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We haven't done $%# to try and execute Plan A i.e. reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It's the cheapest and easiest plan by far, so why do you think we can affo

We haven't done $%# to try and execute Plan A i.e. reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It's the cheapest and easiest plan by far, so why do you think we can afford to switch to some fanciful plan B? Most alternative are either distractions by/for those who can't accept the harsh reality, Get-rich-quick schemes by some industrialists or science-fiction by/for those who prefer to dream of a nice future rather than doing something now. "The American way of life is not up for negotiations. Period." -- The People In Charge.

alkonaut 8y ago
> It's the cheapest and easiest plan by far, It’s the simplest plan, but I’ll argue we are seeing it’s pretty difficult as it requires changing the behavior of a lot of people, if even just a little abd/or changing policies of a lot of countries. I’m not saying plan A should be somehow abandoned or slowed (so perhaps B is a bad name because it’s typically used when A is abandoned) But it should be complemented. We should also investigate the stupidly sci-fi get-rich-quick (or perhaps lose weight fast?) schemes. Technological solutions might at least buy some time for the slow change we are seeing in behavior and policy. And yes, I realize there is a hazard that some of these schemes risk giving an impression that the problem is being solved, and plan A isn’t necessary. That can’t happen. I also realize that anything other than simply limiting emissions is a complex and expensive plan, but even a complex and expensive plan is better than a simple and cheap plan that is politically impossible.
- rcMgD2BwE72F 8y ago
  >a simple and cheap plan that is politically impossible. If it's impossible to execute the cheap and simple plan because of political obstacles, we just have to change politics. It's also simple and cheap once you know that money has nothing to do in politics.
  - alkonaut 8y ago
    Who are “we”? The US? I’m pretty optimistic about the US actually, at least for the next administration. I worry more about getting big cuts from China/India/Indonesia/Bangladesh/...
  - spdionis 8y ago
    Just offering a thought-provoking POV here: Do you work in IT? As far as I could see the hardest problems in technology are not actually technical, but organizational/political/management problems. Politics is just management at a different scale. We shouldn't underestimate the complexity of societal problems. They may be harder to solve than the hardest technical challenges. I think dismissing these political issues with a "just change the politics, lol" is short-sighted at best.

alkonaut 8y ago

> It's the cheapest and easiest plan by far, It’s the simplest plan, but I’ll argue we are seeing it’s pretty difficult as it requires changing the behavior of a lot of people, if even just a little abd/or changing policies of a lot of countries. I’m not saying plan A should be somehow abandoned or slowed (so perhaps B is a bad name because it’s typically used when A is abandoned) But it should be complemented. We should also investigate the stupidly sci-fi get-rich-quick (or perhaps lose weight fast?) schemes. Technological solutions might at least buy some time for the slow change we are seeing in behavior and policy. And yes, I realize there is a hazard that some of these schemes risk giving an impression that the problem is being solved, and plan A isn’t necessary. That can’t happen. I also realize that anything other than simply limiting emissions is a complex and expensive plan, but even a complex and expensive plan is better than a simple and cheap plan that is politically impossible.

rcMgD2BwE72F 8y ago
>a simple and cheap plan that is politically impossible. If it's impossible to execute the cheap and simple plan because of political obstacles, we just have to change politics. It's also simple and cheap once you know that money has nothing to do in politics.
- alkonaut 8y ago
  Who are “we”? The US? I’m pretty optimistic about the US actually, at least for the next administration. I worry more about getting big cuts from China/India/Indonesia/Bangladesh/...
- spdionis 8y ago
  Just offering a thought-provoking POV here: Do you work in IT? As far as I could see the hardest problems in technology are not actually technical, but organizational/political/management problems. Politics is just management at a different scale. We shouldn't underestimate the complexity of societal problems. They may be harder to solve than the hardest technical challenges. I think dismissing these political issues with a "just change the politics, lol" is short-sighted at best.