prince William - earthshot prize

[Samcro]

could not believe it when I saw the advert for it last night. so PW is presenting this thing. the same Prince who flies all over the world.
obviously won't be watching as him and DA lecturing people about climate change is so hypocritical.
(rant over)

@rubicscubicle

Shatner is just part of the PR. You cannot honestly think they just jumped into this like you would in a car. Most definitely, a test run was done and research done for the whole thing to even take off in the first place. It's impossible for them to have just out of the blue started this project without going through the safety process. This was not devised out of thin air like driving a car, so many things could go wrong, at some point engineers, dr's, specialists etc. would have been involved to make this happen.

The basic technology and knowledge has existed for fifty odd years and even then they penetrated way deeper than today's boy racers dabbling at the edges.

You cannot honestly think they just jumped into this like you would in a car

Have you seen the BO (arf) website? The plush viewing seats and vast viewing windows are entirely redolent of the lounge seats on a cross channel ferry.

This article is well worth a read and sums up what I feel about the Royals and their comments on climate control matters. The Queen summed it up for me...

“It’s really irritating when they talk, but they don’t DO.”

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/oct/15/green-royals-saving-the-planet-helicopter-queen-charles-william-climate

As illustrated in this article, they really are on a hiding to nothing.

And for all the doubters on this thread that they don't use helicopters like we would get on a bus... because there is only one photo out there that was snapped of K&W going to Amner Hall by helicopter...

As it happens, I live very near the London spot from which many royal helicopters take off for the various visits/weekend-trips to other estates, and on those days often wonder whether it would sound slightly less like a Vietnam movie if fewer choppers were regarded as essential. As one of the boarders of, and alighters from, these flights, perhaps William could shed greater light?

@LolaSmiles

Roussette Well said. When thr wealthiest businessmen are avoiding tax and playing with space toys, the whole thing becomes farcical at time.

I have to say that I can get behind William's initiative because the focus seems to be on generating investment and highlighting other people's work in areas. He also doesn't try to position himself as expert on all things or a saviour figure. If he sat on Newscast in Kensington Palace lecturing us all on why we need to recycle or telling us non-royals we need to be doing more in pseudo-philabthropic babble then I'd have my eyes rolling into the back of my head.

Hahahaha well the royals don't pay tax or if they do you can bet your bottom dollar they do all they can to minimise it!

So you think its farcical they spend money on space toys, this is money they have from building up their own companies from working themselves yet the royals who don't work take your taxes and spend it on thousands of pounds of designer clothes to attend events and that isnt farcical

Pot kettle black

Dreamstate
My feelings about the royal family as an institution are middle of the road ambivalence, but we have them and as long as we have them then I want them to get on with their day job, make as little fuss as possible, use their platform to promote positive causes and not be attention-seeking narcissists airing their laundry in public.

Working royals do have a job. It's not one I would want and I often think that it's a very pretty cage cage live in.

At the end of the day William is a member of the royal family. If he uses his position for something like the Earthshot prize, it's substantially better than others moaning about how hard it is being rich.

I don’t see the point in viewing every action done by a royal through the lens of it's not good enough because we shouldn't have a royal family.

I often think that it's a very pretty cage cage live in

It's not a cage. Any or all are free to walk away any time they choose.

I don’t see the point in viewing every action done by a royal through the lens of it's not good enough because we shouldn't have a royal family

No-one has said that. What they have said is it's massively hypocritical for the royals to finger wag at the peasants on the environment when their own carbon footprint is deeper than that of the majority of their 'subjects' by an enormous margin.

Working royals do have a job

Can you elaborate on this?

What member of the RF has moaned about how hard it is being rich?
None of them have.

CathyorClaire
One reason I liked what I've seen so far about the Earthshot is because it's about a range of people and groups finding solutions. It goes beyond individuals making their own changes. One of my main gripes about discussions about climate change is that it easily becomes "yeah but if you do ABC, you shouldn't talk about XYX", or if the person speaking isn't an eco-purist then their contributions are shot down. There was a thread on here about the sheer amount of plastic tat that gets sold at Christmas, and without fail there were lots of posters trying to argue that people shouldn't discuss plastic tat because if they have a car/have children etc then there's no grounds to discuss limited use plastic stuff.

Like I say, I'm ambivalent about the royals, but as long as we have them and the senior royals are doing their various duties, keeping their heads down, then there's a lot more issues in our country that I'm bothered about.

