Last week, we (my husband and I) ran into a couple of friends/acquaintances/colleagues we hadn't seen in a while; and in the course of the usual "so, what have you been up to lately" talk, they told us all about their recent travels to Asia and Europe… And I found myself confronting my usual dilemma in these situations: do I bite my tongue, nod and listen politely (thus implying that I think flying around the world is not incredibly destructive), or do I let myself blurt out something like "do you know how much a flight to Europe actually costs in terms of atmospheric carbon?"
After all, one reason I wrote that long letter (and then started this blog) in the first place was to explain to my friends why I can't share their joy in flying off to distant lands, but tend to sit in uncomfortable silence when talk turns to foreign travel… And another (probably the main) reason was that I do feel the political situation is hopeless, and the only way to turn this thing around is to change people's behavior, persuade others to live as low-carbon as possible, one friend at a time if need be…
But when it comes right down to it, it's very hard to go beyond that uncomfortable silence stage and actually evangelize for a livable planet — not without alienating all of my friends and colleagues, which is not a good way to change anyone's behavior in any case. So when I wrote my letter, I carefully worded it to avoid insulting and driving away those that I sent it to, hoping against hope that it might give someone enough food for thought to begin to change some habits...
I desperately wish for a sane world, a world where travel mavens like Rick Steves (not to mention feedlot operators) were looked on as the social parasites they are, and where hopping on a plane for vacation and all forms of conspicuous consumption were as socially unacceptable as smoking in a roomful of children… But we need a huge shift in perceptions to get there, and in the meantime I guess I'm not a very good evangelist. I wish I knew how to do this better…
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ReplyDeleteAlthough it might sound like a cliché, I want to say, "I know exactly what you mean!" But over the years (many years, in fact) I've learned to nudge the topic ever so slightly towards the need to conserve, and when possible, just to give up things!. Of course the timing has to be right - it should not come as pouring cold water over someone's enthusiastic talk about their trip. At some point, we need to face the reality that it takes a bit of pretending on our part to maintain certain friendships and relationships. But still, there's no point in being self-righteous and turning people off. I basically look for the right opportunity.
ReplyDeleteAnd on those rare occasions when I get to invite people for dinner, I make it a point it's vegan, but make every effort to make the food and the snacks pretty good. I also avoid using disposable plates and bowls even for large gatherings, even though it's a lot of work to clean them all without a dishwasher.
Years ago, we used to entertain dozens of people at a time, and we didn't have dozens of plates and bowls and stuff, obviously. So I used to borrow from friends, cleaned them nicely and returned them afterward. Not worrying about "matching" sets of plates and bowls, of course!
Hi Alcyon,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you've found my blog - I have noticed your posts on CD threads (if you're the same Alcyon), and I have always appreciated your views...
This has always been a tough one... I have tried to set an example with the way I live my own life for years - I have been quite clear about the reasons why I don't eat animal products, don't fly on airplanes, buy what I need at thrift stores, and dry my clothes on a clothesline... but setting an example has never seemed to change the thinking of anyone else in my life, at least as far as I can tell -- which is why I finally decided to write something I could send out to all my friends, just to see if I would get any response (it is my first post on this blog -- I hope you will read it if you haven't already, I would love to know what you think).
Just this weekend, I have finally (after years) succeeded in getting my mom to take the train to come visit instead of hopping on a plane -- but as it turns out, the deciding factor was being able to park her car for free at the train station (as opposed to $15/day at the airport). (sigh)... it sure would have been nice to know that all that carbon was a factor in her thinking, but it seems there are very few of us who even think of sacrificing conveniences just to avoid spewing CO2...
Hi Avilee, yup, that's me all right! :) I've decided to take a break from posting at CD because I wanted to use my energy (or what little I have at this time) differently, hopefully with better results.
ReplyDeleteYes, I read your first post - your letter to your friends. Believe it or not, that is EXACTLY what I have been thinking for some time now. I want to do it right, so I am letting some thoughts crystallize in my mind. But hopefully I won't take too long. So in a way I think it's good that I got frustrated - for the umpteenth time - at CD, because it's a stark reminder of the reality and that I have to look at other things I could be doing.
I have no doubt that the current destructive system needs to change. But my own reading of history from the 20th century makes me extremely wary of calls for change at a big level while downplaying change at the individual level. Just because the rich people consume more does not mean that everyone can avoid taking a closer look at their own consumption - especially as to where it stands on a global scale, and especially the effects of meat production and consumption. Besides how can we change the system while avoiding talking to our own families, friends, neighbors, coworkers and so on? I have said so on many occasions at CD, but...
So yes, I'm glad I found your blog (your Disqus profile has the link :). If I remember correctly, I first came to know of Robert Goodland's (and Jeff Anhang's) estimate of 51% of GHG emissions from one of your posts at CD. Although I've been closely following the issue of climate change for almost 20 years, I missed this crucial work by these guys. So I must thank you especially for posting that link (I think it was you :).
I fully agree with your thinking about talking to (and writing to) the people that we know personally. Although some may question the value of such efforts, I see that as a way of taking the matter in our own hands and doing what we can, right now! Besides, I'm sure most people would like this transition to a sustainable society to be somewhat orderly, not too chaotic, and certainly not involving any kind of violence. So I think such efforts too have their place among other actions for change.
I think it's important to remain hopeful and keep our passion alive, irrespective of the kind of response we may get on a day-to-day basis. I wish you (and us!) all the best! I'll check back from time to time. :)