Non-Solution "Solutions"

[bae]

Isn't that because Princeton has the largest endowment fund of US colleges/universities? I know that used to be true.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...s_by_endowment

Note that there are two tables, one for private, one for public. There are some well-heeled institutions out there, in both camps.

[ToomuchStuff]

Joe Biden proposes to forgive some student loan debt but not do anything to control educational inflation so it will help some with current debts but not help those taking out loans in the future. A permanent solution would be Bernie Sanders's free community college.

It would certainly cut the number of loans available, if the government tried to forgive loans between private parties, with no compensation.

[catherine]

When I consider the “real change” some wish to impose, I thank my primitive sky god and our slave-owning founders for the precious gift of gridlock.

On the OPs topic and also on the "real change" issue:

On the non-solution solution of student loan debt: SallieMae is a horrible loan. DD took advantage of a government student loan for her last two years in college. The way that loan is structured you pay literally nothing but interest for YEARS. The amortization schedule keeps you deep in debt for a long time before you see a nickel going toward principle. So these programs for early forgiveness like the 10 year plan that UL was working toward is fine with me because it's simply like getting a refund for all the money you gave to the government and reallocating it to principle. That's the root problem of student loans. I have no problem with "real change" coming in the form of restructuring of the loan terms, maybe changing to low/no interest.

On another non-solution solution I'd like to nominate renewable energy. Yes, this relates to the reality presented by the book that I've really been thinking about--Bright Green Lies--and its thesis that renewable energy comes with its own burden of environment sins. The need to mine for batteries for PV cells, the disruption of marine life for offshore wind an hydroelectric power, the manufacturing of panels and turbines, the land use needs for biomass--it all comes down to "what is the lesser of these evils" and "which energy source will keep us going the longest before we still wind up plundering the earth and destroying biodiversity beyond the point of no return?"

As it has been noted here, the real solution has to address the root problem, and the renewable energy non-solution solution does not address the REAL environmental solution of minimizing consumption and economic growth. The "inconvenient truth" is that NO energy source will eliminate the consequences of unbridled consumption and unfettered capitalism. I'm preaching to the choir of this forum by saying the REAL solution is for more people to return to a more simple life. But not many are heeding that call.

[Yppej]

I think the root cause of environmental problems is also overpopulation. Instead of giving child tax credits we should be rewarding those who don't reproduce, but Biden is all about increasing the credits.

[catherine]

I think the root cause of environmental problems is also overpopulation. Instead of giving child tax credits we should be rewarding those who don't reproduce, but Biden is all about increasing the credits.

Yes, certainly overpopulation is another root cause. I do think that if everyone lived simply, overpopulation wouldn't be as much of an issue. But since we have to expend huge amount of resources per each human being, rising population numbers definitely comes into play.

Project Drawdown puts education of females near the top of the list as a high impact measure in terms of curbing carbon emissions.
https://www.drawdown.org/solutions/health-and-education
https://www.resilience.org/stories/2...echnologies-2/