I feel like the greatest trick they recently played on us is to focus everything on CO2...

CO2 is but a small part of the equation, container ships release other nasty things. Even for cars co2 isn't the main issue, particulates from tires and brakes will fuck you up faster than any amount of co2

> The two main pollutants from a ship’s emissions are Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) and Sulphur Oxides (SOx). These gases have adverse effects on the ozone layer in the troposphere area of the earth’s atmosphere which results in the green house effect and global warming.

I generally agree but it was an interesting thought experiment nonetheless.

And particulates are nasty stuff, especially considering that it's not like they tend to be biodegradable.

Well yeah, if container ships wouldn't be as horribly efficient, manufacturing everything in China, or shipping various stages of garments halfway around the world, which leads to the finished product having traveled more than those that have worked on it will in their lifetime, wouldn't be possible. The problem with container ships is not just the CO2, but also that they burn the worst of the worst fuel (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_oil#Environmental_issues).

Imagine a cyclist who exists on a diet of beans, beer and dairy. Perhaps slightly lower CO2 emissions but vastly more methane and various mercaptans :D

Would want to replace the dairy with someone without an animal origin ideally. And pyroflatulence could be an aid to reducing methane emissions.

This calculation doesn't quite work because the human's food emissions also come from stuff like transport in that supply chain.

The basic grow food -> (feed to animal ->) eat food cycle is CO2 neutral by itself. You can feed a human in a carbon-neutral way.