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.

Because towing horses around is more important than climate change.

Have a 7 seater SUV (no kids but a couple of dogs), an old diesel pick up and a petrol saloon between 2 of us.
We travel as much as we can and are a bit hit and miss with the recycling.
I can only care about so much and I don’t have the mental energy for climate change. Sorry.

Various reasons really. I don't own one currently but I have owned many and would do so again.

When it comes to greenhouse gases, worrying about what car middle class British people drive is like pissing into the wind in the grand scale of things. When you have the likes of China building coal fired power stations at a scale and pace that is hard to comprehend, Americans using boats with 2000bhp for a spot of fishing etc our contribution is such a drop in the ocean it really isn't worth bothering about.

I also see the world heading inexorably towards calamity no matter what we do, global warming is only one of many catastrophic man-made problems that might trigger the final meltdown of society. I hope it comes after my lifetime not during but I truly don't believe that we have any hope of 'saving the world', let alone by buying electric hatchbacks. All our problems stem from grotesque overpopulation and there is nothing whatsoever being done to fix this, everything else is just virtue signaling sticking plasters.

I'll carry on doing my best when it comes to things that can actually make a local difference, avoiding plastic, recycling and reusing, minimising waste, buying ethically etc but I'm not going to start worrying about my car killing the planet because it does a couple less mpg than it could.

It’s not just SUV’s and holidays that cause massive carbon emissions. Choosing to have kids or dogs, eating food shipped from 1,000’s miles away, buying crypto etc etc are equally bad or worse. People seem to just grab onto SUV’s as they’re easy to understand and can seem needlessly excessive but are no more so than the other things I’ve mentioned.

We’re fucked, absolutely. Governments around the world have made it clear that they’re not planning on changing anything. What we do on an individual level is just a drop in the ocean.

I drive a 22yr old large-ish diesel. I don’t buy new clothes, I don’t go on planes, I eat locally as much as I can… you can guess there are financial reasons for all the above!

My diesel still manages a fast pass on the MOT emissions and is really fuel efficient, only used on long drives and never in the city.

I see families with multiple cars doing so much unnecessary driving for short journeys, yet the over-consumption aspect is rarely mentioned

I've asked a few of those posting sneering replies what they want us to do.

None has deigned to answer - preferring to sneer rather than discuss.

@Ariela

Scraping a functioning vehicle is surely far worse than buying a new one?

Yes this is kind of where we are at the moment - we wouldn’t buy our diesel Freelander if we were buying today. But we have it, we put very few miles on it - is it better to keep it and hang on until a suitable electric car comes into our price range? Or buy a more fuel efficient petrol car now?

The thing is, someone with an SUV who cycles and walks when they can drive, regularly gets public transport, donates to green charities, always recycles, stays in at times rather than going out, etc, would actually have a lower overall impact on the environment than someone who drives a ‘normal’ car but:

Goes out ‘just for a drive’
Goes for a ‘Sunday drive’
‘Nips down the shops’ in the car when they could walk
Refuses to car pool to work as they don’t like to share
Won’t ever get the train or the bus
Gets bored so goes out somewhere in the car
Drives their children to school no matter what
Doesn’t check their tyre pressure

Etc.

And yes, I know a few people who do most or all of the above list, and yet moan about SUV drivers for being bad for environment!

Also; big businesses and farming release way, way more carbon emissions than all SUV drivers put together. But the government and the media don’t want you focussing on that, as they have rich lobbyists, so they make us turn on eachother.

I never thought that someone would judge based on our vehicle. Interesting concept. It’s a small diesel truck. It’s our only family vehicle, it’s a work truck with a special bed for our bee keeping business.
I’m in rural Canada, although I presume some might temporarily get by without driving over here, with the lay of our land it would be very impractical and possibly unhealthy on other levels.

@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.

Usually it's the expectation that in the end, scientists and big technology will save the planet with improvements e.g. Using Battery tech instead of gas , ect

Marketing and consumer demand is interesting. I bought a car 9 years ago and got a people carrier / MPV. I wanted space to lug stuff, Higher seating position and roof 'coz I'm tall. Relatively cheap running costs. Petrol due to short journeys and DPF issues plus I hated diesel particulates even back then. I wanted enough power to rumble down motorways at 70 and not be underpowered on hills and the ability to carry 7 at times for family / friends etc which saves multiple journeys.

So practical family car reasons.

That class of car has largely gone now, most manufacturers only do an SUV equivalent. Ironically the basic specs aren't all that different, 2 wheel drive, petrol engines are available. It is largely cosmetic bollocks like more aggressive styling, bumper and side panels, high door panels and thick pillars (which give small windows which I dislike), and a higher from floor ride height (which is utterly pointless for most).

I hope to see a return of more people-carrier type cars, but a lot of 'SUVs' really aren't that different to a tarted-up estate on stilts (e.g. Vauxhall Grandland, Citroen's thing, and lower priced Skoda Kodiaqs).

