Tuesday, May 27, 2008

"Find Out When You Should Die"

Via Lileks, who wonders if the site creators have lost their minds, comes this lovely and uplifting greenhouse calculator. Just plug in your numbers and it will tell you when you should get your unlovely carcass of the planet and stop hogging everyone else's resources.
The first time I took it I answered everything honestly and found out that I can live forever because my lifestyle is completely sustainable. All that without really making any kind of effort. I took it again and gave all the most 'sinful' answers except one; no air travel. Yep, still sustainable.
That's the dirty little secret that the highest profile eco-warriors never seem to talk about. Air travel is killing mother earth. Especially private air travel. If we were really serious about reducing green house gases this would be the obvious place to start.
A couple of weeks ago we watching some network (USA?) and they were promoting a 'Green Weekend' with helpful tips like "Don't print your receipt at an ATM". Never mind the deck chairs, this is like stirring your drink while on the Titanic.
I think that a lot of the global warming fears are overhyped. Quite a bit of it is simply fashion and posing. I'll know that the largest spokespeople (not meant as an Al Gore joke) are serious when they cut out the air travel. Until then they're just mouthing hot air.

2 comments:

Test said...

Hmph. Apparently I should have died at age 20. Yikes.

Kate said...

I've already croaked, thank you very much.