It would appear that the “thought” police have decided they dont like the question. Hardly conducive to rational debate.
Oh thats right. No debate necessary. The “science is settled”.
WWF have one here: Calculate your Ecological footprint - WWF Australia | Calculate your Ecological footprint | WWF Australia
An internet search turns up plenty of others.
Unfortunately the ones I have run through in the past can never give a true indication as they make plenty of assumptions, presumably to reduce the number of questions, and many of them do not apply to everyone, such as being off-grid for electricity and supplying your own water from the roof, growing much of your own food, etc.
3 Likes
I don’t think name calling is helpful, and indeed the science has been settled for some time, but that is not the topic here.
We have not yet heard what you are doing 
6 Likes
I really doubt there is any such motive for the change of topic. I would have been quite happy with either wording. A possible problem with your wording is that it has embedded the assumption that sacrifice is required and you did not introduce that concept nor give any background to it. For some ways of ‘saving the planet’ no sacrifice is needed. For others we could talk about the best way to do it.
I suppose it depends on whether you want to ask broad questions about the many environmental questions facing humanity if we want our grandchildren to have a decent life or take another run over just the climate change target. Which did you have in mind? Looking back over your previous posts and the preface to this one it looks much like the latter. Please correct me if this is wrong.
4 Likes
I have not had a car for 30 years (I live in the inner city so this is doable), I save cling film and al foil so have not bought any for 20 years, have had solar panels on the roof and 10 years ago had 2 rainwater tanks put in. However cannot do anything that requires maintenance. I also do not eat beef, very occasionally eat chicken and often eat fish. I buy organic vegetables as I can afford them. Admittedly the conditions for this lifestyle are mainly for the reasonably affluent, so I urge those in similar situations to follow this life style.
7 Likes
I’ve been ready to give up my car for 10 years, but alas, increasing decrepitude has made gallivanting to the nearest bus stop (1/2km away) impossible. I wish that e-scooters were legal here, I’d be able to scoot to the bus stop, fold up the scooter, and bus to wherever I needed to go, albeit via several buses because… really crappy timetabling on the part of the private owners of what was a public bus service.
3 Likes
From my perspective, the original topic title felt a lot like a troll. Belligerently demanding to know what I would “give up” was presumptuous and confrontational.
Science is never “settled”. The science on global warming has been beyond reasonable doubt since the late 1980s.
7 Likes
My house is passive solar, well insulated, uses cross ventilation to cool down instead of air conditioning (there was only 1 day so far this summer where it was a bit hot for sleeping), House has solar panels, heat pump, rainwater tank, LED lights, Induction cooktop, no gas.
I grow as many vegetables myself as I can (never had much luck with cauliflower!) supply others with my excess, hope to be producing fruit, nuts and avocados when the trees get a bit bigger, Have 4 compost bins and a worm farm. There’s a site called Sharewaste where you can donate or accept food scraps for composting https://sharewaste.com/
I shred any paper or cardboard that’s thin enough to go through the shedder for the compost, don’t buy newspapers but do have the local one delivered which I save up and use for creating new garden beds along with any thick cardboard. Best method for creating new beds is growing potatoes under straw Peter Cundall https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1OShZZUt0k
Don’t use toxic chemicals, planted lots of flowering natives & trees to encourage birds and bees, recycle what I can’t use, recycle still usable items via Buy Nothing page on Fbook. Still use car (2005 model) as unfortunately no public transport out here.
7 Likes
I do what seems to make sense - I have panels for power and hot water and recycle paper, glass and scraps but ultimately I feel largely fatalistic about this rock we inhabit. Human habitation here seems relatively fleeting - unsure we should get too attached to it … the cataclysmic and destructive forces in the galaxy seem to render us largely irrelevant. That said, I admire those who have true faith in trying to effect change … I’m just not sure what to make of it all in the big picture …
8 Likes
Here are some of the overlooked things I try to do:
- Buy Australian products. The carbon, water and packaging footprint for imported items is often far higher
- Buy recycled items. On top of saving from landfill it takes far less energy to produce a recycled item, and less still to reuse/buy second hand
- Take public transport once a week. Lots of people think it’s a case of use it or not. But if everyone took public transport for ONE commute that could be as much as a 20% less private car trips
- Be supportive of other people. The reality is society makes it hard for many people to personally contribute (costs, time, etc.) But when you’re trying to help the absolute worst thing is people being dismissive or questioning about your choice. Little things like ‘don’t you have a car?’ etc
- Fix, don’t throw out. E-waste is the big one. Check out iFixit
- Holiday locally. Not only is this better for the local economy, but flight travel is a massive contributor to global emissions (yes, even if you tick the box to offset it). Once again a small difference from everyone would make a big difference.
- Does your local council have industrial compost? If not send a quick email to your councilor asking for it. Methane and Carbon Dioxide are created by landfill (plus the cost to the land) where an industrial compost takes those items and makes a useable product!
