I posted the beginning but the whole thing is worth a read. It was fun to hear him walk through the fact that policy proposals never seem to go anywhere here. Simultaneously there are stories flying about how Manchin last night talked about how is is 'concerned' about the climate change proposals in the reconciliation package.
It Seems Odd That We Would Just Let the World Burn
I spent the weekend reading a book I wasn’t entirely comfortable being seen with in public. Andreas Malm’s “How to Blow Up a Pipeline” is only slightly inaptly named. You won’t find, anywhere inside, instructions on sabotaging energy infrastructure. A truer title would be “Why to Blow Up a Pipeline.” On this, Malm’s case is straightforward: Because nothing else has worked.
Decades of climate activism have gotten millions of people into the streets but they haven’t turned the tide on emissions, or even investments. Citing a 2019 study in the journal Nature, Malm observes that, measuring by capacity, 49 percent of the fossil-fuel-burning energy infrastructure now in operation was installed after 2004. Add in the expected emissions from projects in some stage of the planning process and we are most of the way toward warming the world by 2 degrees Celsius — a prospect scientists consider terrifying and most world governments have repeatedly pledged to avoid. Some hoped that the pandemic would alter the world’s course, but it hasn’t. Oil consumption is hurtling back to precrisis levels, and demand for coal, the dirtiest of the fuels, is rising.
“Here is what this movement of millions should do, for a start,” Malm writes. “Announce and enforce the prohibition. Damage and destroy new CO2-emitting devices. Put them out of commission, pick them apart, demolish them, burn them, blow them up. Let the capitalists who keep on investing in the fire know that their properties will be trashed.”
The question at the heart of Malm’s book is why this isn’t happening already. “Were we governed by reason, we would be on the barricades today, dragging the drivers of Range Rovers and Nissan Patrols out of their seats, occupying and shutting down the coal-burning power stations, bursting in upon the Blairs’ retreat from reality in Barbados and demanding a reversal of economic life as dramatic as the one we bore when we went to war with Hitler,” he says.
Malm offers two answers for the resolute nonviolence of the climate movement. The first is “strategic pacificism,” the belief that nonviolent protest is more effective than violent resistance. Much of the book is occupied by Malm’s rebuttal to potted histories of past social movements, which is persuasive in parts. He’s surely right that we sanitize past uprisings, lionizing the peaceful and blackening or forgetting the names of the violent. There is at least an argument that it’s the interplay of forces that transforms societies. There was no peaceful American Revolution. There were riots and rifles woven into the civil rights movement. “Does this movement possess a radical flank?” asks Malm.
As to whether blowing up pipelines would work here, and now, Malm is less convincing. The likeliest outcome is that a few dozen climate activists would be jailed for years (as some already have been) and a wave of laws criminalizing even peaceful protest would sweep the nation. He has no answers for those who fear the probable political consequences: an immediate backlash that sweeps enemies of climate action into power, eliminating even the fragile hopes for policy progress.
I think the real reason people aren't rioting in the streets and tearing down carbon infrastructure is this thread. Not specifically this thread, but where it is on the forum.
We call climate change a political problem. It really is, and it really isn't. We need policy makers and corporate giants to change the world for us because the average person sees this is a problem so far beyond their capability to handle that they don't even try - let alone how really trying disrupts your way of life substantially - you start biking to work, you stop eating meat, and you pay more for power through renewable sources. What percentage of the population in the US lives close enough to work to bike there and can afford higher electric bills? We can't even get people to avoid becoming morbidly obese.
World leaders - political and economic - won't really work to make substantial change until there's money to be made in doing that. As long as burning coal and gas are profitable, we'll continue to do it. Lobbyists will work to obstruct change and political parties will consistently oppose it.
In WWII we (the US) tried really hard to pretend it was all someone else's problem until Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. It's disgusting to imagine, but we probably need a specific climate-related disaster of epic proportions that's absolutely impossible to ignore in order to motivate world leaders to face it. Problem is, it's not an all at once thing.
Climate change isn't blowing up a city. It's drowning them, inch by inch, foot by foot.
Climate change isn't attacking the infrastructure. It's just making everyone turn the AC up a little more every year as the power grid flounders.
Climate change isn't wiping out whole populations of animals at once. It's making them wink out, one by one.
What the world needs is the climate change awareness and drive of Denmark with the social control of North Korea. That might be enough to bring us back from the brink given where we are right now. What are the odds, though?
Black Lives Matter
2021-01-20: The first good night's sleep I had in 4 years.
