Climate change: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 21:25, 1 May 2024

Note that half of emissions come from the richest 10% of the world, which includes **you** if you're middle-class in a developed country. **That's the target audience for the "personal actions"** section of this page.

GHGs (greenhouse gases) (such as CO₂) are the gases that cause climate change. **This is a pie chart of where they come from.**

Here's what we need to do about climate change

If you think there's anything more significant to add here, leave a comment on the talk page.

Personal actions

Frugalism
Driving less (or not at all)
Plant-based food
Stopping food waste This includes food wasted by businesses Business food waste is still (somewhat) affected by personal food choices. For example if we want restaurants to stop throwing out day-old bread, then more people have to at least be willing to eat the day-old bread.

Collective actions ✊🏻✊🏽✊🏿

Stop planned obsolescence
- Promote right to repair

Make neighborhoods walkable
- Also, improve public transit

Replace ALL FOSSIL FUEL ENERGY with renewables or nuclear
- Requires major tech innovations that might not come soon enough.
- This would be a lot easier if energy consumption was lower - so in any case, the other actions on this page still matter more than ever.

Why those are the most important actions ↑

Most of the world's carbon emissions are affected by either...

How much new "stuff" gets made. See pie chart: Sections: "Industry", "Energy Use In Industry", and part of "Fugitive Emissions In Energy Production" (as natural gas is used in the industries).

How much people drive/fly. Two thirds of the "Transport" section of the pie chart (because the other third is for transporting goods; the ratio isn't found in this pie chart, but it's found in another pie chart).

Heating & cooling homes and other buildings. Most of the "Energy Use In Buildings" section is heating & cooling (not lights or computers etc). The pie chart doesn't specify this, but another pie chart does. Heating & cooling also contribute to "Fugitive Emissions In Energy Production", because natural gas is often used in heating and in generating the electricity that powers air conditioners.

Food production. Most of the "Agriculture, Forestry & Land Use" section goes towards producing food. Also note: This section affects more than just climate change, it also affects most of habitat loss.

Aren't there other things that can be done?

Yes. Read more: Longer list of actions.

Be warned: Most have very limited impact, and some are even counterproductive!

