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Original poster

Code red for humanity -

231 replies

54321nought · 09/08/2021 17:12

www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-58138714

UN climate change report

Climate change is already massive, unstoppable and hugely destructive.

We have to reduce the number of children we are having, reduce the amount of meat fish and dairy we eat, stop driving cars so unnecessarily, stop burning fossil fuel, convert to using renewable energy, stop sending rubbish to landfill, reduce reuse and recycle.

Otherwise the human race is finished. Its as simple as that.

OP posts:
OffCycling · 09/08/2021 20:56

OP What's the hierarchy of affectedness you referred to please? I'd be interested to know which changes in behaviour have the greatest effects. Thanks

HasaDigaEebowai · 09/08/2021 20:58

OP What's the hierarchy of affectedness you referred to please?

Read “there is no planet B”. It will tell you which things are most effective

Skybluepinkgiraffe · 09/08/2021 21:08

@3luckystars

I totally agree. I admit to being a bit stupid (so please forgive me for not realising something that was so obvious to everyone else) but I read a post here the other day criticising people for using balloons, until that minute it did not occur to me that buying balloons was contributing, but after reading that I will never buy another balloon again. Things are getting through.

I’m starting to realise that every single thing I do is having an impact on the environment. I’m learning, and learning much quicker recently, but some people are not just purposely doing damage, they just really need things explained to them.

Buying anything has an impact on the environment. Absolutely everything uses resources in it's manufacture, again during it's use, and then as waste. Some things more environmentally sound than others of course, particularly if they are compostable. My interest is in just how the economy would survive if everyone stopped consuming things they don't need, and stopped doing things they don't need to do. How will we survive if our jobs rely on people spending their money on our product. How can we work in an environmentally friendly manner if the home we live in is part of a small rural new build estate (currently several like this going up near me) no decent public transport network and barely any jobs going locally. I appreciate that we can all do our part, but attempts to look after our planet only have a chance to work if all governments are on board to create a sustainable future for us. I'm not clever enough to know how that can be done, but I'm trying to be optimistic.
OffCycling · 09/08/2021 21:21

@HasaDigaEebowai

OP What's the hierarchy of affectedness you referred to please?

Read “there is no planet B”. It will tell you which things are most effective

Thanks @HasaDigaEebowai
Tuscancat · 09/08/2021 21:23

@beigebrownblue you haven't mentioned how many children you have, nor how often you fly...

Tuscancat · 09/08/2021 21:37

@Skybluepinkgiraffe if we are consuming less then we should need less money. Do we need to work so much? Could more time be spent cooking from scratch, make do and mending, growing your own food, yoga, board games, sharing books and stories.

midgemagneto · 09/08/2021 21:37

The economy won't survive major climate change ... look at the hit it took from a few months of covid !

I think that the nature of economy will change , I would like to see the true cost of things reflected in prices , I would like the economy to reflect the true value of things - again covid - for me that's time with friends and family

HasaDigaEebowai · 09/08/2021 21:54

The economy won't survive major climate change ... look at the hit it took from a few months of covid

No it won’t survive major climate change but that’s because half of London will be underwater

DontDoThatGeorge · 09/08/2021 22:01

Utterly ridiculous.

"We" are a species, you might think you're a special, individual, eco-friendly princess but you aren't. You are a human and humans have very successfully colonised the entire world. It's a huge achievement for a species, but it can't last forever, or it never has so far.
We won't see the end though, it'll just be a bit grim til it happens. Not to worry.

DontDoThatGeorge · 09/08/2021 22:03

There's that 'we' again.

Lovely.

No, 'we' haven't overdone anything.

SOME OF HUMANITY HAVE. And it is them that needs to change

Above was a reply to this nonsense

Iggly · 09/08/2021 22:30

The economy won't survive major climate change ... look at the hit it took from a few months of covid

Yes because we weren’t prepared for it. Climate change is not a surprise. Better get ready now and make the changes needed. Sadly that wont happen, I just know it.

Our government lacks vision and ambition.

worriedatthemoment · 09/08/2021 22:33

@Iggly our goverment can't fix it all , we as a country cannot either

MsTSwift · 09/08/2021 22:33

It’s a systemic problem though isn’t it our economies rely on us buying stuff but that model is unsustainable. We need another system

MsTSwift · 09/08/2021 22:45

The larger family threads fill me with 🙄. One woman boasting about having 11 children numerous “shall I have a fourth” type posts. Words fail.

ichundich · 09/08/2021 22:54

@LoveFall

This is a question I have been wondering about. If everyone in the world becomes vegan, and we no linger have cows, sheep, pigs and chickens, how will be grow organic plant based food?

Will all those animals become extinct?

