Extinction Rebellion

[Mervyn and Trish]

I have mixed views on this bunch causing mayhem for people trying to go about their daily lives.

Yes in this country we have free speech and peaceful protest is part of our culture. But there have to be limits. The people trying to get on with life have rights too. Should any one person's rights trump another's?

But the biggest issue for me is their demand is unattainable. They want zero carbon emssions by 2025. Six years away. Have they thought through what that means? Is there a scientist within their midst?

All diesel and petrol cars off the roads. And buses and lorries. And hybrids.

Only fully electric vehicles permitted. Amnd those can only be those already existing. There are a lot of carbon emissions in buliding new ones. And no spare parts. So when they're gone they're gone. So within 5 years no road vehicles remaining. Or trains.

Or ships or planes. Horses and carts are ouyt too. They breathe (and ****!) We become totally geographically isolated.

All oil, coal and gas power stations closed. Only renewables permitted. And no new ones of those as above because of carbon cost of building.

In fact no manufactrure or construction of any sort.

No gas, coal or word burning heating. All must be electric, powered from renewable sources only. The rapidly diminishing resources that is.

No agriculture. So no food.

And no breathing out!

In fact it's not the dark ages. It's worse. It's extinction far faster than climate change will achieve it.

Reducing emissions is a sensible aim. But their target is impossible to achieve. So what is the ppint of their demos?

[barney]

Reducing emissions is a sensible aim. But their target is impossible to achieve. So what is the point of their demos?

Raising awareness Merv.
It's as simple as that.

The huge issue of over population is also something that should also be tackled.
More people means more resources.

What is a sustainable population for the UK ?
70 million
80 million
100 million

When does it become an ecological issue ?

Everyone tries to do their bit, don't they.

We shop as locally as possible and try to use supermarkets a little as possible.
We shop
1st local
2nd UK
3rd imported

All we can do is what we think is right and hope that others do the same.

Will these demos change attitudes ?
Let's hope it changes a few.

[Mervyn and Trish]

What is a sustainable population for the UK ?
70 million
80 million
100 million

50 million felt good! Our islands feel increasingly crowded, especially when you compare them with places like France with about the same population and two and a half times the area.

[Manoverboard]

There was an experiment many years ago where a town was built in miniature.

The population were mice.

Food and water etc was provided but kept at the same level, not surprisingly the numbers of the mice increased and it didn't take too long for all out war to break out …. just saying.

[screwy]

I take it all these people walked to London,etc or went by Bike.? Woman on Andrew Bolton this morning complaing of air pollution,groups sat behind her smoking away on whatever.? She had a annoying habit of calling him 'my love' !!
They should bring in the water cannon and hose them off.
BTW. ive just finished a book by Michael Chrichton...State of Fear, all about Climate change,i know its a novel buthe has lots of references from Scientists that kind of Poo Poo the theory, well worth a read.He does state that he takes neither one side or tother..

[Mervyn and Trish]

An interest example of conflicting science, what I often call knee jerk science because everyone hops on the latest bandwagon, became clear when the One Show were featuring the anti-plastic campaign last night.

Yes there are problems with plastic.

But the alternative materials of tin cans and glass bottles, while they may be more easily recycleable, are much more carbon intensive.

Is this diesel cars all over again? Saviour of the planet one day. The work of the devil ten years later.

[Kendhni]

These guys have a point but disrupting other peoples lives is not the way to go about it.

[towny44]

Another type of Drone attack is set to disrupt Heathrow this holiday weekend. This time it's the angry noise of climate change activists as they buzz around the airport trying to cause as much inconvenience to passengers as possible.
I assume they had to delay their start up to ensure that queen bee eco warrior Dame Emma was able to fly in safely to add her voice to the drone.

[Quizzical Bob]

An interest example of conflicting science, what I often call knee jerk science because everyone hops on the latest bandwagon, became clear when the One Show were featuring the anti-plastic campaign last night.

Yes there are problems with plastic.

But the alternative materials of tin cans and glass bottles, while they may be more easily recycleable, are much more carbon intensive.

Is this diesel cars all over again? Saviour of the planet one day. The work of the devil ten years later.

Science has nothing to do with it. Their demands are nowhere close to being realistic. I heard one of them suggest that simply by not leaving our phones on charge all the time we could make a significant change. Here's a thought. Why not turn your phone off al the time or better still, not buy one? I wonder if any of them know how much power is consumed by Facebook alone? In 2017 it was 2.46 terawatt hours. As a comparison in 2014 the UK as a whole used 2.249 TWh.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-06610-y
https://data-economy.com/data-centres-w ... ower-2025/

[Mervyn and Trish]

Another, a Vegan using this as an excuse to push their agenda, claimed that 95% of all CO2 emissions are the result of animal farming.

[oldbluefox]

If we are all eating beans and pulses can you imagine what that is going to do to methane levels? Just saying............

[Manoverboard]

Prrrrrp …..

[Happydays]

I know someone who said they never farted, I think they walked on water as well!

