The world has problems. One of it's biggest is the threat of climate change. Most people, and all scientists feel we are actually beyond the "threat" stage, we are in full on panic mode. There is no threat, the effect is upon us. Rising tides, killer storms, erratic and extreme temperatures are all signs that we may need to start acting fast to reverse the dark destiny upon us. Climate change is real and it is going to cause more damage than you can imagine if we don't act fast.
Redditor u/frankbravo4 wanted us all to discuss how we can make that change by asking.... What can the average person do to help fight climate change?
Where's the Beef?
Giphy
Stop eating beef. If the average person literally didn't eat beef anymore, it would eliminate a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, and even deforestation.
Think Big!
Time to make big sacrifices. Stop driving! Take the bus, walk or ride a bike - or a combination of all those things. Advocate for better mass transit. No, it's not as convenient but our cars are literally killing us. Transportation accounts for 29% of greenhouse gas emissions, and personal vehicles account for 4/5 of that. There are too many people who live in the city and still insist on driving to work downtown. Don't f{replace1}amp;&@ng do that!!! Think of our driving dependency as a chemical addiction that we have to recover from before we die of it.
Electricity causes 27% of emissions. Stop using it unnecessarily.
So so much....
There are many things you can do:
- Don't use plastic bags, but instead buy one of those material ones. (I had one for two years now and it's still usable).
- Don't drive as much if you can. Public transportation isn't that bad.
- Don't buy things you don't need in general like new furniture, clothes or electronics that are still working.
- Don't buy certain foods often like meat, processed food which production leads to pollution.
- Try not to buy plastic things or things in plastic containers like water. You can buy glass/metal/ceramic bottles for drinks.
- Don't reproduce (1 child max) especially if you live in India, China or any of those countries with too many people already.
I could probably think of more but there are other people here.
Make it Happen...
A lot of people are talking about individual action, and that's great, but you can't actually get the world to net zero emissions unless everybody changes what they do. To achieve that, you need to change the rules society operates under. This means exercising the political power required to do so. You can't do that alone. So pick a group, join in, and make it happen.
It's totally worth it.
Mostly cut down on the red meat and air travel. It also helps to drive an efficient car, wear sweaters indoors in winter, and keep indoor spaces comfortably warm in summer. Support politicians who are committed to mitigating climate change, because we're going to have to make some major systemic changes. The individual sacrifices that make a significant difference are moderate, and the benefits for future generations are expected to be huge. It's totally worth it.
Eat Natural.
Go vegetarian! It has a huge impact and is way easier than you might think. If you're a real superstar, go vegan!
Even just cutting beef and lamb (huge greenhouse gas emitters) or fish (fishing is the largest contribution to plastic pollution) is helpful!
Think Ahead.
Think about your next car, if you aren't ready for an EV, try a hybrid or a low emissions car.
Be Smart.
Giphy
Carpool, reduce personal waste, cut down on running showers, plant trees/bushes on your property.
Charge the Gates....
Storm the offices of the organizations that are preventing change.
Do not stop for locked doors or anything else.
Seriously, we need angry mobs like yesterday. xxkoloblicinxx
Slow Fashion.
Giphy
Sustainable aka Slow Fashion. Fast fashion producers like H&M or Zara are build on the misery of many people and animals. In Bangladesh for example the water is so polluted by the industry that even bathing in it is a serious health endangerment. Also, there are millions of tons of textiles that are on landfills. These are just a few issues. Sustainable Fashion isn't much pricier or at all pricier and you support a more worker and planet friendly industry.
It's Just Stuff....
Stop buying stuff you don't need. Shipping & transport are the biggest sources of greenhouse gas emissions.
I second this. I work for UPS air and I get paid by the hour people, not the package.
It's made me hate the christmas season.
Educate yourself.
Educate yourself. I hate to say it, but a lot of suggestions here are well meaning but aren't directly tied into climate change. Recycling is great, but plastic waste doesn't release carbon dioxide. The ozone hole has to do with ultraviolet radiation, not greenhouse gases that cause warming. Good things to care about, but not directly relevant.
Some things are a matter of scale. Try to research how much carbon things are emitting or taking up.
Planting trees helps, but we're emitting every several years in carbon what widespread afforestation of the Earth could absorb. It's a piece to fighting it, but not a one shot solution. One car ride can cancel out the annual CO2 absorption of a tree. Then what happens if that tree dies due to climate change causing a drought? Consider that one mass transit ride could save as much carbon as a tree would absorb in an entire year.
These are difficult questions. There are answers, they just require thoughtful answers. Also political action and the willingness for some personal sacrifices. emumemu
Overpopulation.
Have less kids. 4h4usheer
Right! Adoption is a fantastic thing to do if you want to raise kiddos. Or get pets instead.