It's also a terminology issue. People still largely call it climate change or global warming, as if it's a vague, sometime thing.
It's a climate emergency, it's happening every day, and it's guaranteed that it will get much worse before we can possibly make it better. Some outlets have moved to the more accurate 'emergency' verbiage, but not enough.
Even emergency may not be startling enough for a lot of people. Maybe Climate Destruction is more appropriate?
It's still so easy to call it someone else's problem, especially if you live somewhere that's generally temperate and wet. Up in New England, climate destruction isn't really hitting us hard. We have more ticks because of milder winters, and that's threatening moose populations... but that's about it for measurable issues. A few extra hot & humid days don't really change much for us.
I wonder how New England will feel when everyone from Florida permanently evacuates and they need to head north...
Black Lives Matter
2021-01-20: The first good night's sleep I had in 4 years.
I'm feeling the same way about climate change that I am about the political situation: We see the danger, we know what changes have to come about to address it. And yet there is no mechanism that will bring about said changes, as every change means a compromise that someone in power or with money (there's a Venn diagram for you) will prevent from happening.
A recent undercover sting orchestrated by Greenpeace UK revealed what many have long suspected: A big oil company’s nominal support for climate policy is disingenuous. It’s a stunning expose that reinforces what environmentalists have been saying for decades — fossil fuel corporations can’t be left to their own devices when it comes to taking meaningful action — or any action — to curb climate change.
Over the course of the conversation, the lobbyists admitted to the company’s “aggressively” fighting the science behind climate change. They referred to the corporation’s public support for carbon tax policies as an “advocacy tool” and a “great talking point” used to help the company appear environmentally conscious without actions to back it up. These lobbyists also discussed how the company defends itself from regulations on plastic and had previously fought to stop a ban on toxic chemicals. They also boasted of their easy access to elected officials, including weekly conversations with the office of a moderate senator, referred to by the lobbyists as a “kingmaker.”
However, certain lawmakers are promising a “hell of a fight” to oppose these climate-centric provisions, citing concerns over tax-hikes on corporations and wealthy Americans that would be used to fund the initiatives. Many of these elected officials are the same that oil company’s lobbyists bragged about meeting with regularly.
--------------------------------------------
I am Dyslexic of Borg, prepare to have your ass laminated.
I guess Ray Butts has ate his last pancake. http://steamcommunity.com/id/daehawk
"Has high IQ. Refuses to apply it"
Im a bilingual. A bilingual illiterate. I can't read in two languages.
I think we're headed down that path regardless. All I hope is that my kids don't have kids of their own, so that I won't have as many descendants suffering because of it.
hitbyambulance wrote: ↑Thu Aug 05, 2021 5:50 pm
"AccuWeather’s long-range meteorologists are predicting 9.5-million acres to be burned across the western U.S. during the wildfire season, which may not end until December for some areas."
so smoke season is basically going to be HALF OF THE YEAR.
what if it's like this every year now? my brain is starting to go to ... is this even quality living anymore, when toxic clouds surround you constantly? there isn't even that much research into the long-term effects of breathing this smoke. at the point where i hear about someone's recent death and i'm thinking they're one of the lucky ones. i may be in a despair spiral.
there's what i can do, and there's what i can tell other people. the world isn't mine to fix, but i am not exempt from doing what i can.
but an example - there's a tweet in that thread saying that airplane flight accounts for 25% of all carbon emissions and to "Stop flying." many people today are not going to stop flying no matter what. they could be living in the most degraded, terrible environment directly attributable to carbon emission build-up in the atmosphere and they would still going to declare it their god-given right to fly wherever they damn well please. there is no risk attribution, much less long-range planning. it's always 'deny everything and live with the consequences' every single time.
Blackhawk wrote: ↑Sat Aug 07, 2021 10:23 pm
All I hope is that my kids don't have kids of their own, so that I won't have as many descendants suffering because of it.
what if most of us are on a reincarnation loop in this dimension - after we die, we're reborn here again. how's that for hell?
Blackhawk wrote: ↑Sat Aug 07, 2021 10:23 pm
All I hope is that my kids don't have kids of their own, so that I won't have as many descendants suffering because of it.
what if most of us are on a reincarnation loop in this dimension - after we die, we're reborn here again. how's that for hell?
Then it's justice. We made the mess, we're the ones who should soak in it.
Blackhawk wrote: ↑Sat Aug 07, 2021 10:23 pm
All I hope is that my kids don't have kids of their own, so that I won't have as many descendants suffering because of it.
what if most of us are on a reincarnation loop in this dimension - after we die, we're reborn here again. how's that for hell?
