Monty Don

Yes, indeed, what solutions do you have?
We are a global community. The world relies heavily on flying - not just for pleasure, but for business, for bringing in and taking out food stuffs, for bringing in and taking out medicines, for transporting donor organs, to take aid to countries in need. On and on the list goes. So Telly do you still think flying needs to be stopped - what alternatives do you have in mind, especially when speed is of the essence?
Yes, we do need to be aware of our footprint and our use of plastics and other pollutants and do what we can to reduce them and where possible, find alternatives. We do need to consider whether that car journey is really necessary, or could we take the bus/walk. We do need to try to reuse, repair, recycle as much as we possibly can. However, there really are circumstances when such things as flying are an absolute necessity. I think what needs serious consideration and action is finding cost effective ways of using permanent alternatives to oil - but of course the oil industry is such huge business that it's not going to happen, I fear.

I think it is obvious that we will have to change how we live and what we consume. Climate change is a reality so the time for talking is done. Action speak louder than words, and MD is one for re using old bits of this and that. He uses his position to influence so I would like to see more practicing what is preached.

We should all grow our own vegetables and holiday in the garden, but it was be sad if we couldn’t see the beauty of other countries and wildlife , if that’s through film rather than going there ourselves, then that’s fine. Other than abolish all forms of transport other than by foot, we can aim to refuse, reduce, repair or recycle and therefore minimise the harm we are doing.

It is so easy to be critical! What solutions do people have?

I agree that air travel is a great pollutant and user of fuels so we need to minimise air travel. At the same time we want, want, want & need ,need , need,

We each should be reducing our footprint as far as possible. We cannot grab back the plastic already around but we can try hard to avoid using more.
Quick travel now governs economy in all sorts of ways.. I live near a canal which at one time was key to the towns economy ..not any more. So maybe we do need to commit to public transport, fewer flying off on holidays etc.

But we have all been culpable in contributing to the problem.. not just poor old Monty!

Aeroplanes have been invented. There's no going back now.

A bit like plastic.

Well I think Monty is brilliant...it's also nice to see and learn about different gardening cultures
I also have to fly around the world quite a bit to see son and family in Australia and Daughter and family in Dubai...I truly care about the environment and do my best to help...but nevertheless I do still have to fly !!

Well we hardly ever fly,I honestly prefer to holiday in the UK with our dogs.So many places we've yet to explore.But I find programmes like Monty's fascinating and it brings the colour and flavour of places like Japan into our living room without us adding to the carbon footprint by getting on a plane.Plus I genuinely believe he is never happier than when he is getting his hands dirty in his own garden.
I guess these programmes aren't strictly necessary,but then neither are films and TV dramas and a lot of them are filmed on location .We can all try to mitigate damage in lots of little ways.We have conciously decided to fly only if really necessary.I guess Monty flies for work,but doubt he pops off at least once a month on holiday or a city break that involves flying like our neighbours,and they think climate change is not their problem.

Very pleased to see that Gardeners World is back next week. Monty will therefore not be gallivanting abroad for a while.

Remember Al Gore? Flying around the world on a private jet lecturing about global warming?
Then back to his electricity-gobbling mansion?

No-one is allowed to make a documentary for the BBC without mentioning global warming, now man-made climate change.

However, the presenters, some serious, some on a 'jolly', are all to be found in far-flungs parts of the globe, complete, as you say, with crew.
There seem to be more and more of these programmes - lovely to look at and some are quite interesting, but are they necessary?

It's his JOB to make informative programmes that will entertain us gardeners during the dreary winter months and at least he sticks to horticulture.

What about Martin Clunes, Joanna Lumley, Romesh Ranganathan, Stephen Fry et al who veer away from their normal routines to have good old jolly paid for by the licence payer.

It's all in the name of entertainment and they have to get there somehow.

Just irritates me that these people seem to know what is good for the rest of us, but different rules apply to them. There either is a climate crises or not. If there is then, yes flying does need to be limited or even better stopped!

I can forgive Monty anything.

It would be a strange world if we all decided we couldn't leave our own spot on the earth, wouldn't it? No explorers, no different ways of life shown on our screens?

I agree we need to guard our green credentials but my driving the car into town isn't good either. Not sure what the answer is regarding TV programmes.

All in the name of research-----koff koff !

Well ditto David Attenborough, whom everyone seems to think is near to god. He makes his living flying round the world for goodness' sake!!!