A few interesting Videos to watch, Cowspiricy and now Seaspiricy.
I had no idea how the Meat Industry contributed to so many Global issues, of course in the end it is all about $$$ and £££ 
I did know how we are decimating the Oceans, unfortunately I have seen it 1st hand.
Well worth a watch.
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The exponential growth of the human population is the reason for environmental issues. The world population has gone up by 5 billion since the 1950s.
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Wrong. Its not the numbers. It’s the conduct.
If we adopt efficiency ( by adopting diferent measures that the knowledge science now haves / gives) all the problems would be resolved.
But profit comes always first.
And the means justify the…
(you get the picture)
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I think you’re both right to some extent. However, there’s no conduct that can resolve all the problems IMHO.
Science and engineering are part of the problem and I say that as an engineer!
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I’m expecting a population crash at some stage. It is not just civilisations that crumble, ecosystems do too. Exponential rise, then plateauing before collapsing.
We just don’t know when …
In any event humankind’s greed, the capitalist model, may accelerate our demise. I wish I had faith in technology providing answers to what is basically a social problem.
Anyway enjoy life while we can …
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The human population is too big, and, worse, it is growing exponentially.
The behaviour of humans make it worse - to fix that you need to find a cure for selfishness, greed, our consumerist society, etc.
COVID may be nature’s answer to the first. Good luck with the second!
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A concerted global effort to reduce population would give credence to other initiatives to deal with numerous environmental concerns. Unfortunately, a couple of major religions have a vested interest in increasing their numbers, so unlikely IMO.
The other challenge is governments and businesses being dependent upon economic growth and monetary inflation to mask poor productivity and sub-optimal investment returns.
There a a few things as individuals we can do in the developed world to mitigate. Energy efficient housing, reduced meat/fish consumption, recycling where prudent, avoiding frivolous consumption and the associated packaging.
The virtue signallers with their e-cars and green energy initiatives get all the press, but individuals can make a massive difference without a major lifestyle impact.
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Its all about money, theres little concern if theres a pot of gold to be dug out of the ground, like mining lithium for ‘eco’ vehicles, frakking, bitcoin mining which consumes more power than some countries do, etc but theres no end to it,
I developed my own initiatives like solar water heating with thermo tubes and generate a bit of power with panels. We also grow a lot of our own food and lamb comes from our neighbours field. We have our own ‘waterworks’ project with about 10,000 litres of storage and a well which waters the veg plot and flush downstairs toilet, but I consider individual initiatives have minimal impact.
Its the large corporations and government that need to be doing the right stuff and thats not happening
However, I can fly half way round the world first class to preach from a pink boat for the right fee.
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No.
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That’s brilliant and is a shame that we can’t all do similar things to reduce our impact. I live on a new estate and am amazed that the government hasn’t enforced green initiatives for new developments. We have solar hot water but that’s it and is a rarity.
Although I’ll go back to a point I made earlier about engineers. I see you worked as an engineer. I can imagine you loved your career and if you’re anything like me, have engineering in your blood. However, having worked in defence, space and aero, engineers are possibly the worst cultprits. Our work does amazing things but is all about large scale consumption of the world’s resources and impacts everyone and almost everything.
Part of my degree looked at the humble incandescent light bulb. I think it would shock anyone to find just how much material and energy is consumed for such a simple, throwaway item. Yet the world is filled with a myriad of engineered items that have huge impacts on the environment.
And then we have our hifi. Electronics, vinyl etc. etc. Some of the nastiest chemicals and waste are involved and yet we proudly display these on the System threads. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not knocking anyone but is interesting to look at it from a different angle.
To answer the OP, no, I’m not an environmentalist. After watching cowspiracy and other documentaries I eat 50% less meat/fish and do what I can but am not sure it outweighs the rest of the stuff I do. I drive an ev but is largely about finance.
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Thanks for your reply, yes I love to try things out and discover what works and what does not. Im a bit of an old school, back of a fag packet engineer still use zeus tables and a vernier.
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I do wonder if you believe in Nature, The Force, whatever as you say if Mother Nature has had enough. I wouldn’t blame her… Everything is connected.
Another interesting program, One Strange Rock… fabulous footage of our planet, and cracking perspectives from Astronauts.
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I do what I can, the grass at the back will again be uncut for insects, the garden has had a pond for many years and frogs and the occasional toad are welcome visitors.
Bird feeder feeds everything from finches to pigeons and suet blocks feed an occassional woodpecker. A herb garden and vegetables feed the bees -and I don’t use pesticides - the only herbicide I use is for bindweed.
Give to Greenpeace, Save The Elephants and our local Wildlife Trust as well as another charity in Kenya. The electricity comes from a green tariff
Oh and I feed the hedgehogs ,
Money is left in my will to the Woodland Trust.
I can’t solve the big issues , just try and do some things that are positive
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I agree, if everyone did a little… It’s the “What difference can I make” attitude… ah well.
Haven’t seen a Hedgehog in ages
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Get them most nights in Spring/Summer and Autumn -the most I’ve seen at one time is five at once
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Nice… 
Got frogs which is cool… I would say you are solving the big issues… one brick at a time
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Nope
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That pretty much sums up the problem. If there were half as many of us, and we all did one hell of a lot, perhaps there would be a small chance of us being sustainable. Doing a little is no more useful than doing bugger all, and as a race, we’re not even managing that.
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We have done quite a bit (wind turbine, air source heat pump, electric car, lots of insulation in house, planted a few thousand trees, avoid flying anywhere are the biggest things), but I really couldn’t feel confident/justified in calling myself an environmentalist. I wouldn’t want to say more than I have done more than many but not enough
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No. I have no qualifications in Evironmentality.
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