Climate Crisis: Are we doing enough?

[icowden]

Well the main reason that artificial snow is created in the first place is for creating ski slopes.
The ski industry by encouraging flying and high energy use at its resorts has contributed to its own downfall.
Morally 'satisfying' perhaps, but the consequences of climate change don't discern between those who have been profligate with resources, and those living with less impact.
Quite the reverse sadly, those living relatively modestly in the global south are already suffering the worst consequences.

All possible, but the key issue for the low level resorts is that you have to have a temperature of below 6c coupled with very low humidity in order for a snow machine to work.

We went skiing in Scotland last February but there was barely any snow (until we wanted to go home at which point there were feet of the stuff!). I was chatting to someone at the resort and they said it was getting worse (as in less snow) year on year.

 

[mudsticks]

All possible, but the key issue for the low level resorts is that you have to have a temperature of below 6c coupled with very low humidity in order for a snow machine to work.

We went skiing in Scotland last February but there was barely any snow (until we wanted to go home at which point there were feet of the stuff!). I was chatting to someone at the resort and they said it was getting worse (as in less snow) year on year.

I think we might be getting a bit bogged down in the technicalities of 'what's needed for a snow machine to work'

When it's really about the utter senselessness of trying to 'make' snow with large amounts of fossil fuels, the very reason there is less snow in the first place.

That's the 'key issue' here really..
Short term 'i want what I want, and I'll have it now' and beggar the long term cost' mentality.

I'm not pointing the finger at anyone in particular, we're all living however well or badly in this system together

But there are definitely some worse culprits when it comes to deflecting, denying, or dissembling when it comes to moving towards doing things better.

 

[mudsticks]

Maybe governments could take the lead on this? I know Rishi's doing all he can in this country.

Governments have to act more swiftly.
Should have done years ago - but there were no (or not enough) votes in decarbonising


The trouble is that most of them are tied up with the fossil fuel companies, and big polluting industries.

Who have massive lobbying power.

Tree huggers like me, and all the other 'green' mob find it very hard to push back against all that.

We are by definition 'under resourced' because we're not following a greedy extractive business or lifestyle model.

I'm 'speaking' to you halfway between sorting out the winter salad beds in the polytunnel, and letting out the pastured chickens..

Don't worry ladies I'm coming..

 

[bobzmyunkle]

Governments have to act more swiftly.
Should have done years ago - but there were no (or not enough) votes in decarbonising


The trouble is that most of them are tied up with the fossil fuel companies, and big polluting industries.

Who have massive lobbying power.

Tree huggers like me, and all the other 'green' mob find it very hard to push back against all that.

We are by definition 'under resourced' because we're not following a greedy extractive business or lifestyle model.

I'm 'speaking' to you halfway between sorting out the winter salad beds in the polytunnel, and letting out the pastured chickens..

Don't worry ladies I'm coming..

Sorry, I let my cynicism get the better of me. But it's difficult not to.

I can't see the lobbying power reaching critical mass on this one anywhere soon enough.
Data sample's a bit small, but I take in my neighbours' Amazon deliveries and put their bin out each week. Consumption is still king.

 

[mudsticks]

Sorry, I let my cynicism get the better of me. But it's difficult not to.

I can't see the lobbying power reaching critical mass on this one anywhere soon enough.
Data sample's a bit small, but I take in my neighbours' Amazon deliveries and put their bin out each week. Consumption is still king.

Can't remember the number but it's much less than 50% 'agreement' for big change to happen.

Tell me about the cynicism / hopelessness / despair..I've been involved in all this since the late eighties.

You go through all those cycles, and then have to retreat for a bit to regroup your energies

Many many people have suffered burnout trying to 'fight the good fight'

Those of us still in the game have had to learn to measure our energy , and do the 'internal' work, to build resilience, keep up some hope.

 

[matticus]

Governments have to act more swiftly.
Should have done years ago - but there were no (or not enough) votes in decarbonising


The trouble is that most of them are tied up with the fossil fuel companies, and big polluting industries.

Who have massive lobbying power.

It would be a fun analysis of vested interest to find out how many MPs (and in which parties) have flown to a skiiing holiday in - say - the last 5 years.

