What I’m finding most galling at the minute is the extreme levels of hypocrisy surrounding any discussion of climate change. Between outright deniers of poor intellect who cannot understand science, politically-motivated deniers who see that it is insane to continue to burn fossil fuels but do so in order to maintain their primary interest – themselves in the manner – and climate change opponents who often go to extreme lengths of make an arse of themselves and those around them, I have become highly cynical.
Worse, I think we’re all doomed. Climate change is inevitable, and we can only hope that the destruction it wrecks will only destroy civilisations, and not humanity itself (because the planet itself should remain viable for life, unless we really, really screw it up). Out of the wreckage should emerge a smarter humanity. We hope.
Having said we’re doomed, I’m doing my best to ensure that it doesn’t happen. I recycle. I cut back on consumption. I only travel as far as I have to, for work or play. I’m doing what I can to keep my air travel down. I purchase low-CO2 products because the market should be sending signals to the corporations that we aren’t interested in their shit.
You know, I do the “right thing”, and encourage (but do not demand) others to do the same.
I despair though, because self-interest is such that people will gladly see their children’s future pissed away for their own short-term benefit. They will jeopardise everything because they want a little more luxury (even simple things like fruits from out of season and shipped half-way round the world using fossil fuels) and are more interested in their needs than the likelihood that millions will die when the global climate changes everything we know.
So I despair, and wonder what in the hell I can do to make a difference. How I can, one man, change all this? And I gave up.
It’s a 1993 Subaru Legacy GT. Only 186kms on the clock, and two owners, one of whom was an automotive pedant (you know who you are). Plenty of space for a baby-seat in the back, two adults, and the huge amount of gear you need when taking Chef Du Plunge to see Grandma in Tauranga.
It has low-profile tyres, alloys, and a 2ltr, 183kw EJ20H boxer twin-turbo engine. This allows enough power to pass safely on the open road, without having to make risky manoeuvres.
It also has the big fat exhaust and purrs like a very very large kitten. BUT! Does not make the ker-whoosh sound.
I freaking hate that.
21 September, 2009 at 10:52 pm
1993 car with just 186kms on the clock. Hmmm….
Once we owned a car which went around the clock. We stopped and took photos of the fateful moment when it went from 999999 to 000000.
It will be a white picket fence next, Che. I see it coming, coming, coming to get you.
22 September, 2009 at 6:44 am
heh. the wear and tear on the interior isn’t sufficient for it to have travelled that far.
little things like the electrics all still working are a giveaway.
and no white picket fence.
maybe one of those woven-kanuka matting ones.
22 September, 2009 at 7:24 am
Are you kidding me? 183kw is about 250hp. That thing is a rocket! They sure don’t anything like that around here.
22 September, 2009 at 5:06 pm
i’d better check the HP etc by looking at the numbers under the bonnet.
and, i’ve only driven it at or under the speed limit, unless overtaking.
the good news is that it handles the latter with ease.
22 September, 2009 at 8:31 am
Heh, you can take the boy out of the Mount…
22 September, 2009 at 8:32 am
And Whitesnake on the stereo? Man, I need to update my references. Okay, we’ll go with Nickelback, shall we?
22 September, 2009 at 9:44 am
heh. the player only does tapes!
so those mix tapes i’ve been blogging about might be getting a bit of a workout.
22 September, 2009 at 9:46 am
About six months before Henry was born, my trusty Primera bachelor sedan was stolen and burnt, so the insurance money went into a Primera wagon (You can take Hadyn’s above comment and replace ‘Mount’ for ‘Hamilton’ in this case).
The first time we went away for Christmas (to the Mount, as it happens) it really freaked me out HOW MUCH CRAP we had to take with us. You’ll be glad of the extra room, and if you keep it tuned it will go efficiently. And go like shit off a shovel (!). It’s not like you went out and got a V8 Falcon or Holden or what have you, hey?
22 September, 2009 at 5:08 pm
well, this is very true. the photos show us up the coast in sunny raumati (the subject of another post).
the sheer amount of crap – including prams, high-chair, bedding, food, clothing, nappies.
it is a logistical feat.
