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> We, consumers, like to shift all the blame to someone else,

An analogue: committing a crime is punishable, inciting it in some cases may be. It is the companies who dig up fossil fuels and use them --- "consumers told me to do it" is not an excuse that absolves from responsibility. Those trading in fossil fuels do what they do on their own accord, for financial gain, and hence carry the responsibility.


As long as all the world requires increasingly more energy, there will be political support and policies which allow the extraction of fossil fuels. This is the situation we have now. The companies digging up fossil fuel would go out of business if there was no demand for fossil fuels.

The problem is that the change in behaviour that this demands is great: ever thought about selling your car? or paying twice as much for a new electric car?


Go further: ever thought about turning off your computers and not carrying a smartphone that requires charging every day? The internet and related hardware consume an ever-increasing percentage of total electrical output. We could just turn it all off if we were serious about climate change. Nothing really bad would happen. Seriously.


In the UK, to fully charge an iPhone twice a day for a year takes £0.70 of electricity annually; the average 3- or 4-bedroom home uses £500+ of electricity a year.

Anyone who has told you smartphones are a significant consumer of power doesn't know what they're talking about.


Sure, but how many servers are running to ensure that Big Tech can maintain 24/7 surveillance through those phones?


There's no way to scale up nuclear power at the rate needed. Too expensive, needs too much capital, too slow to build.


Do you have the source for that? (it's not that I don't believe you, just curious)


> Do you think there's anyone promoting individual action who'd be against collective action?

Yes. A lobbyist who wants to avoid new legislation to control climate change, but still claim they care about it.


Ah sorry, it should indeed have said: is there anyone who is in favour of individual action, but against collective action.


> Passion.

Luck.

Being best is no guarantee of success, and successful people are not necessarily reliable in attributing the actual reasons for their success.


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