You can entertain yourself with this calculator: https://coolclimate.berkeley.edu/calculator
I think thread is starting into judging and saying one person can’t make a difference. Not the purpose.
I tried the calculator, but it isn’t very cooperative with my phone. I’ll try it later with my laptop.
@TatinG I’ve seen you post about the straw issue dismissively several times on different threads. Don’t hate on the straw thing, which makes sense, is easy to give up for the majority of people and is an easy change to make just because other changes aren’t being made. Sure, there is room for more challenging issues to be fixed but whether it is a personal change as we’re discussing on this thread or larger scale changes, any incremental change is a positive.
“Doing something is a good step. When that becomes routine they might be able to do something else that catches their eye.”
This.
The question wasn’t about overall, which is inherently political. The question was about what you can personally do. The family with one kid or better yet zero kids will have a much a smaller carbon footprint than the family with two kids, no matter how many straws the first family uses.
As mentioned in the first post, we have a worldwide issue with population expansion. And a first world kid causes much more climate change impact than a third world kid, although other countries are catching up fast. I do want grandkids. But I don’t need hordes of them. Realistically, it wouldn’t surprise me to only end up with two grandkids (not sure one kid will have any).
But… I still believe that everyone doing what we individually can to reduce our carbon footprint and encouraging our kids to do the same is also needed. And as I said up front — the purpose of the thread isn’t to judge or throw up our hands.
Goodness! That makes sense. Thanks for the explanation. I don’t follow fads, and didn’t realize some fashion was that poorly made. Definitely something to avoid. Frankly, I hate shopping. I recently bought a few shirts from a website (well made that will last!) that were the first I’ve purchased in years. I guess I’m not too hard on clothing.
Personally, I’d like to cut out plastics entirely. The time to decompose is immense. Plus the other environmental effects. Growing up, we used paper straws, they worked fine.
I carry a metal straw with a silicone tip in my purse. It is a small gesture and one many might find worthless but I figure it can’t hurt to try.
When I went on my last sailing trip I made a point of searching out sunscreens that were less harmful to the reefs.
We live in a fairly small city so we don’t drive much. We have talked about H getting a more fuel efficient car but he feels his car is already manufactured and he drives only around 10 miles a day.
We barely water our yard. The drought has given us a legitimate reason to let the gophers run rampant.
One major change is I’m trying to waste less food. I try to buy only what we will use. I also try to make meals with what I have in the fridge and pantry. Ive cut my laundry wash load in half by not sorting as much.
@intparent “I think thread is starting into judging and saying one person can’t make a difference. Not the purpose.”
Like. and Agreed. We often use the term “baby steps” in our family when making changes – they’re all good.
I wish I could take credit for the phrase “We work hard to live below our means.” That has been our philosophy, and it IS actual work: work distinguishing/acting on needs vs wants, work at being content (and this is very hard sometimes). In essence, it’s a reduction in overall consumption.
Some of that lifestyle makes a positive impact. My SIL recently complimented me for using mason jar storage and not using plastic. I agreed and also reminded him that I’m just cheap. Also shared with him SAGA of pantry moth larvae making it through plastic bags and how I dreamed of flying creatures for months after. I’ve also made indoor storm windows for winter; again, not for climate change but because I’m just cheap.
I will say that using a “help climate change” overlay makes me feel more current (thanks @intparent ), but I also know that I’m not only cheap but old. I admire folks driving ten-year old cars, wearing comfortable Lee jeans, taking lunch to work and living below their means.
I can’t imagine telling anyone how many kids they ought to have, esp when that answer is none. One might as well suggest a Jim Jones massacre as “think of how much good that would do!” I find it far better to teach kids/people how to coexist with our planet.
While we “planned” two kids we ended up with three. No regrets - and it’s my youngest who is making the most difference for the planet in both his life and his teaching others. While he has a carbon footprint, he’s lowering quite a bit just from his friends and others (who attend his classes) changing their lives - and chances are they’ll bring their kids up with those changes, etc.
Lowering consumption, esp of “toys” and other non-needs, and having less waste would go a long way.
Any little step is a step forward. Telling people they shouldn’t have kids is more likely to have them chuck the whole idea of doing anything as is giving them a list of “everything” they need to do implying if they skip something they’re failures. Any individual making changes helps.
Someone already mentioned composting but I just wanted to chime in and talk about how amazing this is. We have had a medium size fenced-in pile for years and the natural reduction in volume over time is incredible. Plant food waste, leaves, old flowers, small branches, coffee filters, dryer lint, etc. We have it behind our house so only 1 neighbor can see it. Next summer I will finally start my own vegetable garden and use the composting material for that along with my flower boxes.
I’m always disappointed to see huge trash bags of leaves in neighborhoods ready for garbage pickup when composting can be so easy. I believe easier that getting those leaves into bags! We also do have trucks that come through our neighborhood at least once in late fall to suck up leaves on edge of street so homeowners can just push them out there. But people are not always willing to wait.
We also really limit plastic packaging, use filtered water and reusable water bottles, cloth grocery store bags, walk when possible, buy at consignment stores, keep house temp cold in winter and warm in summer, repair appliances when possible, keep cars until they’re OLD, etc.
It’s important not to draw broad sweeping conclusions. There’s still a lot we don’t know about the science behind climate change. In the 1970s, scientists were predicting a new ice age. 20 years ago, scientists were predicting the polar ice caps melting. Science is always speculating and making predictions. I’ve chosen to tune out the impending doom. To me, it’s depressing. That being said, dirty water, air, ocean garbage, etc is disgusting. No one wants to live on a filthy planet. Recycling is GREAT! If you use plastic, make sure it gets recycled.
The polar ice caps and northern ice ranges/glaciers are melting. No fake science there.
Remember ZPG from the 70’s? Zero Population Growth. Two adults, two kids. I suppose we could support the international efforts of a planned Parenthood, as well. Not to dictate, but to offer knowledge to those who want it.
Okay… down the rabbit hole we go. As stated in the opening post, if you think it won’t make a difference, go start your own thread. That is not what this one is for.
I don’t compost often, but I have an area that is becoming infested with a weed (horsetail I think), supposedly it thrives in bad soil. So this summer when I was canning a lot of tomatoes and consuming a few watermelons every week, I kept the scraps and buried them in the infested area to hopefully improve the soil enough to eliminate the weed. We will see how it worked next year but worst case scenario is my soil gets fed and along with it the rasperries and asparagus beds!
Horsetail thrives in acidic, wet soils. Dolomite lime apparently is the thing. Do not apply it with the fertilizer. Wait a couple of weeks then add fertilizer.
Back to reducing carbon emissions.
Our city (Seattle) collects compost in bins every week (same day they pick up garbage, just separate bins). They encourage composting food scraps and less use of the garbage disposals (saves energy and waste/water treatment). And it doesn’t go to the dump and release methane. It goes to a local composting company.
We have 3 bins–green waste, recycling, and trash. We try do be diligent about the 3. The city uses the green waste to make wood chips which are available for whomever wants to pick it up at no cost.
Bad dup post
It’s really terrific to hear whole cities are doing something meaningful.