To wonder how the general public would actually react if the government took drastic climate change measures?

[tequilasunrises]

I’m talking about measures that would severely restrict people’s ability to live how they choose. For example, implanting a one/two child policy, heavy restrictions on animal products and car and air travel mileage.

From reading threads on here and talking to people in real life it is clear that many people agree something needs to be done to stop climate change but aren’t willing to make the bigger sacrifices.

So, who thinks there would be uproar and who thinks the public would be behind extreme measures?

I’d be very sad to have my travel opportunities limited but would be behind it for the greater good.

We didn't pull together in the war . Corruption, crime and in particular organised crime were rife in cities and plenty of children were abused horribly by the people paid to care for them. Many came back with horrific injuries.

My grandparents travelled loads, one walked from one country to another after war ravaged her homeland. After my grandfathers came back from WWII they were hooked on travel.

People have travelled for business/trade since about the time they started forming societies, there's no way to stop that and it's ridiculous to assume it's a new phenomenon.

Sounds like a Brexit dream. Everyone's lives just to get shitty.

Regarding air travel, I completely agree that multi-millionaires’ private jets should be the first for the chop. But as only a minuscule percentage of the world’s population are multi-millionaires, I think we’re all going to have to cut back. I haven’t flown since 2016 and I’m planning to limit myself to one return flight every three or four years.

In the intervening years I could holiday in the UK, take the ferry to Ireland or Spain, or take the Eurostar to Paris. I’d love to take a long voyage on a cargo boat, or a ferry around remote islands in Fiji. I’d hate to give up flying completely, but if turns out that’s what it takes, we have no choice. I’m sure there could be exemptions for medical treatment etc.

Hate to tell you this, but boats aren't exactly carbon clean . I have family who live abroad and one of my daughters will be living there. We've gone global, folks, it's here to stay. Welcome to 2019.

Theres so much hypocrisy within climate change agendas though.

The extremely ethical, ancient reindeer herding Sami in Northern Sweden are having their livelihood and entire existence threatened by likely expansion of Swedish natural gas and mining.

Then theres Greta Thunberg, Swedish climate change child activist wonder, currently crossing the Atlantic on a racing yacht to a climate change conference. I have never heard her mention the Sami or Swedish exploitation of its own natural resources.

In fact, most Swedes, never mention the Sami, who have had to fight hard for their own parliament which has almost no authority over their own lands! And yet Sweden is one of the most politically green countries in the world...

It's essential we take drastic actions.

I have ditch all single use plastics, including shampoo, shower gel and as soon as I finish my toothpaste will be using homemade.

I no longer buy red meat and stick to little eggs and fish as animal protein, on occasion chicken just because my son is quite picky.

I don't own a car, never will. I shop nearby, work nearby and always where I can walk to.

I recycle and try to compost. Buy better to last longer, make my phones, tablets, goods last for yeears.

Whenever possible, I buy from local farmers and small shops, only wish money wasn't so tight sometimes.

Only thing, I fly. Several times a year. Flight is short but I have little kids and taking a train would take days to reach my destination. Also it would be incredibly expensive.
I pay for a carbon offset program.

My whole family is abroad and I cannot move there, my children's school is here, and my job, and my home.

I would appreciate any suggestion (excepting a racist 'go back where you belong' I know those comments will come of a heavy single use plastic consumer?

changinguser are you saying that people who use single use plastics are obviously going to be racist?

changinguser are you saying that people who use single use plastics are obviously going to be racist
No she isn't. HTH

Persuading people to live smaller lives is
going to be a tough one. Honestly the 50s sounded crap.

Would the government be willing to provide more unemployment benefits to people unwilling to relocate away from loved ones for work or fund more mental health support for those that have relocated and can't travel back as much?

To be fair it might help with the obesity crises if the only food available was boring and bland as you wouldn't want to eat as much.

I lived through the 50s as a child (think I would go back there in a flash if it was possibly, such a peaceful life).
It is a smaller life - much fewer belongings, plainer food, no car, phone considered expensive so for emergencies only.

But this would be the 50s with IT. So people could stay in contact more, work from home, be entertained by Netflix or whoever, receive books and social media online. Very different from the 1950s.

Would that make it harder or easier I wonder.

You'd have this small life but you'd have access to information about better things unlike the 50s. I imagine a lot of people would find that really frustrating living in their parents house or a house in the next street, eating nothing but unseasoned meat and 2 veg knowing there is a whole world out there that they can see but not touch or taste.

Changinguser you do realise that flying is the single worst activity in terms of carbon emissions that any one person can do? Offsetting really is just greenwashing.
We all need to stop flying. Once you start reading the sciencitific research on climate change, and realise that over 90% of climate change scientists are in agreement about where we are heading, people will start to realise that these changes are essential and need to happen now.

