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Climate Change Protests - will they make a difference?

(792 Posts)
crystaltipps Wed 17-Apr-19 08:28:34

There has been so far 3 days of climate change protests in Central London and other locations. They’ve disrupted traffic and inconvenienced a few, but have been in the main peaceful and has had a festival atmosphere. It looks like these protests will continue. Personally I feel climate change is a really important issue and should be the one that our esteemed politicians should be acting on and discussing but they aren’t. I’m in no way part of this group but, with some reservations, applaud their efforts and hope it does bring the issue to the fore. It does highlight how far our police resources are stretched that they can’t be stopped though. If you don’t live or work in the capital you probably don’t care about the protest , but hopefully you do care about the issues, and these protests it may be coming to a town near you. What do others think?

Maggiemaybe Thu 18-Apr-19 09:20:12

How to reduce the human population you ask Maggiemaybe? Logan’s Run! Just goes to prove my point about the ignorance of some people.

Thanks for that, Anja. As I was so obviously being 100% serious, I deserved to be insulted.

Gonegirl Thu 18-Apr-19 09:21:00

gillybob - what?!!!!! confused Read what I said again?

Gonegirl Thu 18-Apr-19 09:22:29

They are starting with their own country - a good place to start.

In any case, the MPs are on holiday. Even Theresa is in Wales. grin

Gonegirl Thu 18-Apr-19 09:24:52

It is the government who can bring forward the phasing out of petrol cars on the market. And legislate against gas boilers being installed into new houses.

Gonegirl Thu 18-Apr-19 09:27:19

And, on the subject of people getting to hospital appointments, London cabbies do know alternative routes.

gillybob Thu 18-Apr-19 09:41:50

You could say this country is most responsible. Because the Industrial Revolution started here. So perhaps it's right we should take the lead

This is what you said up thread Gonegirl . I happen to think we are already "taking the lead" . We clearly cannot turn back time.

gillybob Thu 18-Apr-19 09:49:29

It is the government who can bring forward the phasing out of petrol cars on the market. And legislate against gas boilers being installed into new houses

What would you suggest we do to replace them? Electric vehicle Battery technology is still way off to make them a viable alternative at the moment.

What would you suggest we use to replace gas heating in our homes ?

gillybob Thu 18-Apr-19 09:52:16

And, on the subject of people getting to hospital appointments, London cabbies do know alternative routes

Oh yes travel 10 miles through side streets instead of 2 or 3 on the main roads. hardly environmentally friendly is it? Also many of us cannot afford to use taxis.

Maggiemaybe Thu 18-Apr-19 10:19:00

I’ve only been in a London cab once, in an emergency, because the capital is so well served by other forms of public transport. I’d never choose to travel in a car when I could use my feet, or hop on a bus. Perhaps those who travelled in to disrupt the lives of commuters and visitors could have used the time instead to protest in their own backyards about the woeful lack of public transport in many other areas of the country,

Alexa Thu 18-Apr-19 10:27:22

Electric battery cars can be very slow rather like large mobility scooters.These would be adequate for commuters, and two young children could fit into a small trailer. If all internal suburban and inner city roads were limited to these small electric vehicles the areas there would be very few serious road traffic accidents. Emergency vehicles and delivery vehicles would have special permission and would be limited especially the latter as to speed.

Gonegirl Thu 18-Apr-19 10:28:19

gillybob it's only for a few days. The demonstrations are about the future life of the planet.

Gonegirl Thu 18-Apr-19 10:30:30

That as well Maggiemaybe.

crystaltipps Thu 18-Apr-19 10:30:54

Cabbies have been blocking up London streets on their own protest for weeks. So don’t feel sorry for them, I was recently late for an appointment when Lambeth Bridge was closed by taxi driver protests.

Gonegirl Thu 18-Apr-19 10:31:48

I know what I said Gillybob. You're interpreting it wrong.

Gonegirl Thu 18-Apr-19 10:35:18

gillybob perhaps read this?

Gonegirl Thu 18-Apr-19 10:36:04

I imagine future heating will be by electricity. Hopefully nuclear powered. Until nuclear fission is viable.

Anja Thu 18-Apr-19 10:47:39

It’s not often I find myself agreeing with you Gonegirk but I’m right up there with you now.

Of course this is aimed at governments and a few days collateral damage to commuters is nothing compared with what is facing future generations. Commuters will soon ‘get over it’.

gilly stop nit picking, it’s the bigger picture and it’s your grandchildren who will have to live in this future world. Have you any idea what rising sea levels, increasing storms, hurricane, flooding, etc will do to them?

If you live on the coast now then .......

gillybob Thu 18-Apr-19 10:53:28

I imagine future heating will be by electricity. Hopefully nuclear powered

On this we can agree Gonegirl although a nuclear power station cannot be built in a hurry. I would also envisage that the same protesters will be out in force to protest against nuclear power too.

Thank you for providing the link about electric vehicles. There is nothing there that I haven't already read. The current wave of vehicles are not a viable replacement as yet (but I am sure the technology will come..... eventually). There is no way that we could carry out an outright ban on petrol and diesel until the replacements are a like for like (mileage) replacement and the prices are more favourable. There are millions of people like me who live in flats or terraced homes with no off street parking. where would we charge our vehicles ? I run an SME where our lads travel between jobs. They would spend more time stopped than started if we were forced to use an electric vehicle. As I said the technology will come but its still quite a way off yet.

Anja Thu 18-Apr-19 10:53:38

Government Report on impact of rising sea levels in the UK

Anja Thu 18-Apr-19 10:55:57

The technology is here now. It’s just a matter of upgrading the infrastructure.

gillybob Thu 18-Apr-19 10:57:24

I am not "nit picking" Anja I am simply stating my opinions as I (as far as I know) still have a right to do on these forums.

...and there is need to preach that my grandchildren will suffer in the long term. I already know that very well. As I have said previously I already try very hard at doing my bit for the planet. I very rarely fly (perhaps 10-12 times in 57 years...so not too bad) I very rarely travel any great distance by road either. I do hope you can say the same.

gillybob Thu 18-Apr-19 10:58:08

Oh dear...….."there is no need to preach !

GrannyGravy13 Thu 18-Apr-19 11:48:58

Our business sends at least two vans up to inner London every day. There are no electric powered vehicles big enough at the moment.

Due to the new ULEZ we have had to purchase two new vehicles earlier than planned, so two perfectly good vehicles 2 and 3 years old have to be sold at a loss. The car companies are making a fortune!!!!

I have just purchased a new car for myself, tried to buy an electric one, then looked at hybrids which are extremely expensive. In the end opted for a petrol with eco engine technology (whatever that is it).

If the Governments are serious they need to put pressure on car /van /lorry manufacturing to up their games now.

naheed Thu 18-Apr-19 11:52:09

I'd like to see putting big tariffs on Chinese goods by governments and the public boycotting Chinese goods to make the Chinese government to cut their emissions. But I suppose that's pie in the sky as its impact on socio economic would be big and because the inconveniences would be too much to bare by the public!

David Attenborough is presenting his concerns tonight on the BBC. I'll be watching that.

grandtanteJE65 Thu 18-Apr-19 12:13:08

It is all too easy to leave it to our politicians, but that will not get us anywhere.

IMO we all need to start by recycling, using as little energy as possible and trying to do something about the mountain of packaging that cannot be recycled that meets us every time we shop.

We probably all need to pick the things we can do to help - it is such a varied problem that we can't all be experts on every aspect of it.

Protesting may just make some people thing about an issue that they have happily ignored until now, but will probably just annoy them instead.