It never ceases to amaze me how dogmatic the Eco-Socialists are over at TreeHugger. The only problem that confronts us all is Global Warming, Climate Change, Climate Chaos, Climate Apocalypse (and any other terms for it you can imagine).
Their outlook is that only a concentration on reducing CO2 in the atmosphere (regardless of measurements that it is a lagging indicator and not the only cause) must always be foremost. And like all Progressives, almost everything is a crisis that demands a War Footing! They lament that few others want to join their plan to form a Collective effort to fight back by making all of us lower our standards for a reason (Climate Change) that has yet to produce the dire results that have been predicted for 75% of my life (er, 50 years).
While they do go on about doing more with Renewables (“RE”, mostly rooftop solar), much is about “Demand Reduction“. They talk about higher efficiencies (like AOC’s Green New Deal where Govt will take over your home and “refurb it” for you energy wise – but never talk about where you’d stay while they do so and how much EXTRA that will cost you) and getting rid of private vehicle usage.
…Here’s why: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine ignited a belated conversation about weaning Europe off Russian oil and gas. Yet while the conversation itself is important, official plans so far seem to focus either on investing in technological alternatives like electrification and renewables, and/or alternatively hoarding more reserves, building more pipelines, and importing more liquefied natural gas from other countries…
Yet as the recent history of pandemic-related lockdowns has shown us, there is one solution that can be implemented almost overnight: demand reduction. And by that, I don’t mean simply passing the buck and asking individual citizens to wear a sweater. But, rather, coordinated, society-wide efforts to make conservation—whether that’s choosing to telecommute or adjusting the thermostat—the norm.
- What if Western governments got real about promoting cycling?
- What if Western governments dramatically scaled up support for work-from-home policies?
- What if Western governments invested in a mass mobilization in pursuit of simple, energy-saving measures for homeowners and renters alike?
- What if Western governments accelerated shifts to the electrification of homes and offices?
- What if Western governments undertook a serious communication effort asking citizens to conserve, and supporting those experiencing fuel poverty?
Why always the euphemism of “Government ‘asking’ ” for something? It is rarely an “ask”, it is a demand. Just like we found out during the pandemic that “guidance” from some unelected agency full of bureaucrats automatically turns into despotic Law (as no Legislature process has been followed – only from Presidents / Governors turned into King and Kinglets (amirite there, Chris Sununu?). That’s Point #1.
Two is that it’s out in the clear – they’re done with trying to persuade Individuals that their ideas are THE best and should be adopted by Individuals. Now, it’s ALL Government and it will be ALL Politics from this Special Interest Group to implement their demands over our lives. And that’s the only way that “coordinated, society-wide efforts to make conservation…the norm” is going to happen. Totalitarianism for all! And instead of economic redistribution, it is Energy Redistribution (that “and supporting those experiencing fuel poverty?” bit). Take it away from those awful Rich people!
But the problem isn’t that they can’t persuade people to voluntarily change their lifestyles en masse – it’s always the Socialist bogeymen that are the problems:
The reason, of course, why governments are unlikely to really get serious about a push to consume less is simple: fossil fuel companies hold outsized influence over our democratic institutions, and our economy currently relies on the continued consumption of their products.
Simply: No and Yes. No, I haven’t gotten a check from Exxon lately telling me to take the money but there’s that “string attached relating to your vote” (although Government does this all the time with little repercussions). And Yes, I buy them because I want to stay warm in the winter (propane) and be able to get where I want to go when *I* deem fit (gas for my vehicle). I want a modern lifestyle and NOT that which they deem “sufficient” for me. I’ll make my own decisions, thank you very much.
But even as Sami mentions Russia and Ukraine, notice how he sidesteps the idea THAT IT IS A WAR! And that the Greed of those in Government (Putin) shows that humans really haven’t evolved at all. The only subject he’s worried about is living and doing with less. Well, I’m betting that the Ukrainians are having to do that right now – and ain’t very understanding or happy about it, dontchathink? But, that weighs very little on Sami, the author. It’s all about how to safe Mother Earth from we parasites.
So, I left a comment (emphasis mine now):
One thing that THers blithely keep sidestepping is how political this whole thing is. Once you involve Government, that process is inherently political. You misunderstand the larger picture due to the “sustainability blinkers” that are being worn.
IF Ukraine can continue to stall out the Russian advances (who are being hobbled by their logistics fubars as well as severely underestimating the resolve of the Ukrainians to stop them), we may be all set in a larger geopolitical sense.
If not, however, will Putin then go after another country that he believes is part of the old “Mother Russia” – and is a part of NATO? And then Article 5 kicks in. And even though they are showing reticence, how would a Russia / China do (as Taiwan is in China’s gun sights with their almost constant entry into Taiwan’s airspace) play out as a threat?
I posit that a possible WW III is a far more immediate existential threat than John “Lurch” Kerry and beyond her-expiration-date singer / actress Bette Midler in yelling and screaming that Climate Change is getting pushed off the stage.
Notwithstanding the fact that none having any of the dystopic Climate Apocalypse predictions of the last 50 years come true.
Notwithstanding the fact that none having any of the dystopic Climate Apocalypse predictions of the last 50 years come true.
And surprise, surprise, one of the folks that I normally butt heads with actually agreed with me!
Aside from your last 2 sentences, I would agree that the possibility of Nuclear suicide is a bigger threat at the moment, especially if you factor in Murphy and Chaos theory. Just as some of the best inventions in history come from accidents, so can the end.
Maybe there’s hope after all in that OTHER things matter more at times!
