To ask how drivers of massive SUVs square it with themselves in terms of climate change?

[Bleepingtons]

Same goes for those who go long haul on the regular? Buy loads of cheap, disposable fashion? Etc etc? Do you just not worry about climate change?

I know I sound sanctimonious but I am genuinely baffled by people driving massive diesel SUVs like there isn't a major issue.

What bugs me more really is the amount of people that I see sitting with their engines idling whilst waiting for people. That's not good - especially around schools.

@SisforSoppy
Yes totally agree - we need the Government to impose large taxes on things that aren’t environmentally friendly as that’s the only way to make most people change.

More and more people are switching to electric cars but we need to get away from this culture that new is best and the idea that changing your car every couple of years is a good thing.
Also manufacturers need to make cars that last - yes this will make them more expensive but there should be large taxes/restrictions imposed on using cheap materials that don’t wear well or can’t be repaired.

Re long haul flights when celebrities and other people of influence stop using private jets and making them seem glamorous and desirable - that would be a big help. I think many people feel a little disgruntled that they’re discouraged from a once yearly yearly holiday flying in economy class when people like the Beckhams, Clooneys etc fly here, there and everywhere on private jets. They should be banned quite frankly.

@Chasingaftermidnight

Truthfully I don't really care. I can't have children so don't have the 'what about my kids' argument. Plus those that do have children have a far worse carbon footprint than I do with my car.

There have been quite a few of these types of comments in the thread - either ‘I don’t have kids so I don’t care’ or ‘I don’t have kids so I’ve done my bit’.

There’s an irony to it - [some] people who don’t have kids don’t care because they don’t see themselves as having a stake in the future and/or think they’ve already made their sacrifices, while [some] people with children care a lot but only because of their children’s welfare. And people who have had kids apparently (according to some on this thread) aren’t allowed to care about climate change because they’ve created new carbon generators so they’ll always be hypocrites.

(That said, some of the childfree people I know are also among the most committed environmentalists I know!)

People who have had children are hypocrites though if they judge people for things that aren't environmentally friendly, such as SUVs when they had me created an even bigger carbon footprint bringing in another person. If you weren't worried about the environment when you had your kid, don't act high and mighty around others due to their choices.

SUVs aren't great for the environment but it's probably still better to have a 15 year old SUV that you rarely use instead of a more economical car used for every short journey or a brand new efficient cat every 3 years.

My main problem with SUVs is the safety (much worse if you hit a pedestrian or cyclist) and the fact that all these huge cars makes it more difficult to cross roads, they often need to be parked on pavements to avoid blocking the road, etc.

Fair enough if you own one for occasional use but people using them daily for school runs and urban driving (and there are an awful lot that do) really should think again. I am certain that almost all could manage perfectly well with an ordinary family car. SUVs often don't even have good cabin space. You need an estate for that.

I’ve got an SUV because I need one.

Every single one of you who judges someone driving an SUV is an utter dick. Try getting a mobility scooter, or wheelchair, and hoist in a small hatchback and i think you’ll find it won’t fit. Try being riddled with arthritis, having metal plates in your back and pelvis and see if you can get into a low down car and I think you’ll find you can’t.

For some of us the choice of what we drive is very limited. We can’t just hop on public transport, get on a bike or walk to the shops. I’d much rather have a small electric hatchback than a life of severe pain and immobility if I had the option.

We have 2 and also a Camero. We fly a fair amount first or business only.

I am being totally honest. I don't care about it, I just find it yet another tiresome thing that people grab to make themselves look like good people. I really don't think about it ever and couldn't care less.

How do you feel about driving at all? About eating meat, about using your washing machine, about going on holiday, I guess that makes you just as guilty as us SUV drivers 🙄

People who have had children are hypocrites though if they judge people for things that aren't environmentally friendly,

I really don't think that's a good argument. Fair enough bring red meat and long haul flights into it (still whataboutery though) but reproduction is a basic human behaviour. Society wouldn't function without children being added to it. You speak as though a personal choice not to have children is an excuse to do exactly what you want as, if it were up to you, there'd be no people in 100 years anyway. Have you thought about who is going to grow your food, deliver your shopping, provide your healthcare etc after retirement? Or do you just expect to die at 65? (If so who will bury you)

I am being totally honest. I don't care about it, I just find it yet another tiresome thing that people grab to make themselves look like good people. I really don't think about it ever and couldn't care less.

Fair enough at least you are honest!

@SnackSizeRaisin

Estates honestly weren't big enough on the cabin space for us because we tried (hoping it would be easier to park and not look so conspicuous!). I totally agree about the parking though and urban driving but it is difficult if you have made the choice to only have one car because you can't justify having a runaround as well. Ours is the smallest as and most economical SUV we could find but I am very conscious of not making life harder for other drivers and pedestrians so we walk everywhere within about 3 miles with my toddler in tow and I don't think I've parked anywhere but a designated bay!

