Extinction Rebellion

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Richard
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Extinction Rebellion

Postby Richard » Fri Apr 26, 2019 8:06 pm

From the website of Extinction rebellion:

"We are facing an unprecedented global emergency. Life on Earth is in crisis: scientists agree we have entered a period of abrupt climate breakdown and we are in the midst of a mass-extinction of our own making".

Climate breakdown and ecological collapse will definitely happen, sooner or later.
Global warming, loss of rain-forest and death of coral reefs are certainly very lamentable consequences of human activity.
All absolutely true, as far as I see but the unchecked human population growth is entirely to blame and nobody seems to realise that this needs to be addressed first and foremost.
It is no good trying to reduce CO2 emissions, plastics, pollution or Ozone as there can be no Shangri-La for unlimited human reproduction.
Preventative measures just a sticking-plaster!

One human may produce three children and they typically go on to produce many more children, resulting in exponential growth and a demand on precious resources that is unsustainable.
Whatever you believe, either the resources will run out or will be destroyed by climate change or 'pollution', which is what 'Extinction rebellion' warn about.
Opportunities that human life depends upon are not unlimited.

cbe
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Re: Extinction Rebellion

Postby cbe » Sat Apr 27, 2019 1:18 pm

I found it interesting when the 'Global Warming' headline became 'Climate Change' instead.
Made me smile - that is all.

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Richard
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Re: Extinction Rebellion

Postby Richard » Thu May 09, 2019 7:10 pm

Climate Change now is it?
This has happened countless times, in recent history alone, regardless of man's activities.
We have evidence of forests below sea-level in Hastings, from the times when an Ice Age locked up water on a global scale. There wasn't much of a population affecting the climate then.
Argue against that if you can.
But for sure man has affected the ecosystem balance that currently keeps him/her able to breed without limit for ever and a day.
There is no way that we can keep populating the earth, regardless of the 'sticking-plaster' attempts to cut down on CO2 emissions, plastics, forest denudation, etcetera.
Unlimited reproduction is a disaster far more serious than people commonly understand.

I have no idea whatever group is behind attempts to rally schoolchildren to protest against extinction (extinction rebellion) but they seem to miss the point entirely.
At some stage in the future, unless we can colonise another planet, we will surely fall foul of our own unchecked reproduction.
Makes you wonder!

cbe
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Re: Extinction Rebellion

Postby cbe » Fri May 10, 2019 8:31 pm

I agree - the only way that mankind is affecting the climate (in a meaningful way) is by over-population. On that point I remember some time back (might be 20 years) we were told we needed to have fewer children in this country. Now we are told we need to import people into the country to 'pay our pensions' . Hmmm

cbe
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Re: Extinction Rebellion

Postby cbe » Fri May 17, 2019 1:16 pm

Some weeks ago I mentioned in a post about the term Global Warming being altered to Climate Change. Now a little more cajoling (I nearly said brainwashing) is being ordered by the editor of the 'Grauniad' in instructions to his staff. (I must plead the 5th here and make clear that I do NOT read that organ.) Anyway - said Editor has said that henceforth his staff should say, instead of Climate Change, Climate Emergency or Crisis or Breakdown. Instead of Global Warming they should say Global Heating. Instead of biodiversity they should say Wildlife. Finally instead of saying Climate Sceptic they should say Climate Science Denier or Climate Denier. This last point is particularly Guardianesque in that it is difficult to imagine anyone saying they deny climate ?
I'm off for a lie down.

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Derek Jempson
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Re: Extinction Rebellion

Postby Derek Jempson » Fri May 17, 2019 1:57 pm

Oddly enough, I'm currently re-reading "1984" for the umpteenth time and had to laugh when I read your post, cbe. I think that Orwell, writing in 1948 had a good sense of the way in which certain things might move, such as re-writing the language and erasing all historic references to topics that no longer fit the current dogma, or that are "inconvenient".

cbe
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Re: Extinction Rebellion

Postby cbe » Fri May 17, 2019 10:16 pm

Yes indeed Derek and it has been creeping in slowly for decades, not just on 'climate change'.
The earliest things I can think of is when all of a sudden you couldn't have a chairman. It had to be chairperson and then to channel their inner Grauniad it became 'chair'. What happened to actress and stewardess?
I could go on and on and on but I don't want to frighten the horses.

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seahermit
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Re: Extinction Rebellion

Postby seahermit » Sat May 18, 2019 11:10 pm

I agree with a lot of the above - the basic premise of the street protests, that Somebody Else e.g the government, politicians, business, whoever, is to blame for lack of action on climate warming is just not the reality. We all have some responsibility for what is happening - over-population is just one of the most obvious drivers, but people's whole attitudes need to change too.

From amongst the vociferous protestors, how many of them are prepared to give up their polluting cars and start walking healthily, stop flying to exotic destinations for enjoyable but non-essential holidays, stop ordering quantities of consumer goods on Amazon (thus creating a vast traffic of delivery lorries all over the country)? It sounds hard but we are all going to have to change our wants - in the West we have become used to a material standard of living which our grandfathers and previous generations never dreamed of, and of course still in many parts of the world they are grateful for one decent meal per day and a roof over their heads.

I am pessimistic about change in attitudes. I suspect that that will only happen when it is forced upon people by food shortages, extreme weather conditions and wars over dwindling resources and land.

After the May bank holiday weekend (Green Man festival etc.), the whole of the Old Town was knee-deep in litter thrown down for somebody else to clear up. THAT is how much many people care about the environment over and above their own selfish interests!

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Richard
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Re: Extinction Rebellion

Postby Richard » Fri May 24, 2019 2:36 pm

I disagree seahermit,

The push really has to come from government, to stop primary manufacture of harmful material and therefore totally prevent its secondary consumption, formerly leading on to damaging disposal/polluting effects on the environment.
Industry has to be regulated as it is primarily producing the materials leading to pollution.
This we can see happening already:
Vehicles slowly being switched over to part-electric, single-use plastics being phased out for drinking cups, plastic straws, carrier bags, cotton-buds, etcetera.
Plastic is an evil word but what about 'biodegradable' plastic, is that still bad?
Coal is being replaced with cleaner alternatives.
You soon won't be able to have new gas central heating boilers - they will have to be electric in the near future.
Clearly we can do little, if anything, about the above, just by changing individual attitudes of the public.
Look at how much rubbish is being dumped down country lanes, without a thought for anything but avoiding the cost of paying for disposal through official channels.
We can do little things like recycling in the home and using litter bins but, realistically, who is going to insist on knowing the list of ingredients in packaging materials or would willingly pay more for 'cleaner' products?

northants1066
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Re: Extinction Rebellion

Postby northants1066 » Fri Jun 21, 2019 8:52 pm

not ER, but now we have dippy birds of Greenpeace protesting at the Chancellors Mansion House speech. How come they never go to Tianamen Square or Red Square or Riyadh or Tehran? I think the general public would take these "people" more seriously if they aimed their protests where it really counts.(eg Rainbow Warrior)

Their cause should not be targeting governments that are doing something about Climate Change (even if it is getting late) or disrupting members of the public going about their lawful business.
I cant help thinking that had Mark Field not been an TORY MP we would not have heard anymore about this nonsense. His actions were those of any responsible citizen attempting to protect others in that room. Considering the attacks on Jo Cox and others he acted very bravely. She could have easily been carrying acid or some form of poison (how much did it take to commit the Salisbury attack?).
But as usual the "snowflakes" of this world take the moral high ground.
My only caveat to this: The "dippy bird" herself has not condemned Field.


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