I am terrified of the climate emergency but more terrified by how ambivalent others seem to be about it!

[CopperPatch]

Just that really, I see people sharing things on social media, commenting on threads, talking about climate change etc but actually changing their lives very, very little - or finding ways to justify not taking action.... it is not scaremongering, it is not a fear project, our planet will no longer sustain human life because of us but so, so many people seem to not care, or only care on a surface level - great click bait but changing their lives in any way seems a step to far. Yes we need wide-scale political and economic shifts but we also need every day action from every day people - and that is EVERYONE'S responsibility!!!! AIBU to expect more of everyone?!

I dont see any point in being scared for ourselves. We all die even without a climate emergency.
Im more scared for my child and for nature. Tbh we have been sold a lie...that excess material consumption and capitalism bring happiness when in fact they do quite the opposite .

There is a picture on The Story of Stuff Project Facebook page just yesterday. The pictures tell more of the story but the caption reads 'Desperate people... Make ideal workers... And distracted citizens'

I think this says is all.

So it's all made up to keep the proletariat in check, Roses?

Because it says so on a random Facebook page?

OK.....

@tequilasunrises
You’re only interested in things you consider I should be doing.

1. read we are doing as a family
2. suggest how my children can see family with aircraft
3. buying a new eco car will not help the environment as someone else will just use it.

Do people truely believe in 30 years it’s going to be the absolute catastrophe that climate scientists believe it will be?

Do you think they are exaggerating?

If so why did you/have can you justify having kids? As in they are going to be the ones having to deal with this disaster?

This is something I’m struggling with. If I truly believe climate change will be that bad surely I shouldn’t be bringing children into the world to deal with it. So do I not really believe it’s as bad as has been claimed? I don’t know. I don’t have kids yet and the more I read the more I think it’s not a great idea considering where we’re headed.

Do people truely believe in 30 years it’s going to be the absolute catastrophe that climate scientists believe it will be?

I do, because climate scientists are the experts. Just like when I go to the doctors I follow their advice, when I have some dry cleaning I go to the dry cleaners, when my dogs' are unwell I go to the vets, I have a hairdresser who does my hair and plumber who's knows his stuff.

Also, we can't get away from fact that have the repeated heatwaves in the Summer, that's a clear sign for me. So, I don't think they are exaggerating. Why would they? I see what politicians would do it, but a scientist has only their reputation, and that's easy to lose.

As for having children, that's a very personal decision. There are so many things to take into consideration, and of course the biological reality is that we have an instinct to procreate. So I see what you are saying, you don't want to believe the experts because they are telling things you don't want to be true. It's perfectly human.

My two children are in their late teens/early Twenties. The headlines then weren't as acute as now, so I didn't have to consider it.

You’re only interested in things you consider I should be doing.

Self absorbed statement of the century. The news Headlines are not "Ghanagirl needs to get on board with climate change".

My children are primary school aged, when I was thinking of having children there was not the headlines around climate change that there is now. As my user names suggests I am terrified for their future and the future of the world, and if I had my time again I would choose not to have children.

I'm better at handling my anxiety around climate change than I have been previously, but I am still so worried. I'm hopeful that technology may be developed to deal with it, but it's more a vague comfort to myself.

www.huffpost.com/entry/facing-extinction-humans-animals-plants-species_n_5d2ddc04e4b0a873f6420bd3

I was thinking of having children there was not the headlines around climate change that there is now

Yes it does feel like almost over night this has become a huge media story.

I do believe in climate change (obviously) it’s so disturbing how little politicians seems to be taking it seriously.

@Ghanagirl I’m interested in the things EVERYONE should be doing not just you.

If we were limited to how many air miles we can use per year, perhaps this would restrict you to only flying to Africa once a year but your family could use theirs to come to you so you’d see them twice.

Yes it might be shit for you but the harsh reality is if we want to make a difference to the health of the planet we are going to have to make difficult choices.

It would be shit for everyone frankly. My dads best friend retired last year and he and his wife have holidayed extensively since - China, New Zealand, South America, Europe. Flying of course. My dad wants to do the same when he retires in a few years and he’s worked hard all his life, loves travel. If they introduced a one holiday per year rule it would totally mess up his retirement plans, and would feel massively unfair for him that his friend got to travel the world by luck of being on the ‘right’ side of the line.

But it would have an absolutely enormous impact on the planet for sure if everyone accepted it.

Just one example of course.

This video is interesting. There are set to be between 200million to 1 billion climate change refugees because huge swarfths of Middle East and Africa won’t be habitable 😳

I’d also put a complete ban on private jets.

I imagine only a minuscule number people in the UK are doing enough. And I agree that only a small minority are making genuine sacrifices. People being very vociferous about flights on here for example, often turn out to have a squad of kids, drive cars, eat meat, etc.

Westerners aren't in a great position to lecture emerging economies either as they've had several hundred years to enjoy the benefits of industrialisation.

The fundamental issue is that the world economy is based around consumption as a measure of growth. It doesn't know how to function without that. Until we're able to shift our thinking (which needs to happen at a combined global level) I'm not sure anything we can do will make much difference.

I imagine only a minuscule number people in the UK are doing enough. And I agree that only a small minority are making genuine sacrifices. People being very vociferous about flights on here for example, often turn out to have a squad of kids, drive cars, eat meat

I agree. I can’t stand the moral virtuousness on here. In terms of my carbon footprint I’m probably the most green person on this thread. Don’t own a car, very rarely eat meat, no kids.

