To ask: what could Extinction Rebellion do to convince you?

[WallyWallyWally]

So another series of XR stunts unfolded today: a tree surgeon climbs Big Ben and unfurls a banner. Some other activists have chained themselves to the door of the Kenyan embassy. A big wooden tipi has been constructed to block Oxford Circus. In the crowds, people have been painting their hands red and are leaving handprints on pavements to symbolise... something.

They’ve camped out in public places. Climbed on top of trains and planes Performed various theatrical performances. They’ve marched and glued themselves to buildings. Held up traffic, waved banners, got kids to stay off school.

What XR want Is: for governments to declare a climate emergency, for actions to be taken to address this and for citizens assemblies to be set up to decide what these actions should be.

I’m not arguing about the science of climate heating (I’m convinced). I’m not asking them not to be hypocrites (it’s impossible to live a truly green lifestyle within our society as it is).

So: what could XR do to convince you of the right-ness of their cause? What action should they take? What campaigns / stunts / awareness raising can they do that would convince you that the house is on fire? To the extent that you would lobby your MP / campaign / join them?

I do believe we all need to make changes but I do not believe the end is nigh. I believe we have accelerated/amplified changes in climate but the earth does cycle through differing climate phases. Some of these are more/less conducive to human survival or prosperity. The human race has survived through a range of huge climactic events, I believe what eventually wipes us out is likely to be simply beyond our control.

I already have made a lot of changes in how we live and we are making more every day. We now choose British produce in the supermarket, although it limits our choice & bring our own glass containers etc for meat/fish from the counters. I'm using washable nappies and we are working hard to reduce our consumption generally, of goods, water and electricity. We are also trying to choose to patronise companies who have a sustainable supply chain. These choices have not been influenced by extinction rebellion.

Don't patronise me! I'm 53 and have been aware of climate change for years! I didn't need XR to tell me about it. I'm not 15 🤔

Oh for goodness sake. how "me me me" can you get. This isn't just about you its about everyone.

Sorry that last post implies that you knew nothin of CC before XR. I didn’t mean that, rather that it’s slightly more elevated in your consciousness than it was before. I don’t know what your individual practices are so certainly didn’t mean to diss them, but if you apply a slight rise in CC consciousness across the population then that will hopefully lead to more collective action.

Sorry I didn’t mean to imply that you know nothing or do nothing about CC. My post didn’t sound as in my head!

reduce carbon emissions? Yes, great, we all agree with that. HOW????

They don't know. No-one knows! We need to get on with educating all the children in the world so that someone manages to find a solution. Part of that includes eradicating poverty in developing countries which necessarily comes with a temporary increase in carbon emissions.

Going vegan is absurd.

People zone out for the same reason that documentary linked below hasn’t been watched as much as the fish.

A nice message with here’s what you can do.. forget about it.

The bag cost was good and changed more behaviour than just telling people to reduce plastic.

As for causing economic collapse, quite the contrary. It is precisely by acting now that we will preserve our economy and the material well-being that comes from it.

But what exactly do you want us to DO when we “act now”, coatlessinspokane?

kjhkj I was replying to a PP who asked ME a direct question about ME. Calm down.

It's made me think about climate change but as in "Oh yeah the protests, them utter fucking idiots who glued themselves to an electric train"

XR aren't enlightening us mere folks like they think they are, they're pissing people off and doing the opposite of bringing positive attention to it.

If litter picking, using reusable coffee cups etc won't make a difference, what will?

I'd happily write to my MP but I don't know what I'm asking for. I don't think a letter saying 'I'm worried about climate change' with no suggestions for workable solutions will do much.

@Trewser I wrote my second post above before your response post because I realised I had sounded patronising! My second post explains more what I meant. Apologies for offending you

that will hopefully lead to more collective action.

There you go again. What action?

Yeah the electric public transport thing was a huge own goal.

Still, what with getting the timing wrong so they pissed off shift workers rather than the bankers they hoped to target, and failing to understand how to use a fire hose, they are providing a lot of entertainment.

If litter picking, using reusable coffee cups etc won't make a difference, what will?

They do make a difference. But not enough.

Unfortunately the biggest things we could do are the things people don't want to change. Eating meat, using the internet/email and overseas travel. People are only happy to change the things that don't really affect them very much.

People say if they went away I’d do more. People like them and GT put me off.

No talk on the climate crisis would not result in people being model environmental citizens. Far from it. Recycling at a push and even that with years and years of messages.

Yes nicer not to be bugged by annoying messages but saying nothing translates to doing nothing.

Nothing. They are stupid idiots. I mean, what type of stupid A hole goes onto TV dressed as a 🥦?

It's made me think about climate change but as in "Oh yeah the protests, them utter fucking idiots who glued themselves to an electric train"

But you could now think about it if you haven’t done so already and discuss here what you think would help. Is it impossible to keep below 2 degrees warming? What action do you believe should be taken?

A lot of it is common sense and tbh, the older people in our society have more of a clue.

My PILS reuse EVERYTHING, they mend absolutely everything they can, refuse to consume unnecessarily, grow their own veg, eat locally (meat and eggs from local farm), have an old car that PIL can fix himself. Don't have a computer!

Tbh I admire them far more than XR!

I think it's up to us, the general population to change things. XR can go and attack people / business and government but it will have little to no effect. They are all but an inconvenience.
It's far more important to make small changes in every day living like reducing plastic and water usage. Reducing your car journeys, buy locally produced food (or at least from the uk), stop buying any type of plastic tat (Christmas is coming! ) because the big companies who supply this stuff will only change of we, the general population stop buying it!!!!

And teach your children to be aware of the environment, they are the future business heads and consumers.

Rather than disrupting commuter trains and ordinary people’s lives they should use all of this energy to infiltrate all political parties, companies, lobbying groups etc. and force through some actual change!
The hypocrisy and virtue signalling by XR is spectacularly cringeworthy.

My PILS reuse EVERYTHING, they mend absolutely everything they can, refuse to consume unnecessarily, grow their own veg, eat locally (meat and eggs from local farm), have an old car that PIL can fix himself. Don't have a computer!

Which is fab and probably reflective of their upbringing. My DP were born in the 50s and are quite shockingly consumerist. They jet off overseas at the drop of a hat, don't even recycle and buy new clothes very frequently.

Yes also PILS don't 'do Halloween', Xmas decs are lovely and at least 30 years old, out for 10 days then carefully put away.

I think we could learn a lot from the people who lived through rationing tbh.

They are older. Born in the 30s!

And teach your children to be aware of the environment, they are the future business heads and consumers.

I think the teens/tweens of today are very conscious of the issues. DS1 is currently doing his GCSE project on whether XR's targets for carbon emissions reductions are achievable and what it would actually take in terms of societal change.

They are older. Born in the 30s!

Yes I can see how they would have a better approach to using things. My DP really upset me. I basically try to offset what they do.

Not only are they not prepared to be part of the solution, they have completely unrealistic demands. U.K. carbon neutral by 2025? How do they think that would be achieved? By killing industry, making thousands redundant and destroying our economy? Their monotonous reciting of unachievable and unhelpful aims is undermining any good feeling they might otherwise have had.