You said '...You might have been "sold a consumerism lifestyle" but not all of us
have, so you could make a decision to wean yourself off it. ...'
What don't you buy then ....
I buy the things I have to, to be able to live a normal life in this country, to work in a professional job, working from home. I generally don't buy stuff that I can do without - this is as much about rarely have spare cash as it is about eco sensitivity. Face creams are an indulgence that I guiltily allow myself. Bee is not the only one who tries not to join in our cultural consumerism or shopping as a pass-time. None of us can have no footprint, but we can all think carefully about what we buy. I think quite a few people here do this.
I've told you before why I think you're wrong about hydrogen. The fact that this government are enthusiastic about it should give you pause.
ETA: I haven't watched the DA programme. I can't bear to watch all the harm we're doing to animals around the world. I am very aware of it, but I get too upset by his programmes these days. I'm glad he makes them; I hope someone's mind is changed by them.
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Consumerism is only a problem because of volume isn't it? If I drive a car - just me - not an issue to the planet is it? If people chopped down some small forests (in comparison) when the world was covered in forests (ie my South Downs comment) - not an issue - but - https://www.amazonconservation.org/the-challenge/threats/ - major issue.
So, to me, I can stop buying a few items (I don't spend either - but comparatively - as I spend what I earn (presumably most people do - they collect 'stuff' to the value of their salary) - so I spend vastly more than someone who earns vastly less) - but if the UK charges 10p per plastic bag to curb plastic waste, but in China they pump out plastic by the tonne, what is the effect? Where then does the control need to be? With the individual consumer (and I repeat, by the time they consume, the thing has been made anyway - so poses a problem whether bought or not) or with some form of higher control?
As for hydrogen - I know your position - and I take your figures on efficiency. Fine. But - lets look at battery. If we go solar - does it make sense to have battery storage as well? If houses, devices, cars, kids toys...tech in general - what is the effect of battery? Is this like horse poo and fossil fuels - jump from poo to other emissions. What happens when China/India's economies grow and they have 1 electric car per two people as we do here with fossil cars - and their houses also have battery and every device has a battery and..... What is the long term effect? Where do the components come from and where do they end up? Are wind farms recyclable (does their vibration do any damage to sea life? What happens when they increase in volume by 100%, 200%, 1000%....) - are solar panels recyclable? What plan have you seen that looks at the potential drawbacks and how this will be handled in 100 years time? Fine hydrogen has the same questions. All solutions should have the same questions. But those questions need to be being asked now - before we choose (via the market) between VHS and betamax. I posted this before : https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/nov/25/battery-arms-race-how-china-has-monopolised-the-electric-vehicle-industry - and keep in mind that electric cars are today about 3-10% of car sales (depending on where the stat comes from). https://policyadvice.net/insurance/insights/electric-car-statistics/. Do you think battery tech scales to this level?
Apologies to all (especially to punkdoc, the author of this thread, Bee and rainsingirl). I say vastly tooo much I know - but what I think I see in history is man lurching from one disaster to the next, simply because the market gambles on the wrong solution and doesn't look further than the end of it's own nose. Being controlled by an abstract gambling tool concerns me.
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I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful
I've told you before why I think you're wrong about hydrogen. The fact that this government are enthusiastic about it should give you pause.
ETA: I haven't watched the DA programme. I can't bear to watch all the harm we're doing to animals around the world. I am very aware of it, but I get too upset by his programmes these days. I'm glad he makes them; I hope someone's mind is changed by them.
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”