I don’t think turning on each other for cars/flights/multiple children is particularly helpful and leads to mad ideas like “I only have one child so it’s fine if I do xyz”

We know what the issue is we need clear guidance from the government to do the right thing going forward. We need to get in the mindset that we can’t always get what we want from now on. Like we did with Covid

@SnackSizeRaisin

People who have had children are hypocrites though if they judge people for things that aren't environmentally friendly,

I really don't think that's a good argument. Fair enough bring red meat and long haul flights into it (still whataboutery though) but reproduction is a basic human behaviour. Society wouldn't function without children being added to it. You speak as though a personal choice not to have children is an excuse to do exactly what you want as, if it were up to you, there'd be no people in 100 years anyway. Have you thought about who is going to grow your food, deliver your shopping, provide your healthcare etc after retirement? Or do you just expect to die at 65? (If so who will bury you)

But it is not a basic human right to have children. You don't have to have kids so to say it's basic human behaviour is just ridiculous. I don't judge those who have children as I have 1, but I also don't judge those who eat meat, drive an SUV, use heating in winter, have a dog and many more things, as it would make me a hypocrite. I'm not saying no one can have kids, obviously, but you are a hypocrite if you have them and bang on to others about how environmentally unfriendly they are . And you stand in no place to judge someone.

Environmental stuff aside as I'm no saint, but I just don't see the point in SUVs outside of rural life. They're just a badge of honour for families, keeping up with the Jones' type thing. Many are all fur coat no knickers, they're not always actually more spacious inside just unnecessarily higher up. We're a family of 4 and a hatch back is plenty, we holiday a lot and have a bike rack, never have we been in a position where a bigger car was needed.

2 kids here, both my husband and I are tall so small cars aren’t great. Went to caravan not that long ago in a Ford Focus and I had one leg on the floor and the other on the door as we couldn’t fit everything on the car. Not trying to justify my actions here but just making the point that we have bought an suv style car as we are struggling in the focus. Sadly to my disappointment electric cars are an eye watering price, an extra £15k for it so we did opt for the petrol. I didn’t want a petrol but my finances cannot stretch, we will try walk if just going local but I do think more needs to be done to offer incentives to buy cars that are better for the environment

@AlphabetAerobics

Don’t go to the supermarket OP. I weep every time I see an avocado or bunch of asparagus in a trolley. 😭

But if they are on the shelf people will buy them. Why are shops being allowed to import them and stock them still?

only on Mumsnet you get middle-class women shaming each other for middle-class lifestyles

^ I assume the weeping over asparagus was sarcasm. Lol

I would ration flights and meat for everyone / enforce anyone getting new boilers anyway gets the new sort same with cars and do a massive mind shift campaign away from buying plastic crap / make supermarkets do refillables for everything they can do and try to get everyone onto a wartime we can do this mindset.

I would ration flights and meat for everyone / enforce anyone getting new boilers anyway gets the new sort same with cars and do a massive mind shift campaign away from buying plastic crap / make supermarkets do refillables for everything they can do and try to get everyone onto a wartime we can do this mindset.

why don't ya just move to China? North Korea would be better, but i'm afraid they won't let you in.

Easy seasonally etc. No ones going to die because they can’t have strawberries every day in January

"I weep every time I see an avocado or bunch of asparagus in a trolley. 😭"

Why asparagus? Genuine question. Is it usually imported? Because it grows perfectly well in the UK. I've grown it for years.

Yes assume the weeping was sarcasm too 😂

But if avocados are so bad, shouldn’t we ban or at least limit them? Instead they’re everywhere. The media are really pushing them - read an article the other week which claimed people on a diet who ate half an avocado daily lost more weight than those who didn’t. That’s only going to encourage a lot more avocado eating 🙄

I would also open up local beauty spots that are hidden away and have great properly managed leisure facilities accessible so people don’t to travel miles to enjoy nature. In Germany lakes have cafes changing facilities swimming / boating areas available to all. Here our local lake is strictly fenced off 🙄

I have a diesel 4x4 not ideal but I live miles from anything and it's the cheapest and most practical way of getting around for us. Roads regularly flood outside out house and we live far from everything so fuel gets expensive.
No public transport available. Plus I am so stressed out with rising costs of living day to day I cannot get myself overly invested in future decades right now. We do only own one car though so hopefully that helps something.

Easy seasonally etc. No ones going to die because they can’t have strawberries every day in January

Of-season strawberies are awful though. They taste like tomatoes.