Are we totally screwed?

[Space Voyager]

If you live in the First World, even A1FI probably won't literally kill you. It's bad, but not existentially bad; a runaway would be existentially bad, but most estimates say we'd literally run out of fossil fuels before we could trigger that.

 

Most people would probably not die directly from carbon dioxide. We'd have worsening of weather, shortage of food and drinking water leading to WARS. Those, especially with current technological level, can easily kill most of humanity, "First World" not at all exempt. When the proverbial shit hits the fan... it flies far and wide.

[Thorondor]

 

Huge amounts of plastic waste are dumped in the environment, and microplastics contaminate the entire planet, from the summit of Mount Everest to the deepest oceans. Microplastics have been found in the placentas of pregnant women, and in pregnant rats they pass rapidly through the lungs into the hearts, brains and other organs of the foetuses.

 

The joyous ubiquity of plastics - now in you as well!

 

::

 

In a nutshell, we are the very poison we shalln't outlast. Sorry, but not much sunshine can be introduced here when speaking of something of this ilk; particularly when we know this will not stop anytime soon.

[NoXTheRoXStaR]

Plastic microbial degradation!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7W33HRc1A6c

 

I'm not worried.

 

-xon

[NoXTheRoXStaR]

Is the planet or people screwed? Depends on your beliefs. Christian, Judaism and Muslims believe God created the planet we exist on.

 

Let's take religion or God out of the equation for a second. Lets move onto evolution, single cell organisms became multi cell organisms.

 

There's a metamorphosis. Water dwelling creatures developed lungs and moved onto land and etc. Seems insane to say this was random.

 

Other than Earth, please tell me where life exists? Decades of looking out into the cosmos and wondering.

 

Yet In 2022 people can not explain the difference what a Man or a Woman is.

 

Are we screwed? I guess that depends on if we'll evolve or devolve.

 

- Fish Stick

[Thorondor]

 

Just a few months after many of the world's politicians positioned themselves as climate leaders during the Cop26 conference in Glasgow, they were giving the green light to a massive global expansion of oil and gas production that scientists warn would push civilisation to the brink.

 

The dozen biggest oil companies are on track to spend $103m a day for the rest of the decade exploiting new fields of oil and gas that cannot be burned if global heating is to be limited to well under 2C.

 

::

 

If there's one thing you can keep your faith in... is pure, undiluted human greed. Just read.

[NoXTheRoXStaR]

I read the entire article Thor. I think it's all nonsense. It's just a scare tactic, and people buy into it. Human greed on the oil companies and fossil fuel, sure ok. What about the greed on the other side? You don't think people are getting rich off on alternative means of energy? Every few years they complain about "Climate Change" well no kidding, the climate changes all the time. Did you know that the climate changes on Mars as well? Are humans responsible for that? I've read similar articles from "Climate Scientists" that claim, Even if we change the use of pollution the planet is sill doomed. So what difference does it make? I can go on this topic for weeks, but I'll cut it short.

 

Just read.

[Space Voyager]

Anyone watched "Don't look up"? Loved it, accurately shows our insanity, just in a slightly sped up version of an apocalypse.

[Thorondor]

Didn't see it, SV. Had a look at IMDB just now and a little

with Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio and it does seem to fit like a charm to the way things are.

 

People just don't want to listen about the very likely prospect of worse times, so satire is a good way to deliver the message in a way that will be easily digested if nothing else.

 

And, by the way, n0x, nuclear isn't in any way a magical solution to the energy generation problem. It can be a contributing part to it but there are many issues with it, starting with the fact it takes too long to get new power plants up and running and we're talking about a need of reaching zero emissions by 2050 making them but a small fraction of what would be required.

 

Even worse, nuclear sites are vulnerable to rising seas, serious storms and other such events that, in a scenario of climate degradation, turns them into potential hazzards in themselves (in case anyone has forgotten Fukushima). This without even getting into the matter of radioactive waste "management".

 

The oil industry on the other hand, and as we see, is perfectly happy to throw more gasoline into the fire, adding to a grievous problem it isn't interested in lessening, much less solving.

