The protesters are merely a distraction. If governments don't pull together pretty soon then the outlook for us and everything else in the world is dire. We can individually do 'our bit' but when 40% of all carbon dioxide emitted comes from just two countries (US and China) then it is largely out of our hands. The UK isn't even in the top 10 so if our country produced zero CO2 starting tomorrow it wouldn't make a significant difference.
I wish I could say there is hope in trees. They are after all the lungs of this planet but forests are cleared year after year to be replaced with palm oil plantations. Farmers in the 'developing'world are only going to be concerned with putting food on the table, so expecting tropical rainforest to be reinstated is a non starter. Meanwhile a brain-dead climate change denier in the Whitehouse reinvests in fossil fuel.
Simply put, 99% of the human race will only start listening when climate change affects them personally and by that time it will be too late. Other than that everything is coming up roses.
The protesters are merely a distraction. If governments don't pull together pretty soon then the outlook for us and everything else in the world is dire. We can individually do 'our bit' but when 40% of all carbon dioxide emitted comes from just two countries (US and China) then it is largely out of our hands. The UK isn't even in the top 10 so if our country produced zero CO2 starting tomorrow it wouldn't make a significant difference.
Simply put, 99% of the human race will only start listening when climate change affects them personally and by that time it will be too late. Other than that everything is coming up roses.
The UK may not be large in the scale of CO2 producers but that does not mean we just give up. We should lead by example.Every small thing we do as individuals all adds up. Keep up the pressure on Governments at home and abroad. Everytime you buy something ask questions about sustainability,recycling,production methods etc. If we all make small changes we are all helping.Don't wait for 'someone' to do something about the situation,do it yourself!
“Every day is ordinary, until it isn't.” - Bernard Cornwell-Death of Kings
The UK may not be large in the scale of CO2 producers but that does not mean we just give up. We should lead by example.Every small thing we do as individuals all adds up. Keep up the pressure on Governments at home and abroad. Everytime you buy something ask questions about sustainability,recycling,production methods etc. If we all make small changes we are all helping.Don't wait for 'someone' to do something about the situation,do it yourself!
It's not often I say anything positive about Government but the UK has pushed further with targets for reducing emissions than many other developed countries. I don't believe many of their targets are achievable, or that wind and solar energy will be able to provide a consistent supply at the levels claimed. Pushing toward electric vehicles it great in theory many of the infrastructure providers have already indicated that the timescales for rolling out charging points can't happen. When something as simple as smart meters is failing miserably to hit target, I don't expect other targets to be hit either.
It made me laugh when Emma Thompson was questioned about her flight and her response was "Well I plant a lot of trees", even more amusing was her reaction when asked if she had travelled economy to further reduce her carbon footprint. The look of utter disbelief, and the comment of "God. No!" speaks volumes.
I think views are definately changing amongst the younger families, especially due to social media. I know many young mums who are now very keen on reducing their environmental impact. We boycott palm oil, plant for bees, avoid plastic where possible and teach our children to care. We are converting our ways slowly. I previosly knew little.To me that means there is hope. Those vertical forest tower blocks like the one in madrid are good. But they require decent inhabitants to live in them for them to last here.
Consumerism seems to have been planted into our psyche, I was in Sainsburys the other day and looked around the 25% off clothing sale, coats, jumpers, hoodies, shirts, jeans, do I really need more of these? No I didn't buy anything but it is easy to keep buying things that we don't need to fill a little hole in our soul, some people do it every week just to feel better about themselves, consumerism cut it out!
@Fishy65. Very good summary there, we both are fully in agreement with what you’ve said. If it makes a person feel better by not using a flower pot, carrier bag etc, then do it. It wont change anything in the grand scheme of things, but if you feel better then do it.
consumerism, it’s the days of instant gratification and that ain’t gonna stop.
Someone leaves the pot at the GC, then drives home with the plant.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
Also at the London demo was Chris Packham, I don't doubt Chris's commitment and passion about the environment but he was recently in the BBC "Blue planet live", and while his co presenters Steve Backshall and Liz Bonnin were getting their feet wet reporting about Sharks, and the Great Barrier Reef. Chris on the Pacific coast of Mexico appeared to spend his time on a boat doing pieces to camera, yes he did get covered in "whale snot" but apart from that he could have saved the air miles and presented his piece from the UK. People who complain about the burning of fossil fuel should maybe not be a part of burning fossil fuel.
Also at the London demo was Chris Packham, I don't doubt Chris's commitment and passion about the environment but he was recently in the BBC "Blue planet live", and while his co presenters Steve Backshall and Liz Bonnin were getting their feet wet reporting about Sharks, and the Great Barrier Reef. Chris on the Pacific coast of Mexico appeared to spend his time on a boat doing pieces to camera, yes he did get covered in "whale snot" but apart from that he could have saved the air miles and presented his piece from the UK. People who complain about the burning of fossil fuel should maybe not be a part of burning fossil fuel.
They could have done it from a studio but how many people would have watched and been influenced by it? Viewers want to see presenters actually in the places they are talking about. There is no easy answer to all this but we do have to keep the pressure up and not let it slide out of the publics attention.
“Every day is ordinary, until it isn't.” - Bernard Cornwell-Death of Kings
Posts
I wish I could say there is hope in trees. They are after all the lungs of this planet but forests are cleared year after year to be replaced with palm oil plantations. Farmers in the 'developing'world are only going to be concerned with putting food on the table, so expecting tropical rainforest to be reinstated is a non starter. Meanwhile a brain-dead climate change denier in the Whitehouse reinvests in fossil fuel.
Simply put, 99% of the human race will only start listening when climate change affects them personally and by that time it will be too late. Other than that everything is coming up roses.
We should lead by example.Every small thing we do as individuals all adds up.
Keep up the pressure on Governments at home and abroad.
Everytime you buy something ask questions about sustainability,recycling,production methods etc.
If we all make small changes we are all helping.Don't wait for 'someone' to do something about the situation,do it yourself!
We are converting our ways slowly. I previosly knew little.To me that means there is hope.
Those vertical forest tower blocks like the one in madrid are good. But they require decent inhabitants to live in them for them to last here.
If it makes a person feel better by not using a flower pot, carrier bag etc, then do it. It wont change anything in the grand scheme of things, but if you feel better then do it.
consumerism, it’s the days of instant gratification and that ain’t gonna stop.
Someone leaves the pot at the GC, then drives home with the plant.
Viewers want to see presenters actually in the places they are talking about.
There is no easy answer to all this but we do have to keep the pressure up and not let it slide out of the publics attention.