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Should the government be more proactive?

(102 Posts)
maddyone Thu 13-Feb-20 11:53:38

It appears that flights from all over the world, including China, are still arriving into Britain. No medical checks are taking place, immigration into Britain, or back into Britain, is apparently uncomplicated. Is it time that at the very least, flights from China are stopped? Some countries stopped all flights from China last week, but not Britain. In the light of the Coronavirus outbreak, should our government be more proactive?

Callistemon Sun 16-Feb-20 09:43:02

The direction of this thread has changed from questions about whether the government is doing enough to stop COVID-19 spreading in the UK to a rather angry rant at other posters for their alleged travel and way of life contributing to climate change.
A vital topic for discussion but veering off this immediate crisis.

I'll read what the WHO chief has to say instead.

MamaCaz Sun 16-Feb-20 09:09:58

notanan2

I have to say that while I often disagree with you on many topics, I am with you on this.

Iam64 Sun 16-Feb-20 08:54:00

MOnica's long post above is a goodie. notanan2, "people on this thread are somehow convinced that less flights and cruises isn't desirable" is just not an accurate reflection of what people are saying.
Most of us recognise the need to change to help save the planet. Everyone doing small things, making changes regularly along with governments across the world tackling the problems together is what's needed. I don't think assuming the moral high ground against people who are trying to discuss one of the most significant things in our life time is helpful

M0nica Sun 16-Feb-20 08:04:20

notanan I give up. Your interpretation of what posters have said on this thread is the exact reverse of what they have actually said.

notanan2 Sat 15-Feb-20 23:13:35

Someone upthread even suggested that if you dont fly your just existing not living grin
Then it was equated to living in a cave

Such lack of imagination here

notanan2 Sat 15-Feb-20 23:11:52

People on this tread are either somehow convinved that less flights and cruises isnt desirable.
The others just think it is other people who need to fly/cruise less.

Cause you have reasons for wanting to fly.. and you bought that reusable coffed cup, so its not you who needs to adapt is it Carol?

notanan2 Sat 15-Feb-20 23:08:35

We can try our best but may not reach your level of perfection notanan.

Its not about being perfect its about not being so willfully ignorant as to think youre exempt from having room to improve

notanan2 Sat 15-Feb-20 23:07:31

Thats true pinkquartz
In scientific terms when a species becomes over dominant to the point where its problematic, epidemics curb it.

If youre taking too much, nature bites back.

Air travel has been a major catalyst in this outbreak, and previous ones, and future ones.

And if it makes a few rethink their cruise / flight habits (its probably wont but IF) then that wouldnt be a bad thing.

Callistemon Sat 15-Feb-20 23:06:21

We can try our best but may not reach your level of perfection notanan.

notanan2 Sat 15-Feb-20 23:03:41

This thread is full of people kidding themselves that theres some kinda credit system:

Its okay cos people younger than me do it
Its okay cause I think my reason for travelling makes me exempt
Its okay because I remember my bags for life etc

pinkquartz Sat 15-Feb-20 23:02:31

I believe that WW1 and movement of troops and nurses helped to move the Flu of 1918 around quite a lot.
Also there was a lot of secrecy about it until it had a hold on populations.

If we are going to allow planes in form China why can't we at least screen people?

No one needs a cruise!

And it is business people that need to curb travel more...why can't they face time or video conference more?

If we are "going to save the planet" we need to reduce populations...there are too many of us and yes there
is an old theory that Mother Nature will address this if we don't........
like a pandemic.

notanan2 Sat 15-Feb-20 23:00:05

Okay so tell me again how cruising etc is doing the world a favour, and how its everyone else who flies too much but GNers are exempt, its not their flights that count..

Callistemon Sat 15-Feb-20 22:55:59

Perhaps you are talking to the wrong people here.

Most younger people I know travel far more than we do or ever did.

notanan2 Sat 15-Feb-20 22:53:19

but I cannot see the point when just some modifications in our behaviour, some thought about how we behave means we can do the job just as well in comfort.