Then it's justice. We made the mess, we're the ones who should soak in it.
With potentially infinite habitable planets in the multiverse, I hope I don't get sent back here again. It's a nice planet but I'm bored with being a primate.
There's a reason that of all the traits life on this planet has evolved, the most important is adaptability. Our world is ever changing, and always has been. It's just that now we're the ones changing it.
Fortunately, we're very, VERY adaptable.
/. "She climbed backwards out her
\/ window into Outside Over There."
The world broke a major record last month — although it has little reason to brag about the milestone.
July was the hottest month ever recorded, according to data released Friday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — an “unenviable distinction” that could ratchet up anxiety about climate change.
...
The combined land- and ocean-surface temperature around the world was 1.67 degrees Fahrenheit above the 20th century average of 60.4 degrees, according to NOAA — making July the hottest month since record-keeping started 142 years ago.
Yesterday my family and two others went to the beach. In Michigan. Considering the time of year, the crowds were moderate. I don't ever recall going there after Sept 1 in the past. Temps were pleasant (around 80). lake temp was fine, 3 foot rollers coming in were fun...except my son complained he almost drown, and a lady approached us asking if any of us were medical people...a kid (older than my son) apparently freaked out after getting whacked by a wave and was in distress. My wife (a nurse) did go investigate, and got there before the rangers/authorities did and found him to be ok.
I know I say that we're fucked a lot, but it's getting really demoralizing as the realization sets in that our likely last chance to meaningfully address the issue is going to fizzle out under Democratic 'leadership'.
While I do not deny the "We're Fucked" thesis, I do deny they Sinema and Manchin have disproportionate power. They are 2 of 100 of half of 1/3 and their voters could have elected more conservative representatives.
All that said, I do accept the mechanism of the senate is broken and does allow a minority to hold the nation hostage. That minority, however, is not two people. I also look at the Democrats and sure looks like they need a different approach. Unfortunately, I'm not smart enough to know what it is. I do hope I'm smart enough to support it when I see at.
Hey look, as if I needed more reason to hate the chamber of commerce to the point where I keep myself from spitting when I walk in to a building with chamber of commerce sticker on the door.
The House Oversight Committee will hear from chief executives of four global oil companies on Thursday as part of its investigation into what Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., called the industry's decades-long "climate disinformation" efforts about the impact of fossil fuels on global warming.
The CEOs — Darren Woods of ExxonMobil, David Lawler of BP America, Michael Wirth of Chevron, Gretchen Watkins of Shell — as well as Mike Sommers from the American Petroleum Institute, the industry's trade association, and Suzanne Clark from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, will appear.
Kraken wrote: ↑Sat Oct 30, 2021 11:18 pm
IDK who writes these videos, but I could listen to this woman talk all day.
I am entirely convinced the face does not own the voice. I enjoy the videos, but that part is a mild distraction to me.
The cuts and the deep tone do make me think it's a voice-over. Whether it's the same woman or not, the soundtrack is probably recorded over the video of her talking. Still enjoyable to watch, IMO.
He legitimately might be the dumbest person in America elected to the highest office possible.
Gohmert: I’ve read where experts have said if you’ve got a choice between the temperature getting slightly warmer or slightly colder, you want warmer because if it’s getting slightly colder that means there’s less time for crops to grow
Guyana's extreme vulnerability to climate change has made it a longtime champion of climate action.
In fact, Guyana is one of very few countries that had been acting as a carbon sink, capturing more emissions than it released, thanks to its remarkable success preserving its lush inland rainforests.
It even struck a deal to get compensated for its work fighting climate change. Norway, an oil-rich country interested in offsetting its own emissions, paid Guyana to conserve forests, and thus capture carbon.
The agreement was groundbreaking and was seen as a potential model for other countries to monetize the battle against climate change.
But now Guyana is trading in its green halo in exchange for something far more profitable: oil revenue.
Companies had long suspected there was oil off Guyana's shores — the country is located right next to oil-rich Venezuela — but no one ever found any.
Then Exxon decided to take a gamble and look in deeper waters. The discovery the company announced in 2015 was extraordinary: One Exxon executive compared it to a "fairy tale." Since then, even more oil has been found in Guyana's waters.
" Hey OP, listen to my advice alright." -Tha General "No scientific discovery is named after its original discoverer." -Stigler's Law of Eponymy, discovered by Robert K. Merton MYT
