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

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.
Are you equally concerned about "the poorest of the poor" who are dying right now, as we speak? Not some hypothetical future scenario?

No,I will not change the way I live because I have been aware of the issue for years, We don't have a car anymore, have not had children, hardly ever use heating, wherever possible buy locally and have limited meat. However, I will not stop flying 2x a year to see my family because if others continue to have more than 2 children and have multiple cars, nothing will make any difference

@forinborin

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. Are you equally concerned about "the poorest of the poor" who are dying right now, as we speak? Not some hypothetical future scenario?

yes, I am from a "poorest of the poor" country-not the UK- and contribute to charities there, and have done some environmental volunteering though it is likely a drop in the pond:)

I realise environmental concerns are very much seen as a privileged Zac Goldsmith type thingy in the UK, but this is not the case everywhere. I am not lecturing anyone because as I said yesterday, I realised my one flight a year to see my family is worse than eating meat, having a car or having 3 children. I am just saying that I am not ready to ignore the whole issue.

@QueenofDestruction

No,I will not change the way I live because I have been aware of the issue for years, We don't have a car anymore, have not had children, hardly ever use heating, wherever possible buy locally and have limited meat. However, I will not stop flying 2x a year to see my family because if others continue to have more than 2 children and have multiple cars, nothing will make any difference

I also choose to wfh and have a minimalist lifestyle. Things like nicely items for Halloween and Christmas that are not used again or only used once again is horrific consumerism. I bet there are many on here who will be buying loads of gift for their children despite climate change and creating a new generation of consumers that will probably live with result of human greed

I realise environmental concerns are very much seen as a privileged Zac Goldsmith type thingy in the UK, but this is not the case everywhere.
I am also from the third world, and I must say the climate change is not even close to the top 100 concerns of your average family there. Not due to a lack or awareness, only that everyone accepts that they will deal with it when the time comes in the same way as they dealt with other life calamities. To be honest, only in the UK I see this "we're all gonna diiiiiieeeeee tomorrow!" attitude.

To all the PP saying they won’t change until large corporations and industries change. That doesn’t make sense to me. We, the consumer, can force that change by exercising consideration in our choices.

Yes sometimes those choices are more expensive but not always. We can always choose not to buy something if we don’t truly need it.

Rather than waiting for China to change, let’s stop buying shit that’s made there.

This whole ‘I am powerless to change this with my actions’ and ‘why should I change if they don’t’ and waiting for something to rescue us just seems daft.

We have the power. Within our means: We can choose what we buy and what we do. The reason Jeff Bezos can send his penis extension rockets into space, causing a lifetime’s worth of emissions, is because WE have handed over our hard earned cash to him. We can chose where we buy things that we need from. We can choose who we vote for. We can chose to talk openly about it with others. We can choose to write to MPs about local matters that effect climate change.

On mass, if more people change than don’t, we have HUGE power. It’s up to each individual how they use that power and some people genuinely seem to lack the empathy to care about other human beings on the planet, but most of us do care about other people. If faced with the immediate choice of ‘do I buy this extra handbag or do I save this child from starvation?’ Most people would choose to skip the bag and save the child’. Obviously it’s not such an immediate and obvious choice but I genuinely think that most people do care about other human beings. I hope so anyway.

@forinborin

I realise environmental concerns are very much seen as a privileged Zac Goldsmith type thingy in the UK, but this is not the case everywhere. I am also from the third world, and I must say the climate change is not even close to the top 100 concerns of your average family there. Not due to a lack or awareness, only that everyone accepts that they will deal with it when the time comes in the same way as they dealt with other life calamities. To be honest, only in the UK I see this "we're all gonna diiiiiieeeeee tomorrow!" attitude.

Why only in the U.K.? Not the rest of the richer countries?

