Climate Change Demonstrations

Well, you know about the boat don't you? And then there's trains. We wait and see how she gets back from the US, but she won't disappoint.

When Gabriella posted "We don't need to be taught to suck eggs by anyone, much less by a kid from another country", it took my breath away. It says so much about her - not in a good way.

She could of course just listen to George Monbiot who is 56 years old and British.

Just remember that Greta may be "from another country" but we all share the same small planet.

Tbh it sounded like something a teenager would say. (Gabriella's remark)

Gabriella I know full well that hundreds of other brands of clothes are made in the near and far East. I didn't try to list them because I was pretty sure that most other Grans know that too.
I don't buy throwaway clothes myself.

Pride about what? I'm no placard waving greeny.

Well, varian I don't attach any importance whatsoever to your posts as you clearly have your own deeply held and immutable views ehich certainly don't tally with mine, TG.

Jane10
Actually, nor do I.
I get plenty of wear out of all my clothes no matter the cost.

If only it had...?

And the argument for the trains is that they were running anyway (as do commercial planes) but the one for the boat would be? Bearing in mind folk flew out to sail it home - allegedly.

Natural Climate Change

I'm one who believes that past demonstrations impacted the future- The world changed, albeit not in ways many hoped or expected nor as quickly as most might have wanted it to-

Grandparents that were activists then, raised their children to care who in turn raised their children to care- In some cases there are 4 generations of activists alive today, representing millions globally- There will only be more going forward-

If you planted your seed back in the 60s, consider the time it might have taken for such seeds to germinate, sprout, flower and then bear fruit-

I admit to being pretty unaware of environmental issues when I was growing up in the sixties and seventies.

As a student I joined campaigns to free Nelson Mandela, stop apartheidt and ban the bomb, but it never occurred to me or most of my friends to object to the fact that, in our ancient university, female students were not allowed to join the students union. (Women could go to dances and debates but were only allowed in the Beer Bar one day a year - which was called Daft Friday)
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However I do remember there being quite a significant green awakening in the 1970s - mainly promoted by the Liberal Party.

Looking back it seems that was overwhelmed by the materialism of Thatcherism in the 1980s.

That should have been "as I was growing up in the fifties and sixties" (I'm not as young as I'd like to be)

"We don't need to be taught to suck eggs by anyone, much less by a kid from another country."
Lovely! Do please write more sarcasm Gabriella.

PS Gabriella, I think some grans think you are for real maybe a little disclaimer?

Of course an incredibly worthy cause and great that school children are being encouraged to think about this and to take action BUT am I the only cynical person who thinks that if it had been a cold rainy midweek day there would have been fewer pupils taking a day off and are many of the people taking that day off actually doing it just to escape school for a day?

Do you really think our schools are that awful?

We will have to see how many turn up in October to sleep on the streets of London, if it rains.

I think they have tents.

It’s good to show concern, but,
Do they want to give up their smart phones and iPads?
Not go on foreign holidays?
Walk or cycle to school?
Give up fast fashion?
Etc: etc.

Do you read posts? Not all will, but many I know do- and work very very hard to make changes, not just themselves, but in their local communities, schools, unis, etc.

I find it so so sad that people will make very excuse via blame the youngsters for not being perfect- even if they try very hard and work at it. And work with their colleagues, students, families and friends ... and their too oft stuck in their ways, refusing to make changes, great-parents.

I can think of demonstrations that had excellent and lasting effect - the sufragettes!
If you listen to or read Greta Thunbergs speeches she calls for system change in particular as the necessary action, whilst living a sustainable life herself.

I am shocked at the vitriol on this thread, being directed at young people with genuine concern for the single planet which is home to us all.

To criticise them for caring is scarcely credible. To question their seriousness is shallow - don't you think you already come into contact every day with imperfect adults, doctors, ministers of religion, colleagues, neighbours and family members. We mostly overlook their failings, knowing that they, just like us, are mostly doing their best.

Sometimes people criticise others for failings that, in their hearts, they fear they are guilty of themselves. Please let's stop the petty nitpicking and use our collective wisdom and experience gracefully, while there's still time.

Amen to that Happiyogi. Our generation will be the one to be blamed - totally rightly. I want to be able to face my grandchildren and say 'yes, we made a mess- but I am prepared to think, learn, to my best, even when my best if not good enough- and I will support you kids all the way. And make the proud'

Virtue signalling, did you say? So don't care what you think, for sure. My I do care about what the youngsters and ma grandchildren think - and their future.

I read this on FB today:

"To all the school kids going on 'strike' for Climate Change:
You are the first generation who have required air-conditioning in every classroom.
You want TV in every room and your classes are all computerised.
You spend all day and night on electronic devices.
More than ever, you don't walk or ride bikes to school but arrive in caravans of private cars that choke local roads and worsen rush hour traffic.
You are the biggest consumers of manufactured goods ever and update perfectly good expensive luxury items to stay trendy,
Your entertainment comes from electric devices.
Furthermore, the people driving your protests are the same people who insist on artificially inflating the population growth through immigration, which increases the need for energy, manufacturing and transport.
The more people we have, the more forest and bushland we clear and more of the environment is destroyed.
How about this...
Tell your teachers to switch off the air-con.
Walk or ride to school. Switch off your devices and read a book.
Make a sandwich instead of buying manufactured fast food.
No, none of this will happen because you are selfish, badly educated, virtue signalling little 'princesses', inspired by the adults around you who crave a feeling of having a 'noble cause' while they indulge themselves in Western luxury and unprecedented quality of life.
Wake up, grow up and learn to research facts and think for yourself and not blindly accept the words and thoughts of others - I don't think you formulated this action plan all by your self - suspect you may have had some influence and 'guidance' from those you trust ....a word of warning, be cautious of the influence of the 'left' because there may be a time in the future that you will be the ones left out..."
I also read this: "I appreciate people want to protest trendy things and if you're rich its fine. The people dying on our streets now won't care about global warming. It couldn't be less relevant if the human race survives if it continues to create a larger underclass everyday. Sorry if this sounds miserable but I couldn't care less if the rich have a nice planet for their darlings to look forward to. There isn't a livable habitat for all at the moment, that should be the first priority. So it's not about "all of us"."
I thought it very sad that the efforts of young people were being belittled but there is an element of truth in both statements.
We are making a lot of effort to go green in our housebut it must be done thoughtfully. If I remember rightly, in my youth there was a huge outcry about the use of trees to make paper, card, etc and the knee-jerk reaction for plastic happened. We must be sure that we don't exchange one harmful thing for another.