What are you doing to combat climate change?
 

It's real. It's very real. Glaciers are melting, weather patterns are changing.

Who is still buying outdoor patio gas heaters? Who would deny that their Canada carbon footprint is greater than their UK carbon footprint?

Should Canada discourage immigration because of the poor eco effects?

Re: What are you doing to combat climate change?
 

I try to eat less fart inducing foods, which is difficult as I do eat lots of veggies and in particular, brussel sprouts! 🤔😉

Re: What are you doing to combat climate change?
 

Living in a small apartment
Not having kids
Not having much money so not a big consumer of goods, got rid of all my aquariums.
BC Hydro says our electric use is 32% lower vs our neighbors so we are good there.
Not working so no commute necessary so not burning fuel on a daily basis.
Eat little meat as its expensive.

I think I have done my part.

Re: What are you doing to combat climate change?
 

It's an uncomfortable fact that it's already too late to do anything useful.
Carbon dioxide levels are already high and together with other greenhouse gases they will continue to rise. It won't go away. There is no magic bullet for this problem. Even if the entire world became carbon neutral, the effects would still be there and they won't be getting better while we continue to burn oil and coal.
The effects that these gases are having will continue to get worse into the foreseeable future and politicians will do nothing to prevent it.
And us, the greedy little animals who live on this planet, we will do little to help and will do much to make it worse. We would crucify anyone suggesting that we limit some of our energy intensive lifestyle.
I fear for my grandchildren and hope that the region they will live in will remain above sea level and not subject to threatening weather patterns. No doubt they'll be subject to the effects of climate change, but perhaps their generation will do better than mine did.

Re: What are you doing to combat climate change?
 

I suspect that my carbon footprint is far less here than it was in the UK.

Our electricity is, for the most part, solar and wind from devices that we have on our property. We sell our excess back to the grid and we use the grid when our system can't provide what we need when we need it. They buy from us at the same rate we buy from them. They owe us money each month so we generate more than we use.

We cannot produce our own gas and, if I could heat using geo thermal, I would but I have been told by the local experts that we can't.

I drive a Fiesta and my daily mileage is less than it was in the UK.

I dont fly anymore and, once in the city, I take the c-train to work.

We grow as much of our food as we can but se own animals 5hat eat grass and fat.

I believe that we have done as much as we realistically can, although I accept that I could live closer to work.

Re: What are you doing to combat climate change?
 

We now commute by hybrid car and use that car for most of our non-commuting mileage. We don't eat red meat, we heat with wood. I actively avoid goods packed in type 1 plastics and avoid packaged food generally.. I have led a campaign in the office to make people who buy from Tim Hortons figures of derision; they've gradually learned to use the kettle.

But then, as above, there are the horses.

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Re: What are you doing to combat climate change?
 

On the one hand in Canada I'm heating the house a lot more than back in the UK and cooling with AC whereas I didn't do that at all. But both of these would be happening in this house and to this Canadian family wherever they were living.

On the other hand I'm no longer flying somewhere and back twice a year, but the plane I'd be on probably still is. Unless it was one of Thomas Cook's or Monarch.

Re: What are you doing to combat climate change?
 

Oh, we don't have air conditioning, that's a ridiculous affectation when you're in Canada. We don't print anything or have any hard copy correspondence for domestic or business purposes.

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I, of course, only object to global warming because I am not a Man of God:

https://thefederalist.com/2019/09/26...nded-paganism/

Re: What are you doing to combat climate change?
 

Global warming my arse.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/briti...-b-c-1.5299699

Re: What are you doing to combat climate change?
 

Electric cars and renewable energy heating system (ground source heat pumps). Plus all the usual recycling etc. But I'm pretty sure we negate the good we do with flying several times a year. :unsure:

Re: What are you doing to combat climate change?
 

I drive a used Honda Civic Hybrid to and from work that does about 6l/100km, will likely get a used electric car when that dies. I am vegetarian - no meat or fish - which helps a bit. Rarely fly by plane anywhere (once every 3 years or so?)

Right now I live in a townhouse, so I'm a little constrained on what I can do. What I hate the most is in summer time using a tumble drier to dry my clothes, I'm hoping we'll move somewhere where we'll be able to air-dry them.

Re: What are you doing to combat climate change?
 

I have re-usable bags that I use for groceries. I've been pretty focused on reducing my intake of single use plastic to try and reduce the impact that has.

Climate change is not really on my radar as I'm too busy preparing for Canadian winter.

