Climate Crisis: Are we doing enough?

[Pross]

On bike radar, there was a thread with an excellent title. It encouraged people to sell their cars and take public transport instead. Unfortunately, despite being a bike forum, the content was less excellent.

On my local FB group (which I usually avoid due to it being populated mainly by morons) there was someone complaining about people parking all over the village green / common to drop off or pick up their kids from school. The responses were mainly along the lines of 'what are we supposed to do when there isn't enough parking' and when it was suggested their kids could walk to school there was a horrified response at the idea of 4 year olds having to walk 'that far' (the catchment for the primary school is a maximum of around a mile). It was embarassing to read.

 

[laurentian]

Proud to say this is my mate:

https://thebicyclebus.co.uk/

 

[PurplePenguin]

On my local FB group (which I usually avoid due to it being populated mainly by morons) there was someone complaining about people parking all over the village green / common to drop off or pick up their kids from school. The responses were mainly along the lines of 'what are we supposed to do when there isn't enough parking' and when it was suggested their kids could walk to school there was a horrified response at the idea of 4 year olds having to walk 'that far' (the catchment for the primary school is a maximum of around a mile). It was embarassing to read.

The usual excuse is that people need to drop their kids off on the way to work.

The road in front of my kids' school is no entry during pick-up and drop times and enforced by cameras; however, some parents have convinced the council to exempt them from the fines on the basis their child has some sort of special needs and they need the easier drop off. I'm not completely heartless, but I feel like this need has been stretched quite a lot.

 

[PurplePenguin]

Indeed.

This is something I find increasingly difficult as time goes by; how the heck do I talk to cyclists who have some green awareness, but just don't want to make the big sacrifices. The number of Brits flying their bikes to Majorca every spring/winter - and those people will almost all do a summer fly-away trip too - just depresses me! Many of them are people I know, and are otherwise "reasonable" people.

In contrast, I don't worry about the actions of individuals. Everyone has their weaknesses. Decarbonising is something that the government should, and to some extent, is leading. The recent CFD award was for a pretty chunky amount of offshore wind and the onshore stuff is to follow. Sustainable aviation fuel is being pushed. Electric cars are being adopted.

 

[icowden]

And there's the rub. Is that your holiday list for 2026?

Clearly not. But those are some of the places that we have been to in the last 20 years. No plans for this year other than Devon.

 

[matticus]

In contrast, I don't worry about the actions of individuals. Everyone has their weaknesses. Decarbonising is something that the government should, and to some extent, is leading. The recent CFD award was for a pretty chunky amount of offshore wind and the onshore stuff is to follow. Sustainable aviation fuel is being pushed. Electric cars are being adopted.

Yes, that's a very sensible attitude.

[But on t'other hand, 60 million people flying a few 1000km each DOES make some difference. Sigh ... ]

 

[monkers]

My wife and I like to travel the world with the kids when we go on holiday. It's very hard to get to places like Malaysia, Florida, Dubai, St Lucia, Mauritius, Canada etc for a two week holiday without using a plane.

There's no justification there for making the journey. I'd quite like to visit those places too - except Florida now of course - but wanting to go is not a justification - it's (to quote myself) ''a whim''.

 

[icowden]

There's no justification there for making the journey.

That's a bit strong. We all have justifications - some better than others. Malaysia originally was our honeymoon. Justification for going back with the kids is that it's an amazing country and it needs tourists as it has a tourism economy. Tourists help offset the destruction of rainforest for Palm Oil.

Mauritius and St Lucia again have a tourism economies. Dubai I could have lived without. We went to Iceland because my daughter was studying A-Level geography and has a particular interest in volcanoes.

Obviously more minor justifications is that our family like to go to interesting places, see the wildlife and the history and learn about our planet to a degree. Plus a lot of them like to go somewhere warm, and the UK tends to be quite expensive compared to a holiday abroad.

 

[matticus]

Mauritius and St Lucia again have a tourism economies. Dubai I could have lived without.

OMG - I missed that one in your list!!! But hey "like to go somewhere warm" is a perfectly good justification, I guess?

 

[matticus]

How on earth did we get through the Dark Ages before cheap air travel? How did anyone know about foreign cultures? Did anyone survive the long dark north european winters??

I feel so lucky!

 

[bobzmyunkle]

How on earth did we get through the Dark Ages before cheap air travel? How did anyone know about foreign cultures? Did anyone survive the long dark north european winters??

I feel so lucky!

Pilgrimage? Or maybe a Crusade? Obviously some didn't survive.

 

[icowden]

How on earth did we get through the Dark Ages before cheap air travel? How did anyone know about foreign cultures? Did anyone survive the long dark north european winters??

Well my grandma went on a month long cruise to Africa. She was considered quite adventurous.

People took a boat. Most people also knew far less about foreign cultures.