🌍 Is the planet Earth doomed?

This may not be directly related to the topic, and I don’t want to derail the thread, but I’m always intrigued to hear the opinions of people with kids on this topic. Like, how do those with kids who strongly believe that we have fucked up the planet irredeemably square the circle of having their kids live in an irredeemably fucked up world? Or didn’t they realise the planet was irredeemably fucked up until after they had kids?

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Strikes me as a particularly stupid evolutionary step - that plant has no one but itself to blame.

Early entrant for the darwin awards 2018

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I know little more than any other layperson about the science of the seeming emerging ecological catasrophe we are unleashing on the world. But, what I do know about is the massive burden of production, the waste generated from these activities, the impacts of global supply chains and the lip service that private organizations pay to environmental sustainability measures.

When you think for a moment about the amount of stuff we, as a species, produce and consume, it is truly mind-boggling. At the moment, closed supply chains are a pipedream, onshoring is making virtually no impact and companies just go on making more and more stuff. And, as I was saying to my students last week, we are all complicit - me, them, you, everyone.*

At the moment, I can’t see anything to curb our insatiable desire to consume and waste stuff and the odd solar panel farm or off shore wind farm, as laudable as they are, is going to do very little to reduce our impact. The Paris Accords were a small step in the write direction and were rightly hailed as an indication of all countries actually agreeing on something. From that point of view, they were great but even that agreement would have been small potatoes.

* My lefty credentials are not in Brexit policy but in guilt-tripping my students into trying to reduce their ecological footprint by even a tiny bit.

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You underestimate me! I would find a way! I would fashion some kind of bee shaped dildo. I’ve done it before! In any case, I’m non convinced all these plants need quite as much sex as they’re making out. I grew a plant in my house, and there hasn’t been a bee in my house since the Great Bee Wars Of 2002. Unless he got fucked by like a fkn wandering moth or something I spose.

I think that’s the flying insect issue sorted. We don’t need to worry about that. What was the other things? There is the dead fish I spose. I don’t eat a lot of fish, so maybe I’m bias, but I think it’s like with all animals. I mean, like swings and roundabouts. Sure I get that some things like, you know, bald eagles & giant squids or whatever ain’t doing so great, but look at chickens! They’re fkn loving it! Chicken populations is through the roof! Where is stories bout how chicken population has increased 10000%!!

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I think that’s a good question. I have kids and, in my more maudlin moments, fear for their futures. They’re growing up in a country fucked up by Brexit, riven with division and a planet teetering on the brink of ecological disaster. But here’s the thing - I am probably more aware of this stuff (certainly the production/consumption/waste part) than most people and what do I do? I consume and waste. My ecological footprint is far higher than the majority of humans on this planet, simply by dint of living in a fabulously wealthy (in relative terms) country.

So, if I’m guilty of this and know what’s happening, then what can be expected of everyone else?

Maybe the world’s nations need to come together and do something for our collective good. But with the likes of Trump in power, that possilibility seems very remote. Certainly, relying on capitalist market forces and hoping people will do the whole reuse, reduce, recycle thing doesn’t stand a hope of having an impact.

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They’re growing up in Paradise! I dunno what is wrong with you people. More people is Fed & Clothed & Warmed & Educate than at any other point in History Of Earth, and trust me, it will be even greater Tomorrow!

Yep, and all that food, those clothes and that heat have to be produced.

That’s what I mean, the prospects for chickens and sheeps is exceedingly bright! Plants too, you know. All these people are gonna want Gardens. I wouldn’t want to be a fkn wasp or spider though, I grant you that. They’re gonna take a kicking!

I knew before i had kids. The conversation was easy. “Don’t bother with a pension, you won’t need it.”

A quick look at human history shows there is no hope. We are heading for catastrophe(have been since cavemen. They were already consuming three times more than similar sized mammals), because we can’t change until events that we have no control over force us(far too late).

It’ll be something seen as completely innocuous that signals the start of the end. It will then snowball at an amazing rate and within a year at least 80% of the worlds population will be dead. This will happen within the next 50 years(probably being over generous there, but want to keep the mood light).

I see having children and being honest with them as my gift to mankind. Solve the problem, or die(can’t say they weren’t warned). If she’s smart she’ll work it out(not a solution, there isn’t one for the bulk of us).

Oh, the question the thread asks. No, the planet will be fine. The things that live on it, not so much.

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Well you see evolution is just about steps both stupid and smart and what was perhaps viewed as smart one day can be seen as fuck me bunkers the next as some mega shift in environment fucks it all up. The evolution of species specific pollination syndromes is interesting and as you point out is a dangerous step… but the highly specialised nature of it is what also evolve things of fascinating beauty … many orchids are as stunning as they are as they have evolved unique pollination syndromes and is the world not more wonderful because of such beauty in amongst all the hate, ugliness, cruelty and brexiteers?

So if it wasn’t for Brexit, you wouldn’t appreciate orchids as much.

you can thank me later.

LOL at all you losers with no bunker.

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I know what you mean, and it does sound good. It took me 2 hours to drive 5 miles across Birmingham this morning. House prices. Getting tickets for Justin Bieber. But my question is this: do we really need to wait 50 years? Why should our children reap all the benefits?

Is there no way you can get it going sooner? Maybe not the whole 80%, but at least like half. Think about it! Draw up some Lists.

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Don’t worry, millions upon millions will die as we head towards the grand finale(you’ll have a ringside seat for that and it’ll be free). It won’t take 50 years either, so rest easy, you’ll have your fun(for a little while at least).

Africa and the middle east will get it first(death, not a solution). The OIC have already done some of the homework.

Official documents confirm that governments across the Muslim world privately recognise that climate change is a threat of “unimaginable proportions”, already compounding problems of land, food, water and energy scarcity.

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We’ll be alright. We’re a v.resourceful species. It’ll be like before the first world war, when everyone was hungry, and then that Jewish bro figured out how to turn air into potatoes. I mean, it won’t all be gravy, cos he then invented how to turn Tommies into corpses using swimming pool gas, but you can’t make omelettes without putting fire under the frying pan.

I only mention cos I listened to documentary bout him few weeks ago. It was quite interest. His wife was v.angry with him cos he kept gassing people, so she shot herself. He just shrugged shoulders and went back to work. Bad ass! I wonder what his name was.

Anyway, I know how it will go. Someone will invent how to turn plastic bottles into bumblebees, and we’ll wonder what all the fuss was about.

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Nice idea Bear, but it won’t happen. We have always been on this path(you might just be lucky enough to get to see our biggest accomplishment as a species).

Homo sapiens has existed for 100,000 generations, give or take. Those countless generations have had one overriding factor, that of homicidal intent, driven by the genetic force of survival. That drive has brought us to where we are now, which is fucking hilarious when you think about it. We have never been any more than a very nasty parasite on the planet.

That said, it would be nice to at least win another cup before we go. It would give it all rather more meaning.

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Jeez I hope you’re wrong Bearsy. I’ve just thrown my life savings into a North African Pedalo Francise.

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Think you’ll find it’s round (almost) and the sun and outer space are equally responsible … and probably the Klingons too

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Potatoes can be made into weapons.

Your neighbour is food.

Trust me.

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You had a Spud gun as well then Goaty?