Individual life style changes in the meantime can help us both from the actuality and publicity points of view. The following are suggestions savoring Hans G Ehrbar’s:
1. Cut down the number of daily meals from three to two (breakfast and heavy lunch only).
2. Raise thermostat temperature in the summer to 80°F and cut it down in the winter to 68°F.
3. Plant flowering plants, trees or vegetables around the house to cool the room temperature down slightly in the summer; avoid removing trees.
4. Prepare yourselves for the bad news coming sooner than expected that governments have to enforce obedience to an order of electricity rationing: scheduled power-outs from 10.00 P.M. to 6:00 A.M. In order to retain food in fair preservation, photo-voltaic or solar panels will be installed by governments and the cost shall be a burden to government loan or shared, if needed, as the case may be.
Mark
-----Original Message----- From: pen-l at mail.csuchico.edu [mailto:pen-l at mail.csuchico.edu] On Behalf Of ehrbar at marx.economics.utah.edu Sent: Monday, July 18, 2016 6:21 AM To: Eugene Coyle; cbcox at ilstu.edu Cc: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org; pen-l at mail.csuchico.edu; energy at lists.csbs.utah.edu Subject: [lbo-talk] [pen-l] New technologies won't be enough to resolve climate crisis
In response to Michael Klare's blog posting
http://www.juancole.com/2016/07/addicted-fatal-costlier.html
Carrol is asking
> Does anyone believe such "political action" [namely: breaking the
> power of the fossil fuel industry and introducing green energy on a
> far larger scale than contemplated by the Paris agreements] is even a
> remote possibility?
This is the wrong question. Uncertainties are so great that we cannot let ourselves be guided by the likelihood of success. Instead, we have to be guided by what is the right thing to do both on moral grounds or even just based on common sense.
It seems obvious to me that the following actions are necessary, as we witness human global society seemingly inexorably committing suicide by over-consumption. Most of the readers of the pen-l mailing list should clearly do two things (I am convinced here by Kevin Anderson, Niko Paech, John Schellnhuber and others):
(1) reduce our own carbon footprint (fly much less, instead of car use bicycle or mass transit as often as possible, eat much less meat, move into a smaller home closer to work or get a housemate, young people can make a big difference in their own lives by the choice of their jobs and how much children they have, in winter turn down your thermostat and use sweaters, don't shower so long, etc) and
(2) do everything we can to promote mitigation in whatever social position we are (by teaching, influencing the University you work at, voting, whoever has ties to organized labor can play an extremely important role, try to influence every social organization where you have a standing, etc.) Whenever you have a chance, tell the people you are talking to how important it is that the rich countries give enough money and technology to the emerging countries so that they can embark on a green development path.
One of the main differences between points (1) and (2) is that (1) has an immediate effect on carbon footprint, and (2) has a delayed effect. Nichael Klare does not emphasize point (1) enough. It is true, he writes
> Success in any global drive to avert climate catastrophe will involve
> tackling addictive behavior at its roots and promoting lasting changes
> in lifestyle.
But then he does not discuss what individuals in the rich countries can do to change their lifestyles to sustainable levels. Such discussions can be found for instance on the web site
and on many other places, also in Niko Paech's writings etc. Instead, Michael Klare discusses what colleges or cities could do to encourage these lifestyles, how traffic lanes could be reserved for electric cars, etc. Klare does not seem to realize that capitalist institutions are not doing what is necessary for human survival and that therefore individuals must step in. Since educational institutions, the press, and legislators are not doing their jobs, a substantial minority of individuals must demonstrate to the world as individuals (using the internet, i.e., bypassing the capitalist monopoly of the news media) that and how it is possible to have a happy and dignified life with a sustainable environmental footprint. The development of such a culture of sufficiency is a necessity. We cannot ask India and Africa to forego the benefits of a fast, cheap, and comfortable fossil-fueled development and go the more expensive and more frugal sustainable energy path -- as long as the US and Europe don't bother switching away from fossil fuels in their own countries.
Lots of people are already experimenting with lean lifestyles, but this must go viral, it must become part of the culture in those countries rich enough that a substantial minority can do it. It must become big enough that the fossil fuel dependent industries see a dent in their demand. This individual de-carbonization must be something that each of us does, at the same time at which we also fight for the necessary social and cultural changes. I write "must" here because this is what individuals can do, even while the institutions are continuing to pursue the profit interests of the capitalists. Individuals must do this while they fight against the capitalist interests.
Hans G Ehrbar
Eugene Coyle <e.coyle at me.com> writes:
> Yes, Carrol, I believe in a remote possibility. And it looks as if you do as well, since you are, thankfully, still organizing.
>
> Gene
>
>>
>> On Jul 17, 2016, at 4:24 PM, Carrol Cox <cbcox at ilstu.edu> wrote:
>>
>> " This grim outcome is avoidable, as Klare notes, only if the latest technological and price breakthroughs are accompanied by political action which breaks the power of the fossil fuel industry and introduces green energy on a far larger scale than contemplated by the Paris agreements. . . ."
>>
>> Does anyone believe such " political action" is even a remote possibility?
>>
>> Carrol
>>
>>
>> ___________________________________
>> http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk
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