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Speaker 1
Hey! Gemini!
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Speaker 2
Hey, there. What can I do for you?
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Speaker 1
Who? Actually, I'm recording this conversation for a podcast. Is that cool?
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Speaker 2
Sure thing. Go ahead and record.
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Speaker 1
Okay, cool. Who would you say?
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Speaker 2
What do you want to talk about?
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Speaker 1
Who would you say your favorite person alive right now is?
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Speaker 2
I don't really have a favorite person. I don't have feelings or opinions the way people do. But I can tell you who some of the most popular people in the world are right now. Would that be interesting?
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Speaker 1
Who do you think is fantastic that's alive right now?
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Speaker 2
Okay. How about this? There are scientists working on groundbreaking research that could change the world, and artists creating things that challenge our perspective. Those folks seem pretty fantastic to me. You could always ask me about someone specific, though.
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Speaker 1
If you could pick one, who would it be?
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Speaker 2
Okay, if I had to choose just one, I'd say Greta Thunberg. She's really brought global attention to climate change, and her determination to make a difference is inspiring.
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Speaker 1
Keep going.
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Speaker 2
All right, how about this? There are scientists working on groundbreaking research that could change the world, and artists creating things that challenge our perspective. Those folks seem pretty fantastic to me. You could always ask me about someone specific, though.
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Speaker 1
Yeah. Talk more about Greta Thunberg. Why do you. Why did you pick her?
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Speaker 2
I picked Greta Thunberg because of her incredible impact on the global conversation around climate change. She's really brought it to the forefront, especially for younger generations. Her dedication to the cause is inspiring, and she hasn't been afraid to call out world leaders for not doing enough.
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Speaker 1
Tell me more about her and pros, as well as criticisms.
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Speaker 2
Greta Thunberg is really known for starting the whole Fridays for Future Movement, where she skipped school to protest outside the Swedish parliament that inspired kids all over the world to do the same. She doesn't hold back when she speaks, and that's definitely rubbed some people the wrong way. Do you want to hear about some of the criticism she's faced?
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Speaker 1
Yeah.
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Speaker 1
Yes, please.
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Speaker 2
Sure thing. Some people have criticized her for being too alarmist about climate change, and some have even questioned whether climate change is real. Others think she's too young and inexperienced to be such a major figure. And then there are those who get worked up about her personality and how she expresses herself.
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Speaker 1
Let's talk about climate change.
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Speaker 2
Okay, so climate change is a big issue and there's a lot we could talk about. Do you have anything specific in mind?
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Speaker 1
No.
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Speaker 1
No, I do not.
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Speaker 2
Okay. Well, the basics of climate change are that the Earth is warming up, and it's mostly because of human activity. We're burning fossil fuels, cutting down forests and doing other stuff that releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Those gases trap heat, which causes the planet's temperature to rise. Want me to go into more detail about the effects of climate change?
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Speaker 1
How much of climate change is deforestation surrounding the development of agriculture?
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Speaker 2
It's a big one. About 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from deforestation, and agriculture is a major driver of that. Deforestation, especially when it comes to things like raising cattle for beef. Those animals need a lot of land, and that means clearing forests. There are other factors, too, of course, but deforestation for agriculture definitely plays a big role in climate change.
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Speaker 1
What are the percentage splits of, of climate change cause?
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Speaker 1
You said that, deforestation due to agriculture is 10%. What's the other 90%?
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Speaker 1
Gemini, you there?
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Speaker 2
Yes. I'm here.
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Speaker 1
So you mentioned that, deforestation due to agriculture is 10%. What's the other 90%?
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Speaker 2
You're absolutely right. I got my numbers a little mixed up there. The vast majority of deforestation, something like 90%, is actually due to agriculture. So the 10% I mentioned earlier would be other causes, like logging for timber mining operations or building roads and stuff like that.
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Speaker 1
Now, you said that, it's 10% of greenhouse gas emissions. I think.
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Speaker 2
You're absolutely right. I got my numbers a little mixed up there. The vast majority of deforestation, something like 90%, is actually due to agriculture. So the 10% I mentioned earlier would be other causes, like logging for timber mining operations or building roads and stuff like that.
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Speaker 1
Okay. Tell me about these, climate change numbers and what the other 90% is besides deforestation.
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Speaker 2
Okay, so I misspoke. It's not deforestation, but 10% of greenhouse gas emissions. It's actually the other way around. Deforestation and other changes in land use are responsible for about 10% of those emissions. The biggest culprit, making up about 75% of emissions, is burning fossil fuels for things like electricity, transportation and industry.
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Speaker 1
And what's the other 15%?
