Anything else I can do re: climate change and lifestyle?

[ifonly4]

1. We both walk/cycle everywhere within our large village (so car only used for work, odd day trip, essential purchases). Often go on a walk up local hill rather than use car for day trip,

2. We eat vegetarian about 5-6 days a week, fish the other days. DH might chose a meat option if eating out.

3. Try to only make essential purchases (and not keep replacing things like phones, tvs until broken), and recycling/taking items to charity when no longer needed.

4. Try to keep gas/electric bill down (our bills are a lot lower than many).

Financially I need to rule out renewing heating system, electric car and solar panels.

I know the changes one family can make are miniscule, but I'm find it quite alarming reading about global warming today, and what we're going to pass onto our children, grandchildren.

This.

The world's population increases by about 80million a year yet it's the elephant in the room that politicians don't talk about. They don't seem overly concerned either that the UK's population is increasing by the size of Birmingham every 2 years.

No, let's lose our shit over plastic earbuds instead.

@onefinemess oh you again.
Yay

Ignore the climate doomsters. Their way leads to certain disaster. It's easy to sit around criticising everyone while not making any changes or coming up with any solutions yourself. Seems silly and lazy to me 🤷‍♀️

In addition to the suggestions from previous posters, I'd say find like-minded friends or a group to share with. It's always nicer together. 🤗

Plus, keep learning. Admittedly, I'm a bit of a geeky, techno-solutionist, so it could be just me. But I think there's loads to be excited and hopeful about.

@onefinemess
Ok so if we stopped procreating what would be the point in saving the planet? We would cease to exist anyway.
Here's a medal for being brain box of the year 🥇

@TheThingIsYeah yeah because of migration numb nuts .

Sooo as the majority of people on Mumsnet are … Mums! I think telling people not to have kids is probably a bit moot.

We are ALL guilty of contributing to climate change (what device are you all typing your messages on? How are they made? How do you charge them - how often are you online, draining your devices battery?) , all the original poster wants to do is try to cut back where possible, good for them! We could ALL think about improving our actions.

Lets keep discussions like this positive and proactive

Why did you join a website called Mumsnet??? Genuinely want to know as I assume you don’t have children.

Of course it is. Global population needs to fall massively as the planet cannot support anything like the amount of people on it. It's pretty critical.

You're doing better than me.

Heating is my main target. I'm rural so I have a log burner and a shed full of last year's logs drying. I've halved our gas usage since it was installed and can do more yet

We can eat less meat and cycle more too. I can grow more of our own veg.

@onefinemess okay great so nobody in the world have kids from now on and then in 130ish years we'll all be dead. Problem solved.

@mrshenny if you think we've got 130years left you are deluded. I'd estimate about 50 before this planet is uninhabitable for humans. And the next 50yrs are not going to be nice.

Please can you provide a source to this claim.

For the sake of the planet and the animals and plants…

Lots of people join mumsnet who aren’t mums. I joined to get support after being raped. One of my friends joined after googling cake recipes, so quite wide ranging. If that poster doesn’t have children there’s any number of reasons they could be here, including for the childfree sub forum.

@Curleyhair
The biggest cause of overpopulation is increased life expectancy.

I don't see many people volunteering to reduce this for themselves.

Lots of people have said they would if it was available. I think it would be a good option for various reasons but I really don’t think governments would allow it, especially as many don’t allow euthanasia for other reasons.

Come back to me once you've joined the dots.

Ok thanks for responding. I’m going to guess the vast majority of people here do have children so I’m still not really understanding the point of a huge rant about how hypocritical parents are to want to try and be more environmentally friendly. If the poster is so anti parent why follow a parenting website?

Honestly, I know a lot of parents like that so I didn’t assume that poster didn’t have children. I work with a man who is passionate about the environment and he’s told by others who have children he can’t be/shouldn’t be/is a hypocrite because he has children. They don’t want to give up their luxuries/meat/whatever so they say parents shouldn’t lecture others about the environment/they can’t do any good now etc and they don’t want to talk about how to save the planet.

The truth is none of us are perfect. I do quite a lot to ‘save the planet’ but I don’t really talk about it because I believe it would make me a hypocrite because there’s more I could do and choose not to, I assume lots of people think the same so they don’t want to discuss it and maybe get upset/indignant/something when others do. I personally like the discussions incase I discover new things I can do but lots of people would rather not talk about it.

Anti natalism
Veganism
Only buy local seasonal produce
All do able

Global population numbers are falling
When human population reaches zero there will be no need for climate control.
😁😁😁

Global population is a long way off falling. The birth rate might be falling, but that's a separate thing.

The world has added 100,000+ since this thread started yesterday afternoon.

But I'm sure if we remember to put the recycling bin out it will all be good.

I’m guessing you don’t fly anywhere already. It is surprising to me how many people I know still go on 3-4 holidays a year, cruises etc.

Lobby - by writing to MP, joining movements etc.

These environmental changes require fundamental policy changes across the whole world - our own lifestyle changes may make us feel virtuous but are a drop in the ocean.

Population * average emissions per person is what matters

Large parts of the world have average emissions per person 2 tonnes co2 or less

The uk it's nearly 12 tonnes co2

You tackle the crisis by either factor but the first is very slow - too slow - to change

If you have a child bring it up to have a low carbon lifestyle