It’s actually pretty crazy to enter the “climate catastrophes” phase of climate change. Like, we’re all aware of this huge existential threat to humanity as a whole, and we are clearly progressing towards making this planet unlivable for our species, and yet the vast majority of people seem wholly unconcerned.
The collective human effort and high level decision making has been captured by market forces and the profit motive. There is no driver at the wheel.
Its deeply depressing to be honest. I used to mull over having children, but watching this all has convinced me that I never should. Very few people deserve the future we are making.
Tell me about it. I feel so powerless. I was feeling a lot of eco-anxiety a few years back, and decided to make changes in my life. In the past 5 or so years, I haven’t eaten any animal products, I’ve been car-free and used a bicycle as my main transportation, I’ve limited purchases of clothing or technology, opting for second-hand stuff when I do.
At first, it made me feel super good to act more in accordance with my principles. But then, I realized people started seeing me as an extremist. That these overall pretty simple lifestyle changes were considered “too much” by the average person, even one who supposedly cares about the environment. Realizing this has just made me hopeless for the future of our species. We’re confronted with total annihilation of our existence, and taking the bus or not eating a hamburger is considered “too hard”.
I’ve had this experience too. It’s oddly social isolated to live a little more dedicated to the world around you rather than strictly yourself. My family thinks I’m super weird for using a bike to get everywhere and being vegan. The world we live in is overall too dedicated to convenience and comfort, even when it is actively killing us. It has comforted me that I’m doing my best, but I think the floods and fires will need to be literally at our doors for anyone besides people like you and me to do anything.
I feel you on the social isolation. It’s nice to hear that other people feel this way though. Couldn’t agree more with what you’re saying.
A wise person once told me “What can you do if you live in a shoe? Move down the block, live in a sock.” It’s a bit absurd, just like life, but I like the phrase because it reminds me that despite how futile things can seem, at least we can say silly things that rhyme, and have a bit of fun.
Art is a wonderful comfort honestly, its one of the more pure aspects of humanity.
Counterpoint: if only the climate deniers are having kids, it’s just going to get worse
Given that western nations are overall experiencing population decline, I think that their efforts hopefully won’t worsen things.
Every year seems to be getting smokier and more firey. Let’s focus on advocating for climate-friendly policies, and supporting fire management efforts, and preparing for smoky conditions with air purifiers and staying indoors when necessary. Your actions matter, but systemic change is crucial. Let’s also lobby for stronger environmental regulations and support Indigenous fire management practices.
Let’s also lobby for stronger environmental regulations
In the meantime, let’s stop consuming animal ag. We cannot all consume animals, the Earth cannot nearly support it. Already, the majority of biomass of land animals comes from cattle alone. It is nothing more than a status symbol, modern animal sacrifice. And it is the largest (*) contributor to climate change.
Taking this step as an individual has a larger effect than simply conserving the resources you no longer consume. There is huge social value in homesteading this space; making it more comfortable by developing folk culture, normalizing it, and providing an example that shows it’s actually very easy and painless.
You’re totally right, and its part of the reason I became a vegan. Every bit helps, however small, and it seems like the earth needs all the help it can get.
Yes I already am mostly vegan and I don’t drive a car mostly for environmental and ethical reasons. I don’t think my lifestyle should be pushed on others though some people should find their own conclusions. All I can do is be a positive nudge in the right direction
Not pushing lifestyles is fine and dandy however some people’s lifestyles are now significantly affecting others. So the standard isolation of individual rights is beginning to crack when it comes to carbon intensive lifestyle choices. I’m not suggesting you push veganism harder, I’m merely pointing this out. I’m not a vegan, I’m not even vegetarian. I do however eat very little meat and almost completely avoid beef.
Just a trivial point.
Veganism is a moral philosophy. Being mostly vegan is like being mostly abolitionist, but some slaves are okay. Being mostly feminist, except where your wife is concerned. Avoiding animal ag because you are concerned about the environment is not veganism, because it does not concern animal rights.
I didn’t mention veganism because when you start talking about right and wrong, people get upset. I think that it should be enough that people don’t consume animals because animals are intelligent creatures with real experiences that actually matter. But it isn’t, and in fact talking about such things tends to entrench people in their existing habits, so I don’t bother bringing up veganism.
Whatever your philosophy, it’s great that you are thinking about your consumption of animals.
I say mostly, because while I don’t purposefully eat animal products, due to who I live with, and some of the things I eat out, they may contain eggs, dairy etc. And I want to be a gentle vegan where I’m not in the way of others or causing a fuss nitpicking about the ingredients. Also if I had to option to fish or hunt for my own food, I would be fine with that as it’s not factory farmed.
So in my case I am anti-slavery, but I sometimes I can’t perfectly control how some of the products I buy may have come from supply chains with slavery.
What you are describing simply is not veganism.
The worst year yet? Or the best year going forward? Depressing to even contemplate.
Yeah I’m from Alberta, Its been a crazy spring/early summer so far. Had a really early campfire when it was quite cold, not realizing at the time that would be the only campfire we could have this year so far. 😬
We seem to be good to have campfires inside the city though, at least within Calgary at the moment
A new fire risk forecast shows that risk remains well above average in parts of every province and territory except Newfoundland and Labrador
It’s been wet and barely above freezing here in NL… classic June weather ;)
It smells like campfire today in Montreal :(
Same in Toronto.
It’s not that bad in KW, however they’re issuing special air statements: https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/waterloo/n2j/weather-warnings/55073?alertId=263881&areaId=kitchener-cambridge-region-of-waterloo
It got worse!!
My wife and I moved from Colorado to Ontario a year or so ago. One of the (many) reasons we had discussed was to get away from the smoke from fires. My wife is very sensitive to it. This week has really proven to us that there is no “escaping” climate change. It was foolish for us to have placed any credence into the misconception that the colder, wetter climate of Ontario makes us any less vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. It was even more ironic that of all the weeks my wife could have chosen to travel to Ottawa for a conference, she chose the week that Ottawa was particularly affected by the smoke.
I really hope that this week’s fires are a wakeup call to people living on the eastern side of North America. When we originally moved to Colorado, it was striking to me how much more climate conscious people were there than places we had lived before to the east. But that’s just how it is. You get battered by these fires or floods or hurricanes or whatever over and over and over again and it begins to force everyone in an area to wake up to what’s happening. Nobody can hide from it anymore. I just hope that it starts to sink in deeper into the psyches of those who can make real change happen.
We have our biggest fire in history out here in BC currently. This after three years of La Niña ending is frightening.
So weird seeing this bright yellow spot reflected on things - the sun trying to shine thru the smoke. (Shouldn’t the smoke make sunlight more diffuse?)
