They could start by making laws for right to repair. Where stuff has to last or should be reasonable to repair. Also start looking at retrofitting vehicles with technology that makes them more efficient.

It does matter. Compare the carbon footprint of the 1% of richest people with the 1% of poorest people. The idea the the poor shouldn’t have kids to mitigate the impact of people with Learjets is as old as the hills. It’s the “why seriously change how we do things, the real problem is other people having kids” meme.

Who said poor people shouldn’t have kids?
The fact of the matter is, the planet’s becoming overloaded. Less people means less demand for EVERYTHING which means less impact all round.
IE, if youre thinking of having say 2 kids, then think long term from the start. they have to be brought up, fed, clothes washed, kept warm, transported, right up till they leave home (which usually happens) then THEY need homes & it all starts again.
I’m not sure cos I haven’t looked for facts but I don’t think people are dying faster than people are being born.

They could start by making laws for right to repair

As far as I know the EU are actually introducing that along with a requirement for spare parts to be available.  Whether or not they are available at a realistic price is another matter of course

https://eeb.org/europe-paves-way-for-right-to-repair/

I’m not sure cos I haven’t looked for facts but I don’t think people are dying faster than people are being born.

Population isn’t falling yet but it is slowing down a lot.  I

We’re still way too comfortable for most people to give a ****. We’re like bacteria in a petri dish. People won’t change until we’re dying, en masse, in our own effluent. That or the resource wars will kill us.

Carbon foot print & global warming, or whatever its called these days. Dont give a damn. I will recycle as long as its made easy for me as it seems the right thing to do. But as far as im concerned the world has to last about 35 years more then it can imploded.
I dont have kids and dont give a hoot about anyone elses. I havent added to the problem of overpopulation which is only issue the world is facing, no-one is dealing with that. Probably need some sort of extinction event to get that back under control.

And you don’t care about the animals and plants that this planet supports either, I’m guessing, as long as you’re alright?

And it’s that sort of shitty mentality, ladies and gents, that means we’re ****.

I cared, still do but to a lesser degree since the GE result has shown that people generally aren’t that bothered about the sort of world their offspring’ll inherit. They’d rather get some arbitrary short-term goal completed and worry about the important shit later when it’s already too late. Meh. I’m enjoying not feeling monumentally guilty about owning a (low powered, admittedly) classic-ish motorcycle now, I genuinely feel like a weight’s been lifted off my shoulders.

For what it’s worth, we’re still mostly veggie and walk or cycle to the shops and stuff. I haven’t been on an aeroplane since 2002 (I think) and my OH has never been abroad. Unfortunately our (me and my OH) responsible bits are offset by the idiots queuing at the local McD’s drive through for plastic-wrapped shit burgers.

**** it. We’re doing what we can but not to the detriment of our mental health. I was losing sleep over this shit FFS.

I hear yer loud and clear kayla and really empathise with the effect it has of trying one’s best. It’s easy to beat oneself up when making decisions, supermarket shopping became an exercise in torture with my black and white “reasoning”. Every day I ask myself “can I do better?” and the answer without fail is “yes”.

Haven’t been on a plane for at least 20 years, last year’s car mileage was the lowest it’s ever been although not through choice, can’t remember when I last had a takeaway or even McD’s. My local-ish zero waste shop now sells dried foods which is just brilliant as for a one person household it means less waste.

How’s your soap-making going?

Let’s see if Boris really cares? This via KevinClimate’s twitter:

Given the deep concern @BorisJohnson has expressed over climate change &how his government is going tackle UK emissions, attached are some of the actions he will no doubt be driving forward later next week. I look forward to his scientifically informed & coherent climate agenda. pic.twitter.com/ML60EJhvEF

— Kevin Anderson (@KevinClimate) December 14, 2019

I do care and do as much as I can on a local level, my thinking is that if I reduce my local impact that will have an effect upon the global scale. A bit like look after the pennies and the pounds take care of themselves.

I cycle to and from work whenever I can – 8 miles through town.
My car is a small capacity petrol that is big enough for my needs and no bigger. It’s also well maintained and I plan to run it until it is irreparable, not just when a repair is costing more than it’s worth.
I don’t buy loads of throwaway fashion.
Electrical items are bought to last, not to keep up with the fashion, and only replaced when they no longer do their job.
No flights in the last 9 years, holidays tend to be in the UK or driven to abroad.
Recycling done as much as possible.

I could do more for small gains and I’m very aware that my carbon footprint from driving to go mountain biking all over the country is an issue but the most influence I have is done by:

The solution is less people. Easily done.

ie not having kids. The look of horror on some people’s faces when that option is given to them by me is astonishing. I can spend all my life limiting my impact on the world but by choosing not to create another life and all it’s associated impact is the best option for me. It’s not the only reason I don’t want kids but it always annoys me when you see the amount of waste a child creates with the excess of toys, clothes, running them around in cars to parties/after-school clubs etc creates. I have an unpopular opinion that I see the human race as a virus on the world. We’re destroying the very host that keeps us alive! I’m not advocating mass genocide or eradication of us as a species but we need to learn to live in harmony with our host, a bit like the bacteria in our guts or those small fish that keep whales clean. I’ll probably get shot down for that view (I usually do) but if you look up the definition of a virus we, as a species, fit tat description rather well.

@twowheels

– indeed I did assume that and having seen how other threads have degenerated have decided to apologise.

