WIBU to point out this hypocrisy to environmentally obsessed colleague?

[Morphene]

I've a work colleague who never seems to stop banging on about environmental things. Constantly nagging about people going on holiday by plane, driving to work, using plastic bottles etc.

The thing is that he has two kids and has a third on the way - all very much planned. So WIBU to interrupt his next diatribe by pointing out to him that I could go on a transatlantic flight every year for the rest of my life while driving a fleet of gas guzzlers and it still wouldn't amount to the level of environmental damage his choices are causing?

Maybe I'm very thick but why is having children not environmentally friendly?

If you have scientifically proven facts to support this, by all means, print them off for him. I'm sure it will improve your working relationship endlessly. It's extremely annoying that he's forever banging on about this, but he's also right.

where is the hypocrisy?

Yes, you would.

The whole system for healthcare, financial safety, etc, is constructed in such a way that we need a new generation that cannot be too much decreased in number compared to the old.

Unless you support euthanizing old people, your right to point out his hypocrisy starts at about the fourth child. Three is still pretty much replacement rate, considering that one child might die by accident.

I would not go down this route, OP.

Unless you are very sure of your facts/argument, you risk:

1. sounding like a fanny

2. alienating the rest of your sprogged up colleagues, as well as Mr No-Air-Miles.

Good starter article, Mooey:
www.independent.co.uk/environment/children-carbon-footprint-climate-change-damage-having-kids-research-a7837961.html

You being petty in reaction to him being annoying will solve nothing.

vestal I don''t think that more pyramid selling is the answer to a situation where you are getting shafted by pyramid selling though...

I suppose we won't need to pay all those pensions if everyone drowns though!

So I have to take the moral high ground and continue to listen patiently to him telling all and sundry that they are damaging the environment?

I suppose you are right that I will be joining him as a climate bore rather than beating him!

Your right but I would just keep it in your head.

Having children is about the most un green thing you can do.

I got flamed on mn for saying recycling doesn't negate the cost of consuming shit and would be better to just consume less.

I could just email him the article though.....

I saw this one www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jul/12/want-to-fight-climate-change-have-fewer-children

I think we can look forward to another round of how wonderful reusable nappies are...I don't know if I can hold in 'but not as great as not needing them in the first place'

So I have to take the moral high ground

Well, you know what they say about high ground - it's safe, secure, and you get a good view of others drowning beneath the waves.

He is being a hypocrite but there is no point confronting him. Although you could say off hand "actually I just read an article you might be interested in" and have a few links ready like gingers.

I have a friend a bit like your colleague, she hates food waste, which is fine, but it's to the point where she will force someone to put half a leftover spring roll in their hand bag for later (they throw it as soon as she's not looking). But she is the biggest user of disposable plates, cans, PET bottles, coffee cups and cheap clothes of all of us.

Going against the grain because I'm a bit of a bitch, but OP I probably already would've made a comment about this!

I don't think having children is environmentally unfriendly. Having LOADS is - like more than 4. No offence intended it's just my opinion; I just can't see any need to have more than 4 kids. And the world has enough people!!!

I do dislike preachy people though. I know several people - 4 actually - who claim to be VEGANS. But when they are not around their mates, each one of the 4 vegans I know eats cheese and drinks normal milk. And they eat stuff made from eggs too. They are so preachy; harping on about their VEGANISM, when they are no more of a vegan than me.

He is being an utter hypocrite, but (as previous experience on Mumsnet has shown) those in this position tend to refuse to take the message on board and get defensive.

You are utterly right and he deserves to get called out on it, but it isn't going to help your working relationship at all.

But by all means raise it if you don't care about that.

YANBU. Ask him which of his kids he's sending round to yours to wipe your arse when you're old. Cos that's what these crunchy parent types always come out with. Idiots.

David Attenborough's got your back
www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2013/sep/10/david-attenborough-human-evolution-stopped

I might wait for the next round of 'you really should switch to an electric car' (we drive a hybrid ffs!) and then whip out the graphic and say, actually it looks like I can do more for less money if I switch to buying green energy....

and see if he spots the massive orange spot in the middle....

YWNBU - but as mentioned by others probably not best to say it.

Where's that graphic from?

You're technically right, but is it worth it to go there?

Does he eat animal products? You could start by using that as a retort, if you're really dying to respond somehow!

its from the guardian article I linked earlier.

I will actually switch energy supplier - so I'm not being a total arse, but to be fair we certainly didn't decide to have fewer children due to environmental concerns...so from that perspective I would be being a massive arse.

It is an odd one though. My BIL was so environmentally anxious that he had once panicked on a train because he couldn't justify the environmental cost of visiting family.

Now he has multiple children too.....

I think tbh, it wouldn't damage our working relationship, but it also wouldn't stop him banging on...so there isn't really any point.

Well he's obviously an evangical dick head, but you'd be as much of an arse (and also wrong) if you said that to him.