Greta Thunberg on the environment and being on the Autism spectrum

It’s not just about the handsets.

Study shows smartphones harm the environment
www.eng.mcmaster.ca/news/study-shows-smartphones-harm-environment

Assessing ICT global emissions footprint: Trends to 2040 & recommendations
Belkhir, L., Elmeligi, A. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2018

“We found that the ICT industry as a whole was growing but it was incremental,” Belkhir explains. “Today it sits at about 1.5%. If trends continue, ICT will account for as much as 14% for the total global footprint by 2040, or about half of the entire transportation sector worldwide.”

“For every text message for every phone call, every video you upload or download, there’s a data centre making this happen.

Telecommunications networks and data centres consume a lot of energy to serve you and most data centres continue to be powered by electricity generated by fossil fuels. It’s the energy consumption we don’t see.”

Among all the devices, trends suggest that by 2020, the most damaging devices to the environment are smartphones. While smartphones consume little energy to operate, 85% of their emissions impact comes from production.

We’ve created a society where smartphones have been embedded into everyday life for many people. Some rely on them to be able to work. We’ve got ourselves into a right mess which is why the issue is so complex. No one can be perfect but if we all did the best we could do within reason it would be a start - and many people do do their best.

interesting about smart phones

The power is in your hands. If you really do want to act, never, never buy another smartphone again, and cut back on your usage.

leyburn do you realise what ‘funded by George Soros’ is often code for?

Sorry her “handler/supervisor” is called Luisa Neubauer.

No joelsnan. Was speaking for the government.

Her manager Luesa (sorry forget her surname) works for one.org. which is backed by the "Gates" Bono and George Soros.

Environmental Policy Index, Yale Unversity 2018
epi.envirocenter.yale.edu/epi-topline?country&order=field_epi_rank_new&sort=asc

It's hard not to admire the sheer fluency of Greta Thunberg, given that English will no doubt be a second language, but Scandinavians are amazing linguists we discovered that when we were in Denmark. It's very refreshing to to have a girl of her age not playing to the camera or to listen to the endless "I'm like", "I was like" she's very eloquent for someone so young.

Gonegirl
You don't speak for me when you say we are not 'the converted'.
I certainly have ben environmentally aware and active well before it became flavour of the month.m

But we are not "the converted".

The picture of the polar bears I remember well and, if I recall correctly, there was a reason for the bears to be thin and scraggy looking that had not a lot to do with climate change. Plus the developing nations that are just coming up to industrialisation see no reason why they should cut their emission in their run to modernisation. The three countries with the biggest emissions on the planet are India, China and the US so I'm afraid Greta's already preaching to the converted in Europe. There comes a point when the law of diminishing returns applies when so much money is thrown at a problem that the benefit I miniscule. If people grew there own food, walked or cycled instead of driving etc we would all be in a better place. However, unless the big three do something about their emissions very little ill change in the short term. Like some of the other posters I would be really concerned about the exploitation of this young woman.

Don't we all see things in black and white anyway at 16? It's good to be reminded of this because decades of compromise and half hearted efforts have made little difference. Greta and the kids are all right. We need to support them

I think it is a wonderful achievement that a 16-year old girl has become an advocate for climate change and giving us all a wake-up call.

I doubt if anyone is manipulating her and why would her parents would allow this.

It is us who are being manipulated by governments who only pay lip service to caring for the environment. For example we hear that various wipes contain plastic and are not biodegradable.

There is nothing to stop the Government from prohibiting manufacturers from using these plastics which are piling up on land and in the sea and choking fish to death. They have already stopped soft drinks manufacturers from using too much sugar.

There is clearly much to be done to protect the environment and the clock is ticking.......

She reminds me of Malala Yousafzai who was even younger when she was shot in the head and took up the cause of girls and education.

No one was manipulating her and I doubt this young woman is either.

Total respect for these strong, passionate and well informed young people. Better informed than some who seem to think climate change is predestined or under control

It is not! We are almost on the brink of extinction.

Joelsnan, to some extent, actions are being taken by both people and governments including the UK government though Michael Gove changes his mind by the day and I fear for environmental protection once we leave the EU, which looks likely.

However, to sit back and say 'oh, it'll be ok, some things are being tackled' to me, is no longer enough and I feel that only a citizen's stand will bring it home to corporations and governments, that more must be done. It's no good tinkering at the edges and there is so much misinformation and false news out there now that action must be taken on many fronts, national and international.

I think we in the UK especially suffer from a rabid, deliberately misleading tabloid press and a right wing government that aims to promote only economic arguments which weigh in favour of the better off, the shareholders, the investment managers. Political will has to be brought to change the thinking of the country so that everyone sees and understands the problem and the need to address it. For heaven's sake, the BBC has apparently only just changed its policy that any discussion must include a climate change denier to ensure 'balance'. Crazy.

A brave girl, but lets bear in mind she is funded by people like George Soros!

I applaud what Greta is doing. I think back to when I was 16 and how intense Ii was about subjects, at 17 it was ban the bomb and I took part in marches and demos and I still feel the same. I think on GN we do tend to blame, call it what you want on medical conditions. Take the subject of a husband acting aggressively and most people will suggest a visit to the Dr or mental health problems despite him being like it for many years and as for spending the summer travelling by train around Europe many young people do that.

icanhandthemback
I'm well aware of the differences. I was merely mentioning issues which cannot be seen. Ok?

Greta Thunberg is informed, passionate and very, very courageous. She is the voice of the future and she puts our generation to shame. This is not about whether she may or may not be on the autism spectrum this is about the world our grandchildren will have to face. Reality check Grans, the time for burying our heads in the sand, denying the science is long gone. The midnight clock is ticking now. Very loudly.

Wow, GabriellaG54, there's a statement that shows an complete lack of understanding of ASD. Migraine or Tinnitus may make it distracting to think but ASD is a difference to the way the brain works which is an entirely different thing. Comparing it to the conditions you have is like comparing chalk and cheese.

Asergers Aspergers

I think it's manipulative to mention/bring her medical and (past?) psychological issues to the fore when talking about climate change.
She's a person and that's enough.
No need to hail her as some wunderkind because she is 'on the spectrum' of Asergers.
It's like a wagon every other person is willing to jump on.
It's given as a reason for multiple actions and thoughts and trotted out daily somewhere.
I'm pretty sure that people who suffer migraine or tinnitus don't broadcast it as often or make as many references to those debilitating conditions.
It's almost becoming reverential.

While she may be being manipulated, when governments continue to put money/business before sustainable policy there's obviously a need for dramatic action. The shame is that there's a need in the first place. How anyone can say this country is doing all it can is beyond me. Eventually the world will chew us up and spit us out.