Climate Change

[carboncareful]

As parents we are not only responsible for the health and welfare of our children here and now but also in the future. If we mess up the planet there will be no decent future for our children and grandchildren. Mumsnet should have a forum for discussion on Climate Change, global warming, the energy crisis etc. (why have I had to post this in "other subjects" when it is so important?). Better still Mumsnet should branch out and start another site and call it climatenet. As climate change takes effect it will be helpful to discuss our carbon footprints and what can be done by us as individuals or what we should insist the government does and so on. Please respond to this comment and encourage mumsnet to take this on.

I agree that safeguarding the world we live in for the future should be high on the list of priorities for everyone, perhaps particularly for parents, and thus would well merit its own section. Though, perhaps a separate section would sort of ghetto-ise the issue - it would be even better if people who are 'aware' would post their thoughts whenever stuff comes up.

It seems to me that the live-and-let-live non-judgey-ism that can be the trend on MN can be a bit counter to this. Like, anyone who uses disposable nappies, drives their kids around in cars unnecessarily, goes on holidays by airplane, buys unseasonal produce from half-way around the world (and I include myself in this; I'm not holier-than-thou, I just try as best as I can) - they are (I am, too) destroying my child's future as well, not just their own's. Of course, there are individual circumstances, there are always times when you have little choice, and sadly, acting environmentally aware is often more expensive and thus for some not an economically viable option. And yet, there are plenty of people who just 'can't be bothered'. Can't be bothered to try to help make sure their children will have a future??? This I don't get.

I imagine in maybe 30 years. My child, then fully grown up and struggling in a world where people starve, freeze to death, die from lack of basics like clean water (and this is already a reality in many parts of the world - just a question of time until it reaches here). He confronts me and says: 'But you knew this was going to be the consequence of your actions. You knew this was going to happen. And yet you did nothing. You didn't go campaigning. You didn't even change your ways... you might have sacrificed a little of your f...ing comfort and we would all be better off today. How could you know about this and yet keep going as if you didn't?'
I would like to be able to say something then. Probably I would mostly be hanging my head in shame. But I would like to be able to say that at least I did my best.

Is there only one mumsnet person worried about the future of their children? I am shocked!

Ethical living section should cover a lot of your thoughts quite nicely.

Seeing as mumsnet is mostly about having babies and breeding, maybe you should all open your eyes a bit and take a serious look at global warming. First check out Easter Island and what happened there, as I think we are going the same way, there is plenty of info on the internet.
The main thing about global warming besides the temperature rise, is the sea rising. Within most of our lives it will be 10 feet, probably more. There is plenty of info about this on the internet. That means there will be about 100,000,000 people displaced. Where do you think those people will go, or do?
Then there is the sad fact that businesses and governments are trying to make money out of the bad situation, which is just making things worse, take carbon trading for an example.
Then we have the real polluters. massive ships using about 380 tons of crude oil to propel them through the water/day. the fumes and soot are pumped into the sea so you do not see the smoke. These ships are increasing 10%/year.
Then we have military, I believe US military produces 50% of the worlds pollution.
How about rockets, they are far from pollution free.
O.K. now consider this:- the authorities are going be picking on us, our heating and consumption. Our carbon footprint that they are going to be taxing us on.
Why are they not taxing the real polluters?
This November 30 2015, the UN are going to be holding a conference in Paris to tie governments to restriction co2 emissions. It will probably be as big a fiasco as the Kyoto agreement in 2006.
Wake up people, if you want a world for your children and grandchildren to live in you had better unite and do something. Personally I think we are nearly too late.