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The big energy companies love this because it deflects attention away from them.

I stopped flying, sold my car, cut down on meat consumption and generally try and live a low impact life, all it's done is lower my standard of living compared to my friends and neighbours. I don't regret it but you soon realise asking individuals to change their behaviour isn't going to get you anywhere.

The only real solution I can see is to shift taxes to carbon as it comes out of the ground then let the market find alternatives.



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Weirdly, even the big gas and oil companies are at the stage when they're calling for a carbon tax. They put out a joint statement over a year ago. It's just US coal that's holding back the consensus.

A single individual will not and if you broadcast that your life is less good because of it, then you are actively working against your goal.

Instead, you should revel in a better life, such as having more energy from a fresher diet and more exercise, if that is true. If it is not true, then you have to do the harder (probably impossible) job of convincing them that they are dooming their descendants.

Sometimes, just being an example, one that is transparent enough to make it look doable, might make it possible.


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