Climate change: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 23:50, 8 February 2024

For an introduction, read What is climate change.

Biggest factors

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

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

How much new "stuff" gets made. [?]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.

This provides some perspective on the most significant actions to take.

Actions to take

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.

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

Personal actions

Frugalism
Driving less (or not at all)
Plant-based food
Not wasting food

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.
- Decarbonization becomes a lot easier if energy consumption is lower - so in any case, the other actions on this page still matter more than ever.

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 * [[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]].}}
+* [[Food]] production. {{p2|[?]|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]].}}
 This provides some perspective on the '''most significant''' actions to take.
 ==Actions to take==
+[[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.]]
+{{minor|''If you think there's anything more significant to add to this list, leave a comment on the [[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|talk page]].''}}
 ===Personal actions===
 * '''[[Frugalism]]'''
-* '''[[Driving less]]'''
+* '''[[Driving less]]''' {{light|(or not at all)}}
-* '''Not [[food waste|wasting food]]'''
+* '''[[Plant-based food]]'''
-* '''Eating [[plant-based]]'''
+* '''[[food waste|Not wasting food]]'''
 ===Collective actions===
-* '''Stop [[planned obsolescence]]'''
+* '''[[Stop planned obsolescence]]'''
-* '''Make neighborhoods [[walkable]]'''
+* '''[[Make neighborhoods walkable]]'''
-* '''Improve [[public transit]]'''
+* '''[[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.
+* '''[[Decarbonize energy]]''' - but this requires major tech innovations that might not come soon enough.
+** Decarbonization becomes a lot easier if [[energy]] consumption is 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?
+-->
+==For those who are skeptical==
+* [[Why climate change is a problem]]
+* [[Why climate change is anthropogenic]]
+==See also==
+* [[Deforestation]] - another environmental problem, affects more than just the climate