Code red for humanity -

[54321nought]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-58138714

UN climate change report

Climate change is already massive, unstoppable and hugely destructive.

We have to reduce the number of children we are having, reduce the amount of meat fish and dairy we eat, stop driving cars so unnecessarily, stop burning fossil fuel, convert to using renewable energy, stop sending rubbish to landfill, reduce reuse and recycle.

Otherwise the human race is finished. Its as simple as that.

Yes there is funding towards the solar panels we have been in touch with the council but can't afford it even with help.

@rottd

Yes, cutting down on car traffic and encouraging cycling is the best way forward

but what about all the online deliveries?

I think online deliveries are better than every single household setting out and driving to the shops individually, don't you?

Unfortunately, changes have to feed down from the top (industry) as well as from the bottom (consumer).

But I doubt that the majority of people will give up on the latest fashion, phone, equipment for hobbies or home decor.
And don't forget, most items will be delivered directly to the front door in a neat parcel.

DH and I have lots of arguments discussions about double glazing. He wants it (warmer house, better for the environment) and I don't (we have original windows, which are nice, and is swapping existing wood for new UPVC really enviromentally friendly? He has been looking into it more and says UPVC should last 20-25 years - but the current windows have lasted 140 years! Thing is, who is right? I honestly don't know.

Same with dishwashers, people tout the water savings, but what about manufacture and disposal of a large electrical item? Not to mention they wear out your plates quicker, and take the shine off your cutlery.

And there are so many other things that are hard to quantify. Veganism is better than vegetarianism, which is better than eating meat. But what about more fine-grained choices? Avocadoes vs eggs? Organic vs non-organic? Etc. It is so hard to know what choices have what impact.

Online deliveries go to local hubs where people can collect? Or you commit to a delivery day model so logistics can be optimised?
Online shopping might still be better than driving to a mall and not getting what you need.

Thanks for the book recommendation @HasaDigaEebowai**

Its a great book and really easy to dip in and out of. The one that surprised me most I think was cut flowers. Flown over at massive carbon cost and no real benefit.

The accompanying book is called “there is no planet b” abs is also a great and very easy read.

Totally against what the Bible says.
I know what and who I believe.

I don't know, does it have to be either/or? I don't tend to drive to the shops but I like local & independent as opposed to fast fashion which has huge environmental impact.

Online supermarket deliveries are much better than individuals shopping for food if they are travelling to the supermarket by car (from my book again )

And, humans, like all species that have lived on this Earth will have their time slot regardless

@HasaDigaEebowai but I'm not talking about food I'm talking about all the other things we buy online?

Just opened the thread to see if @PlanDeRaccordement was here adamantly denying there's a problem and spouting the usual made up crap they've read on Facebook.

Wasn't disappointed 😂

This thread is goady and inflammatory. I can't cycle the 45 miles to work, I'm afraid. I am not prepared to justify, "in detail", why I'm not prepared to cycle for 45 miles.
Yes, the planet is in the shit. But we're not going to blow up in the next 5 minutes, so instead of being patronising and belittling people, tell us (oh holy one) what you think we should be doing to help.

We're already vegan, use a lot of reusables instead of single use plastics, don't fly anywhere and buy most things secondhand. I don't know what more we can do other than get rid of our car, which we would if DH was allowed to work from home (he's not, his employer is a POS). The news is a constant source of anxiety right now

apparently Amazon emits nearly as much carbon dioxide as a small country

The current model of capitalism and globalism means that yes, we are fucked. In short, global travel, taking resources from one part of the world to another and crucially making way way more than we need has ruined things.

Think of all the food mountains, of throw away culture, of low priced shit, of buy now pay later culture….. life would be better if it were simpler. Look at the rise in mental and physical health problems yet life expectancy has shot up. We are doing it all wrong.

@movingadviceneeded

This thread is goady and inflammatory. I can't cycle the 45 miles to work, I'm afraid. I am not prepared to justify, "in detail", why I'm not prepared to cycle for 45 miles. Yes, the planet is in the shit. But we're not going to blow up in the next 5 minutes, so instead of being patronising and belittling people, tell us (oh holy one) what you think we should be doing to help.

That’s the thing - it’s airlines, the shipping industry, big corporations which actually need to make changes. Instead they’ll point the finger at the consumer - when they’re the ones making the shit we didn’t know we needed.

