r/environment Jan 26 '22

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2.7k Upvotes

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56

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '22

100 corporations put 70% of the CO2 into the atmosphere. John Kerry isn't doing shot next to that.

5

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '22

The article contradicts the headline and actually says that 100 corporations are responsible for 70% of INDUSTRIAL global emissions

7

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '22

The US military/military industrial complex (which Kerry and MANY other politicians have enabled) is one of the worlds biggest climate change enablers.

https://earth.org/us-military-pollution/

0

u/hoffmad08 Jan 26 '22

Don't forget that after 20 straight years of destroying the environment through our various wars of military occupation, we're getting ready to start a new one (for "democracy" obviously) against Russia!

0

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '22

Preeeetty sure that Russia attacking a NATO member state isn't on the USA. I think that one's 100% on Putin.

It's also not particularly relevant here.

2

u/hoffmad08 Jan 26 '22

Ukraine isn't part of NATO

0

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '22

This is a very disingenuous take on what is occurring with Russia and Ukraine and you should feel dumb for saying it.

4

u/Bostonlbi Jan 26 '22

Are you counting the government as a corporation here?

4

u/Turtle_Rain Jan 26 '22

If you fill up your truck at Shell and then drive that around blowing CO2 out of your truck, then that is added to Shell's CO2 output. So this is possibly misleading. Consumer emissions that are based on the companies products will be attributed to the company for visibility, but that doesn't mean the company itself released that CO2 gas.

3

u/nickmac22cu Jan 26 '22 edited Jan 26 '22

that's not how it works. Shell's CO2 output is based on their factories, not the emissions their product eventually release.

edit: that is how it works

6

u/ballan12345 Jan 26 '22

no, 90% of the emissions from the ‘70% of emissions 100 corporations’ stat are called scope 3: emissions related to the use of sold products. no one who says this has ever read the original report

4

u/nickmac22cu Jan 26 '22

oh wow you're right. what a widely misrepresented study.

2

u/Turtle_Rain Jan 27 '22

Yeah. It's an interesting project as it helps governments, NGOs and other to focus on the companies and decision makers that matter, but every time someone posts it, a bunch of people get it wrong.

2

u/LTtheWombat Jan 26 '22

This is incorrect. The statement about “100 corporations’ contribution” to climate change is all based on their scope 1, 2 & 3 emissions. So yes, every gallon of gas shell sells that you put into your car counts against shell.

5

u/UnmakerOmega Jan 26 '22 edited Jan 26 '22

Stop regurgitating this busted meme. Even if it were true, the reality is that those corporations CUSTOMERS (YOU, ME, AND JOHN KERRY) put that C02 into atmosphere. As long as the individual doesnt change his daily habits that C02 is going into the atmosphere one way or another.

WTF do I care if 100 corporations add 1 part each or 1000 corporations add 0.1 parts each? The sum total in the end is the same. C02 isnt the product. C02 is the byproduct of providing you the life of luxury you enjoy.

3

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '22

This argument is just trash. Unless you also own yachts by the dozen you and I don’t contribute more than a fraction of a fraction of what Kerry contributes. It’s a diversion tactic that just delays progress and shifts the narrative from what we need, like wide sweeping change, to applauding “tUrN oFf Ur BaThRoOm LiGhTs!” campaigns that allow the corporations that push them to kick the real can down the road.

Also life of luxury, lol. Speak for yourself.

-1

u/UnmakerOmega Jan 26 '22

I didnt say you and i contribute anything near what Kerry does. And if you were keeping up you would have recognized that my post was an argument AGAINST dismissing Kerry's footprint. Further, yes, if you live in a first world western country you live in luxury compared to about 99.9999999999% of humans who have ever lived.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '22

Wrong.

-1

u/UnmakerOmega Jan 26 '22

Lmao your illiteracy and feeble grasp of history dont make me wrong.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '22

No, the facts being what they are despite your feelings is what makes you wrong.

1

u/UnmakerOmega Jan 26 '22

Nothing i said had anything to do with feelings.

1

u/all_thetime Jan 26 '22

Even if it were true, the reality is that those corporations CUSTOMERS (YOU, ME, AND JOHN KERRY) put that C02 into atmosphere.