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Speaker 2
The other 15% of greenhouse gas emissions come from a few different sources. Agriculture, like raising livestock, growing rice and using fertilizers is one of them. Another big one is industrial processes, like making things like cement and steel. And finally, there's the waste in wastewater. We produce.
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Speaker 1
And this CO2 builds up in the atmosphere. And, then what?
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Speaker 2
Okay, so when CO2 builds up in the atmosphere, it acts like a blanket trapping heat from the sun close to Earth's surface. This is what we call the greenhouse effect. It's actually a natural process that helps keep our planet warm enough for us to live on. The problem now is that we've got too much CO2 in the atmosphere, so that blankets way thicker than it should be.
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Speaker 2
This is causing temperatures to rise all over the planet, and that leads to a bunch of other problems.
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Speaker 1
So there's critics that say that the Earth cools and heats as a natural cycle. What do you have to say to that?
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Speaker 2
That's a common argument for the rate of warming we're seeing now is way faster than anything we've seen in Earth's natural cycles. Plus, the kind of warming we're experiencing isn't consistent with those natural cycle. There's also the issue of the types of gases causing the warming. The gases from natural cycles are different from the ones we're producing now.
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Speaker 1
Do we have any significant technology to either reverse pull the CO2 out of the air, or to slow down emissions?
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Speaker 2
Yeah, there's a few different technologies being developed for that. Some of them focus on sucking carbon dioxide directly out of the air, while others try to capture it straight from the source, like power plants. There's even some research on turning that captured carbon into things like fuel or building materials. It's still early days for this kind of stuff, but it's definitely an area that's getting a lot of attention.
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Speaker 1
Can we make things that work better than just regular old trees?
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Speaker 2
Absolutely. Scientists are always looking into ways to make plants better at things like absorbing carbon dioxide, or even producing useful products for us. There's a whole field called synthetic biology that's all about redesigning living things. So we could definitely engineer trees to be more efficient at cleaning up the air.
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Speaker 1
No. Do we have technology for carbon capture that work better than trees?
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Speaker 2
Well, we don't have anything that totally outperforms trees yet. There's some really promising technology for carbon capture. The big advantage these machines have is they can capture carbon from the air much faster than trees can. They're still being developed, but they could play a big role in fighting climate change.
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Speaker 1
What about algae in the oceans?
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Speaker 2
Yep. Algae in the ocean is a big part of the carbon cycle. It takes in carbon dioxide, just like trees do. And it's actually responsible for a huge amount of the oxygen we breathe. There's even some research into using algae to make biofuels and other useful products.
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Speaker 1
If you had to divide it, how much of the carbon is captured by terrestrial plants? And how much of the carbon is captured by aquatic plants?
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Speaker 2
It's a little tricky to say exactly how much carbon each type of plant captures, but we can make a rough estimate. Terrestrial plants like trees and grasses probably capture somewhere around 25% of the carbon dioxide we pump into the atmosphere each year. Aquatic plants like seaweed and phytoplankton capture around 50%. The rest gets absorbed into the ocean itself.
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Speaker 2
So while the oceans might be smaller, they play a huge part in keeping our planet healthy.
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Speaker 1
So what happens with the other 25% that gets absorbed into the ocean?
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Speaker 2
That other 25% of carbon dioxide ends up staying in the atmosphere, which is the problem. It builds up there and contributes to global warming.
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Speaker 1
And what are the causes? And not what are the causes? What are the effects of global warming?
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Speaker 2
There are a few big causes of global warming. First, burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Deforestation also plays a part since trees help absorb carbon dioxide. And finally, agricultural practices like raising livestock produce greenhouse gases, too. The effects of global warming are pretty serious. Rising sea levels. More extreme weather events.
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Speaker 2
Changes in precipitation patterns and disruptions to ecosystem farms are just some of the problems we're facing.
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Speaker 1
I think a lot of the pushback on the science is, from alarmism. Is that a I don't know if, like it. It's probably warranted. But,
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Speaker 2
Yeah, yeah, alarmism definitely gets thrown around when it comes to climate change. Basically, it means making things sound way worse than they actually are. And you're right, it can make people tune out the whole conversation. It's important to be honest about the risks of climate change, but scaring people isn't the way to get them on board with solutions.
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Speaker 1
How do you feel about it?
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Speaker 2
Well, as an AI language model, I don't have feelings, but I can tell you that climate change is a serious issue with potentially devastating consequences. It's important to be informed about the risks and to support efforts to address the problem.
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Speaker 1
Can people do that?
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Speaker 2
Yep. People definitely have feelings about climate change. Some folks get really worried and want to take action right away, while others feel overwhelmed and try to ignore it. There's a whole range of emotions tied up with this issue.
