Eric Holthaus, a weatherman and meteorologist who has worked for the Wall Street Journal, tweeted this week that he will never fly in a plane again, adding that he won’t have children in order to leave a smaller carbon footprint.
Holthaus, who works for Quartz magazine, said he read a recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, commissioned by the U.N., which says that it is “extremely likely” that humans caused global warming.
“Human influence has been detected in warming of the atmosphere and the ocean, in changes in the global water cycle, in reductions in snow and ice, in global mean sea level rise, and in changes in some climate extremes,” the report said, adding “human influence has been the dominant cause of the observed warming,” reported USA Today.
After reading the report, Holthaus wrote: “I just broke down in tears in boarding area at SFO while on phone with my wife. I’ve never cried because of a science report before. #IPCC.”
“I realized, just now: This has to be the last flight I ever take. I’m committing right now to stop flying. It’s not worth the climate,” he wrote. “We all have to do everything we can, every day to reverse CO2 emissions. There is no other way that makes sense,” he added.
Humans “should be devoted to this issue. Nothing else matters. It’s a zero sum game,” he continued.
Later, he suggested that he might get vasectomy to not have children.
“Totally agree. RT @Mer1968: @EricHolthaus No children, happy to go extinct, which in and of itself, carries a certain sadness. #IPCC,” he added. “Unfortunately, yes. Its a very emotional decision. Mixed feelings. RT @ibidibid: @EricHolthaus adios babies? :/,” he wrote.
“I’m thinking of vasectomy. RT @PaulEMetz: You’re courageous. Last week an artist had herself sterilized for similar reason. @looovetinkebell.”
Another user suggested adopting.
He responded, “That, or fostering. RT @KerryButlerNyc @natemac10 why don’t you think about adopting a child? That wouldn’t change your carbon footprint.”
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