
2016 hottest year ever recorded – and scientists say human activity to blame - j4mie
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jan/18/2016-hottest-year-ever-recorded-and-scientists-say-human-activity-to-blame
======
Recurecur
If "climate change" (really anthropogenic global warming) needs to be
mitigated, a large scale rollout of nuclear power generation is needed.
Natural gas is better than coal, but still results in plenty of CO2 entering
the atmosphere.

Solar and wind are fine, but they are not a replacement for 24/7 reliable
power. They also don't adequately address the requirement for more power over
time, for instance to charge the larger numbers of electric cars projected.

Advanced nuclear provides an avenue to cheap, clean, plentiful power. It would
also avoid penalizing developing nations that are still in the process of
industrializing and would like to use coal - India for instance.

One company innovating in this area is Thorcon Power:
[http://thorconpower.com](http://thorconpower.com)

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frabbit
Live near work. Ride a bicycle or take public transport. Don't fly. Eat less
meat.

Those _can_ make significant impacts
[http://withouthotair.com/c2/page_22.shtml](http://withouthotair.com/c2/page_22.shtml)

Or we can just keep on keeping on.

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passivepinetree
These types of articles are so depressing to read; I feel so powerless. I can
take public transport, recycle, and some day buy an electric car/solar panels
when I have enough money, but there's no way these behaviors can make a
significant impact.

~~~
mikestew
I believe others who have studied the problem more than I suggest that the
bigger impacts include: 1\. Quit eating beef. 2\. Stay off of airplanes. 3\.
Have as few children as you can get away with, preferably none.

Building that electric car and those solar panels seem to have a positive
impact eventually, but you're still requesting that someone manufacture
something. Driving the car you've already got until the wheels fall off is
probably the better choice.

~~~
passivepinetree
Thank you for the advice. Do you have a source for that or any further reading
I can do?

~~~
sratner
Here is one:
[http://sustainability.stackexchange.com/a/2736](http://sustainability.stackexchange.com/a/2736)

tl;dr: upgrading to a newer car with better efficiency saves about 10% in
lifetime carbon footprint, vs 25% that is used pre-purchase. This is ICE, but
I would guess the manufacture and disposal footprint of an electric is even
higher.