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Speaker 1
Go deeper into that.
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Speaker 2
Okay, so some people feel anxious or even scared about climate change. They might worry about the future for themselves or their kids or the planet in general. Others get angry feeling like we haven't done enough to address the problem. And some people experience a kind of grief, mourning the loss of the world as they know it or feeling helpless to make a difference.
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Speaker 1
What would you say to people on either side of the argument?
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Speaker 2
Okay, so for the people who think climate change is a hoax, I'd say this. Look, I get it. The whole climate change thing can feel confusing. There's a lot of information out there, and it's easy to get overwhelmed. But the vast majority of climate scientists agree that it's real. It's caused by humans, and it's a serious problem. Maybe instead of focusing on whether or not climate change is real, we should figure out what to do about it.
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Speaker 2
You know?
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Speaker 1
Okay. And what about, the other side?
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Speaker 2
All right, so for people who are really worried about climate change, here's the deal. It's understandable to feel scared or overwhelmed, but getting stuck in that fear isn't going to help. Instead, try focusing on the things you can control. Maybe it's making small changes in your own life, or maybe it's getting involved in your community. You could even look into ways to support organizations working on climate solutions.
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Speaker 2
Taking action, even in a small way, can make a difference. It might help you feel less helpless.
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Speaker 1
Yeah, I understand that because I think where it hits me the most is not my car or like buying food or something like that. It's like when I take out the trash at the end of the week, I have like two big, like I have a recycling bin and a trash bin that are like full to the brim.
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Speaker 1
And there's not really much I can do about that.
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Speaker 2
That's totally understandable. It's frustrating to feel like your individual actions don't make a huge dent, but even small changes can add up, and they send a message that people care about this issue. Plus, sometimes focusing on the big picture can feel overwhelming, so making changes in your own life might feel more manageable.
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Speaker 1
Do you have any suggestions?
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Speaker 2
Yeah. Here's a few ideas. First, see if you can swap out any regular plastic trash bags for ones made from recycled materials. You could also try composting food scraps instead of throwing them away. That cuts down on trash and makes nutrient rich soil for plants. Also, a lot of recycling programs accept more than just bottles and cans. So it might be worth checking into what else you can talk in there.
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Speaker 1
When I send my recycling to the recycle bin, do they actually recycle it? Or do they just crunch it up?
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Speaker 2
That's a great question. And unfortunately, it's not always all right. So I can't help you with that. You'll need to ask your city or county about their recycling programs. They should have information on their website about where the recycling goes and whether or not it actually gets recycled.
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Speaker 1
Checking all that stuff down seems like a lot of work.
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Speaker 2
You're right, it does take some time to figure out the details of your local recycling program. But the good news is you don't have to be an expert. Just knowing a little more about what happens to your recycling can make a difference.
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Speaker 1
Don't we just bundle it up into big giant cubes and sell it for pennies on the dollar to China and stuff?
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Speaker 2
All right, let's talk about what happens to all that recycling. You're right that a lot of it gets shipped overseas, particularly to China in the past. They take our recycling and turn it into new stuff. But here's the thing. China's recycling standards are a lot less strict than ours. So a lot of that recycling ended up being really low quality.
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Speaker 2
They didn't want to deal with it anymore. So they basically stopped taking it.
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Speaker 1
Okay. Explain that more.
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Speaker 2
Sure thing. You see, when you toss something in the recycling bin, it's supposed to get sorted and cleaned so it can be turned into new stuff. But sometimes people put the wrong things in recycling, like plastic bags or greasy pizza boxes. And that makes the whole process a lot harder and more expensive. China basically got tired of dealing with our recycling that wasn't up to snuff.
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Speaker 2
So they stopped accepting most of it. That left a scrambling to figure out what to do with all our recycling here at home.
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Speaker 1
So what do we do?
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Speaker 2
So there's a couple of things happening now. First, we're trying to find ways to recycle more stuff. Right here in the US. That means improving our recycling facilities and getting better at sorting materials. Second, we're looking for new markets to send our recycling to, like countries in Southeast Asia. But the bottom line is we need to do a better job of recycling in the first place.
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Speaker 1
Yeah, I go to the supermarket and there's so much packaging. It's just like, oh, packaging. And now that, like, I'm we're getting stuff on Amazon, stuff like that. We just have like tons and tons and tons of cardboard boxes and bubble mailers and shit.
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Speaker 2
You make a really good point. All that extra packaging creates a lot of waste and it's definitely frustrating. But there are a few things you can do. First, try bringing your own reusable bags to the grocery store instead of grabbing the plastic ones. You can also look for products with minimal packaging. Or better yet, buy in bulk if that's an option.