I wonder if the reason the new runway at Heathrow is taking so long to decide on is due to there being a risk that there is a restriction on flying at some point in the not too distant future. Due to Climate Change.

I still think potted trees are a good small thing. It's not just about trees being natural filters.
They cool the streets down. Tree, controlled in size so no one is tempted to take them down and rain water collecting bud should be part of every house. Should they grow too big, they can be offered to a local park maybe. If streets are cooler, people don't need to use as much aircon or extra fans, hence using less electricity. There was a massive blow out in Liverpool about it because they demolished a small park with adult trees to build more offices and people were sharing studies about how greenery in cities helps in this way. Even new apartment buildings should contain certain percentage of greenery imho.
Electricity is the second biggest source of emissions, after all.

And houses insulated. Mine is and I spend just about £35, £40 if there is some brutal frost, a month in a winter on gas(3 bed semi). And it's not the cheapest tariff.
There should be funding, at least partial, available for these things.

Timshelthechoice, I know boats aren’t carbon neutral. But most modern boats are a lot less polluting than planes (with the exception of cruise ships, which are awful).

thewaywardpost.com/stories/carbon-footprint-of-5-travel-methods

We've gone global, folks, it's here to stay. Welcome to 2019.

I wonder what our children’s and grandchildren’s lives will be like in 2069? And whether anyone will say “welcome to 2119”.

Then theres Greta Thunberg, Swedish climate change child activist wonder, currently crossing the Atlantic on a racing yacht to a climate change conference.

As much as one has to admire the girl, the team behind her, not so much considering this boat crew is flying back from us and new crew is flying to us to sail back with her.

I don’t have kids, I expect most people who worry about it, worry for the sake of their children and grandchildren. Perhaps if they hadn’t had those children there wouldn’t be as much to worry about.

People need to buy less stuff. We are just moving our pollution. We get stuff made in China because it is cheaper than making it here. It is made with their polluting power stations, their working standards, materials and practices because our higher standards cost too much.

We have colluded in the de-industrialisation of the UK and patted ourselves on the back because we were making Britain cleaner.

We used to drink from a glass. Then moved to drinking through a plastic straw (lots of which are made in Europe) now it is BAD, you have to use a reusable metal straw... which comes in a multi-pack - from China... with a cleaning brush... you can buy silicon mouthpieces for them... and pouches to store them in... and belt clips to hold them close... they are the stocking filler of the year (do not buy them - people who want one will have one - they don't need more). So begins a NEW multi-million pound industry to replace a product we did not really need anyhow. MORE STUFF.

Most people do not need a straw... and can drink from a glass.

The intention of the buyer is pure, the execution by the manufacturer is "how much money can we make from this, what extras do people need, how can we make this a need"

Watchingthyme I agree. The human race has managed to wreck the planet in a relatively short period of time. It's had its chance and blown it. It's time we let the human race die out and gave our planet back to the 'humbler' life forms which have respected it.

I used to have an hour and a half / 45 commute, I moved when pregnant to be nearer work. Work relocated when I was pregnant 80 miles away, they then closed that and moved the work 300 miles away.
No one enjoys a big commute, no one wants a big commute.
Business looks at the bottom line, not the fact they are keeping x amount of employees in work, x amount of roofs over their head, kids in clothes etc.

I wonder what our children’s and grandchildren’s lives will be like in 2069?

Maybe they'll have more sense than we did and not procreate because that's the worst thing you can do environmentally.

And yes to reducing family size . Population will have to be controlled at some point whether we agree or not . Perhaps we could introduce some kind of test which you need to pass before having children ? I think that would be beneficial in the long run but can’t imagine any government wanting to do it .

It makes no sense So what, you're forced to abort if you do get pregnant before the test time or you fail? Ridiculous

Most people do not need a straw... and can drink from a glass.

The one that gets me is reusable fecking cutlery. Plastic is awful and just snaps in half, wood I really can barely eat off as it either breaks or goes soggy 🤢. If you care about the environment use actual plates, glasses and cutlery don't use biodegradable stuff.

Everyone giving up flying and having children really is utterly pie in the sky though. It just won't happen. And even more ridiculous is the idea that if you don't have DC you can pollute all you like.

There would probably be uproar. Increasing daily as even the virtue-signallers realise that they are being done over pointlessly because other nations are going on their merry way regardless.

Judging by so many of the replies on this thread it’s worrying how many people actually seem to be unaware of the severity of this crisis and the real timescales involved. I think there will be uproar @ChocOrCheese when the effects of climate change start occuring with more frequency and people wander why the government did nothing to mitigate it.