While the world would be much better off if Gore had won, while everything he says is true, his message that "Everyone else needs to cut down but not me," will never resonate with the general population.

When I realized what was happening to our biosphere, I gave up meat and eventually dairy. I have never owned a car, and have no kids. I mostly stopped flying (we did fly when we left the US for Europe though). Of course, I was always recycling, not that that has much value, and voting when I could.

When I talk to people online about the climate catastrophe, inevitably the question comes up as to what I personally have done. It shouldn't make a difference, but it does every time. And I tell them what I did, and that it wasn't really that painful.

I tell them that I'm not actually a vegan, even though at least 95% of what I eat is vegan - for example, I had coffee with a friend, with oat milk, but they served us little milk chocolates and I ate them without a single qualm, because otherwise they'd go into the garbage, and I like chocolate.

I tell them that eating vegan is much cheaper - that investing in an Instant Pot and a lot of dried beans, rice, and other things, and a huge amount of exotic spices, means we get amazing food cheap without so much work, and the one thing is that often have to plan the night before - but then I also eat Beyond Burgers occasionally when we don't have time.

The difference this makes in even hostile people is dramatic.