The Environmental thread + Conventional (HI-FI) wisdom is almost always invariably wrong

[PYP]

9 minutes ago, sphinxsix said:

 

Was it to be posted on 'Just for Laughs' thread or did you want to suggest that air over America will be cleaner and if so - in literal or metaphorical sense.? 

Or was it supposed to be about ..wisdom gone wrong..? 

 

 

Less hot air, that is for certain.  And pollution comes in many forms.  

[semente]

1 hour ago, sphinxsix said:

 

Was it to be posted on 'Just for Laughs' thread or did you want to suggest that air over America will be cleaner and if so - in literal or metaphorical sense.? 

Or was it supposed to be about ..wisdom gone wrong..? 

 

 

To make the environment cleaner we'll have to start somewhere, right?

[sphinxsix]

Let's just hope the new POTUS will follow the best tradition of 'underpromising and overdelivering' as far as environmental and other issues are regarded.

 

Joe Biden could bring Paris climate goals 'within striking distance'

 

 

[John Dyson]

43 minutes ago, sphinxsix said:

Let's just hope the new POTUS will follow the best tradition of 'underpromising and overdelivering' as far as environmental and other issues are regarded.

 

Joe Biden could bring Paris climate goals 'within striking distance'

 

 

It is a frightening thing for regulation to ensue -- the US will probably start falling behind, instead of making generally monotonically good progress.    Perhaps the US has moderately big numbers to begin with, but massive growth by more 'Paris friendly' countries is not acceptable either.

[sphinxsix]

 

For me, the whole thing is - we, human race had screwed up many times during history, we all know that, and although our mistakes sometimes cost lives of millions - we could (pardon the word) 'afford' it. This time it's not certain we can afford it..

 

 

As for:

 

On 11/10/2020 at 8:03 PM, sphinxsix said:

Let's just hope the new POTUS will follow the best tradition of 'underpromising and overdelivering' as far as environmental and other issues are regarded.

 

Joe Biden could bring Paris climate goals 'within striking distance'

 

 

 

Seems I am not the only who hopes for it:

 

A youth group helped Biden win. Now they want him to fix climate crisis. The Sunrise Movement helped reach 3.5m voters in swing states and are determined to hold the president-elect to his promises.

 

 

[semente]

On 11/10/2020 at 7:48 PM, John Dyson said:

It is a frightening thing for regulation to ensue -- the US will probably start falling behind, instead of making generally monotonically good progress.    Perhaps the US has moderately big numbers to begin with, but massive growth by more 'Paris friendly' countries is not acceptable either.

 

Uncontrolled growth (driven by consumerism and wild capitalism) is what caused the need for a Paris Agreement in the first place.

 

If before Covid we needed a new planet-friendly paradigm I now find it surprising that the "old ways" can still be regarded as a viable option.

 

 

Edit: It is the impact of the pandemic and the climate emergency that are frightening, not the prospect of regulating for a more sustainable society. But first we must have a serious discussion about economy and growth and wellfare state (I'm in Europe by the way, though it sometimes doesn't feel like it the way things are going here in the UK).

[PYP]

interesting story about billionaires donating to causes meant to reduce global warming:  https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-11-16/creo-syndicate-is-the-secret-club-for-billionaires-who-care-about-climate-change?srnd=premium&sref=u0jApUg1

 

You might have also seen that Jeff Bezos has allocated nearly $800 million of what he says will be $10 billion to address global warming.  

 

In the US, if Biden can establish subsidies, which should be able to be done without legislation (that is, Congress), that will help move consumer choices toward sustainable sources of energy.  The current thinking is that subsidies are a better sell than a carbon "tax".

[John Dyson]

9 hours ago, PYP said:

interesting story about billionaires donating to causes meant to reduce global warming:  https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-11-16/creo-syndicate-is-the-secret-club-for-billionaires-who-care-about-climate-change?srnd=premium&sref=u0jApUg1

 

You might have also seen that Jeff Bezos has allocated nearly $800 million of what he says will be $10 billion to address global warming.  