 

Let someone else worry about that, right? That's the way you do it! Like the song goes...

[Space Voyager]

Well, I'm sure it was Thor that originally posted these elsewhere, but the debate demands a recap...

 

Fukushima may be a case of really bad accident, but coal is killing us ALL, somewhat slower.

 

But yes, nuclear can and must not be the only answer we pursue.

[NoXTheRoXStaR]

Leonardo DiCaprio flies on his personal jet, which uses fossil fuels in order to tell people stop using oil. Here's you go.

 

This elite Hollywood actor, you know actor where you get paid to pretend for a living, is a known hypocrite. Guess what else uses oil/fossil fuel? Boats. Here is his personal yacht.

 

Using Hollywood actors as a justification for why those "big oil meanies" is why this world is polluted doesn't sell me.

 

Let's boil this down to brass tacks. I never said Nuclear was a magical solution, Thor I said it was an alternative.

 

So what's the alternative? Electric Cars? They rely on fossil fuels as well. Cobalt?

 

Solar panels and wind turbines kill millions of birds. Coal?

 

Until either one of you find some "Magical" alternative energy source like Elerium that can immediately change course direction, this discussion is just a moot point and accomplishes nothing. Since humans ruled this world it has been and always be filled with greed. Do you even grasp that billions upon billions of people have and will rely on fossil fuel for centuries from now? Years ago people said the fossil fuel would run out and low and behold as it turns out it has the means to replenish itself.

 

Here in the U.S. there's a massive shortage of baby formula, the top five issues Americans have are: 1.) Gas Prices, 2.) Inflation 3.) Baby Formula 4.) The border issue and 5.) Crime. No one fucking cares about Covid or the environment. If we as humans in all countries can't fix the problems that personally concern you and your family.

 

Then we are indeed fucked.

 

-n0x

[Thorondor]

I'm fairly certain you understood SV brought up the movie for its particular message, n0x. The actors are not expected to be paragons of virtue, yet they acknowledge there is a problem. And while talk is cheap Mr. Leonardo has actually contributed something to move towards a solution as well, for several years now.

 

Every little bit helps.

 

No one fucking cares about Covid or the environment.

 

I seem to remember people dying in droves worldwide... during this pandemic thing? Still happening. Who cares, right?

 

So, don't mention it, do zero about making anything better. It's a point of view.

 

People make mistakes and they're also capable of changing their mind while it still matters, so here's a quotation for you:

 

"If you assume there is no hope, then you guarantee that there will be no hope. If you assume that there is an instinct for freedom, that there are opportunities to change things, then there is a possibility that you can contribute to making a better world" - Noam Chomsky

[NoXTheRoXStaR]

Thor...bud. This needs to stop. Your taking what I typed out of context. I clearly typed that here in the U.S. what our priorities are currently, I never said anything about Covid not being a worldwide issue.

 

See here's the thing with Covid, you might die if you get it, but you can still live if you get it. If babies don't eat they WILL die.

 

If people don't care about the here and NOW what difference will it make LATER?

 

My mistake was making the statement, "No one fucking cares about Covid or the environment." That was my mistake because there are people that do. However, some priorities are more important. My wife, my children are more important than what happens to the Earth in 600 years.

 

For all we know, all this talk about saving the planet and BOOM an asteroid comes along and destroys the entire human race and what's left of the Earth, which smashes into the Sun. The yellow Sun not expecting most of a planet plunging into it's mass decides; from going to orange to red to brown to supernova which self destructs leaving the furthermost planets in eternal darkness. (That was just me kidding, but it COULD happen)

 

Last thing I want to address and this is directed to you Thor. I've always considered you my friend here on StrategyCore. I never said I don't care about this world, I want there to be an alternative to any power source that won't harm the Earth. I care about my family/friends, animals, nature and humanity in general.

 

So I won't comment any further on this subject because I just want to focus on XCOM/Fun related stuff.

 

Besides, when the aliens invade, the discussion will be about your Uncle being controlled by Sectoids, my sister running off with a Muton and the rest of the forum will be Zombies because a small town in Wisconsin was where the Chryssalids originated from. Go Packers!

