Climate Change thread

[Anna B]

30 minutes ago, ads36 said:

here's the great news - more or less everything that we need to do to reduce our contribution to climate change is stuff we need to be doing anyway.

 

better public transport, home insulation programs, more nuclear power, more renewables, etc.

 

where's the hardship?

 

(China are the world leader on increasing their supply of renewable power)

 

 

I think the biggest thing that is concerning people is personal car use. 

We have been pretty dependent on our cars for a long time as the world has speeded up and we have to pack more into each day. Public transport is all very well but it's slow: a trip up to my father's house takes 20 minutes by car, but 1and a half hours each way by bus, (I know because I've done it.) 

 

The other day (quite a typical day) I did some shopping, took some stuff to the tip, called in on a friend who needed a bit of help, and took some of her stuff to the charity shop for her. How could I have done all that by public transport? Similarly when I was attending several hospital outpatient appointments and couldn't drive, a roundtrip by taxi cost £28. (I couldn't walk far enough to manage public transport,) and hospital transport let me down 3 times out of 4. 

 

The idea that we can live entirely within our own area is never going to happen and public transport does not fill the gap.

[altus]

33 minutes ago, Anna B said:

The idea that we can live entirely within our own area is never going to happen and public transport does not fill the gap.

The only people who suggest that is a thing are people who believe the conspiracy theories about 15 minute cities. Meanwhile, in Paris...

[ads36]

40 minutes ago, Anna B said:

The idea that we can live entirely within our own area is never going to happen and public transport does not fill the gap.

that idea is something you've invented - so that you can complain about it.

 

better public transport doesn't solve *all* our transport needs, but it's close.

 

(added benefit - better public transport results in fewer people driving, easing congestion a bit)

[Al Bundy]

On 10/04/2024 at 16:06, hauxwell said:

 

I cant say I'm not worried if Labour win the next election. I wonder how they are going to tackle climate change? More effort from the public for net zero and making people poorer. What a burden to put on the country when it is going to make very little difference. Surely all our efforts will be
diminished because of Russia, China and other countries who have no intention of tackling climate change at the moment.

 

 

 

 

Don't worry, sanctmonious hypocrites like Prince Harry and Emma Thompson will probably cut down using gas guzzling private jets and Boeing 747s rather than having a go at us for using a plastic straw to drink a Gin and Tonic.

[hauxwell]

On 10/04/2024 at 14:38, hauxwell said:

Oh well you learn a little every day. As long as Labour don't make it compulsory to have one if those expensive heat pump boilers.

With all these conflicts in the world and more countries who have nuclear weapons, then  experts warning us to expect the world to look different in 20 years because of a nuclear war, I think climate change is the least of our worries at the moment.   

[hauxwell]

2 hours ago, Al Bundy said:

Don't worry, sanctmonious hypocrites like Prince Harry and Emma Thompson will probably cut down using gas guzzling private jets and Boeing 747s rather than having a go at us for using a plastic straw to drink a Gin and Tonic.

With all the conflicts in the world and more countries having nuclear weapons, then we have experts warning us to expect the world to look different in 20 years time, I think climate change is the least of our worries at the moment. 

[El Cid]

9 hours ago, hauxwell said:

With all the conflicts in the world and more countries having nuclear weapons, then we have experts warning us to expect the world to look different in 20 years time, I think climate change is the least of our worries at the moment. 

I thought nuclear was good for climate change 

 

Coral around the world is turning white and even dying as recent record ocean heat takes a devastating toll.

It has triggered the fourth global mass coral bleaching event, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Bleaching happens when coral gets stressed and turns white because the water it lives in is too hot.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-68814016

[Anna B]

11 minutes ago, El Cid said:

I thought nuclear was good for climate change 

 

Coral around the world is turning white and even dying as recent record ocean heat takes a devastating toll.

It has triggered the fourth global mass coral bleaching event, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Bleaching happens when coral gets stressed and turns white because the water it lives in is too hot.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-68814016

Generating nuclear power does not cause climate change, it is considered 'clean.' However it does produce by products that have to be disposed of very carefully.

 

Weapons, on the other hand, especially nuclear create total devastation as we can see from Gaza, Ukraine, and any number of other warring countries. They throw tons of dust and debris into the air, and destroy land and buildings, and people which all has to be cleared up. Presumably the buildings will be rebuilt using more materials. The same can't be said for the land and the people. 

 

One bomb probably causes more global warming than any number of cars etc. 

Yet here we are suppling thousands of such bombs and weapons, while simultaneously trying to stop people poluting the environment with cars, often at great inconvenience to themselves. People don't use cars for fun, they use them because they need to. That has barely been addressed. 

[Annie Bynnol]

On 15/04/2024 at 18:11, Anna B said:

.... People don't use cars for fun, they use them because they need to. That has barely been addressed. 

    Nobody "...needs...." to use a car.

    Cars are best for certain types of journey -but not for all. People undertake a range of of journeys types using a range of methods. For some a car journey is the most practical, sensible, convenient and cheapest way to go with no realistic alternative. For others totally impractical. For most there is a choice to be made.

     Car usage  and car ownership should be considered differently. Most families have access to a car but don't "...need..." to use it every day especially when there are alternatives. It is the provision of alternatives and changes in habit that help to reduce car usage. 

      

 

 

 

[rogets]

1 minute ago, Annie Bynnol said:

    Nobody "...needs...." to use a car.

    Cars are best for certain types of journey -but not for all. People undertake a range of of journeys types using a range of methods. For some a car journey is the most practical, sensible, convenient and cheapest way to go with no realistic alternative. For others totally impractical. For most there is a choice to be made.

     Car usage  and car ownership should be considered differently. Most families have access to a car but don't "...need..." to use it every day especially when there are alternatives. It is the provision of alternatives and changes in habit that help to reduce car usage. 

      

 

 

 

Totally agree, I think car usage should be massively reduced as I am fed up of being stuck in traffic jams.

 

Surely some form of tax would make a sizeable percentage of car owners consider other methods of transport?

 

It would free up the roads