Overheard at the cafe.
Liam: “Did you see this? A guy set himself on fire outside the Supreme Court Building.”
Olivia: “No. Why?”
Liam: “From what I understand, he was protesting climate change. He was a Buddhist.”
Olivia: “Is that relevant?”
Liam: “I mention it because I remember similar incidents occurred in Viet Nam before and during the war. At least one monk went into a public square and set himself on fire.”
Olivia: “Did it change anything?”
Liam: “Not that I remember.”
Olivia: “So, you say this guy burned himself in D.C. Was this recent?”
Liam: “Earth Day, 2022.”
Olivia: “Hmmmnnn. Climate change, you say? Aren’t human bodies carbon based?”
Liam: “My thoughts, too.”
Olivia: “So, when we burn carbon, we make carbon dioxide.”
Liam: “Yep.”
Olivia: “Seems counterproductive to burn oneself when the product is the very thing that motivates the self-immolation.”
Liam: “Again, my thoughts.”
Olivia: “Who was this guy?”
Liam: “Let me read. Here. Wynn Bruce, 50 years old. According to the story, ‘climate activists’ called him a selfless martyr.”
Olivia: “Was he average height and weight?”
Liam: “Why do you ask? His photo seems to show a thin guy. I’m guessing just by the headshot that he was no more than 68 kilograms, maybe a hundred fifty pounds.”
Olivia: “Interesting. I’ll tell you why I ask. On average, our bodies are about 18 to 19% carbon. So—excuse me for using my watch calculator—that means that the guy was 12 kilograms carbon. Now, carbon dioxide combines two atoms of oxygen with every carbon atom. That makes the weight of what’s his name, oh! Wynn Bruce’s carbon footprint, assuming his body was completely consumed…”
Liam: “No, says here he died in the hospital. Was transported via helicopter.”
Olivia; “Well, for the sake of easy math, I’m going to say he was completely consumed in the conflagration and that instead of a helicopter, he was transported in a dust pan by the people who sweep the steps to the building. If so, if he was consumed completely, then, let’s see, every carbon atom has an atomic mass unit of 12 and every oxygen atom has a mass unit of 16, so, that means 12 + 16 + 16 to simplify. The weight of his carbon dioxide footprint was more than his unburned carbon. If my math is correct, and if I rely on the formula that says to multiply the weight of carbon by 3.66, then Wynn Bruce released about 44 kilograms of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere by the burning. Bruce just added about 96 pounds of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. If he had buried himself, he would have sequestered the carbon for years. Of course, had Bruce continued to live, he would have exhaled carbon dioxide daily, producing about a kilogram, or 2.2 pounds of the gas, every day. That means he would have had to live 45 additional days to produce the equivalent to his burn product. So, I guess he figured that in the long run, that is, 46 days or more of life, he would have a larger carbon footprint.”
Liam: “Wow! You’re really into this, aren’t you?”
Olivia: “Well, let me ask you, Liam. Can you name any Buddhist monk who committed suicide during the Viet Nam War era?”
Liam: “No, not at all.”
Olivia: “Can you remember the reason for the suicide?”
Liam: “I’m thinking. Oh! Got it. Something about oppression of Buddhists by the Vietnamese government.”
Olivia: “How’d that work out?”
Liam: “Don’t know, but I suppose it had little effect at the time. I might be wrong.”
Olivia: “So, this Wynn Bruce Buddhist, burns himself at the Supreme Court. I didn’t even hear about it till you told me. What did he accomplish except to take away his daily contribution—after that 45-day period—of carbon dioxide?”
Liam: “Maybe the Chinese will read about it, stop burning fossil fuels. After all, there are Buddhists in China. And in India, where the country also burns fossil fuels, there are many Buddhists. Maybe they will read about Bruce and stop burning fossil fuels. And maybe the people who traveled to Washington to protest climate change will think about a Zoom protest next Earth Day to reduce their carbon footprint.”
Olivia: “You’re being sarcastic.”
Liam: “How can you tell?”
