Climate Change............who cares.

[worldgonewild]

Climate change. It's in the news constantly, everywhere you turn. Do we give a damn? .....

....What do you think is the best way to tackle climate change? Finally you can take part in a poll . You'll find it on the right hand side of the site.

P.S. There may even be a prize; a 4X4 or a return trip to NZ!

I care - my mum has just offered to make me and my family to Cuba for her 60th birthday and my first thought was "Tenerife would be less environmentally damaging!". So we're not going to Cuba. I'm getting a bit obsessed tbh!

I know the feeling!

Oh balls have just discovered that ds1 has got the dreaded thread worms (please don't judge me anyone that hasn't had this problem - think he's picked them up from nursery !!!). Trouble is, I'm doing about about 8 loads of washing today and oh no - using the tumble dryer - a lot . Have posted to the "3 washes a day" thread to say it's completely unnecessary. Am eating my words as I type!!!!

I care, but I'm afraid that it won't stop me from going on holiday abroad.

Don't think we should not go on holiday - just that short haul is better than long haul, and yes it would be great to see Cuba (c4600 miles) but we'll have a fab time in Tenerife (c500 miles)! Plus long haul isn't good with a 3yo and a 1yo!!

I'm not sure though as they send larger planes on long haul so could fit more people in, so perhaps for one plane going to Cuba two are going to Tenerife?

Don't blame you on the long haul with 2 children thing, although it is only a few hours longer than Tenerife isn't it?

My LO wants to go to Australia on holiday (after last year saying 7/8 hours to the US is too far) :-S

Can't even imagine what that trip would be like for a lo - phew!!

True there are lots more trips to Tenerife but think that is better - sometimes we are so caught up in wanting to go somewhere no-one else has been we forget that there are fantastic places in the UK and Europe. If you just have one holiday a year better for the environment that it's short haul than long haul imo.

She said that she would read her books & sleep & watch the films so she has obviously thought about the theory of it!

I'm sure it'll be done one day but not yet.

I do agree there are lots of places to see close to home that are often overlooked, even within this country, but I do like experiencing different cultures & places so every year it's always really hard to choose where to go. Have heard that Tenerife is very nice.

Tenerife, nice? Hmmm; in the deep dark winter I look at this place, desperate for a sunshine break not too expensive and not too far away. As I wade through the accommodation, every time I find myself going yuk, yuk, yuk. Just not inspiring! There's something very unsettling about a place purely set up for tourists, concrete box hotels, that imports all its food, that looks like a moonscape and receives a constant stream of desperate Africans via its beaches. Sorry!

I know where you are coming from but mount Teide is good for a trip out and we are only expecting a week in the sun with the kids and my mum and dad to relax and unwind. It's a long time since I've been inspired by a place I must say - I'm more inspired watching my los on the beach/in the sea/pool/displaying excellent table manners/dancing at the kids disco etc. So not much point in going too far!

I think more people are worried about eating cheap chickens than their exotic hols abroad (see thread on organic meat...)

chickeninabox, are you saying you don't care about climate change? Incidently two "freedom food" free range chicken legs from morrisons are less than £2 which does me fine. Dead quick and easy to cook as well. So I still have time to worry about climate change!

isn't global warming a myth anyway?

mrsmalumbas

The information in the article you link to, is based on a fellow called Richard Lindzen; more on him here .

It's absolutely right that a debate is had as to whether or not climate change is (a). happening and (b). if it's being caused by human activities or not.

I've seen enough evidence to believe it is happening and that yes, it is human activities that are causing it. I could go on but I'd probably send you to sleep.

ballbaby,

I hope you have a jolly good time. If the kids are happy you're happy and yes, of course that's all that matters.

Worldgonewild I'm no scientist but it seems to me there are a lot of vested interests at stake here - on both sides of the debate. I think a bit of healthy scepticism is worth cultivating. Just seems to me a lot of people are jumping on the whole eco-friendly-fair-trade-vegan-cloth-nappie-reduced-carbon-footprints bandwagon without necessarily giving it too much thought.

mrsmalumbas

Believe me such people have given these things a hell of a lot of thought! Yes, OK, some things suddenly become trendy but you can blame that on magazines and Sat newspapers. Makes me laugh that camping for example has suddenly become so 'in'. I blame the Guardian, Telegraph and The Times for the curse of the 'Top 10 best places/things to do/buy...' syndrome!

But believe me, climate change is here to stay. As the weather man said today, the UK has just finished its longest extended summer since records began. I could go on!

I don't personally think it's climate change that will harm people in rich countries - but there are so many people on the planet sharing limited resources, and essentially living beyond our means, and if governments don't start thinking about that now it can only end badly. Poor countries, we already know, are suffering from climate change and you can argue whether or not that is caused by humans, I believe it is. Either way the changing climate needs to be considered and action taken now to try to minimise suffering.

You can't deny the evidence that polar caps are melting, seas are rising, temperatures are rising. Don't know if me trying to do my best for the environment will help or not - but I'd rather give it a try and be wrong, than not try and regret it.

What do people think about using the expression "global warming" rather than "climate change"? It's cited as an example of language being manipulated to make something terrifying appear less so in Unspeak

www

'Climate change' is the propper term because it covers all weather changes, including hurricanes and flooding. You can have affects such as climate cooling too, even if temporary, such as the last two Augusts in the UK when cloud was predominant and the weather was crap! So, yes the term 'global warming' while not wrong, can be a bit simplistic, even though the planet is heating up.

The 'Climate Change' poll now has over 100 votes and is now closed. There are some very interesting results which you can review here .

Thank you for taking part.