 

-n0x

[Thorondor]

::

The folks at The Washington Post worked with experts from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany and looked at 1.200 possibilities for the planet's future, as reported here.

Guess how many out of those remain on the supposedly viable side...

[NoXTheRoXStaR]

China says....

 

nothing, largest world polluter?

Where's Greta?

[Space Voyager]

11 hours ago, Thorondor said:

Guess how many out of those remain on the supposedly viable side...

Ok, if that chart is accurate, we're screwed. Prepare for a decade or two of worsening of weather and international relations, followed by a decade or two of wars. Frack.

 

36 minutes ago, NoXTheRoXStaR said:

China says....

 

nothing, largest world polluter?

Where's Greta?

China is not even close to being the world's largest polluter. Because you shouldn't look at pollution per country. China is a HUUUGE country with A LOT of population and this is the reason why its cumulative pollution is large, BUT its per capita pollution is much, MUCH smaller than that of EU and especially USA. If we all polluted only as little as a typical Chinese, we'd have far more options available today.

[NoXTheRoXStaR]

Yes SV,

China is the biggest contributor to the world. 

The United States, India, Russia and Japan combined make less pollution.

Not even close?

Ok, regardless. What's the alternative?

Lots of people in Europe are going to freeze to death this year. 

All from people/governments who think that they can save a planet that doesn't need saving.

I wonder why the countries with the most oil exports make the most money. 

Hey Saudi Arabia! 

Hey Russia!

Hey Venezuela!

-n0x

 

 

 

 

[Space Voyager]

True, China is the biggest contributor in the world, but only because it has so many people...

https://www.worldometers.info/co2-emissions/co2-emissions-per-capita/

We can only criticize China when our people (per capita) pollute less than people in China. Until then, we can just shut up and clean our own act... Or we can ask them NICELY to do at least something while we need to do A LOT.

 

EDIT: Interestingly, an average Slovene pollutes less than an average Chinese! We can totally put pressure on China!  

[NoXTheRoXStaR]

It's not about the average per capita population, SV it's about the government of whom does not care about the pollution. Some of the most polluted rivers in the world come from African countries. The people bathe, shit and throw away things in the rivers which eventually lead to the ocean. 

China is a communist country that doesn't care about it's citizens much less about the effect it has of pollution.

In Japan for instance, littering nets you a prison term.  

They have more people. Yet why aren't they held accountable for their actions? 

There's a lot of Europeans who are going to freeze to death this year because they can't afford it. (Heat)

All this talk about saving the planet is going to fall of deaf ears.  

It's December, too early. I'll wait until June when the death rates are buried in the news and something else will pop up. 

Earth will be fine. 

-n0x

 

 

[Space Voyager]

Ah, we're talking about totally different kinds of pollution. You're talking about actual waste, which is definitely better taken care of in Western countries. And is also a huge problem world-wide. But the climate is mostly affected by CO2 and here most of the guilt lies in the West.

[NoXTheRoXStaR]

Did you know that millions of years ago the dinosaurs were sitting around a table and had this exact conversation.

Just don't get it, do you? 

Ok, I'm done. Good. The world is doomed. Serves us right. Let it burn.

- nox

[Space Voyager]

An interesting Deutche Welle article.

 

 

[Thorondor]

A constructive outlook, SV.

And the way the biggest contributors to the problem should look at it is - they aren't paying others to deal with the problem, they're helping themselves improve the conditions that will make it possible to recover from this situation globally.

Everyone is on the same boat here. Hopefully that will eventually sink in before we all go under. 🙄

[Space Voyager]

Had to read that past sentence twice to make sure what you are saying. Be careful when mixing boats and sinking (in), he he he! 

[NoXTheRoXStaR]

So money is going to fix the planet? The next absurd crap is that humans killed off the Dinosaurs. 

[Thorondor]

Quote

What's to come is sadly predictable. Even the most modest warming scenario of 1.5°C above the pre-industrial era will lead to the extinction of at least half the Earth's 200.000 glaciers by the end of the century.

::

Over at The Conversation, Arwyn Edwards paints a darkening picture for life in the Arctic and its foreseeable consequences for the world.