You can't consume your way out of global warming

Originally published at: http://boingboing.net/2017/04/18/you-cant-consume-your-way-ou.html

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You can’t consume your way out of global warming

But you can try.

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Unless you consume greenhouse gasses from the atmosphere.

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Meaning you’re a tree?

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Right on. The only working-at-scale negative emission technology (other than the ocean, and other smaller-impact natural actors like soils and other plants). Other NETs are optimistic dreams that IMO we better not be counting on. (For anyone else reading along: NET means taking it out of the atmosphere once it’s already up there. There’s still lots we can do on preventing emissions in the first place.)

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Right, the Obamas are the problem. Maybe you’d like to double down by mentioning how often Gore uses air travel? Cause that’d be sooper speshul.

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Plant more trees, people (even though it is killing my sinuses)!

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Cuz yeah, the Obamas going on vacation are somehow comparable to an LA freeway at rush hour for green house emissions, or your average corporate farm, or combustion-powered electrical generation facilities. Sorry, but you’re an idiot.

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The perfect should always be the enemy of the good because Voltaire was not perfect.

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Or photosynthetic microorganisms (which actually are more important for the carbon cycle than are trees, although people often ignore them because they are mostly aquatic).

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Good point! Thanks!

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Anything “is” only what it does. Call it whatever you like!

Why am I not in those pictures?

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I mean, you personally aren’t consuming greenhouse gasses - but if you plant some trees, they are (and they are also fucking up my sinuses, but I’ll get over that!).

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Although I support the thesis that consumption isn’t the answer to environmental issues, I think it’s worth noting that Saul runs a company that hopes to solve environmental issues with a consumer product, and previously ran a company hoping to solve environmental issues with an industrial product.

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Sure. But if only the people who are not at all contributing to the problem can speak, then… well, we wouldn’t even begin to have this (or any other) conversation, because we all contribute to the problem.

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I don’t think that was the point I was making.

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Okay. Fair enough. I do think it’s important to note how it’s not just individual’s actions but the economic system we live that’s the root cause.

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I agree!

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And making the most common color of car “yellow” for a few months of the year…

But, in theory, that should be reflecting more sunlight, so win-win!

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