When I was in my teens, like maybe around age 14, it really annoyed me to hear about “saving the planet.” I thought it was faulty messaging. “People don’t care about trees and icebergs!” I’d think. “People care about people! So let’s emphasize that we’re trying to save OURSELVES, not the planet! People aren’t motivated… Continue reading Carlin’s Straw Environmentalist
Tag: climate change
I Didn’t Fly in 2022
The last time I flew was September 4th, 2021, to get to college for the start of my senior year. That’s 479 days ago. That fall, I made the decision to stop flying for at least one year. Why? Because flying airplanes emits emits a massive amount of greenhouse gases. I’d been vaguely aware for… Continue reading I Didn’t Fly in 2022
The State of U.S. Energy in 5 Graphs
I wanted to make a version of my previous post but focusing exclusively on the US. So, here’s the state of energy in the United States in 5 figures. All charts are made by me unless otherwise cited, and data sources are cited. Primary energy consumption by source and sector Primary energy is the energy… Continue reading The State of U.S. Energy in 5 Graphs
Review: OECD Decoupling Indicators and Decoupling for Ecological Sustainability
The OECD defines “decoupling” as ” breaking the link between ‘environmental bads’ and ‘economic goods.’”1 To put it more vividly, this is generally understood as having economic growth happen without increased resource use and its associated environmental damage. An economy could get more decoupled by selling a more fuel-efficient car instead of an inefficient one,… Continue reading Review: OECD Decoupling Indicators and Decoupling for Ecological Sustainability
Review: Energy and Human Ambitions on a Finite Planet
For a public steeped in both climate denialism and climate anxiety, this book is a fantastically grounded tour of “the situation.” Sure, it’s a textbook, but don’t mistake it for the outdated, prescriptive tomes of yore. This might just be the most exciting nonfiction I’ve ever read.