@LolaSmiles

Dreamstate My feelings about the royal family as an institution are middle of the road ambivalence, but we have them and as long as we have them then I want them to get on with their day job, make as little fuss as possible, use their platform to promote positive causes and not be attention-seeking narcissists airing their laundry in public.

Working royals do have a job. It's not one I would want and I often think that it's a very pretty cage cage live in.

At the end of the day William is a member of the royal family. If he uses his position for something like the Earthshot prize, it's substantially better than others moaning about how hard it is being rich.

I don’t see the point in viewing every action done by a royal through the lens of it's not good enough because we shouldn't have a royal family.

Your whole post starts off again how farcical it is of wealthy businessmen to spend money on space toys and then go on to praise the royals

I talk about double standards! The royals are judf as farcical spending money (they don't earn) on overpriced clothes, who needs a £4k dress? Who needs an elaborate wedding like they had? That is just as farcical as wealthy businessmen and there space toys.

Thats was my point that you completely ignored!

I love Kate and William.

Your whole post starts off again how farcical it is of wealthy businessmen to spend money on space toys and then go on to praise the royals
No, my post talks about farcical wealthy businessmen and then explains why I can get behind William's Earthshot initiative because it's looking at bigger projects, generating investment and isn't all about him lecturing Joe Public on why we should recycle more whilst he pretends to be the most compassionate philanthropic person to have walked the earth.

Feelings about the monarchy as an institution are not the same as opinions about an initiative.

To many discussions about the environment and eco issues get sidetracked into some weird purity spiral where regardless of the issue, people get shut down for not being the perfect person to talk about it. Even on a recent thread about mass produced plastic tat, dozens of mumsnetters seemed to think that someone owning a car or having children meant that people were hypocrites for discussing whether we really need shops full of Christmas tat. If Earthshot shifts the discussion, gains investment and the focus is kept more on the people doing the work than on William's ego ego I'm happy to follow it.

@LolaSmiles I agree. I watched the Earthshot awards last night and what I have found that I like about the whole initiative is that is acknowledges the problems we face, but then offers solutions and a way forwards, instead of just being sanctimonious and lecturing. We can bemoan the fact that we are not perfect as much as we like, but if the whole thing feels hopeless and overwhelming, it is more difficult to engage people.

@Roussette

I singled PC out like posters single H&M out and 16,000 miles in private jets seems a tad excessive Did all the Davos attendees have that sort of record?

Would anyone know the climate footprint for travelling those 16,000 miles and how many weeks / months of a standard family footprint that equates to? (Which I think is around 45kg)

@LolaSmiles

Your whole post starts off again how farcical it is of wealthy businessmen to spend money on space toys and then go on to praise the royals No, my post talks about farcical wealthy businessmen and then explains why I can get behind William's Earthshot initiative because it's looking at bigger projects, generating investment and isn't all about him lecturing Joe Public on why we should recycle more whilst he pretends to be the most compassionate philanthropic person to have walked the earth.

Feelings about the monarchy as an institution are not the same as opinions about an initiative.

To many discussions about the environment and eco issues get sidetracked into some weird purity spiral where regardless of the issue, people get shut down for not being the perfect person to talk about it. Even on a recent thread about mass produced plastic tat, dozens of mumsnetters seemed to think that someone owning a car or having children meant that people were hypocrites for discussing whether we really need shops full of Christmas tat. If Earthshot shifts the discussion, gains investment and the focus is kept more on the people doing the work than on William's ego ego I'm happy to follow it.

Ah yes because you know everything single thing those wealthy businessmen do right. Or maybe they do meaningful work for the environment without it being splashed about in the media.

You simply don't know.

smilesy
That's how a feel about it. An initiative that focuses on solutions and isn't bogged down in sanctimonious lecturing is a welcome addition to the discussion in my opinion. Personal feelings about William and the monarchy as an institution don't come into it.

It's depressing how often environmental issues end up going the same way full of 'yeah but they...'

Ah yes because you know everything single thing those wealthy businessmen do right. Or maybe they do meaningful work for the environment without it being splashed about in the media.
You simply don't know.
You're right, I don't know, but I'm fairly sure that ego-driven space travel for the fun of it isn't the sign of someone who cares that much about the environment, and someone who loves splashing their space toys all over the press is hardly the sort of person who wants to hide from publicity.