Be Smart.
Giphy
Eat less beef, meatless Mondays, don't buy stupid crap, avoid single use plastic, bike or take the bus to work, recycle properly, buy local, pick up litter, train > plane, VOTE, avoid garbage brands, thrift shop if u need stuff, and then tell ur friends to do all this stuff.
Plant.
Plant trees. There is a lot of tree planting companies. Work for them, earn cash, make a difference. If you want to do even more, spend some of that cash on more trees to plant.
Reduction.
You can reduce the CO2 emissions you cause. Use your car less or get one that needs less fuel, fly less, buy less stuff you won't use, replace red meat with chicken or vegetarian options, ...
You can donate money to projects that avoid CO2 emissions or remove CO2 from the atmosphere, e.g. by planting new trees. As rough guideline: Avoiding 1 ton of CO2 emissions is ~$50. Yearly per capita CO2 emissions in the US and Canada are ~16 tonnes.
Last but not least...
If you want to be fully CO2-neutral you can donate $800 per year to suitable projects, or even less if you cause below average CO2 emissions. This is affordable for many people! And it would be even more affordable if paid relative to the income, e.g. via taxes.
Last but not least: Convince other people to do the same, and vote for people supporting policies that slow climate change.
So Many Options.....
Walk or bike instead of driving, donate and thrift shop instead of throwing away and buying stuff you don't need. Don't use single use items, unplug or turn off lights and utilities if you're not using them, shop locally and organically, cut down on eating meat.
Any One Person.
The biggest things any one single person is:
1 - Push the boundaries of science and business and invent an economical way to get solar panels into space and a way of either safely beaming it down to earth or converting it to a form that can be transported to Earth
2 - Failing this don't have kids.
For many childhood memories are overrun by living nightmares.
Yes, children are resilient, but that doesn't mean that the things we see as babes don't follow us forever.
The horrors of the world are no stranger to the young.
Redditor -2sweetcaramel- wanted to see who was willing to share about the worst things we've seen as kids, so they asked:
"What’s the creepiest thing you saw as a kid?"
Serious Danger
"Me and my best friend would explore the drainage tunnels under the Vegas area where we grew up. These were miles long and it was always really cool down there so it was a good way to escape the heat of our scorching hot summers. We went into this one that goes under the Fiesta casino and found a camp with a bunch of homeless people."
"Mind you we are like 11 years old lol. And we just kept going like it was nothing. It wasn’t scary then but when I look back at it we could have been in some serious danger. Our parents had no idea we did this or where we were and we had no cellphones. We could have been kidnapped and never have been found."
oofboof2020
Waiting for Food
"I was at a portillos once when I was 12 and I was waiting with my little brother at a booth while my parents got our food. This guy was standing with his tray kind of watching me then after a couple of minutes he started to walk over really fast not breaking eye contact with me."
"He was 2 feet from the table and my dad came out of nowhere and scared the s**t out of him. He looked so surprised and just said he wanted to see if I’d get scared or not. He left his tray full of food near the door and left. My folks reported him but we never went to that location again since we found a better one closer to home."
nowhereboy1964
Captain Hobo to the Rescue
"When I was a pretty young teen, my friends and I were horsing around in San Francisco and started hanging out to smoke with some homeless guys. Another homeless dude came up and began aggressively trying to shake us down for anything (money, smokes, a ride, drugs- all of it) and wouldn’t take no for an answer."
"We got in over our heads and could tell this guy was now riling the other 2 guys up and they were acting like they wanted to jump us. Some grandfather-looking old homeless man appeared out of nowhere and yelled at us to get the f**k out of here- nice kids like us don’t belong down here at this hour!!"
"Captain Hobo saved our lives that night. My parents sincerely thought we were at a mall all day lol."
FartAttack911
Survival
tsunami GIF
Giphy
"I was 7 and survived the 2004 tsunami in Thailand. Witnessed the wave rise way above the already massive palm trees (approx. 40ft?) and my family and I watched/heard the wave crash into the ground from a rooftop."
faithfulpoo
These Tsunami stories are just tragic.
On the Sand
Scared The Launch GIF by CTV
Giphy
"We were a group of kids who went to swim in a local lake. And there was a dead body on the beach with their hands raised and their legs bent unnaturally that local police just took out of the same lake. I've never put my foot in these waters again."
oyloff
Be Clever
"I was walking to school and I was about 5 or 6 years old and some guy pulled up beside me in his car and asked if I would get in. He also offered me sweets to do so. I said no. The creepy bit was when he calmly said ‘clever boy’ to me, then drove off. I’ve never even told my parents or anyone else about this as it would most likely freak them out."