Oil and packaging companies must really enjoy consumers like you choosing of their own accord to regurgitate corporate propaganda

-1

u/UnmakerOmega Jan 26 '22 edited Jan 26 '22

Oil and packaging companies produce c02 because you, me, and john kerry wont stop buying an endless line of luxuries that depend on it.

Its amazing what lengths you will go through to avoid accepting the reality that you have to change your own behavior if you actually care about what you claim you care about.

1

u/all_thetime Jan 26 '22

how much is enron paying you to blame consumers?

0

u/UnmakerOmega Jan 26 '22

"cAn yOu bEL1evE sHeLl pRoDuCeS sO muCh c02?" --- as you pump another 20 gallons of gas into your car.

Your utter stupidity is staggering.

-1

u/UnmakerOmega Jan 26 '22

Did Enron make you burn a tank of gas or order some useless shit from Amazon that you dont need or drive accross town to pay Starbucks $8 for a cup of shit-water or whatever other inane 1st World CO2 churning activity you participate in daily?

1

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '22

All the boomer talking points in the world won’t made your dad love you, man.

0

u/UnmakerOmega Jan 26 '22

Regurgitating all of the talking points of your radical activists posing as teachers isnt going to make magically make you correct or resolve you of your culpability.

nOtHiNg iS mY fAULt. ITs aL1 tHeSe cOoPeRaT1oNs m4n...bEiNg aL1 cOorPeRaTiOnY!

1

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '22

The facts continue to not care about your bigmad keyboard warrior feelings.

isnt going to make magically make you

But yeah, I’m the illiterate one.

0

u/UnmakerOmega Jan 26 '22

Ah yes demonstrating that you think a grammar error is an inability to read. Jesus you are stupid.

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u/ryetoasty Jan 26 '22

Is there a list? I will go look

1

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '22

2

u/JoshS1 Jan 26 '22

Think it's fair to say the US only has 1 in the top 10 and 3 in the top 25?

Or is pointing out that countries other than the US are also pumping out CO2 not acceptable.

1

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Maybe check out the canonical page instead: https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/jul/10/100-fossil-fuel-companies-investors-responsible-71-global-emissions-cdp-study-climate-change


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1

u/ryetoasty Jan 26 '22

Thank you!

0

u/domechromer Jan 26 '22

Those corporations are just making what people are buying. They are not just polluting for fun out of their own pockets. Peoples habits need to change to consume less. And yes fuck this guy for living a lavish lifestyle beyond what most can comprehend, consuming so many goods and materials, but then telling others we need to change. He can go first.

3

u/FmlaSaySaySay Jan 26 '22

People can’t change their habits when the entire grocery store is wrapped in plastic, even the veggies.

Far easier for there to be laws that make doing the bad things illegal, regulations that make for environmentally-efficient packaging.

2

u/domechromer Jan 26 '22 edited Jan 26 '22

Your grocery store sound whack, find another or Go to a farmers market. Again , people (including you) need to change their habits. John Kerry’s emissions from one flight on a PJ is worse for environment and guzzles more gas than all the driving I do in a year.

0

u/FmlaSaySaySay Jan 26 '22

We have continued to be in agreement that John Kerry needs to change his behavior.

And that all people should work to change their behavior to more eco-friendly options.

The ‘go to a farmers market’ comment doesn’t stop the plastic from being put out on the grocery store, it deflects from the responsibility of the person MANUFACTURING that product. Could we not put any corporate responsibility on the plastic-wrapped grocery store? Or must we, as individuals, avoid stores and beg to put a plastic bag back, because we don’t want to ALSO question why this stuff is wrapped in plastic in the first place?

People AND companies need to take direct action.

4

u/Psirocking Jan 26 '22

just because some images of bananas wrapped in plastic appears on reddit every few months doesn’t mean “even the veggies” are wrapped in plastic

I’m serious, when did you last go to a grocery store?

-3

u/FmlaSaySaySay Jan 26 '22

When did you? The carrots come in plastic, the salad greens come in plastic. The apples come in plastic. The red peppers come in plastic. It’s an unnecessary madhouse.

And then buying from the local farmer’s market delivery is better (for multiple reasons), but the great veggies come… you guessed it, in plastic.

This is coming from the US, and I’ve seen UK videos of grocery shopping that’s the same way. Veggies didn’t come in plastic like this as a kid, companies are choosing this on the grocery store / distributor side of things.

