Nothing is more important than getting our reaction to climate change right. It’s so frustrating that so few genuinely helpful companies are emerging out of our ecosystem.
We can and must do better. And quickly.
We can and must do better. And quickly.
What would a genuinely helpful company look like?
Some examples I can think of:
- New materials development (e.g. plastic that takes 30% less carbon to create)
- New carbon-reduced operation pipelines (e.g. a process for manufacturing cars at 30% less carbon)
- A consultancy that focuses on energy reduction across business verticals
- ...
What else?
The only thing in your list that does make sense is an asteroid impact, which we don't have much say over.
With climate change we know a) it's happening, b) it's going to affect us in some pretty major ways and c) we can do something about it.
None of those hold true for your points.
I was more thinking an infectious agent that's modified to be particularly deadly.
I believe that the second law of thermodynamics implies with high probability that humanity will not last forever, so I don't think it's that unlikely that something will wipe us out.
edit: totally predicted...people are reacting with a simple question about actual change by downvoting my comment into Oblivion. You need no better explanation for our fate.
Well maybe because of your general tone and because you didn't seem to react to the OP directly. You see, with a question like "If I must change, why not you?" you imply the OP said you must change while he/she doesn't. But the OP came nowhere near mentioning such thing. On the contrary, OP used we.
why is it out of bounds to ask them what they are doing if the need is apparently so dire?
or does "we" mean what it always means in these discussions....someone else?
will even one person here commit to not flying for a year? the poor don't fly because they can't afford it.
Edit: Hell, ill even provide what i am doing. Not only am i trying to reduce my electricity usage in my house (which was really bugger all to begin with), I have convinced the owner of my restaurant, and have been implementing for months, a system where we source our produce locally as much as possible. (it is costing is approx 5-8% at the moment - as of last months check - but advertising this fact has been a ton more profitable than not putting the effort in).
So that's just a part of what I'm doing. I'm willing to do more.
It is not, I didn't say that. But you could phrase it in a nicer way. And definitely not assume they aren't doing anything.
does "we" mean what it always means in these discussions....someone else?
No. Thinking that way is overly pessimistic.
will even one person here commit to not flying for a year?
Maybe. I haven't been on a plane in years myself.
i don't want to change my lifestyle to lower carbon emissions, because that ends up being a net loss for me.
i want you to change your lifestyle to lower carbon emissions, because that ends up being a net win for me. that's right, i'm talking to all n billion of you!
what can i do to get you to agree to doing that? can i coerce you, or do we end up negotiating or trading?