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Because it’s also the least effective strategy. The reality is getting nearly everyone to change their behavior just isn’t gonna happen.

Even if everyone in America went vegan, showered once a day and biked everywhere wouldn’t change much with impoverished countries coming out of the third world. If you can’t get them to change then it doesn’t really matter.

Big problems require big, comprehensive solutions. For that you need government to function effectively regulate, make climate bills countries can stick to.

We already have the tools we need to get climate change turned around but we don’t have the political will.



Wait. Does the average American shower more than once daily? Is water consumption/heating for showering even a measurable component of GHG emissions?


Not at all, we need to cut back on emissions everywhere. That also applies to Americans, who emit 3-4 times more per capita than what is sustainable.


> Even if everyone in America went vegan

> we don’t have the political will.

Something tells me that achieving the first would more easily lead to the second. For a politician whose constituency is mostly vegans, their work on climate change will determine whether they keep their seat. If their constituents are pickup-truck-driving, McMansion-owning suburbanites, it's not going to be a priority.

I recognize that getting everyone to go vegan isn't possible or maybe even desirable. But let's not pretend that willing personal sacrifice isn't at least part of the solution.




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