) I try to reduce, reuse and recycle. For example at work, I use glasses and mugs, not plastic and paper cups.
3) I DO NOT DRINK KUERIG COFFEE
4) we are also trying to reduce our food waste, but that's been challenging for some reason.

But unfortunately, at this stage, individual effort isn't going to prevent continued environment calamity. We really need action at a larger level.

Interestingly, i saw this article in the times this moment:
Why Can’t Rich People Save Winter?

[tteettimes]

I knew you guys were here....

[Wander]

Really hoping DBR doesn't decide the thread is taboo. We don't decide to ban talking about the Moon landings, so this should be fair game too as long as it doesn't stray into talking about politicians one supports or voting records.

I'm on board with the statement made by gus that individual effort isn't anywhere remotely close to enough, although you may find it personally fulfilling (and climate change may be the most important environmental issue, but it's not the only one – individual effort may address some of those other problems). IMO the best thing we can do is (1) make a very big effort to switch to nuclear power and renewable energy as our power source (combined they're at <40% right now) and (2) find ways to make electric cars, trains, etc more available and useful, which will take advantage of part (1).

[JNort]

This shouldn't be taboo.

1) I've eliminated meat. When people ask me why I'm vegetarian, this is the first reason I cite.
2) I try to reduce, reuse and recycle. For example at work, I use glasses and mugs, not plastic and paper cups.
3) I DO NOT DRINK KUERIG COFFEE
4) we are also trying to reduce our food waste, but that's been challenging for some reason.

But unfortunately, at this stage, individual effort isn't going to prevent continued environment calamity. We really need action at a larger level.

Interestingly, i saw this article in the times this moment:
Why Can’t Rich People Save Winter?

I wish I could do 1 but I despise most things vegetarian. I try to cut back on my beef though.


I've been getting better at recycling and am looking into a mote eco friendly vehicle, cause my truck ain't it.

[JNort]

Really hoping DBR doesn't decide the thread is taboo. We don't decide to ban talking about the Moon landings, so this should be fair game too as long as it doesn't stray into talking about politicians one supports or voting records.

I'm on board with the statement made by gus that individual effort isn't anywhere remotely close to enough, although you may find it personally fulfilling (and climate change may be the most important environmental issue, but it's not the only one – individual effort may address some of those other problems). IMO the best thing we can do is (1) make a very big effort to switch to nuclear power and renewable energy as our power source (combined they're at <40% right now) and (2) find ways to make electric cars, trains, etc more available and useful, which will take advantage of part (1).

Yes this is the biggest change we need to make. From the little I've read the real challenge is making a cheaper more eco friendly battery for running things. They would also be useful in saving power produced from other venues like solar and wind to be used at a later date.

I know the other big thing is limiting our population growth. It's my biggest reason for not wanting kids or at least no more than 1.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

I highly suspect that this thread lasts less than 24 hours, but here we go.

We're likely doomed. The opportunity to hold the surge has passed. Our coastline will be forever changed.

It likely won't happen in our lifetime. As someone who doesn't have kids, I don't have vested interest beyond morbid curiosity and a degree of stewardship and responsibility.

The earth will certainly outlive our dogged efforts to reshape it, but I firmly believe if any humans are here to experience it, it will be a very small percentage of the current population.

Anyways, let's go Duke! Yay, Zion!

[JNort]

I highly suspect that this thread lasts less than 24 hours, but here we go.

We're likely doomed. The opportunity to hold the surge has passed. Our coastline will be forever changed.

It likely won't happen in our lifetime. As someone who doesn't have kids, I don't have vested interest beyond morbid curiosity and a degree of stewardship and responsibility.

The earth will certainly outlive our dogged efforts to reshape it, but I firmly believe if any humans are here to experience it, it will be a very small percentage of the current population.

Anyways, let's go Duke! Yay, Zion!

I'm not nearly as pessimistic but agreed we won't have to be around for much of the problems it's creating.

This thread should remain open as long aa we can keep politics out of the way. Which we should since this is a science issue.

[BandAlum83]

This shouldn't be taboo.

1) I've eliminated meat. When people ask me why I'm vegetarian, this is the first reason I cite.
2) I try to reduce, reuse and recycle. For example at work, I use glasses and mugs, not plastic and paper cups.
3) I DO NOT DRINK KUERIG COFFEE
4) we are also trying to reduce our food waste, but that's been challenging for some reason.

But unfortunately, at this stage, individual effort isn't going to prevent continued environment calamity. We really need action at a larger level.

Interestingly, i saw this article in the times this moment:
Why Can’t Rich People Save Winter?

I love my Keurig machine and the reusable coffee filter insert instead of the plastic K-cups. I think there are also biodegradable k cups available now.

[BandAlum83]

I wish I could do 1 but I despise most things vegetarian. I try to cut back on my beef though.


I've been getting better at recycling and am looking into a mote eco friendly vehicle, cause my truck ain't it.

Both of my kids are vegetarian. My daughter reminds me that even cutting back on meat is helpful. She reminds me bout meatless Monday’s as a start.

[PackMan97]

I don't really know or care what is an isn't going on in the world at large, my contribution amounts to very little. However, I do want to leave the world better than when I came into it.

Maybe this thread could just morph into hints and tips to reduce our impact on the world?

* I have reduced my meat consumption, when I do it's usually chicken or fish and maybe once a week or so. This is a huge change from 20 years ago. My oldest kid won't eat meat and he's only 7.

* I've got all LED bulbs in my house. Going from having a 300W halogen as the main light source to four 13W can is a HUGE difference. Multiply that by all the lights in the house, I think we can turn on every light and use less electricity than we did just to light up our living room 10 years ago. I've found that bulbs in the 3500-4000 kelvin range are just about perfect. Not the dim yellow glow of the 2700k or the awful harsh blue of the 5000k. It's just about right.

