Regardless of Whether You Believe in Climate Change You Should at Least Believe in Better Environmental Practices
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| Cow burps contribute to greenhouse gases. A beef cow flying through the clouds wearing an open astronaut's helmet. photorealistic. wide angle lens. Dall.e + David Arandle |
It's one of those issues I've kind of followed but generally don't like to argue because climate change deniers are some of the most negative and obnoxious people you'll ever come across.
These days climate change is closely linked to energy production and how we generate power because fossil fuel power plants are said to be big emitters of Carbon Dioxide, which contributes to global warming (apparently). Most of Australia's power plants are coal plants, with a small percentage leaning towards renewables like solar and wind. (It's worth noting at this point that SA generates more than 60% of its power from renewables).
...and I guess there's that big Tesla Battery at the Hornsdale Power Reserve in my state, South Australia, that is the inspiration for certain right wing politicians to attack how environmentally unfriendly the process of making lithium-ion batteries actually is.
While I'm not disputing that the creation of lithium-ion batteries isn't exactly environmentally friendly, you don't get a lot of Carbon Dioxide emissions out of a wind or solar power plant on a daily basis. Not that those right wing politicians care at all since they're busy trying to convince everyone the carbon emissions from coal plants is good for the trees because, as we all learned in school, trees like carbon dioxide. Science.
Like you (probably) I haven't looked into the science of whether global warming is actually a thing. It probably is but it really doesn't matter when it comes to looking after the planet.
Net Zero carbon emissions is a good thing. Actual Net Zero is even better than the con that is carbon offsetting - which hopefully only exists as we transition to Net Zero proper (or Gross Zero in accounting speak). Zero carbon emissions means you can make more energy with much less environmental impact. The world needs more energy.
Honestly, I don't think anyone actually believes fossil fuel power plants are good for the environment. At best, if you believe the right wing politician arguments, they're the least worst option for generating power (they're not but hypothetically).
There's a lot of money in the coal industry in Australia, along with a lot of existing infrastructure, as well as new, upcoming projects that will create jobs. All that I understand in a 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' kind of argument. Except it is broken because we know there are cleaner options with less environmental impact. Some of those technologies are still in development.
I've said it in this blog before. Australia is ideally positioned to be a world leader in renewable energy. Developing, implementing, refining and exporting those technologies.
Back to my point. It doesn't matter where you sit on climate change. Looking after the environment is a good thing. If there is a better, cleaner way to produce energy there's no sensible reason not to support that.
If we can drive cars that are cleaner, fly planes that are cleaner, make cow burps cleaner (I don't know, some climate change science says the planet is so over run by cows their burps are contributing to greenhouse gasses) we should be doing that.
Humans do contribute to the decline of the environment. That big city you live in probably used to be forest teaming with wildlife. That big city you live in is producing mountains of trash, pumping out rivers of sewage, and generating questionable air quality, every day. To do all that requires a lot of energy, every day. You know it. You see it. Every day.
Now list all the big cities you can and understand they're all affecting the environment, every day.
Even if you don't think the planet is going to burn up in a big global warming fireball, five years from now, probably on a Friday just to ruin the weekend, you can't possibly think it's a good idea to support anything widely considered bad for the environment if there's a cleaner option?
What are you even thinking if you do?
I mean, sure, Climate Change Activists are some of the most negative and obnoxious people you'll ever talk to but at least they have Climate Change Deniers to keep them busy. Watch the sparks fly... wait is that a renewable energy source?
The rest of us are over here saying that shit doesn't matter. Look after the planet because you know it's the right thing to do.
Bonus bit: This video by indy journalist, Cleo Abram, goes some way to explaining why Net Zero will allow us to generate even more power than we do now.