Climate Change/Mass Extinction Megathread

[crazy canuck]

Hence the need for political leadership - which is actually the thing that is lacking.  The polls show the majority want politicians to act, but the political class is old, conservative and timid.

[Sheilbh]

Individual behavior is not as relevant to beating climate change as it is to beating Covid. Greenhouse gas emissions can be overwhelmingly attributed to some large industries which can be regulated much easier than individuals. That said with their current lobbyism, it does not look likely.

Yeah I often think about the fact that "carbon footprint" became a common, popular term following ad and PR campaigns by BP (designed by Ogilvy) in the early 2000s. They were explicitly inspired by tobacco companies and the way to try to distract from regulation or state intervention towards individual responsibility. And I think we're still trapped in that understanding.

[Eddie Teach]

- renounce air conditionning as it contributes to global warming

I'll renounce AC if you renounce heating.

[celedhring]

47.2C yesterday in southern Spain. Highest recorded temperature ever in the country.

Also, Barcelona is running for the winter Olympics and the Catalan government has felt it had to put out a statement saying they are sure there's still going to be snow in the Pyrinees by 2030.

[Tonitrus]

I wonder if there was a study on much artificial snow did Russia/Sochi ended up having to use...

[Tonitrus]

I wonder if there was a study on much artificial snow did Russia/Sochi ended up having to use...

Apparently at the 2018 Games, 98% of the snow was man-made, and Beijing is counting on 100%.

[viper37]

Hence the need for political leadership - which is actually the thing that is lacking.  The polls show the majority want politicians to act, but the political class is old, conservative and timid.

Because the polls never ask the right questions.  "Do you want the govt to act on climate change?" is overwhelmingly yes everywhere where oil&gaz&coal are not a major part of the economy.  If yoy ask: "Do you want the government to act on climate change, knowing it will lead you to a drop in comfort and more taxes in the future?" the "yes" vote drastically drops.
Political leadership is needed to do the right thing despite popular opposition.  You don't need political leadership is a majority agrees with you.  You don't need political leadership to reduce taxes, you know.  Or spend more money at random. But to tackle important issues...  I hate to say it, but Trudeau the elder demonstrated leadership when he declared the State had business in the sleeping room.  Ask this question today in a poll, if the State should regulate same-sex relationships, we'd get a 90% NO, I guess.

[viper37]

- renounce air conditionning as it contributes to global warming

I'll renounce AC if you renounce heating.

that's a problem: we kinda need it more&more everywehere, but we increase CO2 by using it so we increase global warming requiring us to cool ourselves even more...
But I suppose we could tax data centers a little more, or charge them more for electricity.

[Berkut]

- renounce air conditionning as it contributes to global warming

I'll renounce AC if you renounce heating.

The problem is not going to be solved by reducing the consumption of energy.

[Valmy]

My house generates more power with its solar power than it consumes, but I thought Viper was saying that AC units somehow were bad in addition to their power consumption.

[HVC]

Freon bad, but newer types are less bad. Then again I'd assume industrial units are more of an issue the residential.

[Zanza]

I feel changing the energy industry to renewables and nuclear or the car/ industry to electric and hydrogen or steel and chemicals to hydrogen can all be achieved by political regulation as that might cost money, but these are not really emotional issues.
Reducing the amount of cattle grown for consumption will be hardder unless we make major progress on lab grown meat.

[viper37]

My house generates more power with its solar power than it consumes, but I thought Viper was saying that AC units somehow were bad in addition to their power consumption.

well, most people don't have solar powered home.

I thought the Tesla shingles might take off, but it doesn't seem that great for northern climates.

[Sheilbh]

Reducing the amount of cattle grown for consumption will be hardder unless we make major progress on lab grown meat.

The stuff we have now in terms of vegan alternatives - Beyond Meat etc is pretty incredible.

[HisMajestyBOB]

I do like Beyond Burgers. I'll fry them up and eat them without a bun.
But no one else in the family likes them, so I don't buy them often.