Climate Change Protests - will they make a difference?

I think there is a place for a grass roots movement to hasten climate change.

It consists of people voluntarily and publicly cutting back on the energy they consume. Simple things like not flying away on holiday, not buying big 4x4 cars. Notbuying new clothes unless needed, buying second hand furniture

How many of those demonstrating have the latest mobile phone, the latest trainers, designer logo-ed clothing, used motorised transport of any kind to get to the demos. have their house thermostats above 18 degrees, have washing machines on every day, have baths and showers every day, own dishwashers, only eat indigenous food products, never waste food, so many things where a ground swell movement of people showing the extent of the sacrifices they are prepared to make for the environment could go global and force governments into action, while reducing daily energy use.

If they cared as much as they say, they should jump at the opportunity to make all these sacrifices to force governments into action, plus seeing how their actions reduce emissions.

I think many of these protesters do try to live a more sustainable lifestyle and just pointing the finger and saying - you aren’t perfect- doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be allowed to protest about something that is more than just about the individual. We all feel helpless in the face of ice caps melting and species dying out daily because of human action, individuals picking up litter isn’t enough. Many of these protesters do try to live a greener lifestyle and whilst people might mock you can’t deny the importance of the message. Our government should take a lead and aim to be carbon neutral by 2025- it takes political will to do that and individuals taking fewer journeys or using reusable cups won’t resolve the issue.

It seems perverse to disrupt one of the more environmentally friendly things we have, public transport, which then forces people into their own private cars!

Of course everyone should buy into the need for less consumption. But it also includes reducing the human population.

It also goes entirely against the economic system the world currently employs.

I’m telling you all it ain’t going to happen.

human action will wipe out the planet one way or another, in a few years with all the rising seas, many countries will become inhabitable.

Read uninhabitable above

I understand what you are saying crystaltipps about the message but I think it has to start with self. Of course we need governments to get on board, but I really don't think disrupting London and its inhabitants is the way to do that. I'd think they'd be better not travelling to the city but creating disruption in their own villages, towns, cities. Spread the message further, get their local community inconvenienced so that they add their voice.
If we feel it's worthwhile making our country carbon neutral when we are far from being one of the biggest polluters, then surely individual efforts are equally valid? They won't be the solution but a start towards it.

I cannot stand the sheer hypocrisy of people flying all over the world, often to the most exotic locations in order to attend "climate change summits" ! Or those preaching how we should cut down on this, that or the other but of course they don't have to. Grrrrrrrrr

I can’t think it will make any difference at all.
Here we are writing about it again but from what I read on other threads we aren’t doing much about it in real life.
There is information in the media about the damage that cheap clothing has on the planet.
Then we have threads on GN on how jolly it is to go out and buy a new frock, or similar in certain cheap stores.
Items that don’t look good after a couples of washes.
Still you can always just throw them away can’t you??

But it also includes reducing the human population.

How is this achievable Whitewave?

We are living longer and the lives of those in developing countries are also improving on the whole.

The world is not over-populated but the resources, wealth and development are not evenly distributed.

Yes they are complete hypocrites aren't they?

I am sure they are consumers just like the rest of us with cars, and use fossil fuels to heat their homes.

How many of them fly abroad for their holidays?

Of course there is a quite plausible theory that if the planet is warming (and some scientists say claims have been exaggerated)) it is down to increased activity from the sun, so anything we do or don't do will have practically no effect.

After all the planet has had periods of warming and cooling for many centuries hasn't it?

Climate change deniers, like holocaust deniers and flat-earthers prefer to ignore the overwhelming weight of scientific evidence and it suits some politicians to encourage such irrationality.

www.campaigncc.org/climate_change/sceptics/hall_of_shame

I wasn't talking about climate change deniers but the point that some reports claim the extent may have been over-stated.

I don't think those who tend to lean towards the solar activity theory would like to be lumped together with flat earthers or those awful people who doubt the holocaust.

I would believe in these people if they protested in America, China, Russia and India, where they would certainly get all the publicity they crave, but a lot less sympathy and approval, and possibly some very unpleasant treatment.

Just seen them in the news. They looked like a bunch of hippies having a lovely party!
Sadiq Khan just made the point that they were blocking bus routes and rail links just when he's trying to encourage people to use public transport hence lowering emissions. Own goal!

I think people are negative towards these protesters because we know their message is actually right and maybe feel guilty about our own apathy. Just because other countries are worse is no excuse for our inertia.

What these hippie looneys are doing is not right at all ! Bringing ordinary peoples lives ( you know those who have to work for a living) to a standstill .

gillybob I didn’t say what they were doing was right but their message is right- we need to act on climate change - or maybe you don’t think we do?

They aren’t all hippy looneys btw- I’ve seen the protests. A lot of families, yes even grans etc ordinary people who have taken 2 weeks off work to join the protest. It has been well planned.

The UK is already acting but without the biggest polluting countries joining in it won't have much effect

As has been suggested perhaps the protesters could take their protest to those countries. Of course, they would not want to fly or use motorised transport so would have to either walk or cycle.

Stopping the public from getting to and from work or going about their daily tasks is NOT going to win support.
Definitely not gillybob - and others who may be going for hospital appointments, visitors to the UK etc.

Everyone is worried about climate change but we are among a few countries that are making serious attempts to make a difference. Take your disruptive protest onto the streets of Delhi, Beijing,Islamabad etc where pollution is awful,the rivers clogged with plastic and other toxic debris, but of course you could end up in a less than solubrious prison!!!
It's so easy to cause maximum disruption from the safety of the UK where all!you get is carted away by our weary understaffed ever patient police. Try it just over the channel in Paris, never mind anywhere else, and see what happens to you!!! Disrupting public transport?!! I thought the idea was to encourage us all to use it!! Hopefully all the protesters arrived either on foot, horse, or bicycle and are wearing ethical clothing, waving ethical banners and not using plastic in any shape or form for this or in general daily life?!

One thing is for sure though, with or without protest, climate change is the biggest challenge we face.
climate change is one of the biggest challenges we face, but I think that our polluted oceans are the biggest challenge. All linked, of course.
We could, in fact, adapt to climate change as humans have done over the millennia, but we have never faced such plastic pollution of our seas before this.

X post, Jabberwok, about the plastic problem.

I think people are negative towards these protesters because we know their message is actually right and maybe feel guilty about our own apathy. Just because other countries are worse is no excuse for our inertia.
I don't think that many of us do have 'inertia'.
The protestors need to target those responsible, not make a blanket protest which disrupts everyone's lives in London.

What is puzzling me, M0nica, is where all the thousands of bicycles are being stored, the ones the protestors used to cycle to London.
Perhaps they all walked.