@WanderingFruitWonderer I know you’ve hidden the thread, but just wanted to say please, please don’t let you upset you. I say this as someone who has spent a long time being careful about consumption, choosing not to drive etc. I come from WC background but have been lucky enough to have a good education and so live comfortably now. I can appreciate all sides and I see people struggling and others thriving.

But I realised a few years ago that you cannot control other people and the wider world. I know you will know that, but for your own sanity you have to let go, live in the moment and be grateful for the luck we’ve had to be born into a country of privilege at a time when suffering in humanity is at its lowest level ever (I realise there is still too much suffering but there are proportionately fewer people living in poverty/war worldwide and life expectancy is the best it’s ever been). So we should be thankful for that and not worry too much about the future.

I will continue doing what I can for the environment, because it’s the right choice for me, but I don’t let the actions of others stress me out/ upset me. Because I have no control over the behaviour of others ... that way madness lies.

Just as an example I’m posting off two big boxes of children’s orthopaedic shoes I collected from my local hospital which are being sent to Mongolia/ India to give children the gift of walking. They were destined for landfill. It’s giving me great joy to know that they will be recycled and help children suffering now. I’m not saying this to make myself look good, but it’s these sorts of actions that contribute to your personal wellbeing rather than futile climate change education of others who don’t want to listen. I’m a little dot in the world and there is only so much I can do and I don’t want to spend my precious life in anger or fear.

You sound like a lovely person, pls look after yourself xx

I choose not to buy from China unless there's no choice. Not because of climate change. But because I would prefer to spend my money on UK products rather than making other countries more powerful.

I don't care about Bezos sending Rockets in to space. In the slightest.

As for caring about other people. I care about my friends and family. I may have some empathy for other people's situations. I may choose to help them if I wish, or maybe not. But when it comes to climate change I just don't care enough. Or at all.

I've enjoyed this thread as it hasn't gone into mud slinging.

Look I recycle, don't have kids or drive a car (not for environmental reasons but still) BUT I fly abroad a few times a year, buy new, heat my house and eat meat. her

I don't really think me stopping that is the answer while Bujo cuts about in his jet and China won't play. And yes I know if we ALL changed it would help but still.

Honestly I dont want to change and I HATE the sanctimony around the issue. No ones going to die if I buy a new top twice a year. If people wanting me to change were less sanctimonious more folk might listen.

It suits governments and companies to make it into an issue for individuals.

I know that doesn't mean we shouldn't do all we can, but I don't think this can be solved by individuals.

Honestly I dont want to change and I HATE the sanctimony around the issue. No ones going to die if I buy a new top twice a year. If people wanting me to change were less sanctimonious more folk might listen.

I agree with this. Those that seek to 'educate' others have shot themselves in the foot I'm afraid. I'm not interested in the opinions of those seeking to educate me to behave as they would like.

Like the grifters insulate britain sitting on the roads, because they have time to do that because retired / unemployed. Stopping people getting to work and earning money to support their families. Stopping ambulances getting through. Seeking to educate the 'ignorant' masses. Well that won't work out well alienating people who may have supported them. Personally it makes me want to go home, wack the heating up, and open the windows. And buy a big gas guzzling car. I'm not alone in that. They certainly did educate the 'ignorant' masses. Now many of us truly do not give a fuck if the human race dies out. Seriously. Who cares. I don't.

@Anonaymoose

Well I am poor so I can't really answer as I'm not living the life I want. But since I can't ever afford new clothes, travel, buying shit for the sake of it, having the heating on, wasting food etc.. I feel I'm doing my part already simply by virtue of having no money to spend on anything other than essentials. Almost everything I own is second hand. It's people with money to throw around that are the problem, just look at all the emissions caused by private jets, fleets of suv's etc at COP26 which I saw with my own eyes when the police motorcyclists accompanying bidens fleet nearly took me on the road .

I'm afraid electric cars, organic locally produced food, fancy new heating systems etc are all unaffordable to me and many others. I think I'll leave the rich to sort this shit out, I'm too busy worrying how the fuck I'm going to afford food next week.

