Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

What fossil fuels are doing to our oceans

newhumanist.org.uk

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

41–50 of 183 posts

Re: What fossil fuels are doing to our oceans

#41

Post by TimJRobinson »

zachcb wrote: post #29
cpprototypes wrote: post #27

I wish some billionaire would start a chain of carbon neutral gas stations. I wouldn't mind paying more for gas if I knew it was carbon neutral. There are several ways the gas could be carbon neutral, either through production (solar/wind into fuel creation) or offsets (plant trees or carbon sequestration). Instead of slowly trying to change our transportation infrastructure to EV, which will take decades, this could…

That gas station would be empty 95% of the time because it wouldn't succeed. Most people don't want to spend any extra money on things that they won't directly benefit from.

I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the idea. I personally buy from companies like https://us.whogivesacrap.org/ and seek out and pay a premium for sustainably produced food. In a city such as SF or Seattle where many people are wealthy and eco-concious I could see this working. I'm unsure if it would scale though.

Re: What fossil fuels are doing to our oceans

#42

Post by danvdragos »

Reading this struck me: What is the difference between primordial volcanoes and human pollution? During the dinosaur age it was a lot hotter [0] and there were really extraordinary organisms. Further reading seems to go down a rabbit hole [1],etc.

[0]http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2014/07/11/what-geology-has-to-... [1]https://www.theguardian.com/environment/blog/2010/apr/21/ice...

Re: What fossil fuels are doing to our oceans

#43

Post by TimJRobinson »

cpprototypes wrote: post #27

I wish some billionaire would start a chain of carbon neutral gas stations. I wouldn't mind paying more for gas if I knew it was carbon neutral. There are several ways the gas could be carbon neutral, either through production (solar/wind into fuel creation) or offsets (plant trees or carbon sequestration). Instead of slowly trying to change our transportation infrastructure to EV, which will take decades, this could…

I think even a startup could do this. Could work with existing stations to promote themselves as being completely eco-friendly. They would add a small cost to each gallon of fuel (as andrewwhartion mentioned it should only be ~3-4%) and that cost would go to offsetting the emissions. The startup could charge another 1% or a lump fee and put the work into making banners / promotional material to advertise their eco-friendliness, and also handle the PR. In an eco-conscious city just the local PR could bump business enough to make it worth it.

Re: What fossil fuels are doing to our oceans

#44

Post by NumberCruncher »

anotherturn wrote: post #10

It's not really enough to read and upvote, but I'm at a loss as to what I can personally can do about this. So in the spirit of the askhn "how would you turn around Twitter" - let's apply the same thinking to this: "how would you fix the oceans "? There must be some practical steps that one or many of the hn audience can execute?

>>how would you fix the oceans

Use your bike whenever it is possible instead of your car. By the way it is also good for your health not only for the environment.

Buy products that are produced in your neighbourhood and are not shipped twice around the world.

Re: What fossil fuels are doing to our oceans

#45

Post by weq »

anotherturn wrote: post #10

It's not really enough to read and upvote, but I'm at a loss as to what I can personally can do about this. So in the spirit of the askhn "how would you turn around Twitter" - let's apply the same thinking to this: "how would you fix the oceans "? There must be some practical steps that one or many of the hn audience can execute?

Make all plastic based on petroleum illegal.

Kill 2 birds with 1 stone.

Re: What fossil fuels are doing to our oceans

#46

Post by andrewwhartion »

TimJRobinson wrote: post #43
cpprototypes wrote: post #27

I wish some billionaire would start a chain of carbon neutral gas stations. I wouldn't mind paying more for gas if I knew it was carbon neutral. There are several ways the gas could be carbon neutral, either through production (solar/wind into fuel creation) or offsets (plant trees or carbon sequestration). Instead of slowly trying to change our transportation infrastructure to EV, which will take decades, this could…

I think even a startup could do this. Could work with existing stations to promote themselves as being completely eco-friendly. They would add a small cost to each gallon of fuel (as andrewwhartion mentioned it should only be ~3-4%) and that cost would go to offsetting the emissions. The startup could charge another 1% or a lump fee and put the work into making banners / promotional material to advertise their eco-fr…

I think there's something in this...

The person behind the cash register could even ask, "Would you like to make your 'gas/petrol/fuel' today carbon-neutral for an extra $2.45?".

