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You know why. Most of the world has market economies that rely on growth. The measure of growth is GDP and put simply GDP doesn't measure how much you're wastin

by Slimbo 7y ago

You know why. Most of the world has market economies that rely on growth. The measure of growth is GDP and put simply GDP doesn't measure how much you're wasting, just how productive you are. Short term political aims are in conflict with long term environmental stewardship. The current US president only cares about his numbers, not the mess he's leaving behind. We'll be in full panic mode when it negatively impacts GDP, which will of course be too late.

tty2300 7y ago
The problem is the feedback cycle is far to long for us to handle. Most learning works by doing something, seeing a bad result and then stop doing the thing. Problem is by the time the bad result comes things will be so far gone there is no hope for fixing it. For a lot of older people alive today they will never see the consequences of their actions so the selfish option is to carry on.
badestrand 7y ago
It is not about politics, it is about nobody doing anything. Just look on the streets, millions of cars all burning away litres of gas every day, releasing even more CO2 into the atmosphere. Everyone knows it and noone does anything about it. It is not "the elite" who is ignoring the issue, it is literally 99% of the people who don't care enough to even take the bus or bycycle. I am not saying I am better, but is not anonymous "others" or our "GDP-based system", it is 7 billion people who don't care much.
- Slimbo 7y ago
  Disagree. The reason fuel is so cheap to permit the cars burning gas is because it's priced artificially low. If you were to charge based on replacement value (it's almost priceless given the production time), the cost of fuel would go up massively, productivity would stop and Mr Trump (and all the other world leaders) would no longer be able to boast about their growing numbers. I'm not denying individual responsibility, that's vital too but the big change also has to occur at the top and a market that lives on growth is a problem.

by Slimbo 7y ago

tty2300 7y ago

The problem is the feedback cycle is far to long for us to handle. Most learning works by doing something, seeing a bad result and then stop doing the thing. Problem is by the time the bad result comes things will be so far gone there is no hope for fixing it. For a lot of older people alive today they will never see the consequences of their actions so the selfish option is to carry on.

badestrand 7y ago

It is not about politics, it is about nobody doing anything. Just look on the streets, millions of cars all burning away litres of gas every day, releasing even more CO2 into the atmosphere. Everyone knows it and noone does anything about it. It is not "the elite" who is ignoring the issue, it is literally 99% of the people who don't care enough to even take the bus or bycycle. I am not saying I am better, but is not anonymous "others" or our "GDP-based system", it is 7 billion people who don't care much.

Slimbo 7y ago
Disagree. The reason fuel is so cheap to permit the cars burning gas is because it's priced artificially low. If you were to charge based on replacement value (it's almost priceless given the production time), the cost of fuel would go up massively, productivity would stop and Mr Trump (and all the other world leaders) would no longer be able to boast about their growing numbers. I'm not denying individual responsibility, that's vital too but the big change also has to occur at the top and a market that lives on growth is a problem.