Sunday, 29 December 2019

2019 - end-year musings

As the end of the year draws near, high time for summaries and reflections spurred by the recent months.

The first quarter of the year was marked by refurbishment and furnishing the flat. Nine months after moving in, I feel well this is my place on earth. The drawback of such positive vibes associated with the dwelling will be the unease to move out of there one day.

The major event in the second quarter were exacerbating problems with the lumbar spine which ended up with a fortnight spent on intensive recovery, which, along with continuous exercising, have proven to help me pull through.

In the third quarter I had to face up to a tough challenge at work. The task was stressful, time-consuming and though worth being described on the blog, for the sake of confidentiality, I have held back on it. It was one of those things that could have killed me, but eventually have made me stronger.

In the fourth quarter I set out to fulfil my dream from last year and decided to commit much of my money, spare time and courage to help those worse off. It has paid back with good energy and has become made me yearn for more.

The entire year was marked by my growing awareness of the climate change, its severe implications and mankind’s impact on the global warming. After the hottest June since records began and after the warmest fourth quarter of the year since records began (October being the third warmest, November the second warmest and December on track to be the third warmest), one witnesses figures backing the climate change.

Every individual has responsibility to slow down this process, and just like in elections in which every vote counts, any (positive) change matters. In contemplating how one can influence the global warming I distinguish some key areas.

Firstly, how one heats one’s household. Here much needs to be done and is being done of the levels of central and local governments. The authorities need to support financially (with a carrot) those who need to replace their smog-generating incinerators with civilised furnaces running on natural gas, but also have to crack down (with a stick) on those who keep on burning rubbish and whatever cheap stuff to heat their houses.

Secondly, how one travels. The biggest detriment is caused by short-distance flying, which I have committed to shun as much as possible (though I may happen to repeat it, if I am forced to keep company to one of senior executives who do not stoop so low to take a train). The second biggest damage to air pollution is caused by short-distance car trips around town. I have nearly completely given up on driving below 10 kilometres (such is the distance to my parents’ house) and if I drive around town, my destinations are difficult to be reached by public transport (door-to-door journey several times longer) or when something heavy lands in my boot. Public transport and bicycle are a solution in over 90% of circumstances.

Thirdly, by one’s choices as a consumer. Here the 5R rule applies. Think before you buy an item and consider whether you really need it. Once you buy something, take care of it and use for as long as possible. Replace when an item wears down, not when your get bored of it and hanker after something brand new. Cut down on use of disposable items. Be sensitive to how stuff is packaged. I can proudly say my one-person household produces these day one 35-litre bag of litter per 3 days. Besides, I get along with life without material whims.

Fourthly, what one eats. Next year will be the time on cutting back on meat consumption, though with no intension of becoming a vegetarian.

Fifthly, be aware with making choices and mind the greenwashing. The best example of greenwashing observed by me in 2019 was my own employer, taking pride in replacing its entire fleet with hybrid Toyotas (each to be replaced by a brand-new one after mere two years of 60,000 kilometres). I have driven those cars and travelled on board of them as a passenger around town and I am more than disillusioned. Brushing driving impressions (I honestly dislike it) aside, I am deeply dissatisfied with its economics. Fuel consumption (I am writing now about hybrid Corolla sedan with 1.8 engine) of around 5 – 6 litres per 100 km in town (as much as a frugal, small petrol-run car would do and compares to my car with would consume 8 litres per 100 km) and above litres per 100 km on motorway (tempomat set at 140 kmph) which is far more than my car, which would gulp also around 8 litres at such speed, has little to do with stopping smog!

The hybrid vehicles are good for people who drive a lot around town as part of their profession (taxi drivers, couriers delivering parcels or whatever else, cable TV guys, etc). Other car users should rather be encouraged not to use cars around town rather than switching into cars which have their batteries charged from fume-producing engines. After doing a research I would not buy a hybrid car with my driving profile. Firstly, they have no advantage (to put it bluntly, perform inferiorly) in long-distance trips (2/3 of my yearly mileage), secondly they do not endure well frequent periods of sitting idle for a few days (my car generally sits in the garage over the working week).

Summing up, next year I see myself following the guidelines helping me preserve the planet, yet reasonably, without going into extremes, meaning not giving up on effects of technological progress at any price.

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