this post was submitted on 28 Jul 2023
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[–] BarrelAgedBoredom@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

When you don't have a choice in the matter due to lack of capital, disenfranchisement, exploitation, lack of transparency, corporate consolidation, and corruption, it's not really a choice. I couldn't stop driving or buying petroleum products right now if I wanted to. And I do. I'm too poor. And many people are in the same boat. I stopped eating meat, buy clothes second hand, use vegan products in environmentally friendly packaging whenever I can, pack my own lunch, only use a metal water bottle (with a plastic lid because that's all that was available to me), support green initiatives, donate, protest and encourage others to do the same. It doesn't fucking matter at the end of the day.

It's cheaper for companies to pollute and lie when they're required to clean their act up. They buy politicians, write their own laws, move production to countries with more lax/no environmental protection and fabricate evidence of curbing emissions and pollution when they can't avoid it. They will always avoid taking responsibility for their pollution because it's cheaper than restructuring their entire business model. From soap to gasoline, it is always more cost effective to take the dirtiest, laziest route in production because they made it that way.

Individual choices can help. But to say it's the best, most effective way to fix climate change is just a straight up lie. How about you respond to literally anything else I've had to say? Too difficult to argue against?

Additionally, I said 26% to plastics AND other products, which is a direct quote from my source, just below the graphic you mentioned. Are we just going to ignore the fact you said less than 1% is used for plastic in a previous comment? 13% of that 26 is used, primarily ,for other fuels. Fules that are largely used by industry, not individuals. And the same for diesel for that matter. Mostly industry, not individuals. What am I supposed to do about that? Tell global shipping and transportation infrastructure that if they don't cut it out I'm gonna stop buying their shit? The portion of that market where my dollar directly contributed to it is small. And the same can be said about everyone else.

You shift between gasoline and GHGs to suit your needs. One comment its "stop buying gasoline" as if that's a possibility for most people anyway, now this one it's "focus on the emissions". Because when I give you the numbers in gasoline consumption, its apparent how little our gas consumption contributes to global oil use. But GHGs are a bigger number, so bigger is better and I'm wrong now? Keep it consistent.

The global oil market earned 4 trillion Last year. You think that piddly 56 billion is a big deal?

[–] DoctorTYVM@lemmy.world -1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Do you know how many cars were purchased in the last year alone? 13.75 million.

You may not be able to afford a car change but millions of other people are. Guess what oil companies see there? Dollar signs. Because the ICE cars make them money. If those 13 million people bought EVs don't you think maybe just maybe the oil companies would change tacts? Or do you think they're cool with their profits going down?

You've spent so much energy absolving yourself of responsibility here. Maybe of we put that energy towards somethingore productive like choosing a meatless meal or looking at government rebates for electric cars or volunteering for an environmental NGO we might see more progress

[–] BarrelAgedBoredom@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Most Americans can't afford a new car. If individual choices drive markets, and most of the consumer base can't participate in the market, how are we supposed to drive institutional change with our spending?

They're aware of the sales and public sentiment. That's why they're lobbying to roll back environmental protections and drill more. Their tactics have changed. They have gotten consistently more aggressive in their efforts to keep their business going. They lie, cheat and steal their way to the top to entrench their power and influence over individuals and governments alike.

Oil companies spend 124 million on lobbying. They spend 1.2 billion on advertising to shift public sentiment. If they own politicians, and manipulate public sentiment to shift markets in their favor how is that fair? What am I supposed to do about that? Our vote doesn't matter and 70% of us live paycheck to paycheck. Where's the room for us to consume enough to change business' tactics? There isn't any.

I wrote a paragraph about my individual contributions. Including things you said I should be doing. How can you honestly say that I'm trying to absolve myself of responsibility?