>I get what you mean by this, but why can't these solutions be used in places that are willing to make a difference?
Our efforts (and resources) might be better allocated in an area that has a bigger impact. This is basically the idea behind cap and trade. Why spend $10 to pick up 1 ton of plastic waste in the first world (made up numbers), when you can spend $10 to pick up 5 tons of plastic waste in asia? A more concrete example would be the water conservation measures in calfiornia a few years ago. The vast majority of the water usage is by agriculture, but residents were asked to engage in water saving practices (not watering laws, short showers, opt-in water at restaurants) at great inconvenience to them, even though any savings would be a drop in the bucket overall.
Our efforts (and resources) might be better allocated in an area that has a bigger impact. This is basically the idea behind cap and trade. Why spend $10 to pick up 1 ton of plastic waste in the first world (made up numbers), when you can spend $10 to pick up 5 tons of plastic waste in asia? A more concrete example would be the water conservation measures in calfiornia a few years ago. The vast majority of the water usage is by agriculture, but residents were asked to engage in water saving practices (not watering laws, short showers, opt-in water at restaurants) at great inconvenience to them, even though any savings would be a drop in the bucket overall.