Liam: “Did you see this? A guy set himself on fire outside the Supreme Court Building.”
Olivia: “No. Why?”
Liam: “From what I understand, he was protesting climate change. He was a Buddhist.”
Olivia: “Is that relevant?”
Liam: “I mention it because I remember similar incidents occurred in Viet Nam before and during the war. At least one monk went into a public square and set himself on fire.”
Olivia: “Did it change anything?”
Liam: “Not that I remember.”
Olivia: “So, you say this guy burned himself in D.C. Was this recent?”
Liam: “Earth Day, 2022.”
Olivia: “Hmmmnnn. Climate change, you say? Aren’t human bodies carbon based?”
Liam: “My thoughts, too.”
Olivia: “So, when we burn carbon, we make carbon dioxide.”
Liam: “Yep.”
Olivia: “Seems counterproductive to burn oneself when the product is the very thing that motivates the self-immolation.”
Liam: “Again, my thoughts.”
Olivia: “Who was this guy?”
Liam: “Let me read. Here. Wynn Bruce, 50 years old. According to the story, ‘climate activists’ called him a selfless martyr.”
Olivia: “Was he average height and weight?”
Liam: “Why do you ask? His photo seems to show a thin guy. I’m guessing just by the headshot that he was no more than 68 kilograms, maybe a hundred fifty pounds.”
Olivia: “Interesting. I’ll tell you why I ask. On average, our bodies are about 18 to 19% carbon. So—excuse me for using my watch calculator—that means that the guy was 12 kilograms carbon. Now, carbon dioxide combines two atoms of oxygen with every carbon atom. That makes the weight of what’s his name, oh! Wynn Bruce’s carbon footprint, assuming his body was completely consumed…”
Liam: “No, says here he died in the hospital. Was transported via helicopter.”
Olivia; “Well, for the sake of easy math, I’m going to say he was completely consumed in the conflagration and that instead of a helicopter, he was transported in a dust pan by the people who sweep the steps to the building. If so, if he was consumed completely, then, let’s see, every carbon atom has an atomic mass unit of 12 and every oxygen atom has a mass unit of 16, so, that means 12 + 16 + 16 to simplify. The weight of his carbon dioxide footprint was more than his unburned carbon. If my math is correct, and if I rely on the formula that says to multiply the weight of carbon by 3.66, then Wynn Bruce released about 44 kilograms of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere by the burning. Bruce just added about 96 pounds of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. If he had buried himself, he would have sequestered the carbon for years. Of course, had Bruce continued to live, he would have exhaled carbon dioxide daily, producing about a kilogram, or 2.2 pounds of the gas, every day. That means he would have had to live 45 additional days to produce the equivalent to his burn product. So, I guess he figured that in the long run, that is, 46 days or more of life, he would have a larger carbon footprint.”
Liam: “Wow! You’re really into this, aren’t you?”
Olivia: “Well, let me ask you, Liam. Can you name any Buddhist monk who committed suicide during the Viet Nam War era?”
Liam: “No, not at all.”
Olivia: “Can you remember the reason for the suicide?”
Liam: “I’m thinking. Oh! Got it. Something about oppression of Buddhists by the Vietnamese government.”
Olivia: “How’d that work out?”
Liam: “Don’t know, but I suppose it had little effect at the time. I might be wrong.”
Olivia: “So, this Wynn Bruce Buddhist, burns himself at the Supreme Court. I didn’t even hear about it till you told me. What did he accomplish except to take away his daily contribution—after that 45-day period—of carbon dioxide?”
Liam: “Maybe the Chinese will read about it, stop burning fossil fuels. After all, there are Buddhists in China. And in India, where the country also burns fossil fuels, there are many Buddhists. Maybe they will read about Bruce and stop burning fossil fuels. And maybe the people who traveled to Washington to protest climate change will think about a Zoom protest next Earth Day to reduce their carbon footprint.”
Olivia: “You’re being sarcastic.”
Liam: “How can you tell?”
RSS Feed