Gransnet forums

News & politics

News that could become political ?. Tornados in the USA and our inability to afford to keep the sea back in the south of England

(75 Posts)
Whitewavemark2 Sat 11-Dec-21 14:35:16

6 states in the USA have recently experienced unprecedented heat for December resulting in 30 tornados barrelling across the southern states.

To date 100 people have died. This as far as records show never happened before..

Yesterday I was talking to someone who has a lot of knowledge relating to flood control in the south of England and learned that within 20 years it is expected that large tracks of coast including many houses will be lost to the sea as the government will not pay for coastal defence.

We are seeing in real time the results of our profligacy regarding the climate.

I think it is all too late and we are seeing the extinction of our life unfold.

Alegrias1 Sat 11-Dec-21 14:37:33

I don't think we are seeing the extinction of our life but we're seeing a huge problem that is being kicked down the can for the next generation

Whitewavemark2 Sat 11-Dec-21 14:41:54

I see us as a pariah species, buggering everything up for other species, whose right to the earth bounty is equal to ours.

The Atlantic flow is at near shutdown, and god knows what will happen to our climate then. I don’t think anyone knows.

AGAA4 Sat 11-Dec-21 14:45:27

Whitewavemark2

I see us as a pariah species, buggering everything up for other species, whose right to the earth bounty is equal to ours.

The Atlantic flow is at near shutdown, and god knows what will happen to our climate then. I don’t think anyone knows.

Yes exactly. Humans are
ruining our planet. We are a very selfish species.

GagaJo Sat 11-Dec-21 14:45:56

* it is all too late and we are seeing the extinction of our life unfold.*

I agree. Much as I love my DGS, I wish my DD hadn't had him. It terrifies me what his life is going to be like.

Kali2 Sat 11-Dec-21 15:03:19

Yes, GagaJo, I so worry about our grandchildren.

Certainly large parts of UK, and especially those 'stolen from the sea' in the 18th Century, parts of Lincs and Norfolk- will just have to be given up.

Kali2 Sat 11-Dec-21 15:23:31

At least in the UK, there is plenty of space to retreat back- whereas in many countries, there will be nowhere to go - and will of course set off another massive wave of emigration.

Whitewavemark2 Sat 11-Dec-21 15:25:16

What astounded me was the amount of land expected to disappear on the south coast particularly the amount of houses to be given up.

The other issue is the Isle of Wight. Apparently only as far back as the Roman times it was two islands and it is in danger of becoming two again.

MerylStreep Sat 11-Dec-21 15:44:44

These plans are still on the drawing board.

www.tellerreport.com/news/2020-07-27-a-dam-on-the-strait-of-gibraltar----can-this-crazy-project-see-the-light-.rJ8CcDd3xw.htmlYou

Kim19 Sat 11-Dec-21 15:52:10

I read somewhere that in about 400 years the earth will still be here but it will be uninhabited.

Josianne Sat 11-Dec-21 15:55:54

Too many natural disasters and I fear it will run and run.

As a piece of smaller, but relevant, news, our DS flew back from the States this week and half way through the flight the plane met such sudden air turbulence that the hostesses had to throw themselves on the floor and grab the feet of the drinks' trolley to keep it down. All the elements are affected by human damage.

Gwyneth Sat 11-Dec-21 16:04:16

Humans have destroyed this beautiful planet by greed and over population which continue to use up precious resources and I really can’t see any way back.

MerylStreep Sat 11-Dec-21 16:10:19

We will not destroy this planet. We will destroy us.
This planet will survive.
Or, we will adjust just as some life is adjusting to living on the plastic islands in the Pacific.

GagaJo Sat 11-Dec-21 16:17:06

Kim19

I read somewhere that in about 400 years the earth will still be here but it will be uninhabited.

As long as it's just not by humans, that will be OK.

I think our grandchildren should be the last generation. No more reproduction.

Alegrias1 Sat 11-Dec-21 16:22:47

Climate change is a huge problem.

But we're not going to wipe out the human race within two generations.

We're not living in a science fiction novel. Painting this as an insoluble problem gets us nowhere. We've got to do something about it. Realising that we can do something about it is the first step.

GrannyGravy13 Sat 11-Dec-21 16:28:09

Gagajo that really is a ridiculous statement.

Why shouldn’t our GC reproduce?

There are scientists worldwide working on solutions to put a stop to climate change. In the meantime we should all do what we can to reduce our carbon footprint.

Kali2 Sat 11-Dec-21 16:45:26

I know many young people who have no intention of having kids- I think we can guess why.

The UK is certainly going to be one country very hard hit, sadly.

Whitewavemark2 Sat 11-Dec-21 16:45:36

I was talking about this with our family last night. One said that that as individual carbon use their large American fridge uses as much carbon as a whole country of villages in Africa.

The problem is undoubtedly the developed world, and yet it is going to fall the hardest on the poorest. When they are driven from their homes the west will largely undoubtedly refuse asylum.

Kali2 Sat 11-Dec-21 17:20:16

Those who have lost their land, their home and everything else- will NOT take NO for an answer. And I won't blame them. We are causing the problems - we will have to pick up the mess.

Dinahmo Sat 11-Dec-21 20:53:09

Alegrias1

Climate change is a huge problem.

But we're not going to wipe out the human race within two generations.

We're not living in a science fiction novel. Painting this as an insoluble problem gets us nowhere. We've got to do something about it. Realising that we can do something about it is the first step.

Many of us know this but sadly the politicians don't/won't take any notice of what we want. They prefer to listen to the large corporations who no doubt will be providing some of their income in future - after they've lost their seats.

Amberone Sat 11-Dec-21 21:12:03

Many of us know this but sadly the politicians don't/won't take any notice of what we want. They prefer to listen to the large corporations

Not always true of course, but in general corporations produce what people buy. So long as people will buy all the rubbish that is produced from companies that have such a detrimental impact on the environment they will carry on producing it. As far as I am concerned the only way we can change anything is by being selective in what we buy. And letting the companies know why we no longer buy their products.

Kali2 Sat 11-Dec-21 21:30:20

Agreed, and linking to that other thread on Christmas Eve Boxes.

Galaxy Sat 11-Dec-21 22:12:07

I wonder what would help those countries that people are worrying about. What has raised more people out of poverty than anything else?

Juliet27 Sun 12-Dec-21 07:19:54

What upsets me is the enormous increase in waste produced by the need for all the plastic in the lateral flow test boxes, let alone the millions of masks that have had to be produced worldwide.

Whitewavemark2 Sun 12-Dec-21 07:22:23

Galaxy

I wonder what would help those countries that people are worrying about. What has raised more people out of poverty than anything else?

Being raised out of poverty has nothing to do with living where they live. Whole countries will become impossible for human habitation because if heat and drought.

Where are these people to go?