Mankind will drive itself to extinction and the world will reset and start again. No big deal as we'll all be long gone. Climate change is simply a process.

Re: What are you doing to combat climate change?
 

Re: What are you doing to combat climate change?
 

Re: What are you doing to combat climate change?
 

Well I've spent the last ten years shedding blood, sweat and tears working for an environmental charity, does that count?

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I'd call that game, set and match - good on you Kooky! :thumbup:

Re: What are you doing to combat climate change?
 

Is your recycling actually being recycled?

https://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/episo...-really-end-up

Re: What are you doing to combat climate change?
 

I walk to the grocery store and pharmacy, I grow my own veggies (apart from salad stuff) and have reduced my meat consumption to once per week, although I do eat a fair bit of fish most of it is locally sourced. I use reusable bags to carry my shopping in. Everything possible is recycled and I compost a lot of stuff - I only have one small bag of proper rubbish/garbage every 2 weeks or so.

Sadly I know a fair few Canadians who deny that global warming exists and say it's all propaganda.. that the sun goes through cycles and we are within one right now.. which has an element of truth in it, except for all the other stuff that we humanoids do to destroy our planet and atmosphere.

:(

Re: What are you doing to combat climate change?
 

Isn't the quicker rate at which the climate is changing the issue?

Clearly the planet has undergone many changes climate wise over the worlds history, the climate today is certainly not the same as when dinosaurs roamed the earth.

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We have an electric car and have stopped eating meat. Not that I ever ate much of it.

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I'd buy a new coat.

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Fur?

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This is how I see it too James.... climate change is a nautral cycle of the Earth, mankind may have speeded things up slightly, but its going to happen regardless.

Mankind will drive itself to extinction........it wont be through climate change, it will be through technology.....

Re: What are you doing to combat climate change?
 

Re: What are you doing to combat climate change?
 

Me

Re: What are you doing to combat climate change?
 

There's been some levity on this topic. I wonder whether it betrays a reluctance to face the issue.
As I said before, the levels of CO2 etc are already high and none of us, myself included, refuse to give up our reliance on oil and it's derivatives. It really doesn't matter whether you have solar or recycle or drive an EV, the issue is how to remove CO2 etc from the atmosphere. Trees do this very well but they are a threatened species.
I don't know what to do, politicians don't know what to do because the decisions are too painful to contemplate, there isn't a profit in it so industrialists don't care and anyone with any influence who's alive will be dead before the crunch comes, so nothing that might attenuate the consequences gets done.
There's a scene in the film The Matrix where Smith compares the human species to a virus, was he wrong?

Re: What are you doing to combat climate change?
 

Re: What are you doing to combat climate change?
 

Totally agree, its surprising how many people cant see that. The only thing we don't know is whether the great filter is behind us or in front of us....Id imagine its the latter, and thats going to happen regardless of what we do.

Re: What are you doing to combat climate change?
 

Re: What are you doing to combat climate change?
 

Or maybe we can make all reasonable efforts ourselves.

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Unfortunately, this is one crisis that needs a planet-wide response at the highest possible level. The individual can do little apart from plant a tree.
Pray if you like, if it makes you feel better, but it'll have no effect whatsoever.

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Better to plant a tree than to sit and curse the heat.

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You may recall that that is what I said a few months ago. One cannot leave it for governments to resolve, it is for each individual. Unfortunately, as this post demonstrates, most are not willing to do much at all, no doubt, wishing to shift blame to "the government.'

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I like to think of myself as an individual and any such that take your attitude should not complain when the children and grand-children of your (our) generation suffer the consequences of individuals like yourself's resigned inaction.

I've posted enough in these fora that it cannot be news that I spent the whole of my career doing science research into atmospheric chemistry and physics connecting strongly to climate change. As my career progressed it was also possible for me to make productive educational/consulting/ informational contacts with industry and governments and organisations such as IGBP, the EU environmental research framework programmes, Environment Canada, BMBF, in Germany, CNRS in France, the Met Office in the UK and many others.

I know that experts are derided these days, but individual cabbages like you deserve worse.

BTW, talking of individuals, did you know that the great Greta is a direct descendent to the 19th C Swedish scientist Svenke Arrhenius, who was the first person to calculate (remarkably accurately) the amount which the presence of CO2 in the atmosphere effects the global average temperature?

Damn, another individual.

Re: What are you doing to combat climate change?
 

I do recall that and believe it to have been mentioned in the context of the carbon tax.