 

In the US, if Biden can establish subsidies, which should be able to be done without legislation (that is, Congress), that will help move consumer choices toward sustainable sources of energy.  The current thinking is that subsidies are a better sell than a carbon "tax".

Mildly off topic, but background for my worry in the final paragraph:

 

The problem about the US is that our politicians confuse what is good for their personal benefit instead of what is good for the country.  I sure hope that the new president corrects his previous 'profiteering' as a senator.   Maybe, the light of day will keep the cockroaches (on both sides - not intended as a partisan comment) from continuing to misunderstand that policy that 'makes them feel good' isn't always what is best for the US.

 

Even the delay of the pipeline was for the benefit of a major political supporter (who owned the major railroad in the area), NOT anything good for the envrionment (trains pollute and drop their cargo also.)   There are too many confused goals, and too many politicians who feel that they need to personally/pure-politically benefit (or non-constitutionally related 'feeling good') instead of doing good things for America (and SECONDARILY the world.)

 

Sorry for seeming to be cynical, but I do happen to both care and I have recently seen too much unveiled US political corruption.  It makes me sad.

 

Back on topic -- we cannot trust that decisions made for international benefit will not be corrupt.   There have *historically* been many decisions made that do not benefit the American people (or the world), but do benefit the politician in some way.   Sometimes, that benefit might be financial, but it might also be a policy that is idealogical but *seriously* damages the people in the longer term.

 

So -- bottom line -- I don't want the US to make any promises until it I can trust the politicians -- alas, given historical performance the politicians will do something politically expedient, but damage the ALREADY damaged (from previous trust of a bad-government) US (and worlds' people.)   Academic idealogical decisions can be very damaging, like we have recently seen manifest.

 

John

 

 

[PYP]

On 11/17/2020 at 8:17 AM, John Dyson said:

The problem about the US is that our politicians confuse what is good for their personal benefit instead of what is good for the country. 

 

So -- bottom line -- I don't want the US to make any promises until it I can trust the politicians -- alas, given historical performance the politicians will do something politically expedient, but damage the ALREADY damaged (from previous trust of a bad-government) US (and worlds' people.)   Academic idealogical decisions can be very damaging, like we have recently seen manifest.

 

John

 

 

 

Don't know if this article will make you more optimistic, but this approach of imbedding climate change considerations into all U.S. executive branch agencies is one important step:  https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/17/climate/biden-climate-change.html

 

Of course, the next administration after Biden could do what this one did -- give the appointed posts to industry insiders or folks who have no idea what the agency does, but moving the rulings to the non-political appointee level slows down any reversal.  As others have said, this administration will have been one of the most environmentally destructive cabals ever.

 

It seems a majority of Americans understand climate change is important, but they don't want any negative effects to the economy.  Done correctly, the economy could embrace climate change and have excellent growth as well.  A tall order, but possible.  

[sphinxsix]

1 hour ago, PYP said:

Don't know if this article will make you more optimistic, but this approach of imbedding climate change considerations into all U.S. executive branch agencies is one important step:  https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/17/climate/biden-climate-change.html

 

This sounds optimistic indeed. Fingers crossed..

 

[sphinxsix]

On 9/14/2020 at 3:47 PM, semente said:

 

 

He does it everyday. He also spends one morning a week teaching Dutch and Civics at a nearby secondary school. 

 

 

[DuckToller]

The time has come to say fair's fair
To pay the rent now, to pay our share

 

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/nov/24/midnight-oil-has-always-been-about-social-justice-the-earths-beauty-and-hope-through-action

Midnight Oil have always been about social justice, the earth's beauty and hope through action

[sphinxsix]

 

 

On 11/4/2020 at 11:40 PM, sphinxsix said:

Here in the Netherlands, a couple of years ago, the environmental group Urgenda with nearly 900 co-plaintiffs filed the lawsuit in against the Dutch government demanding stronger environmental action and has won it:

 

