That said, recycling is the answer to the straws problem.

The west has a "it's my fault" problem right now

And this seriously needs to stop

If I ever go to ~~Commifornia~~ California, I'm gonna bring my own goddamn straw.

We're going for less than ideal solutions that cause new problems

And ultimately we're not addressing the elephant in the room

Our politics are being derailed with the green debate

How so?

If you're not a dogmatic believer you might not get elected

dogmatic believer of what?

Well, right now I'd say it's being derailed by impeaching Trump, but that's gonna be an absolute joke.

Climate change?

It's ridiculous, we're not solving our own problems because of something that we're not even causing

The dogmatic belief that we in the west can save the planet

A dogmatic believer that we should destroy our civilization to "protect the world/environment". We can save the planet, sure, but we'll have to do some thing people aren't a big fan of. Namely: kicking China and India in the dick until they stop polluting.

You're right that we're being derailed from what is significant.
We're lied to and manipulated.

No the west cannot save the planet. The issue is getting a world wide consensus on action. Nobody want to be the first and only.
The developing countries will never agree to controls if it damages their economic progress.

And they shouldn't

They need to develop, otherwise how are they going to address anything so meaningful as climate change

Exactly the issue

We absolutely can if we get use the big stick. We shouldn't use the big stick, because it's unethical. China has developed, they just don't give a shit.

I mean, their solution for people killing themselves was to put nets on the outside of their building.

Not improving the workplace.

Was that in China? I'm not sure

They do not give a single solitary fuck.

They clear and destroy habitat for economic returns, irreparable loss of diversity. but what can they do?

It was.

Well there's one thing that we in the west can do

Stop pretending that we're gonna save the planet, and just do what's best for us

Reduce the population?

Engage with China, do diplomacy, try politics

Well mostly just continue down the same road except without dogma taking over science

^

And we can do that if we stop blaming ourselves for all the world's big and small problems

Fuck reducing the population. Cripple China economically until they clean up their act. Don't trade with them until they reduce their emissions to rational levels. I shouldn't need SCUBA, Hazmat, or NBC gear to walk around their cities.

China is like that little brother who has some growing up to do and get off his pills, and that's how we should treat the situation

I'm just so sick of blaming myself, I've done enough of that

We've internalized self-blame to a sickening degree

Climate change is real, the consequences are real.
The issues are complex and the answers incredibly displeasing.

The reality is we're stuck in a position where cooperation is required and practically impossible. I don't think we'll do what we need to.

We do practically have everything we need to solve our problems

It's only required because we insist on playing nice.

I just don't think we 'can'