[Stephen]

Who's been talking

[Mervyn and Trish]

The flippers give you away

[Manoverboard]

… or the bubbles

[Mervyn and Trish]

So Greta Thunberg has arrived in the US on her zero emission boat. But what does this stunt prove? How many of us are willing to cross the Atlantic in a small boat taking 15 days? Or could afford £4m to buy one?

And how green is her journey? Aoparently two representatives of the boat's builders are flying to the US to sail it back. And she travelled with three others. That's four people who will now have to fly back. It would have been much greener if she'd got on the phone.

To be honest if she wanted to make a point about greenhouse gases she'd have been better coming to the UK and trying to get round the country on a budget on buses and trains. She could take Emma Thomson with her.

Then they'd find how bleeping useless public transport is for ordinary people and could start campaigning on that.

[Stephen]

They're all a bunch of hypocrites.

[towny44]

Are we sure this lot are a genuine environmental organisation? The name sounds more like a new wave punk band!

[Kendhni]

To be honest if she wanted to make a point about greenhouse gases she'd have been better coming to the UK and trying to get round the country on a budget on buses and trains.

Near our office they put in new bus lanes. The traffic congestion they caused meant my journey home time went from about 40 minutes to (on a bad day) 1.5-2 hours. The real irony was the announcement the bus company was forced to make ... they had to cancel the bus service because of the bus lanes. The buses were fine in the bus lanes but when the bus lane ended car drives could move across which meant the buses themselves were now caught up in the congestion that they caused.

A YouTube video was posted showing people getting off the buses to walk a mile and half down the road to try to catch another bus because it was quicker.

[barney]

That's not that unusual Ken.

A similar thing happened in Maidstone.
Bus lane caused massive congestion which the bus had to join when the lane finished.

They also 'improved' traffic flow by changing a roundabout to six way traffic lights.
It's now carnage every morning and evening.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Roadworks are another nightmare. I can understand that major works need traffic control. But recently we had minor works, less than two cars long, which had very badly adjusted temporary lights. Although everyday we are trusted to organise ourselves to pass parked cars and lorries I presume Elf and Safety demands lights "to protect the workforce".

On this occasion I was delayed over half an hour (on a normally 10 minute journey) in a 2 mile queue. When I got to the lights the queue the other way was. ........... one car. And there was no workforce to protect. And no hole in the road.

What did that incompetence cost in unnecessary carbon dioxide over the day? Probably enough to fly Greta to the US and back. Certainly more than me having roast beef on Sunday!

[Mervyn and Trish]

Dear Greta.

You've been made Time person of the year. Congratulations, even if the only other candidate was Donald Trump. You can stop now because you're costing your parents a fortune in missed school fines. And becoming very irritating.

You say we should listen to the science. Well science says global temperatures have fluctuated for millions of years and, yes, there may be a human element in that. You also attack my generation and say we're doing almost nothing.

Well here are some facts you've overlooked. The current warming cycle has been going on since the industrial revolution, so your parents and grandparents are not responsible for it. On the other hand it was our generation, not yours, that spotted it. And it is we who have improved home insulation, developed low energy appliances, invented cars that use much less fuel, and built all those wind turbines and fitted all those solar panels. Almost nothing eh?

So instead of attacking us, take responsibility for building on it. You'll be here long after we've gone. So I suggest you promote a youth charter. Here is my suggested first draft.

"Hi Mum and Dad.

First off please don't buy me any Christmas presents. I don't need more stuff. Instead buy as many trees as you can on my behalf.

In particular I don't want any more tech gadgets consuming all that energy. I will not be using the internet any more as I realise it is a huge contributor so carbon emissions. If I need to know stuff I'll look in books.

I don't need Facebook as I see my real friends face to face every day. When my old phone dies I only need a simple one that makes calls and sends texts. Or maybe nothing at all.

I won't be streaming music or video any more and you can cancel the Sky subscription. I'll watch and listen to whatever is on the radio and terrestrial tv, as it's so much more energy efficient.

I'll being going to bed as soon as it gets dark anyway to save the lights. I'll need plenty of bedclothes please because I'm turning off the heating in my room.

After the Christmas holiday you don't need to drive me to school any more. I'll walk, cycle or go on the bus like you used to.

I don't want any more foreign holidays. One week a year staying with Granny will be fine. And I'll go on the train.

I won't be needing driving lessons as I'm never going to own a car.

I'm vegan of course, but I don't want any meat substitute products because I know that farming soya is a major cause of deforestation. And I don't want exotic vegetables and fruit flown to me out of season.

I'll only be eating stuff grown within ten miles of home in season. In fact I'll grow most of what we need in the garden. I'll need something to fill my time now I've given up holidays.

I don't need new clothes until I've worn out the old ones. Do you know how much carbon the fashion industry creates?

When I do need replacement stuff there is plenty to choose from in the charity shops. Though of course I can't wear wool or leather because I'm vegan. Or man made fibres because that's just plastic.

I'm happy with cast offs from my older siblings. It doesn't matter that they are, what you would call, a different gender, because I am of course non binary.

I know it's not much Mum and Dad, but it's a start."

[Happydays]

Yeah, I can see them doing

[Stephen]

Attention seeking brat