I do believe the biggest impact would come from regulating large companies and billionaires, but it’s not one or the other.
Eat less or no meat probably. Enough people drive down meat demand would eventually lead to cattle reduction and less land for grazing.
Don’t forget about diary.
Edit: *dairy
I only drink dear diary. 🦌
You’ll take cheese and 2% cow milk from my cold dead hands.
He said diary. He would like to take away your schedule
He’ll need one to try to find a time when I’m not shoveling cheese down my throat hole while washing it down with milk.
Imagine feeling rebellious over consuming a baby’s nutrition from an animal 😂😅
You: “you’ll take cheese and 2% cow milk from my cold dead hands.”
Nature: “hold my beer.”
I mean, this is the problem. We all will be cold and dead soon if we don’t fix this.
This shit ain’t hard and people have been working on it for ages. Besides, dairy is a VERY small percent of total greenhouse gas emissions. No, milk doesn’t leach hormones into you. No, extra steroids and shit for feed doesn’t hurt anyone except MAYBE the actual farmer. Yes, better feed options are getting much more attention which lower N20 emissions. It’s a shame I killed my reddit comments because I’ve had to have this conversation at least 40+ times over there lol.
The U.S. dairy industry is responsible for less than 2 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions in the country. U.S. dairy, per gallon, has the lowest carbon footprint of any country in the world.
https://www.americandairy.com/sustainability/reducing-dairys-greenhouse-gas-emissions/
The dairy industry aims to be carbon neutral by 2050. Here’s what it means for farms
Of all GHG emission processes, the most studied and best under-stood is that of enteric CH4 emission. As illustrated, this is normally the largest GHG source on dairy farms.A need still exists for better understanding of dietary effects, and particularly for the effects of feed addi-tives that reduce CH4 production. Because this is a large GHG source, feed additives and diet may provide the greatest opportunity for mitigating dairy farm emissions and reducing the carbon footprint of milk.Relatively little is known about enteric N 2O emissions;this appears to be a small and relatively unimportant source, but more data are needed over a broad range in diets to ensure that a better model of this source is not needed.
https://www.journalofdairyscience.org/article/S0022-0302(17)31069-X/pdf
The U.S. Dietary Guidelines has a few surprises – one of which was that children ages 4 to 18 are not eating the recommended daily intake of dairy products.
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/dont-forget-dairy-part-childs-healthy-diet/ via https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/
Want alternatives and reasons why dairy is important? There’s a reason why being Vegan is so much more difficult than giving eggs, dairy, and fish a pass lol.
https://extension.usu.edu/nutrition/research/dairy-in-your-childs-diet
I don’t live in the US. I live in New Zealand.
We don’t have a lot of your additives and our milk contains less sugar, for some reason. So I’m not bothered by that stuff.
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We are one of the world’s large dairy exporters (mostly to China).
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The dairy industry here is mostly grass fed, it’s a massive emitter of climate change gasses, leading us to be one of the high polluters per capita in the world.
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It has also destroyed our river ecology due to fertiliser run off and excrement.
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Culturally, domestically New Zealand is a massive dairy consumer (for reference an average household of 3 uses a 1kg (2.2 pound) block of cheese per week, 4 litres of milk and 500g (1 pound) of butter every week. Most Americans are surprised to hear we put butter on all our sandwiches).
I have no intention of becoming vegan.
But I have lobbied my representative for way more legislative curbs on the dairy industry and I have committed to eating less dairy myself.
I’m not au fait with your dairy industry but by 2050 we will look back on the wildfires and storms and landslides we’re having now as “the good old days”.
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Is the reason you are downvoting me because you want me to stop discussing this with you? Because if so, that’s ok, I can oblige.
Almost forgot to write on my diary today
This. Since I gained access: I only buy local, hormone free, open pastured, humanly treated meat. It’s expensive as hell so I can only afford to eat smaller portions. It costs what it should cost.
It costs what it should cost.
Well said.
We’ve started doing this too. Tastes better and no leftovers that get thrown away.
Do you only mean beef or all meat?
Beef is the worst, but all meat really
Eating local meat is also a good option, especially with many cattle farms beginning to capture methane and become greener.
Vote.
Wisely.
Voting is broken in US IMHO…
Corporations lobby and drive policies…We the people clearly don’t matter to the US of A … We’re just huminerals to them ; especially the “middle class”…
No disagreemnt, but at the same time, voting can still make the difference between “pretty fucked” and “totally fucked.” And that’s not nothing.
