Extinction - the facts

Well said @Vegansrock!

when I had my children the fear was nuclear war - when my parents had me there was fear of another world war. I think the answer lies in doing our bit as individuals, and being aware of eating wisely, not wasting food, growing our own if possible for a start, avoiding buying useless throwaway stuff. It may be too late - I remember that this was all discussed in the 70's and we were considered weirdos and cranks. But while there is money involved it is hard to get people to change. I was horrified at the trade in wild animals, and I cannot believe that people kill animals for sport. Our children and grandchildren will learn to adapt, and we will die out. I am only so sorry that my generation did not do more. Shame on the owners of factory farming, fossil fuel companies, and monsanto.

calistemon please stop telling me what you think I want to do.
Fair point.

What might be a good idea, though, would be to re-read the posts on the other thread, as what you are claiming about posters' opinions on plastic tat is totally wrong.

Yes, there's an element of burying my head in the sand over what's possibly the beginning of the end, and no news - be it politics, money, famous people, or religion can hide what's going on around all of us. Like others I fear for our children's future. Nine years is a tiny amount of time to begin to turn things round, we've been messing things up for millions of years. How do we start? This isn't just involving our tiny speck of land on earth, there's so many other countries and people who really aren't bothered or are unaware how serious this is. A world united to save the earth could sprinkle a couple of drops of water over raging fires, hurricanes, droughts, wars. I feel so small, alone and helpless that sometimes burying my head whilst weeping is the only way I can cope with what's happening

calistemon please stop telling me what you think I want to do. I won’t mention plastic tat again, but we should obviously seriously reduce our reliance on it. Ditto meat and dairy- omnivore means we CAN eat a variety of things - one of the reasons humans have been so successful in populating many different regions of the planet, but it doesn’t mean we HAVE to consume meat and dairy in ever increasing quantities to survive. There are many healthy vegans and vegetarians just as there are many unhealthy meat eaters and vice versa. But in terms of minimising our carbon footprint, reducing meat and dairy consumption, where you have a choice, is one thing people in this country could do. However, people are creatures of habit and many don’t want to change their lifestyle in order to protect the planet for future generations.

I have solar panel, pv panels and an electric car, now five years old. So Gransnet Posters how about putting you money behind some part of a remedy?

LadyBella.. why have so few of us joined in this thread?

me? I have known of this for some time now... don`t need David Attenborough or anyone else to tell me..

Man`s greed,,, has been thus since the beginning of.....
whatever our beliefs.....
our great , great grandchildren...

you off your phone? your computer... who has bought an electric car? where do the minerals (?) for the batteries come from? who drives a car indeed? flying abroad? who is the first to stop...?

just asking!

I do not believe the climate change and carbon dioxide bit but the other environmental factors I have believed for years and been concerned about. Chemicals in fertilisers and pesticides ruining the soil and killing beneficial necessary insects, the multi use of plastics that do not degrade etc are all major concerns. We do not live in harmony with nature and are very wasteful unlike the original people’s on this earth. Also there are too many of us.

Discourage people breeding. Stop over sentimentalizing children. If it became socially unacceptable to have children the world would have a chance to recover. Give medals and an enhanced pension for those couples who have not procreated.

Maggiemaybe

^I mentioned on another thread it was good to buy less plastic tat for children and was accused of being a moaning minnie, stopping fun and worse.^

It’s inappropriate to quote directly from other threads, so I won’t. But in fairness to other posters, nobody actually disputed that point or said they would be buying plastic tat. The posts you mention were all in response to other comments you made.

vegansrock that is not what was said at all.

This is an important thread; I hope it won't be deleted as you seem to want to turn it into a thread about a thread.

I watched it and found it very sad, depressing and frightening. But then I remembered Trump telling the world there is no such thing as global warming, so obviously he must be right.

Am in agreement with you LadyBella. Scary stuff even though I haven't seen the programme.