No, my post talks about farcical wealthy businessmen and then explains why I can get behind William's Earthshot initiative because it's looking at bigger projects, generating investment and isn't all about him lecturing Joe Public on why we should recycle more whilst he pretends to be the most compassionate philanthropic person to have walked the earth.

instead of just being sanctimonious and lecturing

You are very defensive of William. Were these words not what has been harped on about Harry and were you not one of those people who were criticising him non stop for talking to millionaires about their carbon footprint.

This is for William's ego. An international prize already exists. He could have expanded on that, but he wants something that will have his name on and sway about in his and KM's own red carpet wearing outfits that costs thousands.

Space travel is not just for the fun of it.

Elon M did in particular say about projects that have failed and talked at length about the technicalities. They are constantly learning. So what if they celebrate the wins. Don't know why people insist on treating these projects like they are trivial in order to support what William says, which was pure nonsense.

@LolaSmiles

smilesy That's how a feel about it. An initiative that focuses on solutions and isn't bogged down in sanctimonious lecturing is a welcome addition to the discussion in my opinion. Personal feelings about William and the monarchy as an institution don't come into it.

It's depressing how often environmental issues end up going the same way full of 'yeah but they...'

Ah yes because you know everything single thing those wealthy businessmen do right. Or maybe they do meaningful work for the environment without it being splashed about in the media.
You simply don't know.
You're right, I don't know, but I'm fairly sure that ego-driven space travel for the fun of it isn't the sign of someone who cares that much about the environment, and someone who loves splashing their space toys all over the press is hardly the sort of person who wants to hide from publicity.

Lol so you admit you don't know yet you state it as though its a fact.

They are so wealthy it is possible for them to spend some of it on space toys and spend some of it investing or donating to improve the environment. But you only see the space toys news.

And I have yet to see an article showcasing the inners of the prize, all I see is articles of William and Kate and this competition but nothing about the entries or who won etc. Which makes it a mockery cos if its about the environment then why is it all about them?

It's fine to be a sceptic. But all those pulling this to pieces, what are you doing today to drive change? What actions are you taking to ensure the Earth can sustain future generations? Nothing? At least this is doing something. If you have better ideas, put them into practise.

Dream state. The prize winners are detailed in the news -ie try Sky news for a starter and there is the earthshot website.

Quite easy really

You are very defensive of William. Were these words not what has been harped on about Harry and were you not one of those people who were criticising him non stop for talking to millionaires about their carbon footprint
I think what I've seen so far about Earthshot is good. There's a good range of projects that have had air time. Ive seen things shared on social media that I'd have not otherwise heard about. The Costa Rica project sounds interesting and I'd like to learn more about it.
So far, there's not been sanctimonious lecturing or making it all about how awesome and conpassionate William is. I like David Attenborough and he has credibility in the area.

If William starts acting like a prick about it, or trying to make it all about how he is the most caring philanthropic person in the world then he'll attract the same criticism that I have about high profile figures making everything all about them whilst lecturing the public to do more.

I care more about environmental issues than I do whether I like individual high profile people.

@Icenii

It's fine to be a sceptic. But all those pulling this to pieces, what are you doing today to drive change? What actions are you taking to ensure the Earth can sustain future generations? Nothing? At least this is doing something. If you have better ideas, put them into practise.

Some of us are doing a lot. You do know this is an anonymous forum? So how you can declare we are all doing nothing is laughable. I admire someone like Dolly Parton. She doesn't spend money on space toys but on making a difference in children's lives.

And I have yet to see an article showcasing the inners of the prize, all I see is articles of William and Kate and this competition but nothing about the entries or who won etc. Which makes it a mockery cos if its about the environment then why is it all about them?

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/oct/18/prince-william-reveals-earthshot-prize-winners-in-global-bid-to-tackle-climate-crisis

Earthshot Prize: Costa Rica wins £1m from William's Earthshot prize www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58948339

news.sky.com/story/earthshot-prize-first-winners-of-prince-williams-5-million-awards-revealed-at-star-studded-ceremony-12436957

There you go. And there were 5 documentaries outlining the various projects on the BBC. And this thread has often mentioned the projects.

Some of us are doing a lot. You do know this is an anonymous forum? So how you can declare we are all doing nothing is laughable.
I admire someone like Dolly Parton. She doesn't spend money on space toys but on making a difference in children's lives.

If you are truly doing something, then that is great. This is doing something too, which is also great. If this gets a message out to the masses while supporting innovation, then it's a positive.

I knew what Costa Rica was doing. They are amazingly proactive about the environment and they are not a well off country.
Look at what Gabon is trying to do as well. Also not a well off country.