Good post, I can understand how you feel, financially I am ok now, but I have been in your shoes.

Like the grifters insulate britain sitting on the roads, because they have time to do that because retired / unemployed.

At least one of them works as a carpenter and is aware that you can't grow concrete.

Why only in the U.K.? Not the rest of the richer countries?
I was only speaking from own experience. Of other richer countries I have inside experience only with the US and Spain, and the attitude there seems to be much, much more relaxed. At least I don't know anyone there who has lost sleep or had to seek medical help due to anxiety about the topic.

Great. So one works as a carpenter and is aware you can't grow concrete. Can't be much work for him if he's spending time sitting on the road blocking other people getting to work. So either he has a private income which enables him to do that. Or he's claiming benefits.

Either way. His message isn't working.

I am friends who come from poorer countries, not the poorest though, who have been surprised how much British people waste things. They are used to reusing stuff, not throwing away perfectly good stuff and replacing it in the latest fashion, not wasting food, Many citizens of poorer countries are already doing their bit. Its like Britain when I was young, citizens were more envirob=nmentally friendly, not out of an environmental concern, simply a lack of money and a commitment not to waste stuff.

People the world over do care

There is evidence in data the world over that they care, and that their caring is making an impact

There is ( currently) no need to live a sack cloth snd ashes life even if you passionately care.

So buy clothes, just not to excess. Drive a car , not to excess. Eat meat , not every day

The whole business with being able to afford to take action is exactly what insulate Britain are about... wtf should rich people be given discounts on heat pumps when the same amount of money could save far more carbon, and help the less well off save in their heating bills with relatively cheap insulation ?

Our politicians let us down over and over again. And they can because enough people don't care, or believe the lies that are circulating ( such as individuals don't have any impact , it's not worth it whilst x/y/z still happen , it's all a con to make my life a misery, take all my cash in taxes, it won't actually affect me and my family )

I do care but i also love foreign holidays.

I voted YABU because we've already done the quick fix changes and I'm not prepared to do much more.

We've cut plastic by using things like soap/shampoo bars and refillable cleaning products, buy lots second hand, actively avoid buying plastic tat, we do at least 2 vegetarian days a week, we have insulated our house and installed a top-rated, efficient boiler. When my car gives up the ghost, we'll probably change it for an electric one.

But no, I'm not prepared to sit through a Scottish winter in thermals, socks and blankets when I can have the thermostat at 20c. And I'm not going to give up an annual foreign holiday either. Or rip out a perfectly good boiler to install ground/air source heating.

@Beckert

Great. So one works as a carpenter and is aware you can't grow concrete. Can't be much work for him if he's spending time sitting on the road blocking other people getting to work. So either he has a private income which enables him to do that. Or he's claiming benefits.

Either way. His message isn't working.

Perhaps not

But it's not a message to you unless you are boris

All politicians are a lot more swayed by the possibility of large scale public disorder than any number of petitions

@malificent7

I do care but i also love foreign holidays.

So have foreign holidays

Find low carbon ways to get there, have fewer, or make bigger cuts elsewhere to your personal footprint

@malificent7

I do care but i also love foreign holidays.

Same - but it need not mean giving them up. I haven’t been anywhere for a couple of years because of the pandemic but loads of places are accessible by train / boat from the UK. And the occasional flight is probably ok. Frequent fliers are responsible for most of the carbon related to aviation and it’s those that need reining in.

A message to Boris? Not sure he was really listening when he jumped on his private jet to return from cop26.

I think the large scale public disorder will come from the other side tbh if people lives are massively impacted by unrealistic demands both financially and how they live. Which, less face it, will be most ordinary people.

Find low carbon ways to get there, have fewer, or make bigger cuts elsewhere to your personal footprint

Most people will just go the quickest cheapest way. This movement really does show a spectacular lack of understanding of people.