I am serious about building a bot though 🙂

No need to apologise as I haven’t a clue about volcanoes even when we have the largest one in SE Asia. 😀
The earthquake is happening more often hence I asked.

How’s your soap-making going?

It’s going ok thanks! I’ve got loads of it here, would you like to try a bar?

I have an unpopular opinion that I see the human race as a virus on the world. We’re destroying the very host that keeps us alive! I’m not advocating mass genocide or eradication of us as a species but we need to learn to live in harmony with our host, a bit like the bacteria in our guts or those small fish that keep whales clean. I’ll probably get shot down for that view (I usually do) but if you look up the definition of a virus we, as a species, fit tat description rather well.

I agree completely. No kids here either 😁

Technology has repeatedly been able to solve humanity’s problems, yet is viewed in the most pessimistic light by most eco types

Part of the reason is the lack of time. The magic co2 reducers needs to be being deployed now. And yet nothing has been invented yet, let alone be going into production.

Sitting around waiting for something that may or may not happen isn’t good enough.

Reduction is needed – whilst we wait for the magic co2 reducers to be invented – and after the technology is widespread enough then we can go back to business as usual.

I’ve been interested in this topic for the last 45 years. Here’s my view, for what it’s worth:
There’s nothing magical about grabbing CO2, there are various chemical and mechanical methods. All need energy, so what’s needed is events to force action, then a framework agreed internationally for sufficient plants to be built in sunny places, where they can use solar power. I would say to those younger than me – be optimistic and live your life responsibly, try not to increase the problem. Get a really economical diesel car immediately, fly a lot less. Get your home well insulated..etc All stuff which helps the planet and is good for your finances.
The time to build a large number of these plants wouldn’t be that great, but it will need very significant events to create the will to do it and finances to match.
I would also add that there is no possibility that the problem can now be solved by us all returning to a cave dwellers lifestyle. There are simply too many humans already and the possibility of changing lifestyles to that extent is zero. Tech is the answer, but also is the need to reduce the birthrate in developing countries by getting them developed. It will all happen and I’m more confident about that than I was in the seventies about surviving a nuclear winter.
I have to admit I was somewhat surprised to see such a topic on an MTB forum. Mountain biking is hardly a zero carbon activity.

Ban shareholders. Nothing says short termism than businesses having to return a dividend to these so called “investors” every year. Of course businesses such as the car industry are going to continue to used tried and trusted technology to keep the profit coming in rather than spend tens of billions converting over to electric or hydrogen powered vehicles at the expense of shareholders.

About 50% of Human pollution comes from mining, so the rare earths required for vehicle batteries isn’t going to make things better.

Bu look on the bright side, at least we won’t have to support some nasty regimes in the middle east if the west gets off our oil addiction…we will just inflict our “friendship” on other countries with rare earths.

In reality the current form of capitalism is the problem.

If I wasn’t planning on being dead shortly I’d look at things rather differently.

You little tease.

There’s nothing magical about grabbing CO2, there are various chemical and mechanical methods. All need energy, so what’s needed is events to force action, then a framework agreed internationally for sufficient plants to be built in sunny places, where they can use solar power.

I hadn’t realised that there were actual carbon capture plants in existence already, I thought it was still experimental.

The world’s first commercial carbon-capture plant opens in Switzerland

However it currently can only extract 900 tonnes a year, meaning we’d need around 40 million of those plants globally to be carbon neutral.

The UK average is ~6 tonnes per year per person, so we would need a plant for every 150 people. They cost $3/4million dolllars(?) Each
to build, so $26,666 per person.

I understand that costs would come down with economies of scale.

If we all do our bit we can do a lot more than our respective governements. If you start to do things it will influence people around you too. I’ve been inspired by others and hope to inspire.

+1.

Changed jobs a few months ago, turning a 40 minute (each way) car commute into a 10 minute bike commute. (Although I now endure car emissions 😷.) Yes I still have a carbon footprint, but a considerably smaller one. I hope that sharing this positive change with friends and strangers is enough to influence or inspire others to make some positive change for the greater good.

The Great Reset is here!

Sky News host Rowan Dean says people cannot be surprised when the same “authoritarian elitists” who impose lockdowns in…

Posted by Sky News Australia on Saturday, 17 October 2020

The Government does know what to do to solve the Climate problem, what they dont know is how to get elected if they go ahead with those policies.

I’m not sure cos I haven’t looked for facts but I don’t think people are dying faster than people are being born.

It’s OK, the Mayor of Manchester has this covered.

OK, Ive just watched the YouTube link posted earlier: Climate Change Talks – Professor Kevin Anderson.

I recommend you do spend a moment to watch it so you get a dose of reality.

Spoiler alert – you are living the last days of the best days.

-We have gone past the tipping point.
-Think you have some time left, you are wrong.
-Planning on kids, just dont.
-Making yourself feel better by putting your yoghurt pots in the right bin – dream on.
-Planting a tree, yeah sure, in 30 years its probably been chopped down for firewood.

kiksy
Free Member
There’s nothing magical about grabbing CO2, there are various chemical and mechanical methods. All need energy, so what’s needed is events to force action, then a framework agreed internationally for sufficient plants to be built in sunny places, where they can use solar power.

I hadn’t realised that there were actual carbon capture plants in existence already, I thought it was still experimental.

there are a few of these on small scale around the globe at the moment (Canada, Iceland, Germany), unfortunately COVID put a lot of them well behind the scale up phases as money was short. They have the potential to be a real success in reducing the need for digging up more fossil.