Climate change activists shooting themselves in the foot?

[2beesornot2beesthatisthehoney]

I had sympathy with the both the cause and actions (though not the vandalism) until today. They are now paralysing the public transport system. Isn’t the main thrust of encouraging better habits for climate change , getting people out of their cars and onto public transport.
Fact 1: people need to work
Fact 2 : most need to commute , short journeys or long.
Fact 3: protests are to promote awareness and get the people on your side.

THIS WON’T !

especially when those individuals prate on endlessly about how "wasteful" everyone else is

Funny, I've not heard that part of their argument, could you link to it? Make sure it is 'endless' too.

I know a couple of people involved, none prate (?) on endlessly to me about how wasteful everyone is, because that's not what their issue is.

Personally, I don't support them. I don't actually care if humans become extinct. But I'd rather the discussion being held was at least about the arguments they are making.

Prate to talk foolishly or at tedious length about something

Good to see some words make a comeback

Must be a bit like prattle...

@ user 1480880826 Why they don’t care about anyone, the disruption, the vandalism, the nastiness, the temper tantrums show not by the person being interviewed. There are better ways to do this, bringing concerns to everyone attention than doing it this way. If they want the country to engage they would be better spending their time educating, visiting schools, workplaces, engaging with businesses to have green policies, working with MPs to get laws passed. There total lack of consideration for anyone, their aggressive and nasty behaviour, there belief they are right in what they are doing in this protest, the waste of police resources ( and just how how much fuel etc has been used carting them off to police stations across the capital?) means I am just not interested anymore. I will carry on with my own efforts but have no respect for these people any more. Does that clarify it for you?

@Chloemol
Well all of that stuff does happen already.

There whole aim is to use disruption to get people’s focus, and it’s front page news- I mean they’ve achieved a lot.

Do you think climate change would be front page news if they hadn’t done this.

I’ve walked home everyday. And actually I bloody like it. I am going to carry on doing it.

I haven’t had one person at work complain.

You can walk one street away and get a bus. The tubes are still working. 🤷‍♂️

Be glad you can walk. Not everyone can and they rely on public transport. So if that is disrupted they are affected the most.

Tbh noone can live completely carbon neutral but we can all make small xhanges.
Yes i own a car and go on foreign holidays...i also eat mainly vegan and have considerably cut down on plastic. I didnt learn to drivectill late duecto the planet. Was 35 when i passed driving test.
If environmental protestors are doing their bit the fair play but i do feel they should target car manufacturers more than public transport. Good they have got us talking..

What I want to know from all the virtuous vegans out there is how much of their food is grown in the UK (WITHOUT using heated polytunnels) and how much is brought in from abroad?

A link to a useful article about why not eating meat isn't environmentally friendly link

Ooh! Pointing that out really is going too far!

I linked to a similar piece a while ago. I still bear the stripes.

Well I will be carrying my laptop home from work today. God help anyone who attempts to thrust another ‘were sorry’ leaflet at me.

If even half of the predictions are true then we need to shut down London (and other major World cities) entirely immediately. Is anyone realistically going to do that?

"Be glad you can walk"

And plastic straws They want these abolished but it will be to the detriment of disabled people who need to use them.

It’s just getting bigger and the roads are blocked off for quite a distance. 2 weeks - how is the government allowing people to block off public highways for 2 weeks (and the rest)?

Oh well it’s going to be cold tonight so I hope they have enough ferrets to rub together to keep warm.

I totally understand the concern about climate change. I'm also proud to live in a democracy where we have the right to peaceful protest.

But this protest is not showing anything to the government. They're not there, they're in recess. The protesters aren't standing outside Parliament. They are disrupting the lives of ordinary Londoners, people who are trying to go about their daily lives and get to work. Targeting public transport? So it's better that people get in their cars?

