Apparently, the 3 activities that individuals do that harm the environment the most are: 1) Having children 2) Driving cars 3) Flying overseas
And, btw, those who cause the most harm in this world? Rich people. The top 10% in terms of wealth create the lion's share of environmental damage, particularly in developed nations. A rich person in America creates 10 times more carbon emissions than a poor person, and the top 10% accounts for half of all carbon emissions. And the rich in the USA emit WAAAAYYYY more carbon than rich people in any other nation, as individuals. Canada's rich people are about half as bad, but still hold second place in the world as far as that goes.
I'm always glad to see a discussion on environmental concerns so, 1Thought, good job.
Those three activities are big, that's for sure. I never had children and I don't fly, so two out of three for me. #1, having children, is just that, the number one most harmful impact on the environment. I do drive but I plan as many no-drive days as I can and ride share every chance I get.
I would add an #4: Needless and wasteful consumption. So much crap is consumed that is tossed out. And much of what is purchased is made to break down quickly and be replaced. Buying less crap and looking into buying that which is most durable would help.
I wonder if possible the number one most harmful may turn out to be plastic? As we all know, there is a monstrous amount of plastic in our oceans. The unsightly stuff that bobs on the surface is awful but what's worse is the tiny particles of plastic called microplastics that may prove to be our undoing. These microplastics* are wrecking havoc on ocean health and at some point (which we are heading toward), if the oceans become over-polluted, all major mammal life forms (humans included) and many smaller ones will die off. My belief is that our #1 concern right now should be for health of the oceans.
Apparently, the 3 activities that individuals do that harm the environment the most are: 1) Having children 2) Driving cars 3) Flying overseas
And, btw, those who cause the most harm in this world? Rich people. The top 10% in terms of wealth create the lion's share of environmental damage, particularly in developed nations. A rich person in America creates 10 times more carbon emissions than a poor person, and the top 10% accounts for half of all carbon emissions. And the rich in the USA emit WAAAAYYYY more carbon than rich people in any other nation, as individuals. Canada's rich people are about half as bad, but still hold second place in the world as far as that goes.
I'm always glad to see a discussion on environmental concerns so, 1Thought, good job.
Those three activities are big, that's for sure. I never had children and I don't fly, so two out of three for me. #1, having children, is just that, the number one most harmful impact on the environment. I do drive but I plan as many no-drive days as I can and ride share every chance I get.
I would add an #4: Needless and wasteful consumption. So much crap is consumed that is tossed out. And much of what is purchased is made to break down quickly and be replaced. Buying less crap and looking into buying that which is most durable would help.
I wonder if possible the number one most harmful may turn out to be plastic? As we all know, there is a monstrous amount of plastic in our oceans. The unsightly stuff that bobs on the surface is awful but what's worse is the tiny particles of plastic called microplastics that may prove to be our undoing. These microplastics* are wrecking havoc on ocean health and at some point (which we are heading toward), if the oceans become over-polluted, all major mammal life forms (humans included) and many smaller ones will die off. My belief is that our #1 concern right now should be for health of the oceans.
While plastic is a a very harmful thing Brian and should be addressed, I am more fearful of greenhouse gas emissions. Capture and sequestration technology must be part of the mitigation strategy. Climate change is real and its effects are starting to be observed as we speak. The Pentagon itself has warned it is the "biggest threat to US National Security" despite what the White House says. That guy is more concerned about football players than the environment anyway.
More and more companies are attempting to address the plastics issue. I noticed the fast-food (ugh) company A&W announce they will not issue anymore plastic straws.
A researcher in Indonesia has discovered a way to make plastic from a natural source which can be ingested by animals. My fear is that they already wipe out the rain forest for palm oil (North American junk food habit supply) and now will do more to grow the root required. A micro-beer is now making edible rings for six-packs.
A company now says it has created an economical way to actually pull CO2 from the atmosphere to run a generator and create energy. This one is exciting (my professor did not think was possible but it did come across on my LinkedIn feed).
Norway has put the world on notice (like Jello Biafra in a way) they will not do business with any corporation that's supply-chain is anyway involved in the deforestation of any of the world's rain-forests. I did not research this but some sort of legislation must have been put in place. An interesting move for one of the world's leading oil producers.
A paradigm shift is happening. I fly, I drive and have step children. Living in Canada without doing any of those things is impossible. The transit system in Canada is AWFUL (no foresight here). I need to fly to see Pearl Jam (its a wonderful sickness) and then there is the kids.
But in every way possible I do my best to lower our carbon emissions (and Alberta has a carbon tax so there's that).
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-Eddie Vedder, "Smile"