Climate Change Demonstrations

Unfortunately, there can be no progress, new homes, Schools, factories, offices, hospitals etc without destruction of the environment around us.

wind turbines cause their own "pollution" kill birds, destroy natural habitats and have a large carbon footprint in construction/installation.

Virtually everything the human race does has consequences for the environment, the genie is well and truly out of the bottle and I am not sure what if any in depth knowledge of climate change and the science behind it some of these protesters actually have?

More than you by the sound of it gg13

WWMK2, why the nasty comment?

absthame

but our generation and that of our adult children deny our responsibilities

Quite an unjust generalisation.
Invariably each generation thinks it is doing the ‘right thing’ and consider their innovations and actions progress and fulfilling a need. It is only with the benefit of hindsight that we can see their errors. Burning coal to provide, energy, warmth and light was a wonderful find at the time, that was until the smogs caused thousands of deaths and it was realised that coal was the major factor.

Wasn’t meant to be nasty, just a fact after reading your post.

For the naysayers: It was just one day out of school, for goodness sake! That isn't going to affect anyone's exam results. And as for Ban the Bomb not having succeeded, do you think we would have had nuclear disarmament (now under threat again) without it? Do not take young people's hope away from them. If you can't support them, at least don't badmouth them. They are marching for themselves and for your - and my- grandchildren.

Yes, I agree that climate change needs action now .......but going into my local town this morning, the pavements are graffitied with various climate messages using chalk and paint following the protests yesterday. I wonder what resources will be used to clean that up!! Governments need to legislate ....but we can all make a difference....were the protests counter productive I wonder.,,.

There was a child and its mother on BBC1 being interviewed about the reason for joining protesters------the child didn't have a clue !! Just a school day off !

WWMK2, rather leave a what can only be described as an unconstructive comment, would you care to point out what in your opinion is wrong with my post?

I keep doing that at posters request, but it doesn’t seem to sink in so Ive given up.

Just to say that this thread is about climate change and not environmental destruction.

I keep telling people that they are muddling the two.

WWMK2, environmental destruction has an effect on climate change.

Fires burning in Russia for weeks on end, bellowing carbon into the atmosphere.

Deforestation in the Amazon and Indonesia, basic science, trees are the lungs of the planet.

gg13 well I’m glad you’ve cleared that up as your post only talked about infrastructure and wind turbines.

WWMK2 I highlighted infrastructure to make the point that on so many threads on GN, posters bemoan the lack of these things, whilst campaigning about climate change.

They are both interlinked, as developement inevitably causes damage of some sort to the environment which in turn has a knock on effect with regards climate change.

Nothing comes without a price and in the 21st century not a lot of people are willing to go without their consumables or change their lifestyles to "save the planet"!

Fiachna50, As the young people themselves say, what's the point of going to school if there won't be jobs, food and even society itself within their lifetime. The window of opportunity to change the climate trajectory will close if the government doesn't act very, very soon.
I am a proud member of Extinction Rebellion and have been campaigning most of my adult life (I'm 71) for action to prevent climate impacts we're starting to experience. I was at the youth climate strike in Aberystwyth yesterday and will be sleeping on the streets of London for a couple of weeks from October 7th. I hope to meet some of you there!

You've said it, GG13, nobody but nobody will ever go without what they think they're entitled to " to save themselves " never mind a planet that'll keep revolving ad-infinitum and this is my argument against demonstrating/protesting.
We've seen rank selfishness in this country alone when there's been a drought where people have continued washing their cars, watering their lawns so what chance is there ever from changing a thing ? It's ludicrous to even think a change will ever happen.

I wonder at some on here who continue with their many purchases have the affront to agree or even join in with these demonstrations. This is what gets to me about the two-facedness of some people. It's beyond laughable !!

Speaking of jobs, Mittenma, I've just been reading about how hard-pressed families have been let down in Australia because a lousy 2,500 letters of objection to a new coal mine being opened which would have employed over 1,000 people.

So people now have to starve in order to save the planet ??

What are they planning to do to solve it? I honestly don't think it is the earth's biggest problem-now clean water...that is a hige concern.

There has always been tension between short term and long term gains.

Until other countries can be persuaded to clean up just a bit then people can protest till the cows come home, it simply won't make any difference! Anyone seen the state of the Ganges lately?! that in itself is enough to make strong men weep! Never mind the wild fires! The sight of those poor Orangutans, never mind creatures you don't see, is enough to make us all weep in total despair!

Apart from protesting we can all do our bit by aiding the environment and helping nature.
Stop using weedkillers and insecticides could be one small step.

Many demonstrated .How many of these persons will put into practice what they preach. ?
Energy usage has, we all or should know, been on the increase since the overpopulated world found many many uses for it and how it would improve lives (not forgetting filling pockets of providers with their products that cannot survive without energy).
Many protesters would use energy if needing transport to be part of this demo or would they have walked.?They no doubt used their phones if only to get an image of 'look at me saving the planet'How many protesters own a TV, tablet, PC .washing machine, tumble dryer, dish washer, fridge. energy gobbler freezer, coffee maker and would not think twice on returning home switching on not one but more of what is using that which they are protesting over.

sarahellenw - most used public transport, for sure. And yes, there would have been a mixture at the gatherings. But I can assure you, I meet and work with, on a regular basis- youngsters who do try (as described in previous posts) to put theory into practice and do it very well. They themselves know that 80 or 90% is perhaps not enough- but they will always say that 10., 20, 30 and increasing % is much much better than zero%.

They are disgusted and truly upset at adults who constantly deride them for not being 100% correct in their everyday life - adults who refuse to even contemplate their own behaviour and make an effort, any effort - to adapt and change ...but continue, day in, day out - despite said 'adults'. Amazing kids.

Jabberwork - so do you expect kids to just say 'ah well, we can't control what happens in India and Chin, so we might as well just ignore and wait for extinction. FGS - how can you blame them for wanting to do something, to get involved, to make a change- and perhaps too, influence what happens elsewhere.

Part of the in the seas and oceans is stuff that we have sent there, or things that we as rich tourists leave behind or produce when we visit (including massive amounts of water needed locally for humans and beasts- for 'all those white fluffy towels'), etc.

I am ashamed that we are prepared to use any excuse to break their spirit, mock them for what they do- and the real sacrifices some of them make, day in, day out.

I walked (about 2 miles each way) to take part in the protest in our town centre. It was fantastic to see so many people, young and old taking part.
I do wonder how many of the protesters, tapping away busily on their phones or tablets, munching away on McD or pizza and drinking bottled water, actually realise the impact of what they choose to do on what they are protesting about?
Even those eating more healthily e.g. fruit including oranges apricots and bananas (think of the carbon footprint).
Then at the end there was a queue of cars-some small, many 4x4s which came to pick them up instead of using the bus or walking.

Raising awareness in young and old through protest, great idea. Persuading people to give up what many see as normal and their right (e.g. cheap fashion, devices frequently renewed to keep up with the trend, fast food and frequent holidays) that’s something else.
I’m guiltily sitting drinking arabica coffee and eating asparagus from Peru with my meal. Which should I give up first and how will it affect the farmers and growers who export them?

How much public consciousness of science has improved since those protests for nuclear disarmament.Those brave souls on the ban the bomb demos made a difference .

Teachers have done wonders teaching science and ecology sometimes against the forces of conservatism, fascism, neoliberalism, and ignorance.