Today I had to walk from my station to where I was working near parliament square as the roads were closed and the buses weren't running. It was a sunny morning and I allowed time and it was fine. But on my way I had to help an 83 year old man who was having to walk to his appointment. He was almost in tears because he was worried about how he was going to get back. These are the people who are being disrupted, not big business or government. It's disgraceful that the police are standing back and allowing this to happen.

I say again, I understand the climate change concerns. I am an avid recycler, drive very rarely and try to do my bit, although I know it's not much. But this protest is not impacting on the people who can and should take action. It's impacting on ordinary people. The government aren't even there.

The whole point of protesting is to make people sit up and notice.
Climate change is real.
I know 2 of The "hippy" protesters.. both GPs with genuine concern for the future of this planet and future generations. I support them and they follow through on their green credentials daily - both cycle to/from work in all weather as well as not flying etc.
Well done, OP, for changing your mind.

The little head tilt and the faux sad "We're sorry"...nope ...you're smug self satisfied and very very sanctimonious. I heard a no doubt perfectly pleasant couple on the radio cooing about having come up from Cornwall...and I don't think they walked ..wonder what they will do to offset their carbon footprint for that ?
And also heard two young women saying they were going barefoot for a year to heal Mother Earth ...yeah that'll help .
Nothing practical , nothing realistic , no acknowledgement that the things that will really save us will come from technology and probably the energy companires they revile

YANBU

Nothing practical , nothing realistic , no acknowledgement that the things that will really save us will come from technology and probably the energy companires they revile

Probably, but for the companies to effect this change there needs to be pressure. Why haven't the companies done it by now?

Can disabled people use paper straws ?

What has being disabled got to do with plastic straws ??? Mum has had to get more taxis today as still no buses crossing Waterloo bridge. More diesel consumed. Well done eco warriors. Saving the planet one taxi ride at a time

I haven't read the whole thread but you can buy biodegradable bendy straws

Nope. Read their manifesto and what their plan of action. This is exactly what they (we) want and the only way they can keep pushing it so that the police tell the government to sort it out, not them.

Read up on the head of the organisation. He knows what he's doing. And he knows here to hit and how to hit hard so big business and the government listen. And it will hopefully work.

You need to pay attention, this is real. This is time limited to help solve the issue, someone somewhere needs to start the ball rolling so other countries start too. Otherwise we wont hit the global temperature increase goals. And if you want your kids to have a chance of seeing their own grandchildren live then you should be down there with them.

I don't much care if Tim from the office can't get to his desk or if H&M can't sell their jeans today. I care about there being a planet left to work on in 60yrs! You should to.

If everyone who was moaning went down there and sat down for 2hrs the government would have to respond and act.

Walked by the oxford street protest on weds and it’s was about 50 hippies smoking weed having a rave in the street, wasn’t a massive inconvenience as the tube was still running fine. Then went into a pret to get some water and had a little snort to myself as loads of them (the protesters) were ordering their lattes (maybe soya decaf, I don’t know) in disposable cups!!! I don’t disagree with their cause per se but...

Government don't care. They are all on holiday at moment so very silly week to choose. Went past them tonight and the smell of weed was nasty. If I wasn't so pissed off having to make my poor mum do longer journeys than necessary I'd have stopped and told them how much CO2 weed produces.

This thread has really surprised me. This is MN, ffs! Parents, who I would imagine would 'get' it, who would be looking desperately for ways of giving voice to their urgent concerns about our changing climate. Not so, apparently. Pages of trying to call hypocrisy and nit-picking. No better than the comments field in the Daily Fail, but at least there it's to be expected.
What is is it we are not seeing, collectively? A significant part of my city looks set to be under water before the end of the century if we don't make drastic changes; if we just carry on as we are the outlook for the region is catastrophic. Yet the city's long term strategic plan to 2050 includes zero mention of flooding caused by climate change, nor any plans for measures to alleviate it, despite it being pretty inevitable. Who, exactly, do we think is going to 'sort it' for us when our elected politicians are not even talking about it?