22 September, 2009 at 7:07 pm
Try doing it with twins. We took them camping when they were six months old. That was a logistical feat.
22 September, 2009 at 11:04 am
I hate to say I told you so (not true: I love it with a passion) but I seem to recall expressing some doubts concerning your ability to remain carless once Chef du plunge arrived. I still don’t drive, but if Justine didn’t it would add hours to our week, and we’d have to invent a wormhole of some sort to recoup them.
That said: you went from no car to a *station wagon*? That’s big.
22 September, 2009 at 9:06 pm
actually… my last two cars (bar the honda civic i was gifted on my return to NZL, a horrible car), were wagons.
and XD falcon, and a VC commodore. both fid australian vehicles.
22 September, 2009 at 11:48 am
Have you moved to the suburbs yet? This looks remarkably like an enabling step for a more far-flung existence.
22 September, 2009 at 12:12 pm
i think we could remain carless if we lived in “an apartment that wasn’t on cuba or another main thoroughfare”.
but where we are is simply untenable.
the opportunity came up to buy a great place at a greater price, so come january, us and jack+family are neighbours.
23 September, 2009 at 10:10 am
I’m going to assume that you mean the suburb, rather than literally neighbours, as I don’t think any of our neighbours have sold up recently. Anyway, welcome to the neightbourhood! You’ll like it; it’s a nice place. Are you in the valley or on the hill?
23 September, 2009 at 1:18 pm
ah? on the hill?
nice view of kapiti most days.
23 September, 2009 at 2:22 am
is that vishnu in the first photo?
that looks to be in pretty good shape for a ’93. you can still route your mp3 player through the tape deck or radio, as if you don’t already know.
23 September, 2009 at 5:11 pm
I’ve come to the same conclusions on climate change. A friend reckons we should fly more to speed it up and bring on the collapse of civilisation – I’m not sure I go that far!
Anyway, it’s nice. Hope it works well for you.
24 September, 2009 at 9:26 am
Me too, a while ago. As has a friend of mine who works on biodiversity issues. Here’s a note he wrote on it recently.
25 September, 2009 at 10:08 am
What a great car – I’m very impressed. We should organise a street race. brrrm brrrm.
25 September, 2009 at 12:03 pm
sam sam sam sam.
a street race would be extreme irresponsible.
so we’d better not let Second Chef know.
1 October, 2009 at 9:56 pm
I would find it interesting to see how you, a non-scientist, explains the science to us scientists. You know, things like limitations of GCMs, fundamental flaws in dendroclimatology etc. Heck, even a lesson in heat transport mechanisms from first principles would be fine.
It is always fascinating to see how non-scientists such as yourself quote “science” as if it is written in stone for the unwashed to read and glory in. You really are doing no more than picking the scientist(s) who suit your worldview, which is natural enough and happens in all disciplines of science by those who cannot yet comprehend the problems themselves.
Nicely segues into your quasi-religious banter about guilt and shame and ruining your childrens’ future (opportunity cost anyone?). What you have here is no more than a weakly disguised Pascal’s wager with all the awful flaws that argument holds.
Cheers,
K
2 October, 2009 at 3:29 pm
i’m pleased to see irony is actually dead after all.
2 October, 2009 at 7:56 pm
“Worse, I think we’re all doomed. Climate change is inevitable, and we can only hope that the destruction it wrecks will only destroy civilisations, and not humanity itself (because the planet itself should remain viable for life, unless we really, really screw it up). Out of the wreckage should emerge a smarter humanity. We hope.”
Get back to your fevered millenialist dreams and leave the world to those who have half a clue. Science is not yours to make a religion of.
2 October, 2009 at 8:41 pm
well now, bit of a pompous ass aren’t we?
let me point out to your obviously cloistered, sanctimonious self that this post was a well-received play on my buying a car after 3 years of not owning one.
but thanks for stopping by and being an arsehole.
3 October, 2009 at 2:14 pm
I’m guessing ‘Speaking like a Scientist’ isn’t a climatologist. Probably a chemist who’s about to explain why evolution is wrong.
3 October, 2009 at 6:09 pm
heh. or a theoretical physicist about to try discrediting palaeontology.
and what nation have absolutely zero understanding of irony? i forget.