In ‘Strongest’ Climate Ruling Yet, Dutch Court Orders Leaders to Take Action

 

Dutch supreme court upholds landmark ruling demanding climate action

 

 

Clearly these young people followed the example:

 

European states ordered to respond to youth activists' climate lawsuit

 

Also from today Guardian (IMO a very interesting initiative):

 

International lawyers draft plan to criminalise ecosystem destruction

 

 

[PYP]

U.S. Stimulus deal includes raft of provisions to fight climate change:  https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2020/12/21/congress-climate-spending/   

 

"It will cut the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), chemicals used in air conditioners and refrigerators that are hundreds of times worse for the climate than carbon dioxide. It authorizes a sweeping set of new renewable energy measures, including tax credit extensions and new research and development programs for solar, wind and energy storage; funding for energy efficiency projects; upgrades to the electric grid and a new commitment to research on removing carbon from the atmosphere. And it reauthorizes an Environmental Protection Agency program to curb emissions from diesel engines."

 

“This is perhaps the most significant climate legislation Congress has ever passed,” said Grant Carlisle, a senior policy adviser at the Natural Resources Defense Council.

 

 

[semente]

Michael Moore's "Planet of the Humans" documentary shot down from YouTube:

 

 

[sphinxsix]

Amanda Gorman's 2018 poem on fighting climate change. 

@The Computer Audiophile has been recently often using the word 'talented'.

I think she's talented. And full of youthful charm 

 

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

58 minutes ago, sphinxsix said:

Amanda Gorman's 2018 poem on fighting climate change. 

@The Computer Audiophile has been recently often using the word 'talented'.

I think she's talented. And full of youthful charm 

 

 

Tremendous talent here. We all have the same list of words, but she puts them together so powerfully. Amazing. 

[RickyV]

6 hours ago, sphinxsix said:

Amanda Gorman's 2018 poem on fighting climate change. 

@The Computer Audiophile has been recently often using the word 'talented'.

I think she's talented. And full of youthful charm 

 

 

Amanda Gorman master word wizard 🧙‍♀️ 

[sphinxsix]

Some rare on this thread optimism again. If Joe Biden wants to make history through his action on climate change, I personally don't mind..

 

Dizzying pace of Biden's climate action sounds death knell for era of denialism

 

.. I think we can only wish him determination in keeping the pace..

 

What next for Biden’s climate and social agenda?

 

 

[sphinxsix]

A slightly different approach to environmental problems by Erin Brockovich.

 

Plummeting sperm counts, shrinking penises: toxic chemicals threaten humanity.

 

[John Dyson]

 

I decided to kill my post, because even if my opinion is correct (which it is), the risk/benefit of providing the practical insight would not really help anything WRT audio.

 

 

 

[Confused]

Who would have thought it?

 

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/mar/18/cows-seaweed-methane-emissions-scientists?fbclid=IwAR1JgUMRZpCeR7D5HJHo1q9OT0jTeVfCe59CERDn_PO6aqISnsDlUgTvgSc

[sphinxsix]

14 minutes ago, Confused said:

Who would have thought it?

 

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/mar/18/cows-seaweed-methane-emissions-scientists?fbclid=IwAR1JgUMRZpCeR7D5HJHo1q9OT0jTeVfCe59CERDn_PO6aqISnsDlUgTvgSc

 

While reading it a couple days ago I was asking myself (the last time I bought beef took place probably 2 months ago, I'm a huge fan of seafood though) -

1. How would such meat taste.? 

2. Would seaweed work in the same way in case of other species and how much methane do other animals (including homo sapiens, why not ) 'emit'?

 

[Confused]

17 hours ago, sphinxsix said:

2. Would seaweed work in the same way in case of other species and how much methane do other animals (including homo sapiens, why not ) 'emit'?

This would have been of use for this guy:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-52577485

[sphinxsix]

4 hours ago, Confused said:

This would have been of use for this guy:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-52577485

 

I can almost see TV ads: our seaweed - the brand most often chosen by fugitives!