KaiserJeep wrote:I could go on and on. Step back from your self absorption, and make an effort to be frugal, even miserly, with fuels and grid energy and everything made from petroleum. Encourage your friends and family to do the same.
We here are mostly an aging demographic. There is naturally a drop in consumption as you age.
Important is that this frugality and awareness be incorporated in the young. I don't have statistics, just anecdotal examples, in my daughters extended peer group for example I note that in general they have a lot higher awareness and practice most of the above you mentioned. They are even going further in some aspects. My one daughter in particular is now into old homesteading culinary explorations, fermentation, bread making, recycling bulk pick up furniture and refinishing, etc. Their household of four adults are down right miserly in their consumption habits and their recreation choices are low energy.
I brought this up recently when visiting. Since she and her peers are now beginning to move into their late 20's and are starting to earn a little more in their careers I posed the question if all these conservation values and frugal practices were just because they were recent college graduates and couldn't afford higher consumption life styles or if this really represented a permanent fixture in their consumption choices. Their response was encouraging. They are more determined then ever they all said to remove themselves from consumption culture in their life style choices. They all view our planet as imperiled.
I think we are seeing an emerging generation that does understand that we are in the Here and Now of consequences.
Kaiser, I know you have been a climate change skeptic. Let's put aside for a moment that discussion whether or not the changes we are seeing are man made or not. Let's actually consider that this question at the moment is largely irrelevant. For me it is far more important that these hurricanes and flooding events, these forest fires and expansion of pine bark beetles deep into the boreal forest, the increasing droughts, all of this together is truly acting as a catalyst culturally with the young generation who are increasing recognizing that human overshoot in imperiling the planet.
I have long advocated and proposed on this site that the catalyst of consequences is the only real engine toward transitioning toward another set of cultural values around consumption. As the years have passed I am seeing some confirmation of this unfolding. A drop in the bucket some of you may say, but we are only now in the early stages of this and climate change is the opening act of catalysts. We haven't even gotten to serious fossil fuel depletion yet.
I remember again years ago at those peak oil conferences I used to participate in and many threads here on this site we discussed there is no silver bullet, just many many small bb's that will represent solutions.
A category 5 hurricane is a category 5 pulse of awareness chipping away at peoples head spaces. Further declines in available energy will continue to chip away at the value of consumption culture.
What I am seeing here actually is some changes in value happening even before the physical constraints are starting. I think we do have climate change to thank for this. I always thought we would need first peak oil and fossil fuel depletion to lead and then the cultural values adjusting.
We really do not have the slightest clue how fast we will see new sets of cultural values emerging going forward. I am betting though that my daughters and her peers are pretty good indicators..