We have big box stores for pets.
We have semi trucks burning diesel to bring pet food and pet supplies to all parts of the world.
We devote some amount of farm land and livestock to feeding those pets.
It’s interesting when people suggest to reduce global human population but I have never heard anyone suggest to reduce pet populations as a method for combating climate change or for simply reducing resource usage.
The worldwide dog population is estimated to be 900 million.
There are 600 million to 1 billion cats living in the world today.
There’s always gonna be “a better place to start first”, no matter what the suggestion is. That’s a popular delaying tactic, and it’s part of the problem. At least this is something we can control ourselves, instead of waiting for governments/corporations to act.
Calls for individualized actions on smaller contributors to climate change is the stalling tactic. Oils companies popularized the idea of personal carbon footprint as a way to steer attention away from their larger role in climate change. Instead of organizing to end fossil fuel use, create infrastructure to reduce our dependence on cars, or cutting back on the US war machine, people instead focus on changing their spending habits in minor ways that won’t fix anything but will give them catharsis and social capital. And for people who are even less committed to climate action, they see people pushing for these kind of things and they just see people telling you to give up stuff you like or even depend on for no reason.
Climate change is an emergency that we’re running out of time to fix. We need massive, society wide changes if we’re going to avoid catastrophe. Little incremental changes are not only insufficient to solve the problem, they reduce the political will needed to make the necessary changes.
Yeah, this is something that I just can’t understand why a human would ask something like this. Pets help people exist. They make people happy. There are things we should do to reduce pet related things, like a lot of breeding programs. But I’m looking at this similar to someone saying “we should reduce the amount of vegetables we eat because harvesting them causes the climate damage.”
I dunno man. I think I’ll start by wearing a condom, rather than curb stomping puppies.
Self extinguishing bloodlines are interesting.
Eh, intelligent people have always had fewer kids.
It’s nothing new.
not more intelligent, more educated. there is a distinction.
Why start on something useful and realistic, like reducing car use, but instead let’s look at pet owners.
This is the stupidest fossil lobby effort to blaming everyone else instead themselves.
I don’t have pets or kids and I rarely drive or fly.
I do as best I can to minimise my “carbon footprint” despite knowing it’s a concept dreamed up by BP’s PR team to shift the attention away from the industries responsible.
I used to try to suggest others do similar but at this point it’s likely too late. And you propose I go around telling my friends and family to take their pets out back as a starting point? I’d laugh if the naivety wasn’t so tragic.
OP isn’t suggesting killing pets, and I’m sure not, so I don’t know where you’re getting that dramatic, emotional idea from. Since you don’t have any pets, and you’re already trying to reduce your impact on the environment, we all appreciate your efforts!
If anyone is thinking about buying a pet, though, think twice. Things may seem okay for now, but humanity is going to have to live MUCH more efficiently in order to survive.
Please explain how you envisage this idea making the slightest bit of difference in time without a pet cull lol.
Do I really have to explain that if people own fewer pets, there will be less demand for pet related products?
I’m done wasting my time on this.
Lol I think you severely overestimate the amount of time we have to change things.
You want to educate the populace that they should not buy a pet when their current one dies? So, in an optimistic scenario, in 10 years time you think what 10% of the entire population might have listened to you? Meanwhile we’ll be well on our way to the planet becoming unlivable.
Same.
at this point I think the biggest single CO2 source from me is my electricity usage, and I have no direct control over my electricity source. it’s not like I can call up the utility company and tell them to only send solar, wind, and nuclear power to my house.