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Original poster

If it’s that bad, why aren’t we panicking more??

911 replies

Nightgardenisodd · 07/08/2021 20:59

Climate change.
I keep reading posts about it and it’s scaring the crap out of me for my DD’s future.
How bad is it? Anyone have any positivity about it?

OP posts:
HasaDigaEebowai · 09/08/2021 15:02

I’m surprised this thread isn’t trending.

Or perhaps I’m not

Mreggsworth · 09/08/2021 15:17

This is quite alarming.

I'm guilty of a lot of the behaviour mentioned here, wanting holidays abroad, getting new modern products and latest gadgets, buying a lot of premade packaged things out of convenience. I do a lot of pointless shopping and fast fashion as its just something to do. This has always just been the norm. I wouldn't say I was spoilt or selfish, but definitely ignorant and oblivious. Which I think is the issue for most.

Changing behaviours would be hard, but not impossible and they'd definitely be significantly easier to do if it was a collective effort.

I've considered not having children as I do worry the future is just going to get more challenging, I'm keen to see how the next couple of years go before deciding whether having children is a wise move.

I'm going to talk to my partner this evening about life style changes we can start making.

LadyLaSnack · 09/08/2021 15:18

The whole thing is just devastating - and the worst part is - potentially fixable (at least to an extent) but for some reason our stupid species can't get it together enough to try.

MMMarmite · 09/08/2021 15:47

@LadyLaSnack

The whole thing is just devastating - and the worst part is - potentially fixable (at least to an extent) but for some reason our stupid species can't get it together enough to try.
I feel the same way.
MsTSwift · 09/08/2021 15:54

First thing on the news today so we can’t really say we aren’t informed

petterflies · 09/08/2021 15:55

It is bad but we have known for a long time where we are headed, right? I remember being taught at school 20+ years ago about the impact of fossil fuel burning and deforestation and thinking, that sounds awful, surely we will fix this (haven't done so much myself to "fix it", I am guilty as anyone).

I agree with most here, humans aren't so good at processing risk and we are slow to adapt our behaviour and policies, especially when it means people may suffer if we do so e.g. dispatching with non-sustainable practices entirely before cheaper renewable ones are commonly used.

Also, agree panicking doesn't help although I too have that sinking feeling. What can we do? Reduce waste of food and personal resources, divest in greedy wasteful lifestyles, have fewer children, teach and invest in our children so they grow up to be better "caretakers" of our planet than we have been.
"Where there's life, there's hope" xx

Theworldisfullofgs · 09/08/2021 15:57

The whole thing is just devastating - and the worst part is - potentially fixable (at least to an extent) but for some reason our stupid species can't get it together enough to try.

We need national leadership, unfortunately our are inept. We have also been conditioned to see everything through a consumerist, capitalist world. Some very rich people don't want to give up the status quo, supported by toss pots like Steve Baker.
We need to rethink our approach on a global scale.
But conversations like this are hopeful and would have been dismissed 5 years ago.

LadyLaSnack · 09/08/2021 16:07

We need national leadership, unfortunately our are inept. We have also been conditioned to see everything through a consumerist, capitalist world. Some very rich people don't want to give up the status quo, supported by toss pots like Steve Baker.
We need to rethink our approach on a global scale.
But conversations like this are hopeful and would have been dismissed 5 years ago.

I agree completely.

SpaceshiptoMars · 09/08/2021 16:11

There's fixing the problem, and then there's surviving while we come up with ways of fixing it. Water is going to be crucial - our forests need to be kept well-hydrated or the lungs of the planet go up in smoke. Collecting water from the roof for flushing the toilet - we need a way of making that easy in old housing stock. More reservoirs are needed to protect against heat domes. More canals for moving water quickly from rain blessed to drought.

Solar panels are great, but how effective are they if the air is constantly filled with smoke, or ash from volcano eruptions?

HasaDigaEebowai · 09/08/2021 18:13

Solar panels are great, but how effective are they if the air is constantly filled with smoke, or ash from volcano eruptions?

I think that's jumping ahead a tad. If enough people and businesses switch to green energy and take the other necessary measures we won't have to deal with disaster scenarios

Buccanarab · 09/08/2021 18:36

Solar panels are great, but how effective are they if the air is constantly filled with smoke, or ash from volcano eruptions?

Plate tectonics are the primary driver of volcanic activity not climate change so I wouldn't worry too much about that. There was paper a few years ago that suggested reducing glacier cover in Iceland could result in an increase in eruptions there but I think they estimated there would be a 600+ year time lag on that and I've not seen anything about it recently (not that I'm actively looking).

jasjas1973 · 09/08/2021 18:37

Isn't there the means (in theory) to re freeze the polar caps? its not an exact science but its thought it could buy us a few more years...... probably to procrastinate for a bit longer.

ChardonnaysPetDragon · 09/08/2021 18:41

Isn't there the means (in theory) to re freeze the polar caps?

Snowpiercer is fiction, you know.

Sarahlou63 · 09/08/2021 18:43

@jasjas1973

Isn't there the means (in theory) to re freeze the polar caps? its not an exact science but its thought it could buy us a few more years...... probably to procrastinate for a bit longer.
How?
jasjas1973 · 09/08/2021 19:21

@ChardonnaysPetDragon

Isn't there the means (in theory) to re freeze the polar caps?

Snowpiercer is fiction, you know.

No its not.
iseeu · 09/08/2021 19:52

@LadyLaSnack

*We need national leadership, unfortunately our are inept. We have also been conditioned to see everything through a consumerist, capitalist world. Some very rich people don't want to give up the status quo, supported by toss pots like Steve Baker. We need to rethink our approach on a global scale. But conversations like this are hopeful and would have been dismissed 5 years ago.*

I agree completely.

I agree completely too. I think because of what we saw during covid more people are (a) listening to scientist warnings and (b) aware just how badly informed cabinet ministers can be, that more effort went into one-upmanship than in joined up thinking over policies

I would like to know how oil and fishing and similar industries are going to be persuaded to cease their activities

pucelleauxblanchesmains · 09/08/2021 20:37

Some of you need to google "eco-fascism" because you're sliding into it.

jasjas1973 · 09/08/2021 20:41

@pucelleauxblanchesmains

Some of you need to google "eco-fascism" because you're sliding into it.
Well, there is always that danger but if we do nothing, which may be the alternative as our leaders will not embrace anything else..... what then?
iseeu · 09/08/2021 20:44

@pucelleauxblanchesmains I don't think passing laws which place obligations on corporations would be eco fascism, though

I do think that putting pressure on individuals to change rather then governments is dangerous. I have seen some eco warriors be violent and frightening to people in cars, because the car owner had air con on or whatever. I don't think that helps at all. Change is needed at industry level, cartel level, corporation tax level imo

pucelleauxblanchesmains · 09/08/2021 20:47

@iseeu - that's not eco-fascism, but some of the rhetoric on the thread including describing humans as a virus on the planet is edging towards it and I think it's something to be aware of especially in how we deal with climate refugees.

HeronLanyon · 09/08/2021 20:58

I was thinking about travel today and alternatives to flying. As well as trains (I’ve done overnights down to Spain - work well) Was looking into boats and got into ships from Liverpool to Iceland etc. Surprised there was no environmental statement in anything I was looking at. Maybe a good reason for that ?
We may need eco ratings on journeys, like household appliances.

HasaDigaEebowai · 09/08/2021 21:08

Travel by boat is not a better option for humans. Transporting goods is much better by sea but humans tend to object to being crammed in that tightly.

Ibelieveinghosts · 09/08/2021 21:26

We need to change our whole philosophy on how we live. Watching master chef tonight -king prawns -most are taken from very environmentally damaging farms that are destroying the nutrient values in vast areas of land and implicated in modern slavery,
Programs like these should be showcasing environmentally sustainable food preferably concentrating on plant based.

Overshopping should be viewed with the same perspective as other types of anti social behaviour.

Think someone upthread summed up shopping for fast fashion as “something to do” we need to re engage with learning, nature, with each other

Modern life has driven us away from connecting with nature and with each other.

Spend 10 min stood by a tree, breathing in and out imagine your breath exchanging with that tree, you are keeping each other alive, dependant on each other, with no tree you die, with no you the tree dies do that for 10 min every day for a week. In day 8 you arrive at the tree and it’s half covered in plastic, you suddenly struggle to get lungs full of oxygen, day 9 you arrive and see it covered in smog, you’re reallly struggling to breath now. Day 10 you arrive and the tree is dead,there’s no oxygen left for you now.

HeronLanyon · 09/08/2021 21:28

hasa you may be right. I need to think on. Was looking at astonishingly expensive trips. Have no interest in a big cruise. Do have boats on my dna as have crossed Atlantic by boat several times when young emigrating/immigrating.