Maybe ALS, as exemplified by the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge? It is a problem, but probably didn’t need an ice bucket challenge to focus on it, vs. a malaria ice bucket challenge for example.
Just linking two relevant resources—I assume you’re familiar with the 2nd one:
The first one might help you generate some ideas on sub-causes of climate change that are too much hype, such as the hype around lessening usage of straws/plastic bags in the West.
Thanks, ALS is a good suggestion (and I could imagine us using it) but I don’t think it quite meets the ‘PlayPump’ test, in that I doubt readers would go away thinking that ALS is a bad cause area, in the same way that they would think PlayPumps are actually bad. It’s possible that the bar I’m setting is too high, but ideally I want a cause area which people reflect on and think ‘wow, what a waste of time, that’s not worth pursuing at all!’ - but perhaps all the main causes which people focus on are at least somewhat good.
I think plastic straws are a v good option here, when you consider that:
paper straws are just a worse experience for ~everyone
metal/glass arguably worse for the environment given number of uses and resources required to produce (see also reusable bags)
Some disabled people rely on straws and paper replacements terrible for them
This is certainly closer to the playpumps [actively harmful once you think properly about it] than the ALS [not a huge issue but it’s not like stopping ALS would be actually bad in a vacuum].
Thanks—do you know of any analysis / data behind your three bullet points which I could point to? Instinctively I agree that the costs almost certainly outweigh the benefits, but I anticipate scepticism from readers!
I’m not endorsing any position here. All I personally took from this study was to ensure to re-use my canvas bags and that plastic pollution is likely more significantly mitigated by further economic growth in less-developed nations (with little evidence and, suspiciously conveniently, fitting in with my pre-existing world view).
Maybe ALS, as exemplified by the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge? It is a problem, but probably didn’t need an ice bucket challenge to focus on it, vs. a malaria ice bucket challenge for example.
Just linking two relevant resources—I assume you’re familiar with the 2nd one:
What are the “PlayPumps” of Climate Change?
Looking for more ‘PlayPumps’ like examples
The first one might help you generate some ideas on sub-causes of climate change that are too much hype, such as the hype around lessening usage of straws/plastic bags in the West.
Thanks, ALS is a good suggestion (and I could imagine us using it) but I don’t think it quite meets the ‘PlayPump’ test, in that I doubt readers would go away thinking that ALS is a bad cause area, in the same way that they would think PlayPumps are actually bad. It’s possible that the bar I’m setting is too high, but ideally I want a cause area which people reflect on and think ‘wow, what a waste of time, that’s not worth pursuing at all!’ - but perhaps all the main causes which people focus on are at least somewhat good.
I think plastic straws are a v good option here, when you consider that:
paper straws are just a worse experience for ~everyone
metal/glass arguably worse for the environment given number of uses and resources required to produce (see also reusable bags)
Some disabled people rely on straws and paper replacements terrible for them
This is certainly closer to the playpumps [actively harmful once you think properly about it] than the ALS [not a huge issue but it’s not like stopping ALS would be actually bad in a vacuum].
Thanks—do you know of any analysis / data behind your three bullet points which I could point to? Instinctively I agree that the costs almost certainly outweigh the benefits, but I anticipate scepticism from readers!
Obviously not directed at me, but the findings of this study did the rounds a few years ago in the media:
Life Cycle Assessment of grocery carrier bags
I’m not endorsing any position here. All I personally took from this study was to ensure to re-use my canvas bags and that plastic pollution is likely more significantly mitigated by further economic growth in less-developed nations (with little evidence and, suspiciously conveniently, fitting in with my pre-existing world view).