(we could then run a Super-Smug thread of which ski-resorts we've cycled upto - I've done 3 in the UK alone 😇 ! )

 

[mudsticks]

It would be a fun analysis of vested interest to find out how many MPs (and in which parties) have flown to a skiiing holiday in - say - the last 5 years.

(we could then run a Super-Smug thread of which ski-resorts we've cycled upto - I've done 3 in the UK alone 😇 ! )

We could I s'pose.

I've cycled to and hiked through many of them in the 'off' season , both in the UK and abroad.
But I'm not sure what we'd achieve by doing that..

I seem inadvertently to be dragged into casual 'flight shaming' from time to time, when friends inform me that

"You're probably going to hate me for this, but we're flying to ... / ... on holiday"

Folks, voluntarily existing in the world as a non flyers seems to bring out difficult feelings for some people 🤔

 

[matticus]

I seem inadvertently to be dragged into casual 'flight shaming' from time to time, when friends inform me that

"You're probably going to hate me for this, but we're flying to ... / ... on holiday"

I see these as a chink of light in the dark. Presumably this is preferable to:
"That goblin Gritta and her self-righteous yoghurt-knitters can go fcuk themselves - we're flying Business Class to ... / ... for our winter hollibobs! Mudders, you should come too - you'd love it!!!"

 

[mudsticks]

I see these as a chink of light in the dark. Presumably this is preferable to:
"That goblin Gritta and her self-righteous yoghurt-knitters can go fcuk themselves - we're flying Business Class to ... / ... for our winter hollibobs! Mudders, you should come too - you'd love it!!!"

Well yes you'd hope so - I think there has been a shift since last century when if i told people that i didn't fly they would mostly assume it was because of a 'fear of flying'

Although of course in many ways it was a fear - but not because i feared the plane would fall out of the sky.

Having said that you don't have to venture very far into the internet to find a whole phalynx of very very nasty people spouting much worse than that you've written above on the 20th anniversary of Gretas birth -

And many many more still trying to make out that man made climate change is a hoax - and that its all a massive conspiracy theory cooked up by the elite liberals - or some such.

 

[albion]

https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/flurry-skiers-rush-scotland-slopes-europe-melts/

Fill your boots.

 

[mudsticks]

https://www.theguardian.com/environ...ll-be-a-watershed-year-for-climate-litigation

Bring it on ...

 

[BoldonLad]

Most of the farms around here are family businesses, which means that everyone, male, female and other, mucks in.

Do you know, by the way, who the head of the NFU is?

I did look up president of NFU, as I had already guessed, a woman (nothing wrong with that, well done her). I note she ticks another box, ie the “unusual name box”.

 

[Ian H]

I did look up president of NFU, as I had already guessed, a woman (nothing wrong with that, well done her). I note she ticks another box, ie the “unusual name box”.

The NFU has been known as No F*cking Use in the past - seemingly existing only for the benefit of large agri-business farms. That may have changed now. Batters herself is a tenant farmer.

 

[mudsticks]

The NFU has been known as No F*cking Use in the past - seemingly existing only for the benefit of large agri-business farms. That may have changed now. Batters herself is a tenant farmer.

Mostly still tending towards industrialised agri business as usual, with a bit of greening around the edges.

They're improving somewhat, they will now discuss matters social and environmental, and regen ag as well. But there's a way to go yet.

The fact that input costs have risen so much over the last couple of years does mean that by necessity they now talk about minimising use of diesel agrochemicals, fertilisers and so on.

And do keep bringing up labour shortages too.

Of course they are supposed to be a union , and as such are supposed to represent their members interests, so if they talk about a preference for going back to area payments support, instead of being keen on the still in development ELMS scheme, that will probably be because they feel it serves their overall membership better.

Still could do with being a lot more vocal on the supermarket buyers stranglehold on farmgate prices.

 

[BoldonLad]

The NFU has been known as No F*cking Use in the past - seemingly existing only for the benefit of large agri-business farms. That may have changed now. Batters herself is a tenant farmer.

Yes. I am a "townie" so, no real involvement with NFU, but, I did get that impression from Private Eye articles