Doing our bit: Consuming less, travelling less, thinking more.

My son, an environmental scientist was over last evening, and saying that in order to achieve zero carbon by 2050 we will need to cut our consumption by 45% during the next 9 years.

That’s nearly 50% of everything we currently consume.

It isn’t going to happen is it?

A silver lining in the cloud of Covid is that maybe, just maybe, we'll be forced into reconsidering the damaging way we've lived.

Younger generations desperately need us all to make drastic changes now. (It should have been forty years ago, but better late than never.) If we continue with the selfish destruction, our grandchildren have no future.

Yes Hetty I do hang on to the hope that maybe we will lose our love affair with flying and big petrol cars. and discover that you can be happy with less. Fewer holidays but more appreciation for them.
Higher status for vital but so called "unskilled" jobs such as those in the caring professions and in agriculture.

I do see hopeful signs.

But we can't live so abstemiously that people have no jobs.

When our AC, GC and families live on different continents, sorry I will fly to visit them.

I fly, drive a teeny car when I’m not on the bus, live in a small house which cost less than £400pa to heat and cook in. I waste no food, recycle my clothes and possessions so feel no guilt on the great measuring stick of ecological accountability.

I’ve had people who consume miles more of the planet’s resources lecture me on this then argue their entitlement to more of the same on the basis that they deserve it, somehow!

Yes GrannyGravy but by doing so you have to accept that you are part of the problem.

I am not suggesting that there people should have no jobs. Why would I? Riverwalk?

Hi. I'm new on this site and forum. It's good to see people discussing what we can do to minimise the difficulties that our grandchildren will have with climate change. But what we can do as individuals is limited. Many of us grandparents have got together as Extinction Rebellion Grandparents to support our grandchildren in their protest at government inaction over the issue. We have a facebook page: XR Grandparents and Elders

Grammaretto

Yes GrannyGravy but by doing so you have to accept that you are part of the problem.

I am not suggesting that there people should have no jobs. Why would I? Riverwalk?

I assume you have no family who live abroad Grammaretto?

What do you suggest, that we never see them in real life again?

We could turn the clock back 300yrs and live simple lives, then we would not have the services we value because nobody is paying taxes to provide those comforts in life. Not enough people travel to poorer parts of the third world where there are no services. Where if you don’t grow your own food you don’t eat, where the lucky ones have a village well paid for by foreign aid.

We are very lucky to have the choice how we live our lives, those with extravagant lifestyles are taxed at every point, those taxes pay for the services we rely on

I'm not sure what you are getting at but nobody is suggesting turning the clock back 300 years or living in mud huts Davidhs, and there are alternatives to the way we live today that don't involve a hunter gatherer existence.

We have to be imaginative about how we address the climate challenges we have today or life for all of us, and especially the next generation, will be harder than we can imagine.

Its not all or nothing. People will still fly in aeroplanes, we don't have to give it up completely and we shouldn't berate those who use this form of transport. But, we should be asking if it makes sense to fly everywhere at the drop of a hat.

As for Extinction Rebellion, I think they do more harm than good and are alienating people. Green MP Caroline Lucas said something similar earlier this week about their weekend protest.

I wonder though how many people choose to live a simple life rather than have to? Should people fly on holiday? To see relatives? Drive a car? If you are looking at environmental impact then the answer is no. As people will continue to do these things given half a chance then the only alternative is to make sure that these activities are carbon neutral. The most impact could be had if we reduce our reproduction rate. Maybe we should have a one child policy?

I understand those with family abroad need to fly to visit them. I don't understand those who think that 4 holidays abroad a year and weekends in Paris etc are essential ( I do know someone like this.)
Perhaps just moderate living would be better. Just one holiday that involves flying. Using our cars less.

Population control is the obvious solution to man made climate change, but it’s not going to happen any more than less resources being consumed. Population is predicted to stabilize, increasing by 50% by 2100, partly by lower birth rate, partly by longer lifespan.

As prosperity grows in developing countries they want to travel and have the lifestyles we have now, in normal times you only have to look at the Chinese and other Asian tourists thronging our visitor sites. So global tourism and lifestyle improvement is going to continue, we can use resources more efficiently, the increase in consumption will continue.

We all welcome Attenborough with his solutions to climate change, but with the increasing aspirations of populations in the developing world that can’t happen, it doesn’t mean we’re doomed, solutions will be found. We can and should do our bit by using resources efficiently, others are going to increase theirs.

We all welcome Attenborough with his solutions to climate change

Do we?

What are his solutions?