On: US diesel hits record $6 a gallon on Iran supply shock

[spiclk]

The "just stop oil" folks must be delighted with the direction of things in the middle east.

[theplumber → spiclk]

I think it just proves them right. China seems to be doing OK partly due renewables push. But what do I know, electrification is a Chinese hoax.

[spiclk → theplumber]

Yes, it all makes a lot more sense when you include the geopolitical context. China has an enormous abundance of coal and relatively little oil.

[ZeroGravitas → theplumber]

Trump explicitly claimed that China sells wind turbines to other countries but doesn't use them for their own needs.

That is of course a stupid lie.

But it's amazing how many smart liars say something similar to "China controls 70℅ of the global wind market" without clarifying that they install nearly all of that in China because they installed 73% of new wind capacity in 2025.

[mcv → spiclk]

I would prefer to stop the demand rather than the supply. The high prices encourage production elsewhere.

[spiclk → mcv]

How do we stop the demand for plastics (and any other number of process chemicals) and fertiliser?

Also - while it may encourage production at other sites with a higher cost of production, higher prices in general will slow demand.

[cogman10 → spiclk]

Those are only a fraction of what oil becomes (around 10% total) everything else is burned.

[mcv → spiclk]

And high prices may also encourage alternatives.

Energy can be replaced by renewables. There are alternatives for various uses of plastics. And I thought manure was a pretty good fertiliser.

Not everything needs to be replaced, but it would help a lot if we replace what we can.

[seb1204 → mcv]

Agreed, what does not help or get us anywhere is the throw hands in the air gesture from grandparent.

[spiclk → mcv]

We're going to need a lot of EV trucks, to transport the ~2 billion tons of manure.

[mcv → spiclk]

The manure already needs to be dealt with anyway. Does it really matter whether we're transporting oil or manure? Surplus manure is also causing environmental problems. Why are we using fertiliser if there's too much manure?

[spiclk → mcv]

"Brown gold" is worth a lot less per unit, so yes, it really does matter. It's a corresponding ~10x increase in the amount of material that has to be transported for the same effectiveness in crop fertilisation.

[cpursley → spiclk]

But how will they protest if they can't drive and meet up or fly to those green events?

[jaapz → cpursley]

https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/we-should-improve-society-som...

[vrganj → cpursley]

Take a train or a bike? Y'know, the thing they're advocating for?

Hell, Greta Thunberg crossed the Atlantic on a sailing ship.

[GJim → vrganj]

> Hell, Greta Thunberg crossed the Atlantic on a sailing ship.

I need to attend a scientific conference in the USA next month. Please can you kindly tell me how I can also sail across the Atlantic to get there?

(As an aside, my employer has already issued my burner phone and laptop; SOP for visiting countries such as the USA).

[vrganj → GJim]

That sounds like something you could do via Zoom and save yourself the hassle.

Nobody claimed we could do a systemic change without, y'know, change.

[GJim → vrganj]

Yes mate. Because staring at a screen on zoom call is a suitable alternative to free social interaction and scientific relationship building.

[vrganj → GJim]

I'd rather you look at Zoom and we don't die of a climate catastrophe. I never said we could keep all our little niceties, such is systemic change.

[spiclk → cpursley]

It's not our fault that we use oil and gas for daily activities (including going to protests). It's the governments' and corporations' fault for making us do it (or maybe not stopping us).

[lazyasciiart → cpursley]

Indeed, how will anyone get to London or NYC or ...