Youre kidding yourself if you think a few easy "swaps" mean that its okay to continue as we are. People have to give up some things that they might initially miss in order to reset us onto a sustainable track for the future

Some people have an inability to reset what they consider they need for a comfortable happy life. These people are not the ones championing progress.

notanan2 Sat 15-Feb-20 22:49:54

Yeah thats exactly what I said hmm

Less flights and cruises is hardly a hardship that regresses the human race. It would be the total opposite if regression. It's called adaptation. Current habits are not sustainable, carrying on as is is not progress.

Callistemon Sat 15-Feb-20 22:44:47

If we all revert to cooking on wood fires there will be no trees left and the burning of wood will increase global warming and produce carbon monoxide too.

SueDonim Sat 15-Feb-20 22:35:18

Good post, Monica.

maddyone Sat 15-Feb-20 22:33:38

Well said MOnica.

M0nica Sat 15-Feb-20 20:06:53

Notanan as I understand it you would like to return to the Stone Age when we all lived in caves with one small fire per cave per tribe and otherwise using no energy.

I assume you now live in an unheated house and never travel on any kind of transport that uses fuel or buy any goods, including food, that consumed any fuel in production or transport.

The answer to both queries, is of course you don't. We are where we are and we know we now need to reduce green house emissions. There are many ways of doing this. The UK has reduced its emissions by 40% since 1990, mainly by closing coal fired power stations. World air travel only produces 2% of total world green house gas emissions.

What we must do is gradually make changes to move to a net zero economy. There is no reason why people should not continue flying, but simply take fewer flights or move some journeys to rail if that is possible, and it often is. Even before recent announcements about the phasing out of the manufacturing of hydrocarbon fuelled cars, cars had become much, much more efficient and were producing much less carbon dioxide than they did 10 or 20 years ago. CH boilers are much more efficient, houses better insulated.

These changes to electric cars are only possible because of the growing amounts of money being poured into research into better battery technology. Lorries will possibly move to hydrogen power, there isn't a hydrogen lorry engine yet, but there will be soon. Planes may be able to do the same. Bit by bit, at an accelerating rate we are cutting emissions.

As I said, if you want to turn the page back to the 17th century or earlier, for yourself, please do so, but I cannot see the point when just some modifications in our behaviour, some thought about how we behave means we can do the job just as well in comfort.

Callistemon Sat 15-Feb-20 10:10:56

What is streaming?
I keep hearing about it on the BBC

As far as I'm concerned streaming refers to a cold and I want none of it.

Callistemon Sat 15-Feb-20 10:09:13

No, 'Spanish flu' or the H1N1 pandemic of 1918 it is believed originated in China and avian in origin.

People did move around but not swiftly by plane as now.

Daisymae Sat 15-Feb-20 09:35:44

I think that changes will be inflicted on us whether we like it or not. At the moment it's optional - Harry and Meghan eco warriors in their private jet. I wonder though how many people voluntarily give up things they enjoy but could live without eg visiting relatives or long haul holidays?

Iam64 Sat 15-Feb-20 08:38:43

Goodness me a row can break out on gransnet in the blinking of an eye.
I don't agree that we should stop flights from China for all the reasons given by others here. In short, it's too late and given the racism some Chinese British people report since this virus hit, surely it could only inflame that kind of horror.

No sensible person could deny climate change, or the need for all of us to make changes in our lives in an attempt to do less damage. To strongly criticise people who use long haul to visit family whose work bases them in far off countries seems like a form of snobbery to me. I'm lucky, my loved one's largely live within 50 miles, even the younger generation who went off to university and said they'd never return to this deprived part of the country are back, working and bringing their children up, sending them to the same schools they attended. If one of my children was working in the USA I'd want to visit every year, if I could afford it, for as long as life and the law allowed me to.

notanan2 Sat 15-Feb-20 08:37:53

Doesnt matter. It affects everyone whether they participate or not.

Daisymae Sat 15-Feb-20 08:05:50

Looks like hundreds of flights have been cancelled today because of the storm so maybe that's a breather. I do wonder if people who condem cruise travel and international flights have actually given them up - or never traveled?