I hope these ideas help everyone stay inspired. As @draughtrider mentioned it can feel very futile, despite the fact that if everyone (and politicians 
) committed it would be near effortless. Let’s keep the ideas rolling and change for the better 
7 Likes
It is great that so many people have provided an input to the topic(name-change not withstanding). But, sadly, not too many have actually answered the question. There are a lot of people who have changed the way they do things. I, too, have solar panels on my roof, installed LED lighting(battery-powered run by the sun). So I am ‘doing my bit’ you may say, but have I “given up” anything. I have given up paying electricity bills. I have given up paying massive water rates because I use tank water(when it rains, of course). Apart from that, the answer is NO. We have two cars, air-conditioning in our house, a camper that we take away with us and travel long distances to enjoy what this great country has to offer. Because we live in an affluent society, we can afford these alternatives. But tell me where we get all this stuff from. We sell our coal to China and India, the biggest polluters on the planet and reap huge rewards so that we can continue living our affluent lifestyle. Then we support these countries by buying everything back from them, and then virtue-signal how great we are at saving the planet. Kind of ironic, don’t you think? That is why I asked the question. If you believe in “man-made” climate change(the climate is always changing-it’s called nature) then pretty much every consumable you purchase is created by the very process that you are saying we should abandon. What are you going to give up to halt the demand for these items?
Calling me a TROLL will not change a thing but will certainly prove that people will believe what they want to believe and no amount of facts will change that closed-minded way of thinking. Science is not “feelings” or “beliefs” or “consensus”. To say the “science is settled” is saying that the “experts” know all there is to know. The BOM said we would not get any meaningful rain until April. If this multi-billion dollar organization cannot get it right in the short-term, how many of their long-term projections can be believed?
Without reference to the rest of your assertions, there is a huge difference between weather and climate modelling. Since you had to ask the question you may be ignorant of the correlation of global climate modelling and the accuracy of same. You might do some proper research rather than cast your opinions on the veracity of those sciences or just deny what is demonstrably happening and why, with the increasing human ‘contributions’ all superimposed over the long term natural changes.
3 Likes
I am sure you are a knowledgeable person, but it is not likely that you have the resources to conduct your own research to obtain the necessary data. Like me, you rely on information provided to you from a “reputable” source. Therefore, it is a matter of who you believe, if there are opposing viewpoints. I recommend you do some proper research and maybe listen to some preachings from a different prayer-book. I can offer a few suggestions if you are interested in keeping an open mind.
It is disappointing that you have chosen to cherry-pick from my post. Maybe you have some thought on the other issues I raised.
When we bought our house in 1980 we wanted a house that was well oriented from a solar perspective. We were fortunate that a house that had been ‘left behind’ and met those criteria (and was thus going for less than we expected was available. It’s on the North side of a cul-de-sac and runs almost exactly East to West. In the 90s added a large L-shaped deck on the north face, roofed in clear plastic which is shaded by two layers of 70% shade-cloth under the roof. The house has >R6.0 above the ceiling and insulation behind the brick-veneer walls. There are 13 solar panels on the roof which I’m paying off via my minimal Centrelink pension.
The Western side faces the a neighbours large garage, but we added several Banksia-roses to shade that part that still copped the Western sun. We have an evaporative cooling system instead of reverse cycle AC.
We did find on 18 January 2003 that it is on wind path from the Murrumbidgee valley. When our estate lost 18? houses out of 80 from the firestorm. I helped start the Community Fire Unit idea here in the ACT that year. I ran our CFU until 2011, when my BP made me stop.
The back garden has always been used to grow food, currently eleven 1.2m sq. beds with 3 fallow.
We do own a petrol burning car, an AWD Subaru Forester, but it’s not an L. I lead a parish based bush-walking group and love visiting the national parks that surround us. We don’t drive it very much, and there’s a shopping centre with a great General Practice within 15 minutes walking distance. My understanding was triggered by working in industry policy & after the 1973 oil shock attending Senate hearings on energy generation. I own a copy of the Fed’ book on energy efficient housing.
We have a Greens-Labour coalition down here who have seen built thousands of houses that are not well oriented, which is the most important ‘aspect’ ;-)!
So, how many folks here started concerning themselves about the environment in the 1980s? 
and ;-)!
4 Likes
Near 20 years in and around that industry as a ‘tool maker’ and I indeed had the data and equipment and was surrounded by more than a fair share of expertise driving it. It may have cause me to have bias, but my bias is well founded unlike conspiracy and cherry picking sources. I am well aware of the debates, discussions, and even arguments the scientists have with each other, but at the end of their day their conclusions are similar, just for different reasons as they see them.
I was not aware responding to a specific issue in isolation was cherry picking. Picking ‘facts’, often anomalies, to suit an argument is.
4 Likes
And there is where you are wrong. You are going to believe what you want, and so will I. History and historical data(unmanipulated and uncensored) is on my side. I can see you are passionate about your beliefs, and unsurprisingly, so am I.
I am wrong to trust cadres of scientists? OK, if you say so. I guess.
That appears to be the case.
2 Likes
Boys… boys… I’m going to tell Mum on you if you dont stop!
6 Likes
What I was saying was that you are wrong to suggest that all scientists agree. Professor Peter Ridd is a classic example. A lauded and well-respected scientist and teacher, who dedicated his entire working life researching the barrier reef. A decades-long career at the James Cook University brought to an end because he dared question his colleagues about their research methods. It seems their methods happened to fit the agenda that will see them continuing to receive their research grants. Dr Ridd got fired for his views, and later was vindicated by having the dismissal ruled unlawful and awarding damages to Dr Ridd. Of course, the JCU have appealed because they have our tax-payer funded legal service at their disposal.
Just a difference of opinion, Sue. Last time I looked, we were still able to have those. Thanks for your concern. Your post gave me a bit of a laugh.