The middle class, during my lifetime, used to mean one income supported a family of four.
Now, even DINKs struggle.
This is the biggest one. Activism on the side would be good too, but that might not be simple depending on how far you go with it (a simple lawn sign does count!).
It’s for the simple reason that most people will not deliberately sacrifice to decrease carbon footprint themselves, and need it to be legislated.
I don’t think it’s fair to put the blame on individuals not reducing their carbon footprints. It’s big industries that are fucking the climate. (Oil being likely the biggest one.) And the solution isn’t to incentivise individuals to bicycle more. It’s to regulate industry to stop taking oil out of the ground.
The idea that the individual citizen is the problem and and the solution to climate change and other environmental issues is propaganda invented by industry to get the focus off of them. “We oil companies aren’t the problem. You need to drive less.” “We plastic manufacturers didn’t put tons of plastic in the oceans. You need to recycle more.”
“Voting with your dollars” is similarly a con.
The reason you vote (with your… you know… votes) is so that the administration that isn’t going to gut the EPA gets the next term. And maybe they’ll enforce regulations on special interests that actually make a positive difference in emissions.
Yeah, but don’t forget industry exists to sell things to consumers. I wouldn’t put the onus on an individual person, that is a scam, but everybody collectively I sure would.
The way to make everyone collectively do something is through legislation.
The reason you vote (with your… you know… votes) is so that the administration that isn’t going to gut the EPA gets the next term. And maybe they’ll enforce regulations on special interests that actually make a positive difference in emissions.
Friendly reminder that we’re not all Americans here.
Friendly reminder that we’re not all Americans here.
Ah! Sorry about that. I’m trying to be better about that.
This is the only suggestion that will make any difference
This and reducing flying is the best ‘bang for your buck’ in terms of individual actions imo. Even just starting by not eating beef is better than nothing.
Eat your nearest billionaire.
This is your only option. Managing your carbon footprint sounds like a great idea in concept, but the entire concept was created and promoted by oil companies to distract us from where the real damage comes from. Worrying about your own impact is noble but if you’re doing it to save the world you’re on the wrong track.
BP Oil telling people how to be more environmentally friendly has got to be the most hypocritical bullshit I’ve ever heard of.
Tacking onto this, I recall a Climate Town episode where he discussed which bank you decide to use matters. Oil companies’ biggest donors are banks that get to loan out your money.
Calm down there actual cannibal Shia LaBeouf.
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Ooh, ooh, I get their toes and lips!!
Just don’t brag about it after; or else…
No, do brag about it. Be the change you want to see in the world.
Ok , go and brag about Your canabalising the wealthy… See how far that gets…
Way to take some responsibility for your own impact.
The average billionaire lifestyle of extravagance creates about as much pollution as a business of reasonable size. Their year exceeds a hundred average lifetime carbon footprints. Thousands of lifetimes if you include construction’s environmental impact.
Agreed. What people don’t realize is that if they were to actually follow those recommendations, then oil companies wouldn’t be responsible for as much pollution. We can say it’s the corporations that are doing it, but it’s all of us that are keeping these corporations in business and buying the products that pollute. If we all took personal responsibility, the corporations 'level of output would decline. This is ALL about personal responsibility and it is infuriating to watch people say “well it’s the corporations” all the time.
Wear a condom.
There is nothing you can do to reduce your carbon footprint that comes even close to having no or fewer children.
You can get rid of your car, stop eating meat, recycle as much as you can and so on, but the impact of that together is a fraction of the reduction you can achieve by simply not creampieing your gf/wife.
You’ll also save a ton of money and you don’t have to deal with any annoying kids so it’s a win/win all around.
Yup, this is a fantastic side benifit to my absolutely not ever having kids.
Hmmm yes I will make sure to stop having sex with my great abundance of girlfriends
Anytime you have a chance to vote, take it, and vote for whatever option will be most likely to reduce the overall emissions. In most cases, this will probably mean voting for programs/parties etc that oppose conservatism.
Oh imagine a majority of people consistently doing that. We could go somewhere with our efforts.
In the US, neither party is serious about stopping climate change. They are both controlled by big oil, big car, etc.
I agree the the democrats are not nearly serious enough about stopping climate change, but the republican party is actively hindering efforts and definitely worse for the plant in the long run.
