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Re:Oceans 'soaking up more heat than estimated' by ekzy on Thursday November 01, 2018 @08:11AM (#18353169)
You could say that the effort is vain, but saying that it "has the opposite effect" is quite a strong statement. I am interested to hear how individual efforts of going vegetarian/vegan are contributing to global warming. And could you expand on "putting effort into pushing for the drastic changes"?
Re:Oceans 'soaking up more heat than estimated' by your-nanny on Thursday November 01, 2018 @09:19AM (#18353587)
Sometimes when people go to the gym, they give themselves a pay on the back and leave to iver eat their next meal. If, making small sacrifices encourages more extravagant indulgences, then yeah, maybe it could.

However, I think that the second order effects need to be considered. As I mentioned in another post, sometimes you doing a thing makes it easier for others to do a thing, until a critical mass brings about a major change in state. For example, buying a fuel efficient vehicle encourages manufacturers to produce them. Eating and asking for vegetarian options encourages them to be offered, making it easier to become a vegetarian without being a stick in the mud. It can also change norms. Sometimes people won't do a thing because they don't want to go against norms. Like a guy out with his buddies ordering a burger instead of the salad he actually might prefer.

Re:Oceans 'soaking up more heat than estimated' by ForHackernews on Thursday November 01, 2018 @08:21AM (#18353228)
There are plenty of "be the change" types who don't vote, and who have disengaged from the political process.
Re:Oceans 'soaking up more heat than estimated' by verelo on Thursday November 01, 2018 @09:12AM (#18353539)
Like i see personal level actions as a leader to future large scale group actions. Similar to electric cars, they’re inaccessible by cost to most, but the high cost purchaser is their path to mass adoption.

Also, if a wealthy person cannot justify extra insulation to prevent energy waste, i sure don’t expect a poorer person to ever take the idea seeiously.