I don't think the need for individual effort lets governments off the hook; I think the carbon tax, for example, is a decent effort from a government but it's not a replacement for people being responsible.

Re: What are you doing to combat climate change?
 

The plastic bags thing is a good example of how behaviour can be changed. Another simple one I'd like to see is green/amber/red symbols on food mileage. For example, I live in Norfolk which produces some of the best apples and ham/bacon in the UK... yet in my local Tesco they sell South African apples and Danish bacon. Get a red sticker on them!!

Re: What are you doing to combat climate change?
 

OK I gave a flippant (but true) answer. What do I do on a daily basis?

I try to do my bit for the climate and environment in general. I know it's not enough and I am ridiculously reliant on takeaway food - where I can, I will take my own reusable containers. I take cotton netting produce bags and reusable shopping bags to the supermarket. I turn down carrier bags in all stores. On the rare occasion I buy takeaway coffee, I take a keep cup. I have a wide top bottle I take for smoothies and carry a water bottle. I bought metal straws - if only I could remember to carry the damn things (I do turn down straws when I can but sometimes smoothies need them, or after a couple of G&Ts I will forget to ask for no straw).

We're trying to do without a car. We went 6 years without one in Singapore but needed one in Australia, although did use public transport when we could. 4-5 months in the US so far and it has clipped our wings a bit but we'll be using a car share scheme when my husband gets his US license. We deliberately moved somewhere with a high walk score (98%) and public transport score (100%) but it does mean we're paying premium rent.

Flying is a problem. I'm increasingly guilty about it but, as you all know, having family across the world means it's always going to happen. We haven't had a holiday or any trip away together for two years but I'd be lying if I said it's an environmental concern - it's due to other factors but, when we are in a position to travel together again, I wonder if I will be reluctant?

We had our HVAC system serviced recently and the maintenance guy couldn't believe how clean it is. We try not to use it - heat or cold, although I suspect I'll be using it more soon for heat. We've always preferred ceiling fans but are renting here, so not possible. I think we put aircon on twice, briefly, through Summer. (Can't open the windows 27 floors up, with cats.)

I'm not currently working but I will continue to campaign and act on climate change. Meanwhile, I do get pissed off with people (including some I have worked alongside) saying that all the above, individual, measures are pointless and it's the governments and industry that need to act. We need all of it. If we can make changes, why would we not?

edited to add: Online shopping is a real problem for me right now. We didn't move any furniture (or much else) over and I've tried to buy things in shops, only to be told them don't hold stock and I have to order it for delivery. The amount of packaging and the delivery miles really hurt me.

Re: What are you doing to combat climate change?
 

I don't think that any of my posts have derided anyone, the 'expert' doth protest too much, methinks.
If you'd read my posts you'd understand a little more, and as a noted 'expert' in your field perhaps you'd care to comment.
Am I correct in stating that CO2 levels are historically high?
Am I correct in assuming that one CO2 sink that is the world's oceans cannot absorb all the CO2 being generated?
Am I correct in observing that political responses to this issue have fallen below those required to address the issue?
Am I correct in observing that oil is still being pumped out of the ground and coal is still being mined and that these resources are being combusted to generate even more CO2?
Am I correct in observing that carbon sinks like the Amazon basin are being systematically denuded of their valuable vegitation?
Am I correct in observing that individuals in general left to themselves will do little to reduce their carbon footprint?
Am I correct in assuming that as the world GDP rises and as the world population increases then consumption of hydrocarbons will very likely increase alongside?
Am I therefore correct in assuming that CO2 levels will continue to increase?
So..
Where is this particular cabbage wrong when he states " Unfortunately, this is one crisis that needs a planet-wide response at the highest possible level. The individual can do little apart from plant a tree." The individual can reduce his CO2 generating consumption eg energy use, car use etc, but his very existence adds more CO2 to the atmosphere and it'll take some uncomfortable decisions made on his behalf to force him to change his behaviour.
This crisis, as you should know, since you've been involved with " governments and organisations such as IGBP, the EU environmental research framework programmes, Environment Canada, BMBF, in Germany, CNRS in France, the Met Office in the UK and many others."
that CO2 levels can only be controlled using an approach that promotes CO2 atmospheric removal so perhaps you can advise how the individual can actively contribute to CO2 removal in addition to planting trees.
I've already stated that I fear for my grandchildren and fully expect their criticism of my generation.
As for Greta, she's a remarkable young lady who's doing something extraordinary, we can only hope that her movement makes an impact because 'experts' have singularly failed in this respect.