Ask HN: How can I as an individual possibly make a difference to climate change?

Posted by trwhite on Wednesday November 06, 2019 @04:55PM
from the ask-hn dept.

A paper published today (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-50302392) points to a global 'climate emergency'.

As an individual, how will any lifestyle alteration I make have any impact on climate change compared to the damage caused by livestock farming, population growth and fossil fuels etc?

Beyond that, what other action could I take? Were I to make a career change, which companies could I work for and make a measurable impact? Or would my time be better served in government?

( 9 comments | 10 points | on HN )

Re:Ask HN: How can I as an individual possibly make a differ... by miles on Wednesday November 06, 2019 @05:15PM (#21468118)

Plant-based diet can fight climate change - UN

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-49238749

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Re:Ask HN: How can I as an individual possibly make a differ... by fghtr on Wednesday November 06, 2019 @05:13PM (#21468100)

http://www.kimnicholas.com/uploads/2/5/7/6/25766487/fig1full...

However, convincing politicians can do much more...

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Re:Ask HN: How can I as an individual possibly make a differ... by suramya_tomar on Sunday November 10, 2019 @11:39PM (#21502193)

Or as an more extreme example, you can follow Jadav Payeng's example and personally replant a 1,360 acres forest: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jadav_Payeng

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Re:Ask HN: How can I as an individual possibly make a differ... by rosege on Monday November 11, 2019 @09:00AM (#21504844)

Thanks, inspirational. I plan to buy up land and plant as many trees as I can too. I doubt I'll be able to do 1360 acres though! But at least I will help in some small way.

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Re:Ask HN: How can I as an individual possibly make a differ... by stuqqq on Thursday November 07, 2019 @01:48PM (#21476057)

Don’t reproduce.

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Re:Ask HN: How can I as an individual possibly make a differ... by codingdave on Wednesday November 06, 2019 @06:47PM (#21468881)

Every lifestyle alteration you make has a difference. A small one, true, but if billions of people make small changes, it adds up.

By all means, look for big actions as well... but do the small stuff.

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Re:Ask HN: How can I as an individual possibly make a differ... by DoreenMichele on Wednesday November 06, 2019 @04:57PM (#21467920)

Eat less meat.

Eat local.

Drive less.

Walk more.

Plant a tree.

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Re:Ask HN: How can I as an individual possibly make a differ... by runjake on Wednesday November 06, 2019 @05:38PM (#21468349)

Buy less

Buy or use fewer things with throwaway material (plastic shopping bags, straws)

And before you people who say "that won't make a difference!", you may or may not be right, but it's a good first step and others will notice.

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Re:Ask HN: How can I as an individual possibly make a differ... by cascom on Wednesday November 06, 2019 @05:28PM (#21468253)

I’d add:

Fly less

Consume less new things (from houses to disposable items)

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