Energy usage and environmental impact of the hobby

scarfypedia · 2022-10-25T17:18:49.816Z

I don’t think it’s unpopular but I do think it’s defeatist, and while I totally understand feeling that way, I think the truth of the matter is a lot more complex than that.

Eventually oil reserves will run out, and once that happens the planet doesn’t have much of a choice but to completely switch over to safer renewables and alternative energy: Nuclear, Solar, Wind, and Hydro in order of importance, overall safety and reliability, and global climate impact (nobody fight me on nuclear power I will school you )

once oil and natural gas reserves deplete beyond sustainable levels, humans will just need to adopt these other energy sources worldwide to survive, and the end result of such a drastic switch will eventually result in less pollution, namely the kind that drives climate crises so intensely.

It’s hard to say when such a shift will happen but I don’t think humanity is doomed quite yet. Things might get tough for those of us who will likely be alive for the next 50-odd years, but I think the future overall will end up okay for humanity. We have a tendency to figure shit out, sometimes it just takes way longer than it should and we fuck it up royally first.

This attitude also ignores all of the advancements that have been made over the last 50 years to combat climate change. Climate crises aren’t getting worse because humans aren’t trying to solve these issues. We definitely are! In spades!

It’s because there is still too much fiscal weight in industries that actively harm the planet and its inhabitants, and the people in charge of said industries don’t care about that so long as short-term profits increase.

But lead is no longer a major pollutant. The Ozone layer is doing a helluva lot better than it was during the 80’s. Advancements in renewable and alternative energies have exploded over the last 20 years; we just haven’t seen these things implemented on a mainstream level yet because of significant pushback against such developments from major corporations with investments in the old ways.

That physically cannot last though, the natural resources we so heavily rely on must deplete eventually. And when they do something will change. I think eventually that change will result in a better planet, and hopefully humanity will look back at this period of human history with scorn and shame lmao

Strutter · 2022-10-25T17:18:55.803Z

Thank you!!

ShadowWhirler · 2022-10-25T17:20:08.736Z

I didn’t write the article!!

TRAINTRACS · 2022-10-25T17:22:19.280Z

Did you read the article, or even the abstract of the study? Where does it state that humans ate meat more than weekly on average since humans existed?

scarfypedia · 2022-10-25T17:22:42.146Z

happy diwali!!

TRAINTRACS · 2022-10-25T17:23:52.487Z

I never said humans didn’t eat meat. I just said they did so at a much lower frequency. Its relative, not absolute.

jamesstiff · 2022-10-25T17:23:55.707Z

ShadowWhirler:

My only advice to your original question(s) is NEVER buy an electric car.

ShadowWhirler:

in the interests of balance why not also suggest that every vegan/vegetarian should try eating meat from a decent butcher

ShadowWhirler:

I also got a bit tired of being told what to eat, what not to eat, what to drive, what not to drive,

ShadowWhirler:

Troll posts eh, they are a bore.

We can agree on something.

xidnpnlss · 2022-10-25T17:25:37.113Z

I think its eclipse season that’s bringing out and empowering all the recent trolling on this board. Or Kanye.

anokah · 2022-10-25T17:31:08.543Z

Good luck guys!

konputa · 2022-10-25T17:35:15.706Z

Agriculture does not have to be harmful. I am no fan of big ag, as I said. You can grow and raise food in harmony with nature. You can also choose to buy from people that practice those methods. I suggest that you do so if that is important to you. To be clear, you aren’t saving the world because you’re eating kale. I’ll be back in a bit, I need to go water my kale.

TRAINTRACS · 2022-10-25T17:39:10.780Z

It doesn’t have to be but currently it is. And not everyone can grow and raise food - we’re a bit short on space here in London.

I don’t think I’m saving the world, nor do I eat kale very often. I eat meat most days. I didn’t enter this thread to shill an ideology - i just corrected someone else who was doing so.

ShadowWhirler · 2022-10-25T17:39:43.204Z

A gave that advice because the original poster actually asked for advice!

That’s the big difference here. Never did I ask anybody for advice, or guidance on anything…but I sure as hell got plenty from the vegetarians/vegans. It wasn’t asked for, nor welcome, and will be ignored.

So, serious question, will you try some meat from your local butcher this month? I guess not, this is after all a 1 way conversation.

natehorn · 2022-10-25T17:46:10.337Z

andaway

jamesstiff · 2022-10-25T17:55:36.017Z

ShadowWhirler:

So, serious question, will you try some meat from your local butcher this month? I guess not, this is after all a 1 way conversation.

I’m going to answer your question with some art by Mishka Henner from his Feedlots series. I’m off to eat some anti-growth coalition, wokerati tofu. Bye.