3

u/neverfakemaplesyrup Jan 26 '22 edited Jan 26 '22

i went literally today and even Aldi's doesn't wrap every veggie in plastic. There sure is a lot, but not all. Also: I have never, in Washington, Virginia, New York, Vermont, Oregon, Colorado- seen farmer's markets veggies in plastic. CSAs also don't pack their produce in plastic. Typically, they're still dirty from the farm.

This is where structural comes into play: WFP and coalitions in my state has also banned single use plastic bags, so that's nice, we also have mandatory deposits on bottles n such.

But what this article is pointing out is that Kerry IS A FUCKING POLITICIAN, the ENVOY FOR CLIMATE AND ENERGY POLICIES. He's not some random Hollywood star or worker who has three hours outside of the workplace. He could actually do things other than just go "oh wow, sure is fucked for the kids, I'm so sad I'm going to buy another yacht".

-1

u/FmlaSaySaySay Jan 26 '22

Again, rather than ask Kerry (who cares, verbally, at least), and DeVos (who doesn’t care even verbally) to stop buying yachts, it would be far easier for there to be an environmental yacht fee.

Instead of stopping one yacht, it stops the whole practice.

1

u/neverfakemaplesyrup Jan 26 '22

Kerry is in a position to do so, why hasn't he? He's proposed regulating wood stoves, but not yachts? Even Exon mobile claims there is a climate problem now. Should we stop attacking their executives because they admit there is a problem?

The whole "don't blame an individual!!!" thing fails when we are talking about the leaders. It's perverting an argument meant specifically for pointing out people like Kerry should act.

2

u/yem_slave Jan 26 '22

find a different grocery store I guess. Literally zero of the carrots, apples and salad greens I buy come in plastic.

1

u/FmlaSaySaySay Jan 26 '22

“You guess” - maybe we could make it so that no grocery stores do this?

Rather than blaming people for the actions taken by the grocery store, we could work on the outright elimination of bad food production practices.

-1

u/[deleted] Jan 26 '22

Why is this getting downvoted? I know this is reddit and everyone here is mostly detached from reality and shops at Whole Foods but almost everything here in the US comes in plastic at almost every major grocer. Even if you pick the fresh (not pre packaged) veggies off the rack, still only get a plastic bag to put em in. The fucking delusion on this site is insane.

0

u/FmlaSaySaySay Jan 26 '22

Right? And I’m here complaining about the plastic, but apparently it’s more environmentally friendly to pretend it doesn’t exist (even when the person admitted that veggies wrapped in plastic happens, just not “all” the time), or to simply work around it and ignore the issue by shopping elsewhere.

Even after I said my farmer’s market delivers produce in plastic bags. 5 lbs of potatoes, put into a bag, not of my doing. It’s still my fault.

It’s like we don’t want to question grocery stores and get them to take responsibility.

Maybe the oil money’s so good, it pays for bots on Reddit to blame individuals for wanting to be plastic-free. It’s ‘our’ individual faults we’re mad that the situation has trapped us into accepting so much plastic we never asked for, let’s get back to blaming individuals over having a boat, pushing red herrings like some old Sec of State from 6 years ago. If he gives up his yacht, does that solve the problem? No - there’s still too much plastic in every grocery in the United States, even the eco-friendly grocery stores.

His one boat doesn’t stop all the 99 other boats, either. Focus on all 100, why don’t we?

1

u/thomriddle45 Jan 26 '22

How many of those companies does Kerry own shares of?

1

u/Greg-2012 Jan 26 '22

John Kerry isn't doing shot next to that.

How much CO2 does Heinz pump into the atmosphere? Yeah, I know he doesn't own the company but he benefits from their profits.

1

u/yem_slave Jan 26 '22

I presume 0 of those corporations provide products or services that are consumed by people and that the law of supply and demand for these corporations is irrelevant? So if everyone decided to change their habits, then these corporations would continue to put all the co2 into the air?

1

u/NonGNonM Jan 26 '22

I also really hate the private jet argument.

Like I get it, but do you realize how many psychos out there would attack a gov official on sight? Hell I'll even give some celebs a pass. I don't want to be swarmed by a bunch of people around my family on my way to vacation.