I have for a long time mulled over a thought that although I wouldn't wish no grandchildren on my children I am beginning to think it would be better if my grandchildren didn't have families. Of course I would never voice these thoughts to.my family. And not just because of climate change and consumer greed, but just look at some of the powerful leaders/countries in the world. So scary.

I am not in agreement with vegan or vegetarian. I have always maintained that if everyone did this it would unbalance nature, and that really worries me. Humans are designed with teeth and an elementary canal that dictates we should be omnivores. What would becomes of all the animals?? I do agree that meat consumption should reduce, and factory farming. Animal welfare must be a priority. However, nature in the raw is brutal too.

Just putting on my tin helmet.

Attenborough only commentates on these programs, pretty sure he doesn’t fly anywhere now ( see previous comment) I saw half of it and it’s definitely horrifying but just goes to confirm to me that the world is going to hell in a handcart! Maybe the human race is getting what it deserves with this pandemic. I do feel for our descendants though. But the majority of people would rather listen to mad Trump that Greta Thunberg it seems.

I've wondered about joining Extinction Rebellion too LadyBella. They appear on the streets and beaches regularly where I live and they make people think. I do what I can to take great care to look after my tiny bit of the planet, including giving up having a car. I trialled it to see how it would work and I don't miss it at all now. I feel sad to see the dependence people have on cars. I have a town centre flat with a patio which attracts countless strange insects and creatures you don't expect in a town, because of what I've planted. We have to start with where we are and try to feel we're contributing, if only a tiny bit.

I mentioned on another thread it was good to buy less plastic tat for children and was accused of being a moaning minnie, stopping fun and worse.

It’s inappropriate to quote directly from other threads, so I won’t. But in fairness to other posters, nobody actually disputed that point or said they would be buying plastic tat. The posts you mention were all in response to other comments you made.

The biggest change any of us can make is to switch to a vegan diet, or at least reduce meat and dairy consumption but if that is ever discussed we are accused of having a mental disorder or being hypocrites for not being perfect in every way. People don’t want to change their habits. I mentioned on another thread it was good to buy less plastic tat for children and was accused of being a moaning minnie, stopping fun and worse.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

I did not watch it. A conscious decision not to make my life feel any sadder than it already does.

I also feel that there is so little we as individuals can do. I do everything I can. I do not need more guilt.

I also think Attenborough should not make his living flying round the world. I never fly - too damaging to the planet.

LadyBella
I haven't stopped talking about the horrors that are predicted with friends and family since watching the programme.
I feel that the majority of posters don't care one iota about the catastrophe that's coming down the line.
You only have to read threads where consumerism is being discussed: pages and pages.
My trouble is: I read and listen to too much stuff on this subject and feel powerless.
If we in this country were serious about doing something it should be on the school curriculum.
The only consolation I have is that the the huge consortiums that are ruining the planet think it won't affect them. But sooner or later it will.

I’m too scared to watch this because I feel so powerless. Maybe this is why there are so few comments? Or headlines.

9 years to save the planet? Is that what is being said?

I was surprised some of it didn't appear in the news ... "9 years to save the world" for example.

We produce enough food to feed the world's population but waste nearly half of it.

That is a disgrace which needs to be addressed as we do not need to cut down any more wild land including rainforest for agriculture.

I've looked at this thread again tonight and am saddened by how few people have commented on it. Do people think none of this applies to them? Or do they bury their heads in the sand? This is all happening NOW. And until over-population is addressed there is little hope. Not sure what the answers are but we need to find them pretty soon!

Why would that be true?.

Because every developing country depends on exploiting natural resources to feed the nation, Palm Oil in SE Asia, Soya in Brazil, Copper in Zambia or Cotton in Southern Russia And many others. With Global population both growing and expecting a higher standard of living, exploitation is going to increase not fall.

White Rhinos have nothing to do with climate change, it’s poaching and population pressure that threatens them and a good many other vulnerable species.

The fact that they were able to link the environmental crisis to the pandemic might make people pay more attention. And the tale of the white rhinos was heart-breaking, they are not creatures you would normally think of as "beautiful" but it made me see them that way.