Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Copenhagen. City somewhere in the world that's now famous for appearing to fail at Global Warming Conferences. How many people know where Copenhagen actually is? And if it wasn't for COP15 would you have known? It's apparently become a carbon hotspot of its own, although I'd argue that this is another journalist looking for a sensationalist angle, because if these people weren't all gathered in Copenhagen creating the footprint, they'd be at home creating a slightly diffused carbon footprint anyway. Yes, the reporter is talking about transportation carbon, but it's a piece of shit reporting, designed to just pick holes in things because that way the reporter will appear to be a deep thinker. May I suggest that they are a deep stinker instead?
Especially, I wish that reporter of drivel had instead chosen to cover people who ARE making efforts, and turned their dribbling into something that brings attention to things that really do need it - such as this woman who's a Chinese Erin Brokovich as far as I'm concerned.
Pulling the piss out of Copenhagen might be good for short term eyes on the screen but is that what we need? More people stuck in their own private Information Age? Although in fact, as the article points out, we have a lot of local information built into information systems these days, so if we use this resource right, it can become a major force for changing how we affect our environment. I can think of dozens of ways for this to work:
Consider a mobile phone app that tells you how much electricity is being used in your vicinity right now. You can then adjust your usage and reduce the overall figure - in real time. Think this is pipe dream? Many electricity suppliers can now offer precisely this kind of information over the Internet, and there are already websites that allow you to use a smart power meter to audit and manage your home energy use. Making it accessible on the fly could reduce energy consumption by a significant percentage.
And your water use - why aren't there smart meters on your water supply already, providing this kind of live information?
I'd also love to see an online accessible database of what crops are being grown by homesteaders and allotment gardeners in your area. Could lead to an acute awareness of what is in season, what you could plant, and what you should be buying locally rather than at the supermarket.
Instead of promulgating these kinds of ideas though, the cheap-ass journalists of the world are taking cheap shots at things like COP15, and foregoing the long term good of the Earth for a slightly better sounding headline. It's a bit like stealing from the world for a spot of personal Onanism.
1 comment:
Journalism's standards descended some time ago.Most journos aren't worth reading and most papers seem to be a waste of trees.
Do you have a BigBackyard Group where you are?..monitor local crops, get together to pick them and then use them by bottling,jamming or directly making into dishes to feed people who need feeding or sometimes each other.It's a great way of utilising all production.
LETS groups are good for this too, simple barter but effective.
Copenhagen would succeed if all were really interested in success.
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