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GenXer47

(1,204 posts)

21. it only takes 6000 miles of driving a gas-powered car to birth one new carbon baby

Thu Jul 6, 2023, 11:36 AM

Jul 2023

The Paris Agreement set the global per capita carbon footprint at 2 metric tons of CO2 per person per year, if we are to keep below 1.5 C above pre-industrial levels by 2030.
Every 6000 miles in an average, non-electric vehicle produces that amount.
And that's just an "empty" car - forget about the people inside it and what they are doing.
It's easy to say "the planet's overpopulated" but every time the odometer registers another 6000 miles, you're essentially giving birth.
That's one more baby a young couple can't have.
Think of it this way next time you fill up the tank.

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Earth entering 'uncharted territory' as heat records quickly shatter [View all] dalton99a Jul 2023 OP

War and forest fires burn a lot of fuel. bucolic_frolic Jul 2023 #1

Greenhouse gases are invisible to the naked eye Kaleva Jul 2023 #2

+1. During the pandemic, carbon dioxide increased at the same rate despite lower emissions dalton99a Jul 2023 #24

Some greenhouse gases can remain in the atmosphere for generations Kaleva Jul 2023 #26

Not sure I understand your point. Are you saying that the heat is temporary and due to burned fuel? femmedem Jul 2023 #7

Something is causing this sudden spike. War and fires make a lot of heat. bucolic_frolic Jul 2023 #17

Ah, thanks. femmedem Jul 2023 #23

bucolic is implying there's a been a giant 'belch' of CO2 and heat from war and rampant fires Hugh_Lebowski Jul 2023 #20

Thanks. n/t femmedem Jul 2023 #22

Many of us DUers will be facing severe hardships Kaleva Jul 2023 #3

If I lived in the southwest I'd be looking to move now. CrispyQ Jul 2023 #8

Fortunately, I live in a region predicted to be a climate change refuge Kaleva Jul 2023 #19

At lower elevations, say Phoenix greater urban complex, water is going to flow uphill to money... hunter Jul 2023 #37

Humanity's end will be more Mad Max than StarTrek. CrispyQ Jul 2023 #4

And yet, people don't seem to be making preparations. Kaleva Jul 2023 #6

Funny. I was just responding to you about the same. CrispyQ Jul 2023 #12

IMHO, denial is part of being human. Plus,people don't like change. Kaleva Jul 2023 #15

+1. Get roasted where you are, or go to Canada and get smoked dalton99a Jul 2023 #9

I always thought greed was the worst of the 7 deadly sins, CrispyQ Jul 2023 #13

+1 dalton99a Jul 2023 #14

Yep. ancianita Jul 2023 #31

It's the only thing that explains the complete lack of action. CrispyQ Jul 2023 #32

Agree. Human inertia at their level will kill humanity more than anything humanity itself tries to ancianita Jul 2023 #34

I still have some hope they'll be shocked into action when Mother Nature rejects their Visa cards... hunter Jul 2023 #38

And next year will break more records. Elessar Zappa Jul 2023 #5

Especially since China produces more greenhouse gases then ... Kaleva Jul 2023 #10

Yup. Elessar Zappa Jul 2023 #11

I agree with you that the focus ought to be on adapting Kaleva Jul 2023 #16

Yes. Delphinus Jul 2023 #44

Switching to a plant based diet is within everyone's control milestogo Jul 2023 #18

But to get everyone on the planet to do so is a high hurdle Kaleva Jul 2023 #25

That's just an excuse. milestogo Jul 2023 #28

Let us know when you get that done Kaleva Jul 2023 #29

I haven't eaten meat since 2010. milestogo Jul 2023 #30

I'm not being sbarky Kaleva Jul 2023 #36

it only takes 6000 miles of driving a gas-powered car to birth one new carbon baby GenXer47 Jul 2023 #21

Lol, it's not even close to essentially giving birth Hugh_Lebowski Jul 2023 #27

Monday was the hottest day in 125,000 years, but that record was broken... LudwigPastorius Jul 2023 #33

Where is that coming from? former9thward Jul 2023 #39

Third paragraph of the OP's WashPo article. LudwigPastorius Jul 2023 #40

There is another link within the opening post link: Donkees Jul 2023 #41

If you follow links to links to links you finally get to this footnote. former9thward Jul 2023 #42

"Its (sic) a guess." LudwigPastorius Jul 2023 #43

Go ahead. former9thward Jul 2023 #45

It turns out James Inhofe was wrong Johonny Jul 2023 #35