As individuals we can try, but the average population is too selfish and isn’t going to stop until it’s too late
Between the likes of pollution, deforestation, wars, extinction of species to name a few…the only thing that could save this planet is humanity somehow becoming infertile.
I don’t know if it’s really selfish more people are a part of a system that is bigger than them that forces them into situations that have a negative impact on CO2 levels
Working a job that has low pay which probably force people to housing that is further from their work place, in America most cities don’t have a great public transportation infrastructure nor do they have alternative commuting options like protected bike lanes. This forces people to have to drive more.
The Return to Office bullshit has forced more cars on the road that were not there 4 years ago which is impacting CO2 levels
These are just 2 of many different things that the system has created that have put people in situations that make slowing CO2 levels more difficult.
Yeah I mean…we are all born into an already existing system. I guess we could all kill ourselves to help the planet, but that’s not really a great option for the self. I don’t have the power to change my country’s infrastructure as a singular being.
I guess we could all kill ourselves to help the planet
There’s a scene in the show Utopia where one of the antagonists is talking to a woman with her child at the bus station. She says they could drive but it’s better for the planet if she takes the bus.
He says if she wants to save the planet she should kill her kid, because raising a child in a first world nation is one of the most carbon-intense things you can do if you can’t afford a private jet.
Would that even matter? As in e.g. the timing and speed - like those still alive would keep going for quite awhile, perhaps all the more so given increasing technology, especially if the effects of aging were to be if not eliminated entirely then pushed back even a little bit more, or cancer, etc.
When I worked in an office, the amount of people who would demand that the heating was cranked up as they were sat there in a cotton t-shirt instead of layering up.
The amount of people I know who have every light turned on in their house, the heating on all day throughout the winter, don’t bother with basically insulation, don’t turn things off at night, drive to places that are easily in walking distance etc.
I could keep going on forever with a list of small and basic changes such as products purchased, recycling, waste etc but I’d be here forever.
And yet all that pales in comparison to a CEO taking a private jet to work hundreds of miles every day.
And all that pales in comparison to the amount of CO2 released by the cargo ships and planes going all around the world every day to support our global economy.
Not trying to absolve the average Joe of their responsibility towards the environment, but like, there’s only so much actually in our control. And even if every single one of us 99%ers did everything in our power correctly, unless we see huge global systematic changes at the policy level (like we did with the ozone layer), it probably won’t be enough.
And all that pales in comparison to the amount of CO2 released by the cargo ships and planes going all around the world every day to support our global economy.
Yeah, and who’s fueling said global economy? Regular people browsing Shein ordering ridiculous amounts of plastic-wrapped shit priced at ridiculously low levels.
Carbon tax is the only solution because it would affect both the rich and the poor. Yeah sure a rich CEO wouldn’t feel a simple 2 or 3 fold cost increase to their jet-setting, but if at the same time their company makes a lot less money because people ain’t buying their pointless shit now that carbon is taxed and things are expensive? That CEO might just start flying less too. And we’d need way fewer cargo ships operating if people bought fewer goods. Oh and manufacturing might become more decentralized again once carbon tax from transportation is an actual cost to consider.
Thing is, nobody is going to want a carbon tax. We’d all have to be inconvenienced for that. We all take so much shit for granted. So we’re all fucked.
Yeah, and who’s fueling said global economy? Regular people browsing Shein ordering ridiculous amounts of plastic-wrapped shit priced at ridiculously low levels.
Sure, yes, average people play their part in the global economy. But I think the infinite growth mentality is a big part of it too, which again, falls solely on the CEOs.
Ultimately I do agree with your overall assessment, things do feel kinda hopeless right now, because it just doesn’t seem like very many people in a position to make a difference are really doing anything.
As individuals we can try, but the average population is too selfish and isn’t going to stop until it’s too late
Between the likes of pollution, deforestation, wars, extinction of species to name a few…the only thing that could save this planet is humanity somehow becoming infertile.
I don’t know if it’s really selfish more people are a part of a system that is bigger than them that forces them into situations that have a negative impact on CO2 levels
Working a job that has low pay which probably force people to housing that is further from their work place, in America most cities don’t have a great public transportation infrastructure nor do they have alternative commuting options like protected bike lanes. This forces people to have to drive more.
The Return to Office bullshit has forced more cars on the road that were not there 4 years ago which is impacting CO2 levels
These are just 2 of many different things that the system has created that have put people in situations that make slowing CO2 levels more difficult.
Yeah I mean…we are all born into an already existing system. I guess we could all kill ourselves to help the planet, but that’s not really a great option for the self. I don’t have the power to change my country’s infrastructure as a singular being.
There’s a scene in the show Utopia where one of the antagonists is talking to a woman with her child at the bus station. She says they could drive but it’s better for the planet if she takes the bus.
He says if she wants to save the planet she should kill her kid, because raising a child in a first world nation is one of the most carbon-intense things you can do if you can’t afford a private jet.
I agree with both of those examples
Would that even matter? As in e.g. the timing and speed - like those still alive would keep going for quite awhile, perhaps all the more so given increasing technology, especially if the effects of aging were to be if not eliminated entirely then pushed back even a little bit more, or cancer, etc.
The average population isn’t too selfish, the 1% is.
They wouldn’t have made it to the richest 1% if they weren’t so selfish, and now they have great power over us all, especially regarding the climate.
I think it’s both
When I worked in an office, the amount of people who would demand that the heating was cranked up as they were sat there in a cotton t-shirt instead of layering up.
The amount of people I know who have every light turned on in their house, the heating on all day throughout the winter, don’t bother with basically insulation, don’t turn things off at night, drive to places that are easily in walking distance etc.
I could keep going on forever with a list of small and basic changes such as products purchased, recycling, waste etc but I’d be here forever.
And yet all that pales in comparison to a CEO taking a private jet to work hundreds of miles every day.
And all that pales in comparison to the amount of CO2 released by the cargo ships and planes going all around the world every day to support our global economy.
Not trying to absolve the average Joe of their responsibility towards the environment, but like, there’s only so much actually in our control. And even if every single one of us 99%ers did everything in our power correctly, unless we see huge global systematic changes at the policy level (like we did with the ozone layer), it probably won’t be enough.
Yeah, and who’s fueling said global economy? Regular people browsing Shein ordering ridiculous amounts of plastic-wrapped shit priced at ridiculously low levels.
Carbon tax is the only solution because it would affect both the rich and the poor. Yeah sure a rich CEO wouldn’t feel a simple 2 or 3 fold cost increase to their jet-setting, but if at the same time their company makes a lot less money because people ain’t buying their pointless shit now that carbon is taxed and things are expensive? That CEO might just start flying less too. And we’d need way fewer cargo ships operating if people bought fewer goods. Oh and manufacturing might become more decentralized again once carbon tax from transportation is an actual cost to consider.
Thing is, nobody is going to want a carbon tax. We’d all have to be inconvenienced for that. We all take so much shit for granted. So we’re all fucked.
Sure, yes, average people play their part in the global economy. But I think the infinite growth mentality is a big part of it too, which again, falls solely on the CEOs.
Ultimately I do agree with your overall assessment, things do feel kinda hopeless right now, because it just doesn’t seem like very many people in a position to make a difference are really doing anything.