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-For an introduction, read [[What is climate change]].
+[[Category:Problems]]
+[[File:carbon-inequality1.png|thumb|Note that half of emissions come from the richest 10% of the world, which includes '''you''' if you're middle-class in a developed country. '''That's the target audience for the "personal actions"''' section of this page.]]
+[[File:Emissions-by-sector-–-pie-charts.png|thumb|GHGs (greenhouse gases) (such as CO<sub>2</sub>) are the gases that cause climate change. '''This is a pie chart of where they come from.''']]
+==Here's what we need to do about climate change==
+{{minor|''If you think there's anything more significant to add here, leave a comment on the [[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|talk page]].''}}
+===Personal actions===
+* '''[[Frugalism]]'''
+* '''[[Driving less]]''' {{light|(or not at all)}}
+* '''[[Plant-based food]]'''
+* '''[[food waste|Stopping food waste]]''' {{minor|''This includes food wasted by businesses'' {{p|Business food waste is still (somewhat) affected by personal food choices. For example if we want restaurants to stop throwing out day-old bread, then more people have to at least be willing to [[save food/Bread|eat]] the day-old bread.}} }}
+===Collective actions {{fists}}===
+* '''[[Stop planned obsolescence]]'''
+** Promote [[right to repair]]
+* '''[[Make neighborhoods walkable]]'''
+** Also, improve [[public transit]]
+* '''[[Decarbonize energy|Replace ALL FOSSIL FUEL ENERGY with renewables or nuclear]]'''
+** Requires major tech innovations that might not come soon enough.
+** This would be a lot easier if energy consumption was [[reduce energy demand|lower]] - so in any case, the ''other'' actions on this page still matter more than ever.
+<!-- FAQ:
+Q: What about overthrowing capitalism?
+A: Let's be more specific: What could be done better if capitalism didn't get in the way?
+-->
+==Why ''those'' are the most important actions &uarr;==
-==Biggest factors==
+Most of the world's carbon emissions are affected by either...
-[[File:Emissions-by-sector-–-pie-charts.png|thumb|GHGs (greenhouse gases) (such as CO<sub>2</sub>) are the gases that cause climate change. '''This is a pie chart of where they come from.''']]
+* How much new "stuff" gets made. {{p|See pie chart: Sections: '''"Industry"''', '''"Energy Use In Industry"''', and part of '''"Fugitive Emissions In Energy Production"''' (as natural gas is used in the industries).}}
-Most of the world's emissions are affected by either...
+* How much people drive/fly. {{p|Two thirds of the '''"Transport"''' section of the pie chart (because the other third is for transporting ''goods''; the ratio isn't found in ''this'' pie chart, but it's found in [[:File:energy-demand-pie1.png|another pie chart]]). }}
-* How much new "stuff" gets made. {{p2|[?]|Pie chart sections: '''"Industry"''', '''"Energy Use In Industry"''', and part of '''"Fugitive Emissions In Energy Production"''' (as natural gas is used in the industries).}}
+* [[Heating]] & [[cooling]] [[homes]] and other buildings. {{p|Most of the '''"Energy Use In Buildings"''' section is heating & cooling (not lights or computers etc). The pie chart doesn't specify this, but [[:File:energy-demand-pie1.png|another pie chart]] does. Heating & cooling also contribute to '''"Fugitive Emissions In Energy Production"''', because [[natural gas]] is often used in heating and in generating the electricity that powers air conditioners.}}
-* How much people drive/fly. {{p2|[?]|Two thirds of the '''"Transport"''' section of the pie chart (because the other third is for transporting ''goods''; the ratio isn't found in ''this'' pie chart, but it's found in [[:File:energy-demand-pie1.png|another pie chart]]). }}
+* [[Food]] production. {{p|Most of the '''"Agriculture, Forestry & Land Use"''' section goes towards producing food.<!--cn--> Also note: This section affects more than just climate change, it also affects most of [[habitat loss]].}}
-* [[Heating]] & [[cooling]] [[homes]] and other buildings. {{p2|[?]|Most of the '''"Energy Use In Buildings"''' section is heating & cooling (not lights or computers etc). The pie chart doesn't specify this, but [[:File:energy-demand-pie1.png|another pie chart]] does. Heating & cooling also contribute to '''"Fugitive Emissions In Energy Production"''', because [[natural gas]] is often used in heating and in generating the electricity that powers air conditioners.}}
-* [[Food]] production. {{p2|[?]|Most of the '''"Agriculture, Forestry & Land Use"''' pie chart section goes towards producing food.<!--cn--> Also note: This section affects more than just climate change, it also affects most of [[habitat loss]].}}
+==Aren't there ''other'' things that can be done?==
+Yes. Read more: [[climate change solutions|Longer list of actions]].
+* Be warned: Most have very limited impact, and some are even counterproductive!
-This provides some perspective on the '''most significant''' actions to take.
-==Actions to take==
+==See also==
-===Personal actions===
+* [[What is climate change]]
-* '''[[Frugalism]]'''
+* [[Why climate change is a problem]]
-* '''[[Driving less]]'''
+* [[Why climate change is anthropogenic]]
-* '''Not [[food waste|wasting food]]'''
+* [[Deforestation]] - another environmental problem, which affects more than just the climate.
-* '''Eating [[plant-based]]'''
-===Collective actions===
-* '''Stop [[planned obsolescence]]'''
-* '''Make neighborhoods [[walkable]]'''
-* '''Improve [[public transit]]'''
-* '''[[Decarbonize energy]]''' - but this requires major tech innovations that might not come soon enough. It becomes a lot easier if energy consumption is lower - so in any case, the ''other'' actions on the list are just as important as ever.