Why on earth would they become extinct?! Nobody wants to just "cull" the livestock that we currently have! There'll always be cows, sheep, chickens, etc., just not in the vast numbers that we have today because no human needs to eat meat and dairy 7 or 5 or even 3 days a week.
3luckystars · 09/08/2021 22:59

Well nobody is going to keep cows as pets, they would cost a lot to keep and feed and if there is no money to be made from them, then farmers won’t keep them.

ichundich · 09/08/2021 23:04

@3luckystars

Well nobody is going to keep cows as pets, they would cost a lot to keep and feed and if there is no money to be made from them, then farmers won’t keep them.
That's assuming that the entire human race is going to brcone vegan, which won't happen and probably doesn't need to need happen either. If everybody just cut down on meat and dairy, this would make a huge difference. Most people used to eat meat a few times a month; that's what we should aim for, and also to make better use of the food we have produced. So much of it is thrown away daily both by supermarkets and consumers.
LoveFall · 09/08/2021 23:24

Ok, maybe it was dumb to think about them going extinct, but why would anyone keep them if they are not economic? Where would they live?

And one of the things constantly mentioned is we shouldn't have pets. Or children.

The call to become vegan has never been phrased as we need a certain percentage to eat vegan to help climate change. Isn't it that a vegan never eats meat, fish, dairy or eggs? Can you be a little bit vegan or is it like being a little bit pregnant?

I find it confusing. I am already barely eating meat and only a few eggs a week, but I do have cream in my coffee and I eat cheese. Yet I feel I should become vegan because of climate change.

Maybe the inflexibility of it all is why more people aren't willing to change? Is a joyless life the only way?

ichundich · 09/08/2021 23:33

@LoveFall

Ok, maybe it was dumb to think about them going extinct, but why would anyone keep them if they are not economic? Where would they live?

And one of the things constantly mentioned is we shouldn't have pets. Or children.

The call to become vegan has never been phrased as we need a certain percentage to eat vegan to help climate change. Isn't it that a vegan never eats meat, fish, dairy or eggs? Can you be a little bit vegan or is it like being a little bit pregnant?

I find it confusing. I am already barely eating meat and only a few eggs a week, but I do have cream in my coffee and I eat cheese. Yet I feel I should become vegan because of climate change.

Maybe the inflexibility of it all is why more people aren't willing to change? Is a joyless life the only way?

Personally I think we should all just consume (a) less and (b) in a more responsible way. I'm not convinced that going vegan is necessarily the best way to achieve this though - are soya beans grown in Brazil and Californian nuts really better for the planet than organic eggs or locally farmed beef?
scattercushion17 · 10/08/2021 00:05

I'm definitely not perfect but just wanted to say a great quote I've seen is 'it's only 1 cup.... Said 8 billion people'. If we all cut our heating by 1 deg cel or bought one less thing then collectively that would have a good dent in emissions.

Treeapp is great for planting a free tree every day.

Skybluepinkgiraffe · 10/08/2021 06:39

[quote Tuscancat]@Skybluepinkgiraffe if we are consuming less then we should need less money. Do we need to work so much? Could more time be spent cooking from scratch, make do and mending, growing your own food, yoga, board games, sharing books and stories.[/quote]
Yes that sounds nice, but realistically, how are we to get from here to there? We have a planet full of people and plenty are squashed together in cities. I'm not so sure it's as simple as just growing our own potatoes and doing yoga. It's an enormous sociological change and would needs steps in place for supporting humans as they do this.

Skybluepinkgiraffe · 10/08/2021 06:42

@MsTSwift

It’s a systemic problem though isn’t it our economies rely on us buying stuff but that model is unsustainable. We need another system
I agree with this, and your comments about the threads we see on MN all the time. Such greed on display.
midgemagneto · 10/08/2021 07:31

Realistically we have a choice of trying to make a controlled ordered route to a low carbon society or allowing nature to take its course , which will leave a low carbon society if enough humans remain after wars caused by resource scarcity ( water , shelter , food )

Assume we can't do it snd we will fail, but humans can be pretty clever

MarshaBradyo · 10/08/2021 07:36

@MsTSwift

It’s a systemic problem though isn’t it our economies rely on us buying stuff but that model is unsustainable. We need another system
What would you have?

Would you change approach to eg travel / holidays

Original poster
54321nought · 10/08/2021 07:48

@CovidCorvid

I don't know what else to do.

I've stopped buying meat/fish....might occasionally eat it meat when out
I decided 3 years ago to stop flying.
I cycle to work
I've tried to stop buying "stuff" as much as possible.
I recycle.

I'm really worried, I feel my efforts are such a drop in the ocean especially when most other people don't even seem to be doing this.

your efforts matter and make a difference @CovidCorvid
OP posts: