Do you care about climate change?

[julieca]

Not just in an abstract way. But would you be prepared to accept radical changes to your lifestyle to reduce climate change?
Or do you think continuing to live your life the way you want is more important?

YABU - No I don't and I want to continue living life as I want
YANBU - Yes I do and would accept major changes to my life

My immediate concern for my children's future is more about the impact of vaccine passports and the move towards a social credit system. I feel far more urgently about the need to act to stop these.

@Beckert I have no choice about when I die. I am not accepting it though if it is young.

I have every sympathy for those who understand the scale of the problem and want to do something and happily would, but cannot because of personal circumstances, particularly where it involves money that might not be in plentiful supply. But here is a selection of various quotes from this thread which make my skin crawl:

Only when big businesses, supermarkets, the rich and famous and government make massive changes themselves.

So fuck that. I'll keep my trips around the world, the future is someone else's problem.

but feel my little bit is insignificant compared to industry and the rich jet setting around their multiple homes in their new outfits for every occasion? so don't feel it's my duty to do much more than make a tokenistic gesture

But I'm not willing to make any very big changes e.g. giving up meat, until they at least attempt to make it universal.

It will take the likes of China, the US and India to address the situation serisouly to have an affect.

Unless, private jets are banned I will not reduced flying commercial.

But since the Tories prioritise business there's no way they will do anything about the multiple pointless flights people take

I’d be happy to see global changes - but until China and the rest come on board all the recycling in the world isn’t going to stem the tide

Radical action needs to be taken in relation to countries like China, India, the US and Australia that are hugely reliant ok coal and refusing to give it up within the timescales needed.

It's always someone else's problem, isn't it? As if that excuses us from any action ourselves. I'm reminded of the words of Martin Niemöller:

First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

I agree with PunnyMonster. I'm not being lectured to by celebs, royals and ex royals who have multiple huge homes and travel by private jet. Fingers in ears la la la.

The thing is, it's not about celebs and royals. It's about all life on earth - humans and animals of almost every kind. All life is under threat from climate change. The sixth mass extinction is happening now. It's different from the previous five, as this one is directly caused by human activity. This is serious, very real stuff.
I find it hard to believe that people don't care, even if just somewhere deep down...

Yes I care. But I expect Governments to commit, and get big corporations, Who are the biggest culprits, to change, before they change my recycling from say fortnightly to 3 weeks, Which would hack me off.

I agree @Oblomov21.

It’s not that people don’t care @WanderingFruitWonderer. It’s just a bit hypocritical that the people making the rules for the rest of us are doing things that cause far more pollution than the general population would in a lifetime (private jets/motorcades etc).

Yes, of course the biggest emitters of carbon (and therefore those with the biggest responsibility) are governments and big industry and corporations. I agree totally with that. Though we still have a personal responsibility, as earthlings, and as consumers.
I think, deep down, that the vast majority of people do care, or at least would if they fully understand how serious this is. But, some of the posts on this thread, of people openly admitting to not caring one bit, or even denying the reality of climate change, has shocked me to the core. I have to cling to the belief that, in real life, most people do care

Put it this way. If I go to the supermarket and every laundry liquid on the shelf is environmentally friendly with recycled packaging, then that’s what I’ll buy. But if the green option is 3x the average price, or even worse if I have to order it online because supermarkets don’t sell it, then I’m not going to buy it. I’m going to buy what’s on the shelf in front of me in the supermarket at an average price point. And so is everyone else. I don’t have control over what the manufacturers make and the supermarkets stock - THEY need to put it on the shelf before I can choose to buy it.

No, I also have no children by choice so future generations mean nothing to me.

@WanderingFruitWonderer Sorry to say, but most people don’t care. I can’t understand why this is such a shock to you? All I can think is you live in a middle class bubble? Come and visit my WC estate and see how little people care!

I do care, but I know that most people don’t and it’s money that makes the world go round, and so until there is an economic incentive to shift to a green economy it won’t happen. If governments intervene in the market to such an extent that living standards/ personal choice is overhauled, they will get overturned/ voted out.

I’ve noticed hardly any COP26 articles on BBC website were trending last week. I kept looking at the top 10 and despite the mass media coverage, people are choosing NOT to read about COP26. BBC did a piece on global media coverage of COP26 - there was very little coverage for the majority of the world’s population. More evidence people don’t care.

@Flubbah exactly! Consumers are motivated by the price to utility ratio. Governments and companies need to take away the choice to buy products that are damaging to the environment. However, if they go too far and the price to utility ratio is very unfavourable, then people will get pissed off and vote for alternative governments.

It’s basic economics innit?

Oh and just to add @WanderingFruitWonderer, people DO know what’s coming, they’re not stupid, but most people live in the moment and don’t think about the future. You only have to look at the lack of pension savings and high consumer debt to understand this is the prevailing mentality, surely? People have kids without thinking how they will afford them. If you have the capacity to think about the future then you’re privileged.

Yes and no. I recycle, try not to be wasteful but to be honest there are bigger polluters out there like big corporations than me and my uterus and how many children I want/have

I think the whole "I'm only having one/no child due to climate change" is just bollocks- just admit you don't want to do it at all/again

Bet these are the same people who buy avocados and cheap fast fashion and also fly on holiday and drive SUVs 🤔

@Bdelder I can assure you that economically speaking etc, I'm most definitely not privileged. Not by western standards. I'm self employed, and on a very low income, which is currently topped up (since Covid hit) with Universal Credit. I rent a tiny run down place.
Of course everyone in the western world enjoys enormous privilege compared with the rest of the world, which is why I think we have a huge responsibility for the rest of the world.
I don't think people are stupid at all. Sometimes misinformed (I'm misinformed on many issues myself) I'm actually very sympathetic to humans and their frailties. Which is why I do believe that deep down people care, or would if they understand and had the correct information...

I didn’t choose to have no children because of climate change, it wasn’t a thing when I would have had them 30 or 40 years ago anyway

You're wrong wandering. I do understand. I'm not misinformed. I get it. And I really don't care.

I really resent that government and shops haven’t stepped up to make doing the right thing easy. I go to some trouble with refills shopping at little shops to avoid their sodding packaging. There is no reason all our shampoo and shower gel detergents laundry stuff and dried good like rice isn’t refillable. None.

M&S are particularly terrible. Every item of clothing ordered is swathed in layers of plastic 😳. Zara comes in brown paper. I have complained and get word salad response.

Also large families. Give me strength. “Shall I have a third child?” Err what do you think love do you watch the news?!

@Beckert

You're wrong wandering. I do understand. I'm not misinformed. I get it. And I really don't care.

OK @Beckert. At least you're honest, and certainly not beating about the bush! I'll give you that. Well I won't be so patronising as to tell you that you're wrong about yourself or your own thoughts. Obviously you only represent yourself, not all the other climate change declarers of non-caring. Just as I can really only speak for myself. Not sure what more I can say to you than that, other than have a good weekend! 🤷‍♀️

I doubt I'm a lone wolf in this one somehow. But the climate change 'educators' can go on trying to educate people; in the belief that they were too stupid to understand in the first place. And they might get some people on board with them. I suspect though, having trawled through comments on initiative's such as insulate britain, they will lose far more supporters then they will gain in the long run.

Have a good weekend yourself.

I cared about it 30 odd years ago and did a special course to become an environmental technician in the chemicals industry.

my study path and then whole life direction changed quite significantly after my first job and although I do still care I'm not passionate about it anymore.

I certainly don't care enough to stop eating meat, stop using my tumble drier, nor am I ever give up to drive everywhere I can.
And I really couldn't give a shit to explain or justify my reasons.

I know that a lot of individuals do a lot to make a difference. But my view is that unless there are changes on a much larger scale through industry protocols for business that are typically profit-driven there will never be significant changes.

I might be totally wrong of course but for now I think there are bigger problems than what people choose to eat.

One thing I must say, and then I think I'm going to hide this thread, as it's not doing my mental health any good.
This isn't aimed at anyone in particular, as I'm not into name calling, and it's a general reference to a few posts/posters, and other discussions elsewhere generally.
I'm very uncomfortable, and quite upset, by the way allegations of privilege are used to shut people down. It's a form of shaming and guilt-tripping. It's also quite dangerous, as really, unless the person is personally known to the accuser (of privilege) then there's no way to know anything at all about someone's circumstances. It could actually be very hurtful to someone in dire straits to be told such a thing.
Privilege shaming is being used to shut down disliked conversation, ideas and beliefs. It happened (and still does) in relation to Brexit debates. I've seen every remain voter accused of privilege, which is just silly of course.
It's often used to shut down debate on ethical issues, such as climate change, but others too. It's not helpful, and distracts from what could otherwise be a vibrant discussion. Please could everyone think twice before resorting to this form of shaming.
Sorry, I was feeling upset, and just had to say it!
Hiding this thread now. I wish you all well

Out of interest, why so many people say that the humanity is necessarily doomed?

Yes, it will be a few degrees warmer. Yes, some biodiversity will be lost - as it has been lost and gained in the past continuously. Yes, many people will be potentially displaced from their normal habitats - but nowhere on the scale that the humanity inflicts on themselves with wars and non-climate economic displacement. Maybe a population of several billion is simply not something we should aim for.

There are quite tangible positives to global warming too. And whilst they are mentioned in specialised research articles, it is quite surprising that only doom and gloom reaches the top.

@forinborin

Out of interest, why so many people say that the humanity is necessarily doomed?

Yes, it will be a few degrees warmer. Yes, some biodiversity will be lost - as it has been lost and gained in the past continuously. Yes, many people will be potentially displaced from their normal habitats - but nowhere on the scale that the humanity inflicts on themselves with wars and non-climate economic displacement. Maybe a population of several billion is simply not something we should aim for.

There are quite tangible positives to global warming too. And whilst they are mentioned in specialised research articles, it is quite surprising that only doom and gloom reaches the top.

Perhaps because the "positives" involve the poorest of the poor- who have done the least to contribute to global warming- dying horribly while Boris with his brood of 7 or 8 children buggers off to the Riviera? Doesn't sit right with me.

The whole thing terrifies me and causes a great deal of anxiety. We do what we can but ultimately that won't be enough so I feel quite hopeless about the whole thing. I have to try to ignore the topic for my own sanity.