I don’t think governments have the will to fully tackle climate change as seen by the private jets, large motor cavalcades, etc, They know the damage it will do to people’s lives, livelihoods, how much it will cost us all, the reduction in travel, holidays etc, Many countries make most of their money from Coal, oil, gas, big businesses make fortunes from them, The renewable technology can’t be fully relied on yet, heat pumps will not work in 90% of Uk houses, electric cars are too expensive and limited range, At the moment we seem to be putting are fingers in the dam trying to stop water, while nearby the dam is burst and nobody’s doing anything about, ie what we are doing is just making us feel good but not actually doing anything.

I have a big dirty diesel pickup which I don't really need but is great for when I'm working onsite.

I figure that having children would've been much worse for the environment. I could have two kids who then have several kids each, and so on. By the time my grandchildren had kids my choice to be a mother could have easily resulted in 15 more cars on the road and 15 houses being heated etc.

I never thought that someone would judge based on our vehicle. Interesting concept

People judge based on everything. Even if not from an environmental view, people judge cars.

Is it hypocritical if someone lives in a city with excellent public transport links so doesnt need a car to get around to go to work or do any of the essential life tasks, puts the shoe into people who do require a car.

I see it all the time on here. People asking why cant you use a bus/ train?

Same with air travel. I havent been on abroad for over 5 years but made to feel like an evil murderer if I think about booking something for next year by people who have spent their whole lives doing multiple jollys to multiple places, multiple times a year, but now decide everyone should stop travelling. Obviously they've been everywhere they ever wanted and now wont be going anywhere anyway.

Dont get me started on the private jets that were used by the people attending the recent cop26.

Meh. I don't have an SUV and don't even drive that much. But while China is emitting 30% of the world's carbon and don't seem to be interested in doing anything about it, it's hard for me to get my knickers in a twist about a few Range Rovers 🤷‍♀️

lots of waste in this world, yes excessive racing type cars useless for family or work reasons. excessive fast fashion. non repairable everything tv's stoves etc due to the electronic components.
then i hear the medical industry, the making of medications is a hugely environmentally dirty business.

We own, among other vehicles, a large diesel SUV. We use it to tow the horse box and for various other jobs to which it is well suited. I don’t even pretend to give a fuck about climate change, so while I might be environmentally unfriendly, at least I’m not a hypocrite.

I agree @Unphased.
It many ways it feels like the latest ‘good cause’ with lots of nodding and very worried expressions, but ultimately the ones who wield all the power aren’t going to be here in 50 years and have economies to run during a pandemic to run the meantime.

We drive a massive diesel suv because we tow a caravan all around the UK and Europe and haven't been abroad by plane in years.
So that's how I justify to myself. We're about to sell our caravan but we'll probably keep the car, is buying a new car when we don't need it worse than keeping and oldish one? I don't know.
We also have a small electric car so we don't drive the diesel for short journeys

I'm definitely judging BoJo for flying back from COP so he could make a dinner engagement.
I agree with @Cocomarine it is difficult to see the scale and your part in it. I drive a smallish crossover, I have a reasonably long commute to work which I can't do on public transport, partly because I choose to live in a nice semi-rural village rather than in town where there would be better public transport options. I could move to town, but I value my quality of life here more than the environmental benefits of living in town. On the few days a year when we have snow, we're very grateful to the 4x4 owners in the area who help people who get stuck.
I do fly as well - I love to travel - I'm aware it's not ideal but also that if I don't buy the seat someone else does and the plane still goes. I do limit it to once a year and take the ferry or train to Europe when I can.

When you see the number of huge cars in the US and the very cheap petrol there you see that actually it has to be a global effort. Couldn't believe the size of their wheelie bins as well. We definitely do better in the UK than some other developed countries.

I'm heartened that UK meat consumption has reduced too, we are all more aware these days and we are moving in the right direction.

Biggest impact you can have is making sure your pension and investments are in ethical plans.

Ours is diesel but it’s also nearly10 years old now. DH treated himself for working so hard all his life. Plus he needs it to fit all his kids in . When it conks out we will swap to electric if we can afford it. Though It uses less diesel than my more smaller car takes petrol

If all of the government who are actually supposed to care drive electric cars il be very surprised

People who drive these around cities are generally selfish types anyway who have excuses as to why they “need” these cars. So they won’t consider the environment -or the safety of others on the road - while making their choices.

Electric cars are hardly a viable option for most of the population and aren’t especially environmentally friendly either.

And given they’ve closed a car park near COP26, filled it with diesel generators to charge the electric cars for the convention, I’ll take what the government say regarding environmental issues with a pinch of salt and keep driving my medium sized diesel SUV which is perfect for my family, carrying a wheelchair and driving around my rural area thank you.