Neither party being serious does not mean one isn’t way worse than the otherYou still need to hold the Dems feet to the fire. Just handing them your vote as the least worst option just means you’ll never be offered any good options. Make them work for it.
And what do you mean by that? What specific actions are you talking about?
You can get involved in protests to try to make them pay attention. You can write letters to your representatives and prospective candidates. You can ask good questions at town halls. You can campaign for good candidates.
Voting is the least important thing you can do. Ultimately you have no choice but to vote for the least worst option but if that’s the only thing you ever do, you’re helping to bury all of us.
Can’t disagree with that
There is ideological diversity within the democratic party, especially at the local level. As part of a representative democracy, the electorate needs to be engaged with their representatives. You should start looking closely at your most local representatives.
Wear a condom.
Public transport and bikes to avoid overusage of cars. Many people seem to make a big deal out of this but to me it seems reasonably simple.
This isn’t really an option in the US. The fossil fuel and car industries colluded heavily to kill or limit public transit options through the country. Same with bike friendly infrastructure. We really do have to break up all the big corporations and tax, imprison, or eliminate the billionaires and multi multi millionaires to force them to change their behaviors.
Yep. My area technically has a county bus service, but it only visits each stop 3 or 4 times a day. Throw in the fact that even if you’re lucky there’s a “bike lane” that’s about a meter wide and all the cars completely ignore. Just not at all an option
I’ve read somewhere that it’s become quite dangerous to be a pedestrian/cyclist over the last few decades in the USA
Where I live we have a major intersection and the drivers looking to make a right turn are looking left to see if any cars are coming ( at 40 mph ) they’re not looking right where a person is standing waiting for the walk sign to come on. When the walking sign comes on , the drivers make the right turn and only notice that a person is walking then; they swerve around you in shock and disbelief… IK this because it’s happened to me numerous/countless times…
If only we could all rely on each other n our communities ( to share food and water ) , n if we could all go on a massive strike / protest all at once … Maybe then we could get the government to listen to us… But that ain’t happening… We’re all too divided to act as one
And now with mass surveillance and AI; I figure we really don’t stand a chance when 🪧 protesting…
I’ve no hope that things will get better… For Us or Them (other countries)… Global inequality is growing each year quickly
Biking involves exercise so it’s good for your health too.
Better for your mental health too.
I had a parking issue and ended up using a scooter to commute the last mile to work everyday. I would show up for work happy and leave with a big stupid grin on my face. Knowing you can leave work and instantly do something fun put me in a great mood.
I often want to use public transport but the timetables and prices make it an absolute nonstarter.
Please stop listening to corporate propaganda on this subject. You have absolutely no personal responsibility to solve this problem. The idea that you have to is an invention from business. A way to make it a personal responsibility and not something businesses have to solve.
no raindrop feels responsible for the flood
Although you might feel like you don’t have an impact, you are not blameless, when you buy and rely on things that harm the environment you create demand for them, and you make the companies that pollute more successful
Nah sorry. We are past that. Every company that provides good, affordable products causes more damage to the environment than we ever will.
We depend on elected officials to prevent this problem for us. We have organizations who’s specific job is to do this for us. See But now they are all in the pocket of the polluters.
We lost. It’s over. It’s never going back. Just enjoy your life while you’re here. Humans are shit. Have a drink and go to bed.
I 100% agree with you. All the carbon I save in my lifetime cannot compare to what’s emitted by an airline company flying empty planes just to reserve their airport terminals. https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel/2022/04/the-scandal-of-ghost-flights-are-empty-planes-haunting-our-skies
That said, I can’t save the world, but I can save my tiny corner of it. Maybe I’m just a yard fence against a dam breaking flood, but something in me compels me to try. I’m not gonna lose sleep over the tiniest shred of plastic I trash instead of recycle, but I will do my best.
OMFG
If no person does anything nothing changes.
Of course your own choices in isolation don’t change much. But that’s like saying voting doesn’t do anything because a single vote doesn’t matter. We all can make choices that add up through all of society.
No corporation will change if you’re still buying shit from them.
While I agree that businesses have way more direct impact and responsibilities, “it’s about sending a message”. If we as consumers put more priority on goods / foods that have less of a bad impact on climate change, corporations will follow that trend as well as that’s where the money is.
