41–50 of 97 posts
I know it's naive to think we can build manufacturing plants at the source of raw materials, and near consumers, but there should be a better balance?
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…
Hey Bill and other elites - does this mean no more 20,000 square foot homes and private jets?
I always feel the talks of private jets are missing the point. (Besides, it's always the private jets of Al Gore and Bill Gates that are in question. People never ask about the private jets of BP execs.) To simplify, let's assume that Bill Gates has a Boeing 747, which burns about 38 pounds of fuel per mile [1]. Distance between New York (JFK) and London (LHR) is 3,440 mile. For a round trip, double that, so we have…
For the vast majority of other ultra rich, they should be suffering through awful airports and airlines like everyone else. Partly just so there's a chance their collective frustration of flying actually results in somehow working to improve the broken industry.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I always feel the talks of private jets are missing the point. (Besides, it's always the private jets of Al Gore and Bill Gates that are in question. People never ask about the private jets of BP execs.) To simplify, let's assume that Bill Gates has a Boeing 747, which burns about 38 pounds of fuel per mile [1]. Distance between New York (JFK) and London (LHR) is 3,440 mile. For a round trip, double that, so we have…
>Besides, it's always the private jets of Al Gore and Bill Gates that are in question. People never ask about the private jets of BP execs. Because the BP execs aren't being hypocrites and telling all the commoners to lower their living standards..
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I always feel the talks of private jets are missing the point. (Besides, it's always the private jets of Al Gore and Bill Gates that are in question. People never ask about the private jets of BP execs.) To simplify, let's assume that Bill Gates has a Boeing 747, which burns about 38 pounds of fuel per mile [1]. Distance between New York (JFK) and London (LHR) is 3,440 mile. For a round trip, double that, so we have…
Bill Gates is one of a small group of people I feel should be taking private jets. He and his wife are the world's biggest philanthropists and they do much more good for the world quickly meeting the necessary people to effect change than wasting hours at the airport. For the vast majority of other ultra rich, they should be suffering through awful airports and airlines like everyone else. Partly just so there's a ch…
Localize manufacturing? With those huge cargo ships producing lots of CO2, wouldn't the best impact be to reduce the use of those ships? Try not to ship parts to get assembled into another part, to get shipped again and again back to the origin, and then final assembly and packaging and shipped to the store? I know it's naive to think we can build manufacturing plants at the source of raw materials, and near consumer…
The source of raw materials and consumers may be quite far apart (certainly in the modern world). While it can be argued that maybe they shouldn't be, that is likely to require a significant change in consumer (human?) behavior. And then there is the question of how local is "local" - are you advocating for each city/state to be self-sufficient in terms of agriculture and manufacturing or are you considering a whole massive country like the US as "local".
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…
I decide if I work too much. You don't get to decide if I work too much.
>> have too little social engagement
I get to decide my level of social engagement. You don't get to decide my level of social engagement.
>> spend lots of money and resources on things that don't really improve our lives
I get to decide how to spend my money. You don't get to decide how to spend my money.
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.
I truly believe our only hope is to innovate our way out of this.
Hey Bill and other elites - does this mean no more 20,000 square foot homes and private jets?
Pretty soon we’re going to start seeing authoritarian solutions to climate change. Rich and powerful people aren’t just going to sit around and watch the planet die. I think they’ll do whatever it takes no matter how many people are hurt.