In The Section The Greenhouse , Climate Reporter Jeroen Kraan Writes Weekly about what he notices. This week: It’s not as bad as we think with how much we have to ‘sacrifice’ because of climate change. Sustainable Behavior Generally Makes Our Lives a Lot Better.
There Were Many Reactions to the Previous Edition of the Greenhouse , About the Question of Whether We have to give up our luxurious lifestyle to combat climate change. Many people agree that our society has an extreme climate impact, but there was also plenty of fierce criticism. Clearly, Not Everyone is Waiting for a Climate-Friendly Lifestyle.
Reader Jan (82) Sent me a nice email in which he Expresses Both Points of View at the Same Time. He is concerned about the climate, but also has Difficulty Living Sustainable. Below is the striking and funny ending of his email (with a fewer minor adjustments for readability):
“Becoming vegan, getting rid of the cars, putting equally more solar panels on the roof, doing the laundry by hand, cycling to applescha for vacation and camping with a primus stove. Setting the thermostat to 17.5 deGrees, Wearing Thick Wool kohlabes in the house or alcohol, getting rid or getting rid or getting rid or getting rid or getting rid or alcohol, rid or alcohol, rid or alcohol, rid or alcohol rid or alcohol, rid or alcohol rid or alcohol rid, rid or alcohol rid or alcohol rid, rid or alcohol rid, getting rid, getting rid or alcohol, getting rid or alcohol. Fireplace, Planting Kale and Carrots in the GOING EARLY WITH YOURSE THE BLANKETS.
“It’s making me sick.”
It is written in a very exaggerated way, but also recognizable. Anyone Who Wants To Adapt Their Lifestyle to Do Something Good For The Climate Quickly Comes Across Words Words ‘Sacrifice’, ‘Give Up’ And ‘Reduce’. No wonder people aren’t eager to do that.
Healthier and Cheaper
But I Don’t Think Such A Negative Image is Necessary at All. In Many Ways, Making Things More Sustainable Actually Makes Our Lives Better. A Climate-Friendly Diet is much healthier Than the Average Diet of Today. An insulated house is not only more energy-efficient, but also more comfortable. Sustainable Energy and Industry Ensure Cleaner Air.
Okay, Sustainability is not all a party. I Personally Love Steak, But Because of the Large Climate Impact (200 Grams of Beef is Equal to 5 Liters of Gasoline) I Hardly Ever Eat It Anymore. Of course there are plenty of other tasty things that you can put on your plate as a replacement, but they are not really close to a tender steak.
In Other Areas, Living Sustainable is not a Sacrifice as far as I am Concerned. Take Car Ownership: I QUITE Understand That Six Million Households Have Such A Monstrosity in Front of Their Door (And Two Million Even Have Two Or More). Especiate if you live outside the city, where public transport has Deteriorated in recent years.
But just in the medium-sized city where I live, and where a bus stops at the nearest stop every few minutes, the street is still full of cars. While I Know from Experience That You Can Easily Do Most Trips by Bicycle and Public Transport. For the other trips there are now more than Enough shared cars aviaxable.
I don’t miss my own car, as special when I calculate at the end of the months how much cheaper it is not to have one. I keep hoping that more neighbors will get rid of their cars, so that we can use all that parking space for something more fun.
Against the ‘Verprompottization’ (Making the Netherlands Ugly With Vacation Parks)
A Sustainable Vacation can also be improvement. My Best Tip: Look for a house swap Instead or An Airbnb. It’s a bit of a hasle (although online platforms can make it easy), but it has already givven me two summer vacations that were much cheaper and more comfortable than in An Average Holiday apartment.
If more people were open to this, we would have to build far feer hotels and holiday homes. Maybe we could just put a stop to the ‘rumblotization’.
In a Green Future Our Lives Will Be More Pleasant, Especial if we adapt our behavior. And even if we have to give up some steak for it.