It is not made worth it by the research connections. It is not worth it because we do vaguely climate-related research. It is not worth it just because our institutions aren’t divesting from fossil fuels (several have, BTW).
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It is not worth it just because our research model depends on old men drinking together on someone else’s dime in an exotic location for proposals to be written and grants to be funded and postdocs to be hired.
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We have to just be able to admit that we have pride and we enjoy traveling. We have to admit that we know about and champion the cause of climate change but do not participate in climate action. That’s ok. Admitting it is the first step
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And yes, conferences are inaccessible. Disabled scientists? Have been saying that for decades. Women have been talking about how conference networking is often dangerous or exclusionary. The model has HAD to change
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We are so so so guilty of deluding ourselves about why we travel and if it’s OK or not. It’s not and it’s hypocritical. And it won’t hurt more than our pride to admit that. It hurt/s my pride but it’s time to admit it.
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And it’s also time to admit that schemes conferences have set up where a couple Euros are donated to whatever? Is about guilt. Planting trees in grasslands will harm climate. Investing in capitalist ventures developing tech that doesn’t exist yet and won’t work is not OK.
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Travel or whatever but what does it say to the public who need to trust what we as scientists say about climate? When we fly to so many conferences?
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And when much of a conference for the most privileged is about exclusionary socializing that often results in sexual harassment or just maintaining the status quo?
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In climate justice, activists talk about how the 1% don’t care about climate even if they believe it because they KNOW it won’t affect them. Are we any different? We have to at least say it
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On the lie of carbon offsets, which EGU has included this year with registrationhttps://www.nature.com/news/the-inconvenient-truth-of-carbon-offsets-1.10373 …
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American travel stats that might as well be academic travel stats IME https://twitter.com/azeen/status/1184887219452030978?s=21 …https://twitter.com/azeen/status/1184887219452030978 …
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Climate impact of astronomers, in numbers. https://twitter.com/space_mog/status/1180058289184358400?s=21 …https://twitter.com/Space_Mog/status/1180058289184358400 …
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I’m an ECR and also a disabled WOC in the tiny field of planetary science. Yes I benefit from in-person meetings and yes I’m pressured to attend conferences and this is how to drum up attention to my work, especially since statistically people WILL balk at my name on a paper
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But every conference for me? Is disabling, is inaccessible and often dangerous because I can never eat at them even when they promise again. It’s where I see people who have harassed me. It’s where I get a lot of microaggressions. It’s how I put a lot of carbon in the atmosphere
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So I hope I’ve emphasized enough that science has a ridiculous model that especially obliges ECRs to travel. I’m not interested in shaming anyone who feels the pressure of that obligation. But from so many perspectives, conferences aren’t equitable or good.
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What’s a sustainable conference? Do you know how much food waste a conference generates? The power to a building to host thousands? The impact on a community when we stuff 5k people onto a single block? The toll of disabled people, women / of color pushed out of the field? Man.
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I LOVE travel. My PhD has shown me Europe. I do feel my pride hurt when I’m challened on travel. I owe a lot to 1. climate Twitter and 2. my SO for beginning to disentangle my pride about this and face the music
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And folks have to stop pretending conferences are “empowering URMs” anyway. Anecdotal but these conferences in Europe & UK have been aggressively bad for me & my health. I’m always a literal doorstop, & can’t network b/c alcohol/spoons. I make equal or more connections by email.
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* this is where a lot of scientists of color are able to finally meet others and that IS important. I’ve erred in dismissing that. This is why this a multi-layered issue that will always implicate our institutions, too https://twitter.com/divya_m_p/status/1217438184579260416?s=21 …https://twitter.com/Divya_M_P/status/1217438184579260416 …
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p.s. I so appreciate the responses to this but I’m SO new to this and very guilty of eliding my own responsibility. So many others have talked about this (cf. above papers) and I’m honestly v behind.
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I decided to take trains to EPSC in September and spent double the time traveling than I would have flying. It was bad for my health and being non-EU meant more time standing in lines. Solutions have to be holistic.
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! I haven’t read this article but linking here. https://twitter.com/jksteinberger/status/1217453902691545088?s=21 …https://twitter.com/JKSteinberger/status/1217453902691545088 …
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Itati has been writing a LOT about why “plant trees!!!” initiatives can actually be really damaging. She also has a tipjar pinned on her page. https://twitter.com/itativcs/status/1147207548157775873?s=21 …https://twitter.com/itatiVCS/status/1147207548157775873 …
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To qualify this I am the HUGEST nerd. I love conferences. I love love love sitting and learning. They have “value” to me. They also, again, make sure people pay attention to my work when people glaze over seeing my name in print as a non-Western name. But what does value mean?
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!!!!!! a paper I'm gonna read ASAPhttps://twitter.com/listen2spacepod/status/1217476183190884354 …
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Also amazing that this group has a carbon policy!! I'm learning so much, thank you all for sharing resources
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just learning about this initiative lead by climate scientists!https://twitter.com/CANIEglobal/status/1192621995847868416 …
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