RE: LordNigel's Travels - Animals of South Africa
Kate-m can you please contain the language my kid sister reads this. Do you drive a car? most of us do. The lasted research suggests while the emissions from a flight once a year are far greater then driving yourself around everyday, because they are delivered directly into the atmosphere the planet reacts in a different way (over 20 years the impact is way less). Taking a flight once a year is not impacting as much as driving your car or eating red meat daily! I think this is the point lordnigel is saying (your not going to stop people doing stuff that's bad to the environment overnight, but let's make a start by pushing against the wall (gently at first, or people will see you as radical) this will lead to technology advances (less omission flights, pc that uses less power etc.
PM means personal message, you can do via steemchat website.
I do sincerely apologise for the language. I blame it on my penchant for dramatic flare and will try to curtail that from now on on the platform!
Just to make it clear, I was purposefully presenting a possible radical stance from either side as an exercise in perspective-taking, neither present my own personal stance. In fact you will notice that I say I agree with all he says and simply indicate that it is however a complex ethical route to justify one environmentally damaging action because one takes other environmentally damaging actions. This is not in reference to trying to change people's minds but something we should be aware of in each of our own personal decision-making spheres. Although of course one factor following on from our own choices is the example we set and subsequently the impact that might have in changing people's minds and behaviours! LordNigel is an intelligent and very aware person, I know fine well that he has very consciously pondered this very dilemma, as have I. I personally find the psychology around environmental behaviours quite fascinating. As I stated above, I'm not waggling my finger in anyone's face, but I am pointing at the elephant sitting in the corner, the one that none of us enjoy talking about.
I am quite aware that car-driving and meat-eating have serious environmental impacts, and I am quite aware that the impacts of flight emissions are different to those of emissions on the ground, in many ways they are worse (so I also apologise for my lazy terminology in referring to plane travel carbon emissions). But I don't think anyone is going to argue though that plane travel does not have disproportionate environmental impacts relative to many day-to-day human activities? I didn't realise that it was an either/or choice between eating a weekly burger and having an annual holiday. I personally am all for people eating much less meat, but that is another conversation.
Hi Kate, I agree with what you have written as well :).. In terms of planes and tourism, you are spot on, I do struggle and can see what is happening to our world with frustration at times.
Alannapendragon knows me well and is also correct, there is hope!! and I normally try to deliver this message in the form of positive small steps we can all do
True, if I could I'd travel using wind and boat everywhere I would. Instead like most of us I have to try and make the best of where we are now, in the consumerism world we live in. I do try to reduce my impact, by flying once every couple of years, and staying as long as possible. I also walk mostly, volunteer my time to care for native animals, car pool, avoid eating meat and do as much as I can (and share this way of living), with all those I interact with. I am glad people with your concern and passion are out there.
...You might notice my posts are fairly easy to read (I'm targeting family/younger people . I have a few younger followers some people I know whom aren't on Steemit themselves), so I'm not really targeting these posts for rigorous debate (even though it may seem I'm selling a message people should travel around and this is negative on the environment - the first step to change is awareness). I hope this is making sense? I will try to comment on some of your posts for some healthy debate and/or your most welcome to PM me at https://steemit.chat Cheers
Sorry for hijacking your family-friendly post! :-*>
I don't set out to be contentious, it just sort of happens naturally sometimes! (I love to debate about environmental issues)
As a bit of a tangent picking up on what you were saying about travel by wind and boat, I actually have a bit of a dream of learning how to sail and traversing the Atlantic in a yacht as crew, as I would like to make a habit of visiting Brazil every couple of years and I'm not comfortable with the air miles. It's a very doable dream I think!
Feel free to comment and debate on any of my posts! Cheers