Apologies for the length of this post, but I feel for anyone that wants to offer solid advice to my question at the bottom, that some details that lead to the question are needed.
Some of this stuff may be a bit dark and/or hard to read for some individuals. If you deal with depression or avoid dark/negative conversations, I encourage you to skip reading this post. It is not my goal to depress anyone here, but I would like your guys advice/answers to my question I ask further down.
By the hard data, human caused climate change is real, it is happening right now, and scientist say we need to reduce emissions by around ~50% by 2030 and reach carbon neutral status by 2050 to avoid the worst effects of climate change. (2 degrees celsius rise or less.)
If anyone wants it, I can post a reply with links to the "data." But in the interest in this post not turning into a book, I skip it for now.
For the last 30 years or so scientist been telling us with increasing dire warnings that we need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions substantially as soon as possible. Instead greenhouse gas emissions has grown by nearly 50%, over the last 30 years.
Stopping this growth and turning it around to: 50% reduction in emissions in 10 years by all accounts looks to be extremely unlikely based on current trends and available data points.
The available data says the far and away most likely scenario is that greenhouse gas emissions will continue to increase at roughly the same pace it has been for the last 30 years for at least the next decade or so, "business as usual." Increasingly, we are getting locked into a 3 degree or greater celsius rise by 2100, this is in the "catastrophic" range.
Pull out your worst case scenario climate change predictions kiddos. Our climate is going to be very different by the year 2100 barring a miracle "savior" technology like working deuterium based fusion.
Now some quick background info for me.
As a skeptical person, an atheist, freed from indoctrination of large organized religion, I have concluded that my meaning/purpose of life is to: "enjoy life."
Based on the data points available to me, I concluded that human caused climate change is real, and its short/long term effects are also real and are far likely to occur within the ranges predicted, versus being the data based conclusions being incorrect, (a gigantic conspiracy of world wide proportions that has gone on for many decades.)
I stressed over it, I tried to follow instructions of folks more educated and smarter then I am on the subject, to reducing my carbon footprint best I can, things like: installing solar on my roof, minimizing air travel, and reducing private car use and reducing overall consumption of carbon expensive products. Donating to charities involved in carbon reduction work, supporting politicians that pledged to do something about it, taking part in peaceful marches/demonstrations etc.
My critical, rational, skeptical mind alerts me that: despite my efforts, my carbon footprint is still on the "high end."
I, who more than once, was labeled by others as a "climate alarmist." Am part of the problem, not the solution.
Even worse, on a purely individual level, I am well aware my efforts do not matter, except to perhaps assuage my own guilt. I could win the lottery tomorrow, buy a gas guzzling hummer, rent a private jet to fly all over the world, and it would have essentially the same effect globally if I alternatively: gave away all my money to renewable "green" energy technologies, lived in a cave and grew my own crops without machinery or fertilizer/pesticides. The difference between the two extremes being completely inconsequential difference in a world with nearly 8 billion (and continually rising with no discernable major slow down.) Worse still, the emission averages per human is also rising instead of falling for the last century or so.
Finally at my question for you, (the very patient!) reader that made it this far.
Remembering my goal/meaning of life is to: "enjoy life."
My question that I would like advice on is this:
Should I stop caring? And just enjoy my life instead?
Is my conclusion that catastrophic climate change will happen and there's absolutely nothing I personally, (outside of force,) that I can do about it, reasonable?
Instead should I continue to enjoy life, with perhaps some strategic planning on minimizing the effects of climate change on myself and those I most care most about? And stop worrying about things I have no control over?
I appreciate any and all answers/advice even if you just skipped to the end and read my question(s).
Thanks in advance for taking the time to read and maybe making a reply.
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