It's Just One Vote and It's Just One Carbon Footprint

[Duty]

I got a lift home with a couple of friends last night. 

Me: "This car certainly has its plus points, it's very spacious." There were 3 dogs in the back with me.
Him (owner of vehicle and driver): "Yeah it's alright, looking to upgrade soon though, you've got a licence don'tcha? How come you ain't got one?"
Me: "Oh, I don't really need one, and they're so bad for the environment."
Her: "Yes we do need one!"
Him: Get an electric one then."
Me: "Yeah but there's all the environmental impact of the manufacturing process and stuff to consider still..."
Him: "Oh, relax, what difference does one car make."
Me: "That's exactly the argument many people use to excuse themselves from voting."

I believe voter turnout is higher in the states, but there were more non-voters at our last election than the number which voted for our current (dreadful) administration. Needless to say, it seems likely there are also a ton of people who have a very large carbon footprint but think, well, what's "one drop in the ocean?" Perhaps it would be helpful if more people thought of it like voting? I reckon many are like:

  

[CarveTheFive]

That kind of works if accept the premise that voting is good or not voting is bad.

Some believe that participating in a democracy serves to lend legitimacy to an undesirable power structure.

[Mr.Obvious]

Well, people should Always realize they're not stuck in traffic; they are traffic.
So in that sense I agree.

As an addition. We have mandatory voting in Belgium. And I prefer it that way.

[brewer]

I stopped eating beans.

[Duty]

I knew it! It's not greedy materialistic consumerism that's the problem, it's those dastardly legumes! 

[mlmooney89]

I can't get past the part where you are getting a ride from someone and then say how cars are bad and their one car is "adding to the noise"

[brewer]

If you count the dogs it's carpooling with 6. I'd call that a good car in this instance.

Unless the dogs were pekingese, then it's an abomination.

[Duty]

Yes mlmooney89, I predicted that observation of my apparent hypocrisy, and the answer I have is that I'd have happily stayed the night at a friend's or caught the bus, no bother. If I'd have refused the offer of a lift, and said why, it'd also doubtless have made me appear something of a...erm...weirdo if not expletive.

[onlinebiker]

Electric cars do not have a smaller carbon footprint than an existing, high gas mileage carbon fueled vehicle.

It simply takes the carbon output out of a tailpipe, and puts it up the smokestack of an electric power plant. When you consider line loss, mechanical conversions, an the energy output to build the new car - you are probably adding to the problem rather than helping.

Until you start generating millions of gigawatts without fossil fuels it will remain that way.

Currently - the best way of lowering your carbon footprint is to use less.

Walk.

[mlmooney89]

That aside I do get your point. I've been struggling with this lately actually. During the American presidential elections I was super hard on for a Libertarian Gary Johnson and pushed so hard to try and end the 2 party system. Now with Trump in the head honcho seat I keep doubting and thinking if I had voted for Hilary could I have stopped him? I didn't want to vote for her and I know in the end I did what I felt was right but still there is that nagging thing saying "If you and those other idiots hadn't tried for the impossible maybe he wouldn't be where he is"