Climate Crisis: Are we doing enough?

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icowden

Shaman
I struggle to believe the £300+ / month energy bill. My wife has health issues, heating on at least 12 hours per day at 23c, and, our monthly bill is £130!
Show off!

I have my heating much lower than yours and my energy bill is £300 a month.
 

BoldonLad

Old man on a bike. Not a member of a clique.
Location
South Tyneside
Show off!

I have my heating much lower than yours and my energy bill is £300 a month.

It wasn’t a boast 😊

Maybe I live in a smaller house than you?, maybe there are fewer occupants?, maybe I have been a diligent citizen and maximised the insulation etc
 

matticus

Legendary Member
Screenshot_20251207-153307.png
 

Psamathe

Guru
UK hottest year on record. Artic warmest year on record. 3 year in a row above 1.4℃ above pre-industrial ...

Meanwhile UK pushes ahead with big expansion of airports to allow even more flights.
 

Psamathe

Guru
They need to expand the airports to cater for all these people flying to places like Myanmar on holiday. :rolleyes:
I do agree. But I offset my guilt through staying in a region for a long time so compared to 2 weeks in the med I'm flying a lot less. eg Peru, Bolivia, Chile stayed over 4 months (and only came home when Mum contrived a medical crisis and refused to go to consultant unless I took her). SE Asia 3 months (stopped thanks to Covid pandemic), etc.
 

Psamathe

Guru
Also, to minimise my flight carbon pollution I only fly cheap seats (premium seats creat 3x the carbon pollution.

Also booking day before flying means you are filling an otherwise empty seat increasing the overall flight efficiency (partially full aircraft is another cause of excessive pollution).

I slso select flights with the lower carbon emissions. Google flights provides the carbon pollution figures for different flights available for your route, the main difference being aircraft fuel efficiency (another important variable).

Despite that I do realise flying is polluting. do feel guilty about it and maybe it's another push factor in many of my other lifestyle choices that mean rest of my life is very low carbon footprint for UK.
 
But I offset my guilt through staying in a region for a long time.

That's what I'm working towards, even if it is only to France.

FWIW, when I started doing the trip, it was a no-brainer in convenience and financial terms to do the Flybe Dash-8 from Exeter to Paris CdG and train it from there: the PITA bit of being in the SW is getting to and across London for Eurostar, plus the high price of Eurostar.

That said, I did Lille to Exeter for £110 this week, and as flying from Bristol is also a PITA (especially compared with the discontinued Exeter-CdG option), making doing it in a day from door to door in a day more or less impossible, once I've factored in an overnight stop, I'll be checking out Eurostar-Lille options, particularly as I can TGV it straight down to Valence from there. The slightly hopeful development is that Virgin will be competing with Eurostar in the not-too-distant future, so that ought to put a cap on prices, or even dive them down somewhat.

I think my next stage would be one-month stays, once I've stopped another part of my work commitments. It's just so lovely not having to think of the end of the break as soon as you've arrived.
 

PurplePenguin

Well-Known Member
That's what I'm working towards, even if it is only to France.

FWIW, when I started doing the trip, it was a no-brainer in convenience and financial terms to do the Flybe Dash-8 from Exeter to Paris CdG and train it from there: the PITA bit of being in the SW is getting to and across London for Eurostar, plus the high price of Eurostar.

That said, I did Lille to Exeter for £110 this week, and as flying from Bristol is also a PITA (especially compared with the discontinued Exeter-CdG option), making doing it in a day from door to door in a day more or less impossible, once I've factored in an overnight stop, I'll be checking out Eurostar-Lille options, particularly as I can TGV it straight down to Valence from there. The slightly hopeful development is that Virgin will be competing with Eurostar in the not-too-distant future, so that ought to put a cap on prices, or even dive them down somewhat.

I think my next stage would be one-month stays, once I've stopped another part of my work commitments. It's just so lovely not having to think of the end of the break as soon as you've arrived.

Doesn't the ferry help?
 

Psamathe

Guru
It's just so lovely not having to think of the end of the break as soon as you've arrived.
Also you leave on a "high".

So many people travelling on fixed timescales spend a significant portion of their time with their mind back at home and at work. Last week or two spent wondering what crises happening they are returning to, did the neighbour cut their grass, etc., etc.

Plus a lot of interesting places take time to get out of. When I had to rush home (Mum medical stuff she demanded I to take her to) I dropped everything and set off home that night, but being high in remote Andes it took me 5 days to actually get back to UK and some bus choices I might normally have not taken eg overnight bus out of Andes down all those switchbacks and rockfalls.

But normally gi, travel and at some point you switch to "been fascinating and now I'm ready to ho home" - done all you want so happy and not overstayed and got bored. You find the ideal duration and are happy returning at ghe ideal time.
 

Rusty Nails

Country Member
I do agree. But I offset my guilt through staying in a region for a long time so compared to 2 weeks in the med I'm flying a lot less. eg Peru, Bolivia, Chile stayed over 4 months (and only came home when Mum contrived a medical crisis and refused to go to consultant unless I took her). SE Asia 3 months (stopped thanks to Covid pandemic), etc.

Not trying to guilt trip you at all, but taking the mick about the general level of hypocricy in the climate debate. There is always a reason that people use to explain why their level of travel isn't as bad as it may seem. Even comparing flights to say Myanmar to those to Palma is disingenuous as Myanmar takes about 6 times longer, and is exacerbated by usually having a stop on the way, and possibly internal flights.

I have flown a couple of times on business but many times for holidays and have no excuse other than selfishness. I do all the other small things like cycling, recycling waste, wearing a jumper indoors rather than turning the heating up etc. but know that these things do not make up for the number of flights over the years, and that is why I guiltily stay quiet in the global warming debate.
 
Not trying to guilt trip you at all, but taking the mick about the general level of hypocricy in the climate debate. There is always a reason that people use to explain why their level of travel isn't as bad as it may seem. Even comparing flights to say Myanmar to those to Palma is disingenuous as Myanmar takes about 6 times longer, and is exacerbated by usually having a stop on the way, and possibly internal flights.

I have flown a couple of times on business but many times for holidays and have no excuse other than selfishness. I do all the other small things like cycling, recycling waste, wearing a jumper indoors rather than turning the heating up etc. but know that these things do not make up for the number of flights over the years, and that is why I guiltily stay quiet in the global warming debate.
Anyone with children is a disgusting climate hating polluter.
 
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