Nobody is doing enough. We can always do more. But the changes required involve such enormous lifestyle changes that they don't (and I suspect won't ever) happen. People are generally only prepared to do things that don't really affect them personally.

But everything does help. Even things like deleting unwanted emails eg junk mail, out of date stuff etc makes a really big contribution (they sit on servers using masses of energy). Theres an interesting stat somewhere about the effect of copying people into emails and including the whole chain each time which very quickly equates to a transatlantic flight in terms of emissions.

Also flying a bit less isn’t exactly a huge sacrifice. It’ll effect what? Two weeks of your life? Give up your car then we’re talking 🚗

I see cutting CO2 as an easily solvable problem, in the sense that we (the UK) could probably do our bit within ten years of politically deciding to.

I don't think lifestyles need to worsen signficantly, and, perversely, people advocating individual action in the form of cuttting back are probably making things worse rather than better, by contributing to the belief that the only solution is one a lot of people aren't willing to face.

I did a back-of-an-envelope calculation, and requiring planes to use carbon-neutral fuels would add a relatively insignificant amount to the cost of flying. In a future in which zero C02 is allowed to be added to the air, there is no need to cut back on flying at all.

The biggest single use of energy in the UK, by a long way, is domestic heating in winter. All other uses, including fuel for transport, are completely dwarfed by it. If people want to ban something as a short-term measure, ban central heating. It's a modern invention we've done without for most of our history.

Having said that, there's no need for energy consumption to fall. It would cost more, but I'd guess isn't absolutely unaffordable, to supply all our energy needs from renewables. (Including liquid fuels and gas, which can be manufactured from electricity and air. Being synthesized from CO2 extracted from air means they would add no net CO2 to air when burnt.)

Noone is suggestong that we drastically have to change our lives right now....that will probably be imposed on us anyway but i do think small changes are important.
It really is no bother to take a coffee cup to costa instead of getting a plastic take out.
I got my coffee half price in pret the other day for bringing my own refill cup.
I am flying this year but dont do it every year.
I could do a lot more but am working towards it.
Its like smoking...used to be fashionable from the age of 12....now it is seen as anti social and banned in public houses etc.
I see plastic, red meat and other polluting products going the same way in due course.

And at work in hospital the other day the CEO was very keen to increase recycling as they get cash incentives for doing so.

If it's any consolation OP I think the message is getting out.

5 years ago I was your worst nightmare. New cars (DH and I) every 3 years (neither economical re-petrol - actually the reverse).

Minimal re-cycling.

3 holidays abroad a year (flights).

Lover of cling film, and anything disposable.

Fast forward to today.....

The cars on the drive are 4/5 years old and we have no plans to replace them. When we do it will be to buy an electric car (probably a Tesla).

We've been (as a family) on on international holiday (flights) this year and though have other holidays planned we are travelling by train/car.

I've overhauled our waste management. Re-cycling is a big thing in our house now.

I was overjoyed when a zero waste shop opened in the next village, where I can take my reusable containers. So much so that I spoke to the butcher in my village and he's agreed to do the same (with a big notice) and it's lovely to see people queuing up with their own food containers.

That said, we are also cutting down on meat generally. I'm not going to pretend we'll ever be a veggie only family but we no longer have meat every day (4 out of 7 atm).

Cling film is banned from the house. I use wax wraps.

Disposable wipes are banned. I have a mound of washable flannels.

We use shampoo bars/soap.

Still a long way to go, but unlike some posters I do think if we all make changes it makes a difference.

They don't have to be life changing but every little really helps.

If I can be "changed" from my "previous" lifestyle and not feel shortchanged by it, then anyone can

DeRig brilliant! If everyone did that it really would help.

Totally hear you OP. It's great that individuals are trying to make changes but there has to be MAJOR government policies on this which affect huge companies eg airlines , aswell as the individual.

Sadly it seems to have become a way of life that people think it normal and that they need, 3, 4, 5 and more holidays/weekends abroad these days, all extra flights. Also hen and stag do's are now taken abroad as are the weddings. More air miles. My FIL has friends who have a 'holiday' abroad every other feckin' week, all by flying. I would argue this is not a holiday it is a way of life. They are in their 60's and I'm sure they will enjoy the rest of their days on this planet, not so the generations the selfish idiots leave behind.

Sorry, I dont begrude anyone a holiday but this pisses me right off.

If you read my post rather than just signaling your own virtue I’ve made it clear what we do as a family but I’m not interested in posters who think having children is a threat to the environment as it’s idiotic.

GhanaGirl you're unhinged.

Overpopulation is the single greatest thread to the environment.

As for white Europeans having form for telling POC what to do, you're correct. This doesn't change the fact that we need to have some uncomfortable conversations about childbearing patterns/birth control in Africa - the time for cultural sensitivity has expired.

Equally, we need to talk about Western consumption (the gap is and will be closing) - but as far as I can tell, everyone is talking about it.

Thank you Nice.

It's still a work in progress, but to be honest we are all (as a family) happier for it.

Thing is we don't feel we've made any sacrifices - we've just made some pretty basic changes to our ethos and lifestyle.

Financially we are also better off.

I do agree we need governments to be stronger re: environmental policy but in the meantime I genuinely think the more of us that adopt some very simple changes will have a significant impact.

It's also a cascade effect.

DM/DF are now converts to shampoo bars for example and DM when she visits comes to the zero waste shop with me (with her stash of 1970's Tupperware).

She's also made her own wax wraps and ditched the cling film.