AIBU to be really scared of Climate Change

[MagnificentDelurker]

Everything seems to have accelerated with heat dome in pacific causing 1 billion creatures dying to the floods in Germany, etc.
We are running out of time and stuck with politicians that will not lead.

www.motherjones.com/environment/2021/07/heres-what-climate-scientists-are-really-saying-about-this-catastrophic-summer/

No, you're not being unreasonable to be scared. The consequences of climate change are so utterly unbearable to think about that's why (almost) everyone represses the thought.

I’m convinced it’s Mother Nature fighting back.
It will be sad to see the end of the human race but we deserve it for what we have done to the planet.
Perhaps the next life forms to come along will be more respectful.

Yes I have been repressing it for decades. Now I regret not being more active in raising alarm like so many brave souls

What can we actually do?
Anything effective enough to make a difference basically means shutting down vast amounts of economic activities.

The trouble is that nobody seems prepared to actually DO anything about it! This government couldn't give a shit about anything other than filling their own coffers, and while those on MN might be concerned, I can't help wondering how many would even sign a petition to the government saying we want REAL action, NOW before it's too late. There just seems to be such a general attitude of 'it's not up to me, someone else should be doing something about it', and then no one takes any action.

Fairyliz

We definitely deserve it although I do genuinely love humans. We are magnificent animals and not because of our current tech.
I love how we love to play and tell amazing stories. We are worth saving but we have to change. Unfortunately I don’t think it will happen soon enough. Let’s hope enough of us survive and not just billionaires

@DynamoKev

What can we actually do? Anything effective enough to make a difference basically means shutting down vast amounts of economic activities.

Well unfortunately that's the crux.

We'll all have to consume much much less than we do. Our economy is built on people consuming more and more and more (not just food, but clothing, holidays, gadgets, cars etc etc).

Unfortunately people aren't willing to give up luxuries and will continue to have more children than is necessary.

Moving to a sustainable way of life will require wholesale restructuring of our society, which won't be pretty or fun. So people won't do it. Unfortunately the alternative is wholesale destruction of human (and other) habitat.

DynamoKave

I think we have been taken hostage to economic activities. We don’t need to consume so much to have great lives but it is hard to convince enough people of this.

Lockheart

I completely agree

Me too - sadly western liberal democracy isn't designed to encourage leaders who need to make really unpopular decisions. We need a few generations of politicians to do some really really unpopular stuff but it won't happen because they'd be voted out!

Yes I would like to know what to actually do. Other than not have children or fly. Very few people are prepared to make these sacrifices.

YANBU. It's terrifying, so it's easier for people to pretend it isn't happening.

Not unreasonable at all. It is scary.
But people in power won't make the changes that need to be made and a huge percentage of the general public won't make the personal changes that would help.

Cheezy

Individual action rarely help. I agree that not flying does help but it is not enough. Not consuming without structural change would mean lots of people without jobs which in turn will destabilise society and might have worse consequences

PrincessesRUs

Right wing politicians seem to have a way of making unpopular popular.

@IveGotASongThatllGetOnYNerves

Not unreasonable at all. It is scary. But people in power won't make the changes that need to be made and a huge percentage of the general public won't make the personal changes that would help.

The problem there is that those who are willing to do something about it are not the ones the public will vote for.

It's all very well blaming those in power, but if we carry on voting in govts who have nothing to gain and everything to lose from proper action then nothing will be done.

And even if you did, one country wouldn't make a difference alone. .

What we need is some sort of benevolent global dictator really. Obviously not going to happen of course!

As long as fossil fuel companies are funding political parties (I'm talking about you Scott Morrison) nothing will be done. I'm sure it's not just Australia either. The world is ruled by big business and shareholders don't care about climate, just profit.

The pandemic has shown how differently each country dealt with it. Climate change may be seen as a global effort, but really it will the same as the pandemic was with some countries stepping up and others not bothering at all.
The west didn't stand up to China over their handling of covid , what makes you think they will make them listen about the climate and reducing their carbon footprints? Making them comply with any major changes ? Plus there will the usual conspiracy theories around that will make any meaningful progress hard too. Too many people think they know all there is to know about it all and won't comply with any measures ( see how it is with the pandemic , for example)
I don't know what it will take for real changes , but it's not going to be easy at all. We've all had it too good for too long. Giving up anything won't be easy either
I am as concerned as the next person , but worrying won't make much difference either.

You need to try and channel the fear in to positive action and encourage everyone you know to do the same. Once you open your eyes to the very real danger we are all in it’s really hard to to be overwhelmed by it but really this is the time for action. There is actually loads of really great stuff we can all do - eat less meat & dairy, Consume less generally, especially plastic, petrol / diesel, ‘fast fashion’ etc and when buying try to do so from companies that take the environment into consideration. Switch your web search engine to Ecosia (they plant trees from the money they make from searches), sign petitions - the stop Cambo (new oil mine off Scottish coast) one for example. Stop voting for the Tories. Encourage your work place to become more eco friendly. Now is the time. Do whatever you can. Please

The problem there is that those who are willing to do something about it are not the ones the public will vote for.

I don't think the public vote is up to the public any more. There's not one UK general election in recent memory that hasn't been dictated by Rupert Murdoch.

YANBU but there are reasons to be optimistic too.

Humans can be rubbish.
But as a species we can also be amazingly resourceful, adaptive and creative.
Things are changing. Seemingly impossible problems are getting solved, innovative men and women are working on new technologies, companies are investing in renewable energy... not out of altruism or green washing, but because it makes economic sense.
Governments are now taking it seriously (even if has taken a long time, it's like changing the direction of an oil tanker). The way we consume energy, how we travel etc will change because it has to. If it seems impossible that people will accept these changes, think about how life has changed in the last 20, 30 years. What we take for granted now used to be science fiction!
So, it is entirely rational to be very concerned. But there is still hope.

Not sending emails, being on email data lists and using sites such as mn and social media would make an enormous difference due to the servers used. People won’t do it though. Something like clearing your mailbox and unsubscribing from everything and reducing social meadow use would make more difference for most people than changing their flying habits

I agree with what others have said upthread with regards to what individuals can do. The only way to enact change is to hit businesses where it hurts. Our power isn't our vote any more, it's how we spend our money. Sad, but true.

it is truly scary and I feel so sorry for the gen z who we seem to be expecting to sort it out for us. the future is looking bleak but the best we can hope for imo is to try our best, make the right choices, raise awareness, vote green etc until a techno-fix comes along.

If our dear leaders and elites had walked the walk during the pandemic, perhaps people would have listened now on reduced lifestyle for climate. But they didn't, they utterly squandered that opportunity, in great travelling style and therefore the people aren't listening anymore.