OstneyPiz
Bad Jokes
"Dad's side of the family pranked me by burying a fake body on our back property and had me dig it up to find valuables. Was only allowed to use a lantern for light. They stuffed old clothes with chicken bones. Sheetrock mud where the head was... Random fake jewelry as the treasures... I was like maybe 10 or 11.. I remember digging up the boot first and started gagging because it became real at that point."
Alegan239
YOU
Who Are You Reaction GIF by MOODMAN
Giphy
"Woke up to find my little brother staring at me in the dark, asking, Are you really you?"
PrettyLola2004
Siblings can really be a bunch of creepers.
No one should talk to others in the dark though.
Not all pet owners have the same relationship with their pets.
While anyone who decides to become a pet owner, or pet parent as some say, love their pets equally, some never ever let them leave their side.
Taking their pet with them to work, running errands, even on vacations.
Many pet parents even allow their pets to share their bed with them when going to sleep.
For others though, this is where a line is finally drawn.
Redditor Piggythelavasurfer was curious to hear whether pet owners allowed their pets to share their bed with them, as well as the reasons why they do/don't, leading them to ask:
"Do you let your pet sleep in your bed? Why/why not?"
The Tiny Issue Of Water...
"Absolutely not."
"I have fish."- Senior-Meal3649
Everyone Gets Lonely Eventually...
"I adopted an eleven year old cat the day before Halloween."
"She has mostly lived in my closet since I got her, and she hasn’t been too interested in coming out."
"Last night, she came out of my closet and jumped up on my bed, and crawled under my covers and curled up by my feet to sleep."
"I was so happy!"- YellowBeastJeep
The Comforting Reminder That You're Not Alone...
"I recently lost my Greyhound but I used to let him sleep on my bed with me."
"The company was nice and he was no trouble to have on my bed."- HoodedMenace3
Hungry Cookie GIF by De Graafschap Dierenartsen
Giphy
What Do You Mean Allow?
"I have no choice."
"She is a cat, cats do whatever they want."- Small_cat1412
"He lets me sleep in my bed."- Poorly-Drawn-Beagle
Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way
"I carry my old boy upstairs to bed every night."- worst_in_show
Hug GIF by The BarkPost
Giphy
Who Needs An Alarm Clock?
"I let my two cats sleep with me."
"They're so full of love and just want cuddles all the time."
"And so do I."
"We've all developed a lil routine."
"Get to bed, oldest sleeps on my feet to keep them warm, youngest lies in my arm while I lie on my side (she the little spoon), then when I snooze my alarm for work in the morning the youngest paws at my face and meeps loudly to wake me up."- GhostofaFlea_
Whose Bed Is It Anyway?
"Yes."
"They're also kind enough to let me squeeze into whatever space they've left for me."
"Although I do get a few dirty looks off them."- Therealkaylor
"I found this tiny kitten screaming her head off under a car."
"Would not come out."
"Got some food and some water in dishes."
"I stood by the tire so she couldn't see my feet."
"She got curious about the food and water and started gobbling it down."
"I thought she would bolt when I squatted down."
"She was too busy eating."
"I grabbed her by the nape of the neck and all four legs went straight out and she tried to scratch me to death."
"I got her in the door and tossed her toward the couch."
"She ricocheted off the couch as if she was a ping pong off a table and I lost sight of her."
"I put out food and water and a sandbox and did not see that kitten for three days."
"On the third day, I came home and she was on my bed pillow."
"I thought she would bolt when I came near, but she didn't."
"I wanted to sleep so I tried to scoot her little butt off my pillow."
"She would not go."
"I put my head down to sleep and that is the way it was from then on."
"She ran the roost."- Logical_Cherry_7588
sleepy kitten GIF
Giphy
Sleeping Is A Prerequisite...
"No, he's a cat and he cannot keep still during the night."
"He walks across the headboard, opens the closet doors, jumps into the windows and rustles the blinds, etc."
"If he would sleep he could stay, but alas, he's a ramblin' man."- Spong_Durnflungle
Saying No Just Isn't An Option...
"'Let'."
"Lol."
"It's a cat's world and I'm happy to be on her good side."- milaren
Felines Only!
"The cat does, the dog doesn't and the horse certainly does not either."- Xcrowzz
Angry Tom And Jerry GIF by Boomerang Official
Giphy
Is That My Hair On That Pillow?
"My dog is perfect."
"She comes up, cuddles til we start to fall asleep, then gets down to sleep on her bed so she doesn't get too hot."
"Jumps back up in the early morning for wake up cuddles."
"The hair everywhere is the only downside but she is so cozy, what can you do."- HoodieWinchester
It is easy to understand how some people are able to fall asleep more easily knowing their friend and protector is there, in bed, with them.
Though we can't blame others who don't want to run the risk of being scratched or bitten in the middle of the night either...