‘The Fix’ is a comedy talk show hosted by a comedian with the assistance of a data expert. Two teams of comedians try to half-joke and half-seriously fix the world’s problems with humour and facts, also known as ‘wit and wisdom’. The audience gets to vote for their favourite fix at the end. In the episode of ‘Let’s Fix Global Warming’, it’s acknowledged that the world’s biggest problem is that the world is getting warmer (and cooler) – with it drowning and on fire due to extreme weather.
Human influence is also recognised to be its dominant cause by 97% of scientists. Yet, with the mix of profiteering, politicking and lack of individual will, there seems to be no significantly clear solution taken by enough of the masses yet. In the midst of this climate crisis, this is not the time for attempting to take or back out of baby steps to avert more disasters to come. What required are giant steps, beginning from the wo/man on the street – you and me.
Some facts shared… The sea level is now 87 mm (about 3.5 inches) higher than they were 25 years ago. If changes to how we live and consume are not made in time, millions in coastal cities will see their homes and livelihoods destroyed. The production of one cheeseburger releases 6.1 kg of carbon dioxide, largely due to methane waste produced in farming beef. And that is just beef alone. Every meal is a vote for further disaster or salvation.
Fix #1 shared… Explode a volcano in the middle of nowhere, in an ocean, to block out the sun’s rays, to make the earth cooler. When Krakatoa exploded in 1883, the earth’s temperature did cool a little… but remember the recent 2018 case… Side effects include ash clouds, poisoned water, acid rain, volcanic winter, earthquakes, tsunamis and mass extinction. Of course, this ‘solution’ does not solve the root of the problem, while creating more problems.
Fix #2, which won the audience’s vote… Since greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by 70% if we all went vegan, while less than 1% of the world’s population are vegans, veganism should be promoted with a rebrand, for personal and planetary health. Vegans are ‘accused’ of being ‘terrible’ ambassadors of their cause, who parade their ‘moral superiority’. Really? Not where this vegan is from. If we are vegans more selflessly, it will never be about being holier-than-thou, but with kind and skilful persuasion of what is better-for-thou, for one and all.
There was the proposal that vegans ‘stop the shame’, as animal-eaters already know meat is murder, who ‘don’t need to see it’. However, most videos and graphics are to awaken, not to shame (unless one naturally feels ashamed due to a guilty conscience). There is proof that those who truly see what is behind the scenes of meat production wake up from their less compassionate choices in life – quickly too. As fellow sentient beings, it is simply bad faith to other mother sentient beings to ignore their suffering, while continually consuming their flesh and produce.
It was also proposed that vegans should just be so, and not ‘pester’ others about it. ‘Just be one, and if you’re nailing it, assume people will follow.’ The irony is that the show itself was promoting veganism as the ultimate fix, albeit in a jokey way. Without vegans speaking up for their cause to be heard, this episode probably would not even exist, which does acknowledge that vegans are right, but need to make veganism ‘cool’. But why not just be a cool vegan directly, by being a good example? Time is running out.
Related Article:
How The Buddha Eventually Advocated Veganism
https://thedailyenlightenment.com/2016/10/how-should-all-aspiring-for-buddhahood-eat-and-drink