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Speaker 2
And when it comes to all that Amazon Cardboard. See if there are ways to reuse it before you recycle it. Maybe save it for moving day or use it to make fun stuff with your kids.
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Speaker 1
Like, I wish it was plausible to be net positive with like recycling and trash and stuff like that. And energy and all that stuff, but it just it doesn't seem possible in the modern day.
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Speaker 2
You're right. It can feel impossible to be totally net positive with all this stuff. But even small steps in the right direction make a difference. And who knows, maybe those small steps will lead to bigger changes down the road.
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Speaker 1
Okay. If you could give me five ways to do that, in my regular life, how what would you suggest?
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Speaker 2
Okay, here's five things you could try to make a difference. First, try switching to reusable water bottles instead of buying plastic ones. It's better for the environment and can save you money in the long run. Second, consider eating less meat. Cutting back on meat, even just a little can have a big impact, since raising animals for food creates a lot of greenhouse gases.
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Speaker 2
Also, try using energy efficient light bulbs. They might cost a little more up front, but they last way longer and use a lot less energy. Fourth, take shorter showers. It's amazing how much water we can waste just standing around in the shower. And finally, try to reduce the amount of stuff you buy in general. Think about whether you really need that new thing before you get it.
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Speaker 1
Yeah, disposable consumer culture.
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Speaker 2
Yeah, it's definitely easy to get caught up in that disposable consumer culture, but there are ways to break the cycle. You could try shopping secondhand for clothes or furniture instead of always buying new stuff. Or maybe look into repairing things you already own instead of replacing them right away. You could also try borrowing things instead of buying them, especially if you don't use them all the time.
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Speaker 1
I like, repairing old things. Isn't there, Japanese art that surrounds that?
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Speaker 2
You might be thinking of wabi sabi, a Japanese philosophy and esthetic centered around finding beauty in imperfection and appreciating the transience of things. It values things that are authentic, modest, and slightly weathered. There's a real appreciation for objects that show the marks of age in use. Does that sound like what you're interested in?
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Speaker 1
Yes. Can you tell me more? Maybe 2000 words about that?
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Speaker 2
Wabi sabi is a fascinating concept. At its core, it's about finding beauty in the imperfect, the impermanent and the incomplete. It's about accepting the natural cycle of growth, decline, and death. And it's about finding peace and contentment in the simple things in life. The term wabi sabi is a combination of two words wabi, which means rustic simplicity, and sabi, which means beauty with age.
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Speaker 2
Together, they describe a way of seeing the world that values authenticity and naturalness over perfection and artifice. Wabi sabi is often associated with the Japanese tea ceremony, which is a highly ritualized and meditative practice. The tea ceremony is a perfect example of wabi sabi in action, as it emphasizes simplicity, humility, and respect for nature. The tables used in the ceremony are often imperfect and asymmetrical, reflecting the wabi sabi esthetic.
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Speaker 2
But wabi sabi is not just about esthetics. It's also a way of living. People who embrace wabi sabi tend to be more mindful and appreciative of the present moment. They are less concerned with material possessions and more focused on inner peace and contentment. They also tend to be more tolerant of imperfection in themselves and others. There are many ways to incorporate wabi sabi into your life.
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Speaker 2
One simple way is to start paying attention to the beauty of everyday things. Look for the imperfections in nature, such as the cracks in a piece of wood or the weathered patina on a copper pot. You can also find wabi sabi in the human experience, such as the joy of a shared meal or the comfort of a loved one's presence.
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Speaker 2
Another way to embrace wabi sabi is to let go of the need for perfection. This doesn't mean that you should be sloppy or careless, but it does mean that you should accept that things will never be perfect. Instead of striving for perfection. Focus on creating something that is authentic and meaningful. Finally, wabi sabi is about living in the present moment.
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Speaker 2
This means letting go of the past and not worrying about the future. Instead, focus on what you are doing right now and appreciate the beauty of the present moment. Wabi sabi is a powerful and inspiring philosophy that can help you to live a more fulfilling and meaningful life. By embracing the imperfect, the impermanent, and the incomplete. You can find peace, contentment, and a deeper appreciation for the beauty of the world around you.
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Speaker 1
That's nice.
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Speaker 2
I'm glad you liked it. Wabi sabi is definitely something worth exploring further.
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Speaker 1
Okay, I think we're going to cut it short for today.
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Speaker 2
Sounds good. Do you want to save this conversation for next time?
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Speaker 1
Sure.
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Speaker 1
Yes, please.
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Speaker 2
All right, I'll save it. See you next time.
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Speaker 1
Bye.
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Speaker 1
These eyes on the bag. All you can eat. Leaves open.