@movingadviceneeded

This thread is goady and inflammatory. I can't cycle the 45 miles to work, I'm afraid. I am not prepared to justify, "in detail", why I'm not prepared to cycle for 45 miles. Yes, the planet is in the shit. But we're not going to blow up in the next 5 minutes, so instead of being patronising and belittling people, tell us (oh holy one) what you think we should be doing to help.

Not goady or inflammatory in the slightest, a discussion on where we are at, where we are heading, and what can be done.

In your case, no you can't cycle 45 miles to work, so I hope you use pubic transport... but this is a situation that has arisen in many people's lives because of a culture of relying on cars.

People who don't rely on cars rarely end up living 45 miles from their place of work!

People cannot continue to make choices like this, it is unsustainable.

And of course, no one should rely on cars for this life style, not only because of the environmental impact, but because anyone can lose their licence for a trivial and unexpected medical issue, any day, without warning.

There is a locally grown flower movement- we get ours within quarter of a mile, I walk there, straight from the microfarm!
You can find people near you on sites like this. www.flowersfromthefarm.co.uk/about-us/
I buy everything as locally and direct as possible. It takes effort but it is getting easier with lots of initiatives like this.

I’m sorry, but this is ridiculous! Arguing that cycling produces carbon emissions??! It’s this kind of competitive navel gazing that turns people off the environmental movement. It’s a big reason why it’s failed to engage the average person and it’s embarrassing!

I used to attend a carbon footprint group 15 years ago and I stopped going due to the level of absurdity pursued by members in cutting carbon footprints.

I am more interested in where my pension is invested as can change big business behaviour. Or getting supermarkets to reduce plastic packaging.

Focus on things that actually make a difference at the grand scale. That means getting out there and speaking to people who are not like you. Engaging a wider group in the climate change movement who are currently put off by the current green movement which is not very diverse and does not well represent the socioeconomic groups in this country.

@DuesToTheDirt

DH and I have lots of arguments discussions about double glazing. He wants it (warmer house, better for the environment) and I don't (we have original windows, which are nice, and is swapping existing wood for new UPVC really enviromentally friendly? He has been looking into it more and says UPVC should last 20-25 years - but the current windows have lasted 140 years! Thing is, who is right? I honestly don't know.

Same with dishwashers, people tout the water savings, but what about manufacture and disposal of a large electrical item? Not to mention they wear out your plates quicker, and take the shine off your cutlery.

And there are so many other things that are hard to quantify. Veganism is better than vegetarianism, which is better than eating meat. But what about more fine-grained choices? Avocadoes vs eggs? Organic vs non-organic? Etc. It is so hard to know what choices have what impact.

It is better to stay with what you have rather than buy new in most cases. UPVC windows have a huge carbon footprint and in my experience only last about 10 years before they start causing problems. Same applies to cars, dishwashers and everything else. It is more environmentally friendly to use what you have but, if it is necessary to replace something when it is beyond repair, then choose the most environmentally friendly option.

I inherited most of my belongings from my grandmother as she went into a nursing home just before I got married. 30 years later I still have her food mixer, crockery and cutlery, pans, linen and furniture. It was all beautifully made, serves its purpose and I have no need to replace it. This is the most environmentally friendly way to live.

When it comes to food, choose local. Local organic or home grown is even better. Everyone says to eat less meat, but if your meat is wild game or local organic produce it is better for the planet than an avocado flown in from somewhere else.

I don't think people care enough to make big changes until they effect them personally

That was in reply to @HasaDigaEebowai re the Berners Lee book (which I haven’t read, so not a criticism of it, just the bit about cycling not being green in comparison to ebikes)

I’m sorry, but this is ridiculous! Arguing that cycling produces carbon emissions??! It’s this kind of competitive navel gazing that turns people off the environmental movement. It’s a big reason why it’s failed to engage the average person and it’s embarrassing!

That wasn’t the argument. The calculations are based on a pure climate change perspective and the energy used to power a traditional bike is greater than the energy used to power an electric bike (some 20 times greater in fact all other things being equal) They don’t take into account fitness benefits. But the reality is that most people will only cycle relatively short distances whereas electric bikes are a fantastic low carbon alternative and enable people to travel much further.

You could get wooden double glazed
But since
Heating your home is probably your biggest source of emissions
UPVC will be a net benefit