filosoful OP t1_iswkmeg wrote
>When I first started learning about climate change 15 years ago, I came to three conclusions. First, avoiding a climate disaster would be the hardest challenge people had ever faced. Second, the only way to do it was to invest aggressively in clean-energy innovation and deployment. And third, we needed to get going.
>If you are reading this over lunch on a plastic device in your climate-controlled concrete-and-steel office building that you took a bus to get to, you begin to see how more or less every aspect of our lives contributes to the problem.
bespectacledbengal t1_iswsqkb wrote
On the one hand, he’s right. On the other hand, he lives in a 66,000 square foot house
BoozySlushPops t1_isxvzzz wrote
We don’t have time for this. The man can be a hypocrite and still deliver a correct diagnosis. If my oncologist smokes I’m still going to get my cancer treated.
JefferyTheQuaxly t1_isxnds3 wrote
Not that im defending anything he does, but gates believes that its possible to avert a climate disaster while not requiring everyone to give up everything in return for it. ie it doesnt matter if he has a 66k sq foot house, if its powered by renewable resources, doesnt use excessive water or other pollutants. and i feel like his investments into renewable energy and fixing our climate cover his own potentially excessive energy use. hes invested a good couple billion into this and plans to invest billions more, and he wants of his money to be completely used up by around 10-15 years after he dies.
cornerblockakl t1_it0vb1y wrote
It does matter. For the masses (that’s who you are trying to covert) optics is everything.
cornerblockakl t1_it0vbhw wrote
It does matter. For the masses (that’s who you are trying to covert) optics is everything.
Otherwise-Anxiety-58 t1_iswxunj wrote
Other people need to consume less of course, not him. Poor guy only plans to have 1% of his vast fortune one day, maybe.
Edit: Though Gates doesn't seem to think anybody really needs to consume less, or at least he doesn't think that is going to happen.
OrganicFun7030 t1_isx20pn wrote
That’s right he doesn’t. He believes that we have to transition to clean energy, not reduce consumption particularly as developing countries catch up with the west. That makes sense unless we expect developing countries to not catch up.
RareLibra t1_iswqibf wrote
Are there ways where we can remotely contribute? To me one problem could also be population who are apprised of this glooming catastrophy. I want to educate the masses.
JefferyTheQuaxly t1_isxot0s wrote
one of best ways to contribute would be making your own changes to reduce waste or cut back. try not to replace your new phone for several years longer than you usually do, try and do what you can to get an electric car or try taking the bus/biking to work or school. do you have a large lawn? buy some goats instead of buying a large lawn mower. do what you can to get heat pumps and solar panels at your house, solar panels are expected to go down in price in 2023 since manufacturing capacity is expected to double in the US next year.
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it is good to try and spread the word and educate people. peer presure is real and can be a good thing, the more people are trying to treat our planet well the more likely the holdouts will gradually start making changes too. explain small changes someone can make if you see them being wasteful or something. doing small things here and there might not help much but it establishes a pattern for other people to also follow.
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also we are making progress on climate change. over the last year or two the popularity of electric vehicles and renewable energy has been skyrocketing. in 2023 china, one of worlds biggest pollutors, is expected to expand their solar capacity by 1/3, around 100 gw, which i believe i read is more solar panels than the rest of the world combined currently has (the us isnt expected to hit 50 gw solar until 2030 as comparison).
RareLibra t1_isxvet9 wrote
I live in India.
I've adopted few of things here, and yes I have goats and Chickens in my yard, don't use single use plastics, mostly eat organic/ homegrown ... I would want you opinion on this - Electric Cars and Solars do have an impact on Climate.. Battery industry is one contributor to emissions, I've read, same with Solar they are not the ideal permanent solution with the energy loss and the life of the panel itself, in largely populated country like ours it has more long term effects with short term popularized benefits.
Pls correct me.
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