I can see that working with very little capital. It gets sold the same way as the Snickers bars next to the checkout.

Re: What fossil fuels are doing to our oceans

#47

Post by weq »

greglindahl wrote: post #11
anotherturn wrote: post #10

It's not really enough to read and upvote, but I'm at a loss as to what I can personally can do about this. So in the spirit of the askhn "how would you turn around Twitter" - let's apply the same thinking to this: "how would you fix the oceans "? There must be some practical steps that one or many of the hn audience can execute?

Become a vegetarian. Not only will you not contribute to the fish market, but you'll also reduce the amount of fertilizer flowing into the ocean.

Soy beans / palm oil are one of the top causes of deforestration in rainforests around the world.

Being vego doesnt mean good for the planet, although yes, probably the main cause of desforestation is beef production...

The permafrost is melting. coral reefs around the world are dieing. Its only a matter of years until fish populations to collapse (coral reefs house 75% of the world fish). Unfortunately the writing is on the wall, we have already tipped the scales and its going to take another 100k years for the balance to be restored.

Realistically, we are doomed. How do we reverse climate change when our goal in life is to go out, have a career, make money. We make every effort to reduce poverty and 3rd world conditions becauase its better...

But its not. I saw on a doco last night a guy from PNG, his community just sold their land to Exxon Mobile to drill for gas, 50billion they say they would extract. He was filmed with a with a primary rainforest in the background, saying he expected the place be like new york city (but all the money has been embezled by corrupt politicans). I looked at him, with his ripped muscles and young features, pelo diet and thought "people who have it all, want to look like you. Live and eat like you. YOU HAVE IT ALL. Sure, you dont have collatoral for a house, but u have the life that educated and developed people strive for..."

Re: What fossil fuels are doing to our oceans

#48

Post by weq »

wolfram74 wrote: post #17
anotherturn wrote: post #10

It's not really enough to read and upvote, but I'm at a loss as to what I can personally can do about this. So in the spirit of the askhn "how would you turn around Twitter" - let's apply the same thinking to this: "how would you fix the oceans "? There must be some practical steps that one or many of the hn audience can execute?

You can start an iron fertilization project for around 20k in boat rental fees + legal fees for illegal ocean dumping. Major companies do it for less altruistic reasons all the time.

i think if we ever battle climate change, its going to be this geo-engineering that saves us.

Purely with population growth, we are doomed. Even if everyone had solar powered everything, feeding this population on anymore more then plakton will fully utilise all arrible surfaces on the planet by 2050

Re: What fossil fuels are doing to our oceans

#49

Post by D_Alex »

weq wrote: post #45
anotherturn wrote: post #10

It's not really enough to read and upvote, but I'm at a loss as to what I can personally can do about this. So in the spirit of the askhn "how would you turn around Twitter" - let's apply the same thinking to this: "how would you fix the oceans "? There must be some practical steps that one or many of the hn audience can execute?

Make all plastic based on petroleum illegal. Kill 2 birds with 1 stone.

That is a terrible idea, for many reasons, and it would not reduce CO2 emissions... probably the opposite.

A much better idea would be to reserve petroleum and natural gas for production of high value products such as plastics, instead of using it as an energy source now that renewable energy is competitive on cost.

Re: What fossil fuels are doing to our oceans

#50

Post by cpprototypes »

andrewwhartion wrote: post #46
TimJRobinson wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think even a startup could do this. Could work with existing stations to promote themselves as being completely eco-friendly. They would add a small cost to each gallon of fuel (as andrewwhartion mentioned it should only be ~3-4%) and that cost would go to offsetting the emissions. The startup could charge another 1% or a lump fee and put the work into making banners / promotional material to advertise their eco-fr…

I think there's something in this... The person behind the cash register could even ask, "Would you like to make your 'gas/petrol/fuel' today carbon-neutral for an extra $2.45?". I can see that working with very little capital. It gets sold the same way as the Snickers bars next to the checkout.

A lot of gas stations here ask "Do you want a car wash for $x.xx" directly on the gas pump after you slide your card. If gas stations just added "Do you want carbon neutral for $x.xx" I think many would push yes in the right markets and a reasonable $x.xx value.
Post reply on HN