Sea Change – The Pacific's Perilous Turn • Hacker News Board

Re: Sea Change – The Pacific's Perilous Turn

#61

Post by ridicter » Fri, Sep 13, 2013, 9:42 PM UTC

revscat wrote: post #7

Like many who visit HN, I am an atheist. I am coming to believe, however, that the production of CO2 is the greatest sin, in the religious sense, that exists today. It dwarfs all other problems -- Syria, terrorism, the NSA, class and economic disparity, all of them. Being technologists we tend to assume (hope?) that some solution will present itself before it is too late. I am growing increasingly pessimistic that su…

If you're looking for a direct way to get involved in addressing climate change, check out 350.org. 350 was started by Bill McKibben, the author and environmentalist who first wrote about global warming in 1989. 350 is what scientists consider the safe upper limit to CO2 PPM in the atmosphere. There are local chapters all over--I'm involved in the Portland one.

I deal with the struggle you mentioned all the time. In an ideal world, I would be channelling all my energy into addressing climate change. But I have to eat, so I channel my energy into the startup world with the hope that one day I can become more deeply involved in helping solve climate change.

Re: Sea Change – The Pacific's Perilous Turn

#62

Post by jessaustin » Fri, Sep 13, 2013, 9:45 PM UTC

tsotha wrote: post #6

This is the real danger from extra CO2.

You read TFA! I wish it were surprising how many here didn't, before climbing up on their soapbox.

Re: Sea Change – The Pacific's Perilous Turn

#63

Post by pilom » Fri, Sep 13, 2013, 9:47 PM UTC

DanBC wrote: post #16

What can I, as an individual with no money nor power, do to help stop this? I can reduce my energy use as far as possible. Apart from the online stuff I'm pretty low CO2. I can reduce, reuse, and recycle. (I need to get better at that.) But what else can I do?

Decrease your transportation needs. Running a gasoline vehicle for 1 second produces more CO2 than turning off all of the zombie loads in your house. Move closer to work so your commute is shorter and you'll cut your carbon footprint more than any other thing you could do.

Re: Sea Change – The Pacific's Perilous Turn

#64

Post by MartinCron » Fri, Sep 13, 2013, 9:48 PM UTC

rickjames28 wrote: post #32

Like many who visit HN, I am an atheist. I am coming to believe, however, that the production of CO2 is the greatest sin, in the religious sense, that exists today Yes, global warming has become the religion of leftists.

Or, an atheist who sees a profound ethical issue uses a religious metaphor to describe the magnitude and emotional response, take your pick.

Re: Sea Change – The Pacific's Perilous Turn

#65

Post by UnFleshedOne » Fri, Sep 13, 2013, 9:49 PM UTC

patrickg_zill wrote: post #19

revscat wrote: post #7

Like many who visit HN, I am an atheist. I am coming to believe, however, that the production of CO2 is the greatest sin, in the religious sense, that exists today. It dwarfs all other problems -- Syria, terrorism, the NSA, class and economic disparity, all of them. Being technologists we tend to assume (hope?) that some solution will present itself before it is too late. I am growing increasingly pessimistic that su…

Fukushima possibly contaminating the entire Pacific, making any seafood from there not able to be eaten, is not as bad as a little more CO2? By the way, not 1 word in the article, filled with all sorts of scary quotes, about diatoms and their role in CO2 sequestration.

Actually this contamination might be a good thing for the Pacific. It won't be enough to seriously harm the critters (in terms of populations), but it might significantly reduce fishing, allowing the whole ecosystem to recover.

Re: Sea Change – The Pacific's Perilous Turn

#66

Post by indefatigable » Fri, Sep 13, 2013, 9:53 PM UTC

vertr07 wrote: post #39

indefatigable wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Someone famous once said something to the effect of: "When people believe in nothing, they will believe anything." Interestingly enough most of those people are completely in denial about their own irrational zealotry.

I think what you are referring to is: “He who stands for nothing will fall for anything.” ― Alexander Hamilton Nice try though.

Actually it seems like that's not the correct attribution. It was probably Peter Marshall:

"Give to us clear vision that we may know where to stand and what to stand for—because unless we stand for something, we shall fall for anything."

Re: Sea Change – The Pacific's Perilous Turn

#67

Post by MartinCron » Fri, Sep 13, 2013, 9:53 PM UTC

jessaustin wrote: post #60

vertr07 wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I always find it funny when the religious claim that atheists are actually religious too and use that to dismiss them.

Laugh away, but I'm not religious at all, and the same bullshit that turned me away from religion also turns me away from atheism.

No one group of humans has a monopoly of being 100% free from bullshitters. There's a large group of mostly silent atheists who are perfectly reasonable, just as there are groups of less-silent lunatics.

Re: Sea Change – The Pacific's Perilous Turn

#68

Post by MartinCron » Fri, Sep 13, 2013, 9:58 PM UTC

DanBC wrote: post #16

What can I, as an individual with no money nor power, do to help stop this? I can reduce my energy use as far as possible. Apart from the online stuff I'm pretty low CO2. I can reduce, reuse, and recycle. (I need to get better at that.) But what else can I do?

What can I, as an individual with no money nor power, do to help stop this?

Everyone who can vote has at least some power. Please vote for pro-science and reality-based candidates whenever possible.

Re: Sea Change – The Pacific's Perilous Turn

#69

Post by MartinCron » Fri, Sep 13, 2013, 9:59 PM UTC

moocowduckquack wrote: post #8

So, how do we build solar faster? The energy is there, there is ~89 petawatts of incoming solar hitting the ground and we apparently use ~18 terawatts and it looks technically achievable using current technology, so the main restriction would seem to be production capacity and capital costs.

So, how do we build solar faster?

Some communities are doing "community solar" where you essentially invest in a shared solar infrastructure. I'm planning on buying in to the one along the Seattle Waterfront: http://www.seattle.gov/light/solar/community.asp

Re: Sea Change – The Pacific's Perilous Turn

#70

Post by indefatigable » Fri, Sep 13, 2013, 10:01 PM UTC

lutusp wrote: post #43

revscat wrote: post #7

Like many who visit HN, I am an atheist. I am coming to believe, however, that the production of CO2 is the greatest sin, in the religious sense, that exists today. It dwarfs all other problems -- Syria, terrorism, the NSA, class and economic disparity, all of them. Being technologists we tend to assume (hope?) that some solution will present itself before it is too late. I am growing increasingly pessimistic that su…

> Being technologists we tend to assume (hope?) that some solution will present itself before it is too late. I have some bad news: * The problem isn't pollution and CO2 release, at last not directly. The problem is the number of people doing the polluting and CO2 releasing. * A solution would be to have a smaller worldwide birthrate. Easy to say. * But any solution to the above point is very likely to collide with e…

Someone laments the fact that we're all doomed and wants to upend the social order, then someone else replies with a casual implication that population control would be an effective remedy. What a surprise.