Coronado-Feeders--Dalhart--Texas1256×1500 802 KB

TRAINTRACS · 2022-10-25T18:03:57.156Z

ShadowWhirler:

That’s the big difference here. Never did I ask anybody for advice, or guidance on anything…but I sure as hell got plenty from the vegetarians/vegans. It wasn’t asked for, nor welcome, and will be ignored.

This is a false equivalency. The thread is about reducing environmental impact. Therefore you can’t criticise vegans, but they absolutely can criticise you. Your diet is more harmful to the environment than theirs. At least just acknowledge that and be properly informed. Trying to argue that you are somehow righteous is just weak.

Again, I am neither vegetarian nor vegan, and I eat meat on the regs, but your whole take on this is flawed.

thermionic · 2022-10-25T18:06:22.465Z

ShadowWhirler:

However I will say, with all due respect, that the vegan/vegetarian activist angle, preaching what’s bad about meat, you should try the alternatives etc…etc… is also tired old trope to us meat-eaters

Preemptively harassing others because you feel “attacked” is a fact-free shtick. Drop the projections.

You like meat, great! Don’t make it your personality. Environmental impact of the meat industry is well known and you don’t have to defensively-attack people who point it out.

ShadowWhirler:

A gave that advice because the original poster actually asked for advice!

You didn’t “give advice” to how to reduce environmental impact, you told people they should ignore environmental impact and clarified that pointing out the objective impact (as per the thread) hurt your feelings.

People aren’t telling you you’re “a bad person for eating meat”, that’s being constructed in your head to justify the compulsion to respond.

If you’re trying to add in how to eat meat more ethically, that wouldn’t have been taken as trolling because it wouldn’t be trying to swing wildly at perceived hippies attacking you for your “lifestyle”.

But the “ever tried EATING ANIMALS?!” gimmick isn’t cute or interesting or insightful, neither is the projected followup “how dare you criticize me just for eating animals! Apologize for this insolence!” response.

Anyhoo, I’m fine with restricting my consumption of meat to local butchers but while that’s a form of harm reduction, I’m still always nudging my spouse towards more consumption of whole foods, more veg, less meat.

They’re a fan of Impossible’s pea protein meat, which is getting better every year and fine for burgs but I’d rather try to figure out how to work with stuff that’s better for my body in general.

When it comes to veggie burgers, I’d rather just make from legumes, anyway.

anokah:

Is, it’s too late, an unpopular opinion when it comes to the environment?

Let me state first that I’m not suggesting anything about you here but I mean, it’s sort of a so what are you offering by sharing that with others?

Some persons use it as a nihilistic cudgel to claim some sort of virtue by being uncaring, some people use it to push the necessity of action.

We’re seeing the effects in our food infrastructure already pushed to extremes because of climate change, profit-seeking over sustainable agriculture, the remnants of unhealthy colonialist practices, and pandemic effects on top of the rest.

So yeah, it’s understandable for people to feel more powerless but is the person stating it because they want to connect with other similar minded persons, or does the person stating “lol we’re doomed” want to steep themselves in some cloak of self-righteousness, “independence” and rugged individualism for not giving a shit?

Venting about how fucked we can be if society doesn’t change is understandable, the internet nihilist arguebros are the only ones trying to reduce others into “sinners” and “saints”.

The rest of us are just trying to live!

tallrobphilp · 2022-10-25T18:25:18.131Z

I’d like to make it abundantly clear to everyone that I don’t hate meat-eaters, I don’t want to tell anyone what to do and I never expected all this based on my original post!

All part of life’s rich tofu-stry.

On the subject of buying second-hand, I went looking for a Polyend Play on eBay and there was one, but the listing disappeared after about 10 minutes! You can’t buy one in the UK for love nor money, there’s no stock anywhere!

xidnpnlss · 2022-10-25T18:29:37.762Z

tallrobphilp:

I’d like to make it abundantly clear to everyone that I don’t hate meat-eaters, I don’t want to tell anyone what to do and I never expected all this based on my original post!

Everyone who doesn’t claim victimhood when faced with solid counter arguments / facts knows this.

delikinesis · 2022-10-25T18:34:44.718Z

Definitely do what you can, but don’t lose any sleep over it if you can’t. Corporate polluters smile every time we point the finger inwards. While looking to reduce individual carbon output is well intentioned, it has the effect of letting them off the hook… and yes i know we can “both walk and chew gum” but the reality is we are a tiny drop in the bucket, and its way more realistic to regulate or nationalize them than it is to convince billions of poor people to spend what little they have on expensive goods.

TRAINTRACS · 2022-10-25T18:35:00.524Z

Back on topic. I agree that quality used gear is the way!

And for those who are nervous about repairing electronics, I highly recommend giving it a go. It’s actually a lot easier than you think. I hadn’t ever used a soldering iron until a few years ago, and now I feel comfortable cracking open pretty much anything just to have a poke around if something has stopped working. One you know ohms law and the very basics about how things work, everything starts to look pretty similar.