Questions About Food and Climate Change, Answered • Hacker News Board

Re: Questions About Food and Climate Change, Answered

#11

Post by artimaeis » Wed, May 01, 2019, 3:35 PM UTC

malvosenior wrote: post #6

jamesgagan wrote: post #2

I know there will be comments saying that individual action is not enough to combat climate change, or that it's too late for that, but when governments are so slow to act and corporations will only change when their bottom line is at stake, it is left to individuals to take action. Going vegan is simply the right thing to do at this point.

> Going vegan is simply the right thing to do at this point. I'm sorry but no. Your diet is a personal choice and no amount of shaming is going to change that. Do you travel internationally? Own a car? Do any other of a million things that have an impact on the climate but also constitute living your life? It's great to put this information out there but telling people that your choices are "simply the right thing to…

Isn't there a level of condescension and or proselytizing that always goes on around environmental conversations?

Reduce, reuse, recycle - if you do it, good! If you don't, bad! Travel less, don't own anything.

How can we frame these sorts of ideals so that people don't feel attacked?

There _is_ a climate crisis. At least some level of that crisis is driven by consumer demands. We should be able to advocate a change without people feeling like they're being shamed.

Re: Questions About Food and Climate Change, Answered

#12

Post by perfunctory » Wed, May 01, 2019, 3:36 PM UTC

malvosenior wrote: post #6

jamesgagan wrote: post #2

I know there will be comments saying that individual action is not enough to combat climate change, or that it's too late for that, but when governments are so slow to act and corporations will only change when their bottom line is at stake, it is left to individuals to take action. Going vegan is simply the right thing to do at this point.

> Going vegan is simply the right thing to do at this point. I'm sorry but no. Your diet is a personal choice and no amount of shaming is going to change that. Do you travel internationally? Own a car? Do any other of a million things that have an impact on the climate but also constitute living your life? It's great to put this information out there but telling people that your choices are "simply the right thing to…

> Your diet is a personal choice

Not any more

> and no amount of shaming is going to change that.

It did change it for me. I haven’t gone vegan all the way but I did change my diet

> Do you travel internationally?

Less and less and preferably by train

> Own a car?

Yes, and I stopped driving it.

> since no one likes to be preached at.

I must be an exception then.

Re: Questions About Food and Climate Change, Answered

#13

Post by jamesgagan » Wed, May 01, 2019, 3:41 PM UTC

vibrato wrote: post #8

jamesgagan wrote: post #2

I know there will be comments saying that individual action is not enough to combat climate change, or that it's too late for that, but when governments are so slow to act and corporations will only change when their bottom line is at stake, it is left to individuals to take action. Going vegan is simply the right thing to do at this point.

Destroy your health for virtue points trying to tackle the smallest contributor to global warming, sounds right to me /s

All the evidence seems to indicate that the less meat and dairy one eats, the healthier they are. I also used to believe vegans were unhealty until I did some research. As a personal anecdote, I've been vegan for about 4 years now and my health is better than ever.

Re: Questions About Food and Climate Change, Answered

#14

Post by JoeAltmaier » Wed, May 01, 2019, 3:44 PM UTC

jamesgagan wrote: post #4

JoeAltmaier wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic?

I feel like this attitude is popular because it gives people an excuse to not change their lifestyle.

I feel like the other attitude is popular because it gives people an excuse not to exercise real activism - propositions, getting out the vote, public education etc. Just eat a veggie-burger now and then and say "well I tried".

Re: Questions About Food and Climate Change, Answered

#15

Post by astazangasta » Wed, May 01, 2019, 3:44 PM UTC

malvosenior wrote: post #6

jamesgagan wrote: post #2

I know there will be comments saying that individual action is not enough to combat climate change, or that it's too late for that, but when governments are so slow to act and corporations will only change when their bottom line is at stake, it is left to individuals to take action. Going vegan is simply the right thing to do at this point.

> Going vegan is simply the right thing to do at this point. I'm sorry but no. Your diet is a personal choice and no amount of shaming is going to change that. Do you travel internationally? Own a car? Do any other of a million things that have an impact on the climate but also constitute living your life? It's great to put this information out there but telling people that your choices are "simply the right thing to…

Yes, it sucks to be told you are a sinner. What language would you suggest people use in order to encourage people to be vegan? Suggesting it is the moral choice seems like a good method to me. Then again i am inclined to seek the moral and respond to guilt.

