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"But actually this summer, we’re going to Greece" He does all the calculations, is more informed than the average person, and still decides to just go for it.

"But actually this summer, we’re going to Greece" He does all the calculations, is more informed than the average person, and still decides to just go for it. This is why the battle against global warming is pointless. Human population explosion (triggered by the invention of agriculture) will simply run its course, and we'll just have to live with whatever world we'll be left with in the end. Yes, he is buying "offsets" for his family, but most of them are clearly a scam, and he also seems to be aware of that. Trees take years to grow, and capture carbon in the ground, not in the higher atmosphere. Methane would probably be burned anyway, nice for the operators that the can make some extra bucks selling the "offsets". As for travel: buy a big TV. There are movies from beautiful places all over the world. Then go swimming in a lake nearby. No need to travel thousands of miles for that. What is so important about visiting Greece? I live in Europe and I have never been to Greece. Nevertheless, I have some ideas about its culture. I've seen photographs, read the Iliad, talked to Greek people, and so on.

inertiatic 7y ago
Oh wow. This could be satire and I wouldn't be able to tell. What's so important about experiencing anything? Just watch TV.
- buboard 7y ago
  It's hyperbole, but its partly true. I live in greece and see those tourists. We live in a tourist bubble, fueled by social media, airbnb and pretty instagram pictures. Tourists are overreporting the value of their experience, as in most cases i know they are getting a prepackaged experience, which is same for everyone, in a beautiful environment but really not always meaningful. Local cultures are diluted everywhere, and when they are preserved in touristy places it's artificial. Tourism nowadays is largely escapism, not much different from VR or gaming. I wish people started actually moving to other places instead of just visiting. A mass emigration to more temperate climates would also reduce heating costs massively.
  - antisemiotic 7y ago
    Could it be that, because you're living there, you're used to the sight? And, conversely, people traveling halfway across Europe to visit Greece are just bored of their own neighbourhood? (sure, most likely many people are missing places they could go that are much closer but less advertised). >Local cultures are diluted everywhere, and when they are preserved in touristy places it's artificial. There are plenty of things to do when traveling that don't involve bothering local people. I don't see how just looking at the nature, for example, is any less "meaningful". >Tourism nowadays is largely escapism Protip: all entertainment is escapism.
    - buboard 7y ago
      - There is definitely something about changing environment/traveling that is rewarding. (When mice are put into a unfamiliar environment, their hippocampus is more active and they become more active). But perhaps this need can be satisfied with much shorter distances rather than mass intercontinental flights. - There is definitely some value to traveling, but it is greatly inflated by social pressure, the media, and the fact that most tourist destinations are cheap to westerners. - Yeah, but some escapism is more eco-friendly than others
    - bubblewrap 7y ago
      "all entertainment is escapism" Yes - but not all entertainment produces the same amount of carbon dioxide. That's the point. If you say you need to travel to Greece for entertainment, it seems even less justifiable. At most you could say it is educational and opens your mind about different cultures and so on. But even for that, I'd say the costs are not warranted, and there are many other ways to learn.
- bubblewrap 7y ago
  Why exactly do you need to go to Greece? I didn't say you should just watch TV. Instead of swimming in the Mediterranean sea in Greece, you can go swimming in the nearest lake or ocean. That is what I mean. The food, also you can experience in a local Greek restaurant. But for seeing the Acropolis, yes, I'll claim that watching it on TV will be sufficient. Let's face it, you'll probably watch it through your camera lens while you are there, anyway, and then watch it on TV at home. If you want the grand feeling of being on a hill, go hiking in the nearest mountains. Again: why exactly do you need to go to Greece?
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
distant_hat 7y ago
You think a TV is carbon neutral? Have you considered going into a medically induced coma and just staying there, even less environmental damage.
- bubblewrap 7y ago
  I think a TV uses WAY less carbon than flying to Greece, yes. I didn't say you have to be carbon neutral (although make no mistakes, many people do think that). But there is a difference between going carbon neutral and not wasting several tons of carbon on replaceable activities.

inertiatic 7y ago

Oh wow. This could be satire and I wouldn't be able to tell. What's so important about experiencing anything? Just watch TV.

buboard 7y ago
It's hyperbole, but its partly true. I live in greece and see those tourists. We live in a tourist bubble, fueled by social media, airbnb and pretty instagram pictures. Tourists are overreporting the value of their experience, as in most cases i know they are getting a prepackaged experience, which is same for everyone, in a beautiful environment but really not always meaningful. Local cultures are diluted everywhere, and when they are preserved in touristy places it's artificial. Tourism nowadays is largely escapism, not much different from VR or gaming. I wish people started actually moving to other places instead of just visiting. A mass emigration to more temperate climates would also reduce heating costs massively.
- antisemiotic 7y ago
  Could it be that, because you're living there, you're used to the sight? And, conversely, people traveling halfway across Europe to visit Greece are just bored of their own neighbourhood? (sure, most likely many people are missing places they could go that are much closer but less advertised). >Local cultures are diluted everywhere, and when they are preserved in touristy places it's artificial. There are plenty of things to do when traveling that don't involve bothering local people. I don't see how just looking at the nature, for example, is any less "meaningful". >Tourism nowadays is largely escapism Protip: all entertainment is escapism.
  - buboard 7y ago
    - There is definitely something about changing environment/traveling that is rewarding. (When mice are put into a unfamiliar environment, their hippocampus is more active and they become more active). But perhaps this need can be satisfied with much shorter distances rather than mass intercontinental flights. - There is definitely some value to traveling, but it is greatly inflated by social pressure, the media, and the fact that most tourist destinations are cheap to westerners. - Yeah, but some escapism is more eco-friendly than others
  - bubblewrap 7y ago
    "all entertainment is escapism" Yes - but not all entertainment produces the same amount of carbon dioxide. That's the point. If you say you need to travel to Greece for entertainment, it seems even less justifiable. At most you could say it is educational and opens your mind about different cultures and so on. But even for that, I'd say the costs are not warranted, and there are many other ways to learn.
bubblewrap 7y ago
Why exactly do you need to go to Greece? I didn't say you should just watch TV. Instead of swimming in the Mediterranean sea in Greece, you can go swimming in the nearest lake or ocean. That is what I mean. The food, also you can experience in a local Greek restaurant. But for seeing the Acropolis, yes, I'll claim that watching it on TV will be sufficient. Let's face it, you'll probably watch it through your camera lens while you are there, anyway, and then watch it on TV at home. If you want the grand feeling of being on a hill, go hiking in the nearest mountains. Again: why exactly do you need to go to Greece?

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]

distant_hat 7y ago

You think a TV is carbon neutral? Have you considered going into a medically induced coma and just staying there, even less environmental damage.

bubblewrap 7y ago
I think a TV uses WAY less carbon than flying to Greece, yes. I didn't say you have to be carbon neutral (although make no mistakes, many people do think that). But there is a difference between going carbon neutral and not wasting several tons of carbon on replaceable activities.