The Oil Drum: Australia/New Zealand | Introducing A New Currency: The Carbon

7 comments on Introducing A New Currency: The Carbon

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Boof on June 28, 2008 - 6:34am

Something that troubles me about the one tonne lifestyle is that it smacks of Puritanism, yet we're headed that way regardless. Check out Hobart airport and you will see a lot of frequent-flyer greenies, no doubt with bellies full of steak. But hey they offset. Maybe this degree of self denial would sell better if there was some kind of public recognition, like Medieval monks wearing sackcloth and ashes. If people go this way it's mainly to pay the bills, not because anybody notices. It doesn't change the fact deep down they still want to travel by air and eat steak. Maybe if there were half as many of us we could have a two tonne lifestyle.

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Kiashu on June 28, 2008 - 7:32am

Did you even look at the one tonne lifestyle? The example guy has a weekend away in the country once a month, or a cross-continental annual holiday each year. He eats meat, cheese every week - just not a lot of it. He uses plenty of electricity, 10kWh a day by himself - twice the Aussie per person average. He buys books, CDs, clothing each month. Every week he visits friends, goes out, and/or does some hobby.

He also cycles or walks about 70km a week and has a little garden, so he's fit.

And he can drink and smoke and shag as much as he likes.

That's "Puritanical"? That's "sackcloth and ashes"? Why? Because the guy takes the Ghan Melbourne-Perth and has a nice sleeping carriage and restaurant meals three times a day while travelling instead of flying?

"Normal life"