We still have to hope that we’re not misled by marketing teams too much, but if the global trend is in a specific direction it has more of a chance to contain better options. Just be aware that possibly most of your climate enhancing actions might still be bad/misled/hypocritical in hindsight, but it’s better than if we don’t take any action at all.
The only thing we can do is raise our chances.
100 companies/corporations are responsible for 71% of all greenhouse gas emissions. Unless the “simple changes” are “abolish capitalism and give these polluters the corporate death penalty” then there’s jack shit you can do to have any appreciable impact beyond not having kids and convincing everyone you know to do the same. Because if the human race goes extinct there will be nobody left to pollute.
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Eat vegan, the more local and the less processed the better.
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Opt for cycling, walking, or public transit rather than owning and driving a car.
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Shop secondhand (thrift stores, FB Marketplace, Kijiji, yard sales) whenever possible, especially clothing and electronics.
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Re-examine your consumption habits, we probably don’t need (nor really even want) like half the stuff we buy.
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Honestly, I believe a big negative social reaction to yachting and private flights for the wealthy would have the most impact. You can’t necessarily force people to not do things but you can create a negative backlash.
“Ethical consumption” is fine, but have a very low impact: Most of environmental damage is related to corporations, not by population.
Information is key: To solve any problem, we need to understand it the best we can. So how climate change works? How human action is driving it? Who is responsible? And what are our options? Look for science communicators that reflect the scientific consensus, not the opinion of a small group.
Be aware of/with any “solutions” that is proposed by or also benefits big corporations and the billionaires that owns it. There is a lot of green-washing shit around.
Vote for politicians that have a solid green agenda. Votes matter, but in capitalism, it is not enough. The capitalist system is built to maximize profit over everything else, that’s what will happen if there’s nothing stopping it to happen. So political education and engagement makes difference.
Vote for better policies and laws that force companies to be better as well.
Even if we improve ourselves as much as possible: We still need the products of big corps which only improve because of (1) laws or (2) when losing money.
Also, let all your politicians know in advance that this is what you will be doing.
We need them to know this is what we want.
In the US, yes. In Germany, Switzerland and every other country with a good election system there are many different parties so you can just vote for the greenest (or the literal “Green party”).
I’m actually in New Zealand, where we have MMP proportional representation and a Green Party.
But I still let all the politicians in my electorate know that this is a voting issue for me.
We need to move that Overton Window. The more politicians know that this is what we want, the better.
If you’re in a country with a good system, you probably have times where you need your political parties to work collaboratively to pass legislation and solve issues. It’s good for them to know that we support them on this.
Here are some of the things we are doing that to us, don’t feel like sacrifices:
- People say become vegan, but for me personally, that would feel too restricting, so my husband and I stopped eating mammals instead. We still eat chicken, turkey, fish (rarely) and seafood (also rarely).
- Work remote if able
- Grow a garden, even if all you can do is a windowsill herb garden. There are so many possibilities you can have. If you have a balcony, you can buy a greenstalk, where you can grow tomatoes, herbs, peppers, strawberries and all kinds of stuff. It doesn’t take very much space, and can be very efficient. If you have a little bit of land available, you can have some raised beds or just grow in ground (I am growing with a no dig method for example). You can also put in perenial plants such as blueberries, elder berries, black berries, raspberries, honeyberries and so much more that is really not going to require much of your attention beyong the initial effort of putting it into the ground and then harvesting once the plants start producing.
- Start sourcing your food locally. The best way of doing this is finding a local CSA (community supported agriculture). We are CSA members of a farm that’s literally just a couple and their kids who grow 90% of their own food, and feed the local community too. The stuff you will get from CSA is not only locally grown, but it is the freshest, tastiest produce you will ever have in your life. Sometimes it even ends up saving you some coin, because you are not going through middlemen.
- Learn cooking from scratch.
- Don’t have kids.
But at the end of the day, you have to remember that you are just one person. Unless corpos decide to make changes, likely nothing we do will truly matter… I do all of these things, because it makes me feel better. Gardening is therapeutic, and you get amazing food out of it. Plus it is a very valuable skill to have, especially given everything happening in the world.
I love the hilarious out-of-order priorities of this list.
Don’t eat meat, grow a window herb garden, don’t have kids.
¯_(ツ)_/¯ People don’t want to hear that they shouldn’t have kids
Eat vegan.
Where to find said vegan and will let me eat it or should I hunt the vegan?
