Readit Newsbleigh0 commented on Y Combinator invests in Monzo through its Continuity Fund cnbc.com/2019/06/24/monzo... · Posted by u/satchet
Congrats to Tom and the Monzo team. I've had an account since the days of 'Mondo', and the focus on user experience and trust has endured (and if anything maybe increased).
bleigh0 commented on Stomach of Dead Whale Contained 'Nothing but Nonstop Plastic' npr.org/2019/03/18/704471... · Posted by u/Ultramanoid
The countries listed above are far more developed than you are giving them credit for. They absolutely have the ability to recycle.
Of course they have the ability to recycle. They even have the ability to be 100% sustainable (e.g. Costa Rica). My point was on the matter of anthropocene blame culture.
bleigh0 commented on Stomach of Dead Whale Contained 'Nothing but Nonstop Plastic' npr.org/2019/03/18/704471... · Posted by u/Ultramanoid
So we should give all developing countries a pass on destroying the habitability of the planet because we used to be as bad ourselves when we didn't know better? While it may be 'fair', I don't think that's sustainable. Even if these countries eventually become 'developed' and start behaving better, there will be new countries that will become 'developed' to take their place, and we'll just keep having these issues over and over until it's too late.
We're already (collectively) fucking the ecosystems and wiping out tons of species of flora and fauna, and making the living situation of billions (and possibly trillions) of life forms on this planet more toxic and less comfortable all in the name of convenience and growth. And it seems like we're on a trajectory of only making things worse in the future.
We need to start doing something about it, the developed countries by being an example and by taking advantage of our desirable trade status by providing incentives (trade, foreign aid, whatever) for developing countries to clean up their act sooner than later.
I don't dispute that it is unsustainable. I agree with the sentiment of what you are saying (and did in the end of my comment) despite you strawmanning my comment. I was just making the point that assigning blame to current developing countries is unfair because blame should be equally apportioned to today's developed countries who, throughout their period of industrialisation, kicked off the anthropocene.
bleigh0 commented on Stomach of Dead Whale Contained 'Nothing but Nonstop Plastic' npr.org/2019/03/18/704471... · Posted by u/Ultramanoid
China. Indonesia. Philippines. Vietnam. Sri Lanka. This chart says it all: https://www.statista.com/chart/12211/the-countries-polluting... They are everyone's oceans and these countries are disproportionately choking them with plastic. Blame must be focused on them for meaningful change to happen.
I'm a foreigner living in one of these countries and it is shocking how absolutely careless and ignorant the majority of the population is with their plastic waste. Tons and tons of it. I see it every day. First hand. They view waterways as trash cans. Formal waste management is rare. Ask a local where to throw a plastic bottle and they are more than likely going to point to the ground.
So called "developed" countries were once similarly careless with their waste. And their developed status was a result of such carelessness and the free expansion of their industries. It seems slightly unfair to expect developing countries to achieve a similar level of development via a sustainable methodology immediately, when that has not been the path for the richest countries in the world. (Given that developing countries are likely more concerned about the health of their population, and as such, focused on raising GDP, then the health of the ocean). Skipping to sustainable-led development is not impossible and obviously would be hugely advantageous for all, but it is still equally unfair to assign blame to such countries and label them as careless.
Made me think of this:
At any rate, spring is here, even in London N1, and they can't stop you enjoying it. This is a satisfying reflection. How many a time have I stood watching the toads mating, or a pair of hares having a boxing match in the young corn, and thought of all the important persons who would stop me enjoying this if they could. But luckily they can't. So long as you are not actually ill, hungry, frightened or immured in a prison or a holiday camp, spring is still spring. The atom bombs are piling up in the factories, the police are prowling through the cities, the lies are streaming from the loudspeakers, but the earth is still going round the sun, and neither the dictators nor the bureaucrats, deeply as they disapprove of the process, are able to prevent it.
—from 'Some Thoughts on the Common Toad' by George Orwell. Highly recommend.
bleigh0 commented on Stripe Issuing – An API for creating physical and virtual cards stripe.com/issuing... · Posted by u/zuck9
Deleted Comment