You seem more concerned about not being condescended to; for such an individual, what language would you find cogent?

Re: Questions About Food and Climate Change, Answered

#16

Post by alex_duf » Wed, May 01, 2019, 3:47 PM UTC

malvosenior wrote: post #6

jamesgagan wrote: post #2

I know there will be comments saying that individual action is not enough to combat climate change, or that it's too late for that, but when governments are so slow to act and corporations will only change when their bottom line is at stake, it is left to individuals to take action. Going vegan is simply the right thing to do at this point.

> Going vegan is simply the right thing to do at this point. I'm sorry but no. Your diet is a personal choice and no amount of shaming is going to change that. Do you travel internationally? Own a car? Do any other of a million things that have an impact on the climate but also constitute living your life? It's great to put this information out there but telling people that your choices are "simply the right thing to…

I can see why being "preached at" is being annoying, but the fact have been here long enough, yet a large percentage of the population haven't tried to change their diet.

If public shaming and social clout isn't involved, no one will.

Re: Questions About Food and Climate Change, Answered

#17

Post by malvosenior » Wed, May 01, 2019, 3:47 PM UTC

astazangasta wrote: post #15

malvosenior wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Going vegan is simply the right thing to do at this point. I'm sorry but no. Your diet is a personal choice and no amount of shaming is going to change that. Do you travel internationally? Own a car? Do any other of a million things that have an impact on the climate but also constitute living your life? It's great to put this information out there but telling people that your choices are "simply the right thing to…

Yes, it sucks to be told you are a sinner. What language would you suggest people use in order to encourage people to be vegan? Suggesting it is the moral choice seems like a good method to me. Then again i am inclined to seek the moral and respond to guilt. You seem more concerned about not being condescended to; for such an individual, what language would you find cogent?

None. I don't have any plans to be a vegan so don't want anyone telling me to do it.

Re: Questions About Food and Climate Change, Answered

#18

Post by astazangasta » Wed, May 01, 2019, 3:47 PM UTC

vibrato wrote: post #8

jamesgagan wrote: post #2

I know there will be comments saying that individual action is not enough to combat climate change, or that it's too late for that, but when governments are so slow to act and corporations will only change when their bottom line is at stake, it is left to individuals to take action. Going vegan is simply the right thing to do at this point.

Destroy your health for virtue points trying to tackle the smallest contributor to global warming, sounds right to me /s

Did you read the article? Livestock is in fact a major contributor to global warming, about 14%, which puts it on par with all of transportation.

Re: Questions About Food and Climate Change, Answered

#19

Post by leekyle333 » Wed, May 01, 2019, 3:48 PM UTC

jamesgagan wrote: post #2

I know there will be comments saying that individual action is not enough to combat climate change, or that it's too late for that, but when governments are so slow to act and corporations will only change when their bottom line is at stake, it is left to individuals to take action. Going vegan is simply the right thing to do at this point.

Or maybe you should just eat properly grazed live stock, might be a lot better than going vegan. https://www.ted.com/talks/allan_savory_how_to_green_the_worl...

Re: Questions About Food and Climate Change, Answered

#20

Post by malvosenior » Wed, May 01, 2019, 3:49 PM UTC

alex_duf wrote: post #16

malvosenior wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Going vegan is simply the right thing to do at this point. I'm sorry but no. Your diet is a personal choice and no amount of shaming is going to change that. Do you travel internationally? Own a car? Do any other of a million things that have an impact on the climate but also constitute living your life? It's great to put this information out there but telling people that your choices are "simply the right thing to…

I can see why being "preached at" is being annoying, but the fact have been here long enough, yet a large percentage of the population haven't tried to change their diet. If public shaming and social clout isn't involved, no one will.

Or we can accept people will keep their diet and go on with our lives. Just because something impacts the environment (literally everything does this btw) doesn't mean that we need to stop doing it. The climate will always be changing and humans will always have some impact on it. We need to accept that as fact.