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(50 Posts)
Elegran Mon 30-Dec-24 12:47:57

"For evil to prosper, it is necessary only that good men do nothing"

Ditto good women. If we are too old to fight, and all we can do is to set an example and comment as often as we can on the evil and apathy we see, then we should be doing those things. I never thought I would read such a lot of posts from people just giving up and surrendering.

NonGrannyMoll Mon 30-Dec-24 12:07:33

I remember Friends of the Earth saying, oh it must be 40 years ago now, that we had 30 years to change our ways, or the planet would be past the point of no return. So here it is. Merry Christmas.

Gwyllt Mon 30-Dec-24 11:54:06

Yogitree. Your DH sounds like mine I can imagine my husband with a sandwich board saying the end of the world is nigh
He will argue on about it. Yet he mixes the recycling up. Buys xs food we don’t need Will water plants with hose and leave it on if I don’t follow behind him
How many other people give lip service and their actions don’t reflect what they say

Tizliz Mon 30-Dec-24 11:53:52

Forgot to say that this is China

Tizliz Mon 30-Dec-24 11:53:17

Photos like this make it difficult to find the enthusiasm to do anything about climate change. What good will recycling my rubbish/restrict my travel etc do against this pollution?

petra Mon 30-Dec-24 11:41:30

yogitree
And here you are using one of the world’s big polluters: the internet. It is akin to the aviation industry.

pascal30 Mon 30-Dec-24 11:36:43

Lathyrus3

It won’t be uninhabitable. It will just be uninhabitable for humans - which is a completely different thing.

Evolution will ensure some species will survive.

We’re not the reason for the Earth’s existence. It will still be there.

I agree

BlueBelle Mon 30-Dec-24 11:32:40

We can only do what we can do, each in our own way and no, it’s not going to be enough, but I don’t want to die with my last thoughts being about my grandkids suffering so I ll carry on doing what I can do I ll carry on encouraging others, but that’s where it’s ends. I’m not going to be purposely reading or watching things that are just going to make me miserable because I personally have no power to change them.

petra Mon 30-Dec-24 11:32:38

I read some of it on Wikipedia. Nothing there I haven’t been aware of for some years.
And as some have posted: the earth will not die, just us.

Allira Mon 30-Dec-24 11:30:37

yogitree

FriedGreenTomatoes2

Why scare ourselves silly?

It feels like a responsibility to me, that we learn and pass on that learning to those younger or less educated. It's just very painful and difficult to read, assuming the predictions are accurate.

They shouldn't be less educated, though.

Aren't environmental studies, an awareness of climate change and sustainability taught in schools now?

The strategy of the previous government:www.gov.uk/government/publications/sustainability-and-climate-change-strategy/9317e6ed-6c80-4eb9-be6d-3fcb1f232f3a

Allira Mon 30-Dec-24 11:26:51

gulligranny

Or perhaps Earth will heal itself once mankind has disappeared? And, after all, isn't that what we are told is what we are supposed to be aiming for? It's what I believe, anyway.

Yes, although the plastic might last longer than humankind.

Allira Mon 30-Dec-24 11:26:07

yogitree

Shinamae

And what can we actually do about it?

Pass on the word and ignite some passion, so that perhaps the people can help sway government decisions somehow?

I'll pop over to India and have a word. 🤔

Calendargirl Mon 30-Dec-24 10:57:46

petal53

I agree with Allira.
I never throw litter. I try to recycle. I try not to waste.
However many of those younger than me do.
We were driving along recently. A young woman with a child in her car opened her window and tossed out crisp packets and empty bottles. Straight out on to the road.
I try my best. She doesn’t! And there are millions like her.
The oldies are the main ones who try.

Precisely!

petal53 Mon 30-Dec-24 10:52:44

I agree with Allira.
I never throw litter. I try to recycle. I try not to waste.
However many of those younger than me do.
We were driving along recently. A young woman with a child in her car opened her window and tossed out crisp packets and empty bottles. Straight out on to the road.
I try my best. She doesn’t! And there are millions like her.
The oldies are the main ones who try.

gulligranny Mon 30-Dec-24 10:51:46

Or perhaps Earth will heal itself once mankind has disappeared? And, after all, isn't that what we are told is what we are supposed to be aiming for? It's what I believe, anyway.

BlueBelle Mon 30-Dec-24 10:48:29

It’s not in our hands yogi well it might be yours but I ll only be here a short time I as I m old (I still feel 20 but I m not) I ve spent a lot of my life campaigning, going on marches, signing this that and the other and I still do to a lesser extent

My footprint is very small I don’t have a car, I don’t run central heating I walk or cycle everywhere, I only fly occasionally, I sort all my waste out as instructed I use as little plastic as possible I don’t buy off Temu or , I work (volunteer) in a charity shop I work bloody hard to counteract waste and landfill.
BUT I cannot change the world or the young ! It’s up to them now
What do you do ??

yogitree Mon 30-Dec-24 10:43:45

Shinamae

And what can we actually do about it?

Pass on the word and ignite some passion, so that perhaps the people can help sway government decisions somehow?

yogitree Mon 30-Dec-24 10:42:40

FriedGreenTomatoes2

Why scare ourselves silly?

It feels like a responsibility to me, that we learn and pass on that learning to those younger or less educated. It's just very painful and difficult to read, assuming the predictions are accurate.

Lathyrus3 Mon 30-Dec-24 10:40:50

It won’t be uninhabitable. It will just be uninhabitable for humans - which is a completely different thing.

Evolution will ensure some species will survive.

We’re not the reason for the Earth’s existence. It will still be there.

yogitree Mon 30-Dec-24 10:40:35

BlueBelle

If a man with a gun is running towards me screaming, about the only thing I can do is get on the ground, hide my head and pray or sing
So no I m not going to read scare stories about 20 /30/ 50 years time that I can have no control over and do absolutely nothing about
Why would I?

To consider how best to protect future generations from this point onwards? Or do we just give up and let the world be murdered?

Allira Mon 30-Dec-24 10:35:03

BlueBelle

If a man with a gun is running towards me screaming, about the only thing I can do is get on the ground, hide my head and pray or sing
So no I m not going to read scare stories about 20 /30/ 50 years time that I can have no control over and do absolutely nothing about
Why would I?

Quite!

We can only try our best but it's up to younger generations to act and, as far as I can see, many of them are busy gadding off on holidays, weekends abroad etc.

I don't think it's predominantly our generation which throws fast food containers along the sides of roads either.

I'll be dead in 30 years time. Probably way before then!
Their future - it's up to them.

BlueBelle Mon 30-Dec-24 10:24:27

If a man with a gun is running towards me screaming, about the only thing I can do is get on the ground, hide my head and pray or sing
So no I m not going to read scare stories about 20 /30/ 50 years time that I can have no control over and do absolutely nothing about
Why would I?

FriedGreenTomatoes2 Mon 30-Dec-24 10:12:09

Why scare ourselves silly?

Shinamae Mon 30-Dec-24 10:09:20

And what can we actually do about it?

yogitree Mon 30-Dec-24 10:06:08

The Uninhabitable Earth, A story of the Future, by David Wallace-Wells - reviewed by the Guardian as 'An epoch-defining book'.

DH gave me this for Christmas. It's a bit of a read, and so alarming I can only take a bit of it at a time!
Has anyone read it all the way through without mental consequences?
If it is true, we are a bunch of ostriches with our heads in the sand!