* I've quite going to, or watching NC State games which not only means less trips to my psychotherapist, it also means I don't have to buy as many replacement TVs.

[ryetales]

I highly suspect that this thread lasts less than 24 hours, but here we go.

We're likely doomed. The opportunity to hold the surge has passed. Our coastline will be forever changed.

It likely won't happen in our lifetime. As someone who doesn't have kids, I don't have vested interest beyond morbid curiosity and a degree of stewardship and responsibility.

The earth will certainly outlive our dogged efforts to reshape it, but I firmly believe if any humans are here to experience it, it will be a very small percentage of the current population.

Anyways, let's go Duke! Yay, Zion!

Devil Downer! I hope you are wrong, but a lot of the time I fall into this camp. We have to keep doing whatever we can do individually and organizing for the collective change.

[BigWayne]

Here you go... stop buying products from the country responsible for this chart:



That would be China BTW.

[Wander]

Here you go... stop buying products from the country responsible for this chart:



That would be China BTW.

Yeah, one reason why I want to focus on technological developments for nuclear and renewable power and electric transportation is that, hopefully, those advancements would help around the world, not just the US. It'd be nice to view ourselves as leaders in the world in that way.

[Wander]

I highly suspect that this thread lasts less than 24 hours, but here we go.

We're likely doomed. The opportunity to hold the surge has passed. Our coastline will be forever changed.

It likely won't happen in our lifetime. As someone who doesn't have kids, I don't have vested interest beyond morbid curiosity and a degree of stewardship and responsibility.

The earth will certainly outlive our dogged efforts to reshape it, but I firmly believe if any humans are here to experience it, it will be a very small percentage of the current population.

Anyways, let's go Duke! Yay, Zion!

I don't view things quite this pessimistically, but it's certainly true that human presence has already changed the climate, and things are far more urgent than most people realize. In a few decades, climate change is going to dominate every other issue. If we don't make any progress in addressing it, it will have as big of a political influence as one of the World Wars. This influence is so high because of how it will affect other hot button topics, like immigration from areas affected by sea level rise or droughts (there's a reasonable argument to be made that this has already happened with the war in Syria).

[budwom]

I highly suspect that this thread lasts less than 24 hours, but here we go.

We're likely doomed. The opportunity to hold the surge has passed. Our coastline will be forever changed.

It likely won't happen in our lifetime. As someone who doesn't have kids, I don't have vested interest beyond morbid curiosity and a degree of stewardship and responsibility.

The earth will certainly outlive our dogged efforts to reshape it, but I firmly believe if any humans are here to experience it, it will be a very small percentage of the current population.

Anyways, let's go Duke! Yay, Zion!

I share your view (and also don't have kids). I fear that we live in a world where crises are only addressed when many many people are adversely affected, in a major way. (In Congress, it's known as tombstone legislation...don't pay much attention to those defective aircraft parts until a place crashes, then pass a bill). Lots of publicity now, but a serious dearth of meaningful action.

To me, the insurmountable problem is that by the time enough people realize the gravity of the situation, it will be too late to fix. It might be too late to fix already.
(at least Mtn Devil and I live up in the hills, flooding's not apt to get us any time soon)...

[fuse]

To me, the insurmountable problem is that by the time enough people realize the gravity of the situation, it will be too late to fix. It might be too late to fix already.
(at least Mtn Devil and I live up in the hills, flooding's not apt to get us any time soon)...

If you buy into the 11 years until significant impact, we have less than 4000 days to implement change to defer the inevitable.

This means that every action of every individual matters. Yes, more is required at the municipal government and higher levels.

Maybe I am looking in the wrong places, I am trying to find carbon neutral businesses to support.

Buying local makes a difference.

[BandAlum83]

I share your view (and also don't have kids). I fear that we live in a world where crises are only addressed when many many people are adversely affected, in a major way. (In Congress, it's known as tombstone legislation...don't pay much attention to those defective aircraft parts until a place crashes, then pass a bill). Lots of publicity now, but a serious dearth of meaningful action.

To me, the insurmountable problem is that by the time enough people realize the gravity of the situation, it will be too late to fix. It might be too late to fix already.
(at least Mtn Devil and I live up in the hills, flooding's not apt to get us any time soon)...

I am sincerely hoping that technology and innovation will ultimately solve the problem through large scale CO2 scrubbing from the atmosphere. It might sound like SciFi, but it's being worked on.

As far as nuclear, that has so many other risks and problems, most notably, what do you do with waste that will be radioactive and lethal for millennia?

[BandAlum83]

If you buy into the 11 years until significant impact, we have less than 4000 days to implement change to defer the inevitable.

This means that every action of every individual matters. Yes, more is required at the municipal government and higher levels.

Maybe I am looking in the wrong places, I am trying to find carbon neutral businesses to support.

Buying local makes a difference.

But as I see it, the CO2 produced takes decades to hit warming, so we may already be too late, although more recent studies indicate CO2 may impact climate in as little as a decade (which would mean we can have a more immediate impact with changes today).

In other words, it's coming and there is little we can do to stop it. What we can do is prepare for the impact, adapt, work on new technologies and innovative mitigation strategies, and make changes now to limit the length of impact of greenhouse gasses from like forever, to under a century.

[Devilwin]

I don't think it's a fair fight. If gets hot, blame Global Warming..Cold and snowy? Again, blame Global Warming..And, it's always some apocalyptic scenario some 50 years down the road..And how is not eating meat going to halt the rise of temps? Like it or not, we are omnivores, complete with canine teeth and binocular vision indicative of at least a partial flesh eating diet..