this post was submitted on 18 Oct 2024
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Discussion of climate, how it is changing, activism around that, the politics, and the energy systems change we need in order to stabilize things.

As a starting point, the burning of fossil fuels, and to a lesser extent deforestation and release of methane are responsible for the warming in recent decades: Graph of temperature as observed with significant warming, and simulated without added greenhouse gases and other anthropogentic changes, which shows no significant warming

How much each change to the atmosphere has warmed the world: IPCC AR6 Figure 2 - Thee bar charts: first chart: how much each gas has warmed the world. About 1C of total warming. Second chart: about 1.5C of total warming from well-mixed greenhouse gases, offset by 0.4C of cooling from aerosols and negligible influence from changes to solar output, volcanoes, and internal variability. Third chart: about 1.25C of warming from CO2, 0.5C from methane, and a bunch more in small quantities from other gases. About 0.5C of cooling with large error bars from SO2.

Recommended actions to cut greenhouse gas emissions in the near future:

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Overwhelming majority of young Americans worry about climate crisis (www.theguardian.com)
submitted 2 weeks ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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[–] [email protected] 35 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (5 children)

Blaming generations misses the point in some ways (the rich not boomers being the issue, we definitely need to keep our eye on the ball with that one) but also I can't fucking stand how little most boomers care. Sometimes in the US it feels like it they are a generation of children that never had to grow up and now mostly just scold young people for being the adults in the room when they try to fix things.

It is just so pathetic and I feel robbed of the experience of having elders I can trust. All my elders are deeply sick and cannot let go of lifestyles that foreclose our future, nor do they take the consequences of destroying our only home seriously by and large, it feels like (well it really is) a betrayal of the largest order.

I wanted to live a life where I could look up to older generations and learn wisdom from them throughout my life, instead of feeling disgusted by their childlike lack of caring about future consequences.

These statistics are heartening that the sickness was not passed onto younger generations, but it is heart breaking all the same.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 weeks ago

I feel similar in being robbed of the guidance and wisdom from the elders I thought I could look up to.

Not all but far too many of the elders in my life and from my experiences were bitter and selfish. They took out their frustration with personal issues and insecurities on those who dared to be different or do things differently. They enforced their narrow world view on others. Instead of earning the trust and love from their family and community, they demanded respect and attention from everyone.

These types of people are the best examples of how not to behave. Unfortunately, that leaves a knowledge gap as far fewer people are practicing and teaching healthier behaviours. I have found that younger people to be far more accepting, understanding and empathetic. It's not only refreshing to see but I've unexpectedly learned so much about people in general and about myself through younger people. As backwards as it seems, I am still appreciative of that.

Since these old and bitter types had no positive lessons to teach, I took it upon myself to be better than them. I am conscious to how I act around younger people. I make an effort to listen, acknowledge and support them when possible but most importantly, I treat them as people. All the things I wish I had when I was younger and confused. It feels rewarding when they express their appreciation but there is a small emptiness in giving something you barely got yourself in your own life.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 weeks ago

how little most boomers care

That's precisely the conflict part. Carelessness and apathy sustain the violence. What's that recent movie... The Zone Of Interest (2023) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-vfg3KkV54

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 weeks ago

Embrace their parents' generation while they are still alive. They are still chock full of wisdom.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 weeks ago

Baby Boomers are the weak men who create bad times. We are living through their folly, and they are gaslighting us the entire fucking way.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

There is an easy fix for that: Blaim the rich

[–] [email protected] 21 points 2 weeks ago

“People who will actually be around worried about the time they’ll have to be alive”

[–] [email protected] 13 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (2 children)

ShockedPickachu.dng

(It’s retained the full dynamic range and colour information, so to you can easily change the white balance and exposure values of your pickachu later on)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Pikachu dong? NSFW

[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Headline ought to be, Shockingly Few Older Americans Care About Climate Change

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 weeks ago

"Majority of elderly: vain, selfish, ignorant- more news at 8."

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Stop worrying, start voting. Especially for local positions.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

This is true. But it's incomplete.

We do not have a functioning democracy. Most people feel that. Voting works when there are candidates with voting for, and votes translate into change, but when the system has been hollowed out by money and judicial capture and voting rules designed to prevent actual change, we are in a bind.

Will voting fix this? No, not singularly. So voting doesn't make a difference? Absolutely not! It's still one of our most powerful tools, even as weakend as it is!

Vote ... and March. Vote... and boycott. Vote... and disrupt. Vote... and organize your neighbors.

We can't stop voting, but that can't be our biggest or only tool. And everyone needs to understand this.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

We do not have a functioning democracy.

Because people don't vote.

Most people feel that.

Stop voting with your feelings. Stop making voting decisions with your feelings. Stop making decisions that affect your society with your feelings.

Voting works when there are candidates [worth] voting for

Voting also works when there aren't good options because harm reduction is also important. Not voting only supports the goals of people who want to take away your right to vote. If you don't vote because there are no candidates "worth voting for" then you have already helped the authoritarians achieve their goals. If you do not vote, you are saying "I don't care how my government operates".

but when the system has been hollowed out by money and judicial capture and voting rules designed to prevent actual change

This has been allowed to happen because people don't vote. The people who had the power to do those things got it by discouraging voting and manipulating the remaining voter groups.

Will voting fix this? No, not singularly.

Voting could have prevented it. And can still prevent it from getting worse, while we work on fixing the existing problems.

Vote ... and March. Vote... and boycott. Vote... and disrupt. Vote... and organize your neighbors.

Absolutely. Also, vote... and unionize, so that you have another place where you can make your voice heard.

We can't stop voting, but that can't be our biggest or only tool. And everyone needs to understand this.

Voting is the bare minimum a citizen should do to participate in their government. If you choose not to vote, you have no right to complain about the government.

You can only be represented if you participate.

People (mainly progressives) choosing not to vote because they're waiting for a candidate "worth voting for" are THE reason why conservatives and regressives have more political power and more representatives in government - because they vote reliably.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

It sounds like there's no fundamental disagreement between us. It sounds like the only difference is one of attitude.

I worry sometimes that people express frustration with the state of things as though articulating what people should do might serve as a road map to getting them to do it. But getting people to do it requires understanding why they don't.