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Bill Gates: You’ll never solve climate change by asking people to consume less

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Re: Bill Gates: You’ll never solve climate change by asking people to consume less

#23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> You’ll never solve climate change by asking people to consume less The headline says 'no.'

The above poster is just suggesting that Bill Gates not be a hypocrite with respect to consuming less. He consumes way way way more than the average citizen. I don’t even know why people listen to him. Shouldn’t we be listening to actual climate scientists in the US government? And not some software CEO who has conflicts of interest? Why are we even platforming this dude and giving him any legitimacy?

If I were Bill Gates it would probably be miserable to take normal flights, can't walk two steps before someone gawks. If anything just reinforces that being famous sucks.

Re: Bill Gates: You’ll never solve climate change by asking people to consume less

#24
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree full-heartedly as a dutiful member of Citizens Climate Lobby. However, if we can’t pass this legislation with a Democratic political stack in place, then when?

Look at how ignored political groups have traditionally made their voices heard. Like racial equality movements, unions, or womens' suffrage.

None of those movements required any degradation of the living standards of the majority of people but at most just the elites or a particular class and then not substantially. Climate is a very different fight.

Re: Bill Gates: You’ll never solve climate change by asking people to consume less

#25
post #6
post #3

Implement a carbon tax, and it will happen. The insistence from some that we can just innovate our way out of the climate crisis, when the Industrial Revolution and pursuit of technological expansion for the sake of profit at all costs is what got us into this situation in the first place, is what I find truly “quixotic.” There is no incentive for corporations to improve the climate situation in a meaningful way.

Agree 100%. Tax generation of CO2 at the energy level and all else should follow. Then allow companies to get a tax reduction if they offset their output in some well researched and supported method. Tadaa...

A dollar a gallon direct air capture carbon tax would make gasoline net carbon negative.

Clearly, that would lead to mass hysteria and societal collapse.

/s

Re: Bill Gates: You’ll never solve climate change by asking people to consume less

#26
post #3

Implement a carbon tax, and it will happen. The insistence from some that we can just innovate our way out of the climate crisis, when the Industrial Revolution and pursuit of technological expansion for the sake of profit at all costs is what got us into this situation in the first place, is what I find truly “quixotic.” There is no incentive for corporations to improve the climate situation in a meaningful way.

[dead]

Re: Bill Gates: You’ll never solve climate change by asking people to consume less

#27

Asking? Of course not. There's no incentive to just stop, and 100x more signals to consume. Instead, apply of concept of capital gains being taxed less than income to consumption and carbon footprint. It works for the behavior of the rich. I'm sure Bill would agree. It can work for the rest of us in the context of climate change. p.s. Funny how Bill (and then wife) built a massively excessive home. I guess he asked h…

I think these mega billionaires do that as a way to park their money, financial advisors telling them to diversify into real estate lol. Just wish they'd do it in a more socially productive way...

Re: Bill Gates: You’ll never solve climate change by asking people to consume less

#28

Quoted post unavailable.

"The present day significance of the impact depends on choice of a future discount factor."

(American Petroleum Institute, in 1980, predicting CO2 emissions would "bring world economic growth to a halt in about 2025", unless minor action was immediately taken back then.)

Source: https://insideclimatenews.org/documents/aq-9-task-force-meet...

Re: Bill Gates: You’ll never solve climate change by asking people to consume less

#29
post #25
post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agree 100%. Tax generation of CO2 at the energy level and all else should follow. Then allow companies to get a tax reduction if they offset their output in some well researched and supported method. Tadaa...

A dollar a gallon direct air capture carbon tax would make gasoline net carbon negative. Clearly, that would lead to mass hysteria and societal collapse. /s

You got a source for this? I believe it’s probably roughly true but I haven’t read those figures and would absolutely love to see more.

Re: Bill Gates: You’ll never solve climate change by asking people to consume less

#30
Decreasing consumption doesn't necessarily imply a decrease in quality of life. In the West, at least, we generally work too much, have too little social engagement, and spend lots of money and resources on things that don't really improve our lives. Many things that could actually make us happier don't require much consumption, but they're essentially luxury goods because of the modern lifestyle's high demands. I'm thinking of things like relaxing with friends and/or family, volunteering/contributing to your local community, exercising, eating healthily... even getting enough sleep on a regular basis!
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