I wasn’t planning to write about the environment today but it seems to be the government and media’s latest distraction. Yes, the government, media and some mob sitting on top of easyjet’s headquarters have all had a meeting (they didn’t invite us!), they’ve had a vote and decided that the impending environmental disaster is, wait for it…….OUR FAULT!!!
Yes, did you forget to switch the tv off standby last night? Did you leave your car running whilst waiting for the kids this morning? Did you want to go for a cheap weekend break? Then it seems that it’s your fault that the polar icecaps are melting and loads of dolphins, whales and other cute creatures are dying. Hope you’re feeling guilty!
OK guys, calm down and stop crying because it’s not really your fault. The environment’s a mess and it is a global problem but is it really our fault? If we stick an extra tenner on short haul flights is that going to solve everything? Of course it isn’t.
I’m not saying that these “plane stupid” guys are…er, well it is a rather unfortunate name. Anyway, I do believe their heart is in the right place and obviously their main aim today was to raise the profile of this issue so I guess they’ve succeeded. In fact, there’s some nice information if you have a look at their site, in particular “10 reasons to ground the plane”.
Although I don’t question their motives, I do question their methods. At the end of the day a stunt like this is going to get the issue on the beeb and clock up a few more hits for their website. In fact, with some well placed ads they could’ve earned a few quid for the cause today….
What today’s action won’t do is the following:
i) It won’t stop the expansion of airports
ii) It won’t stop the air travel being the immediate future of passenger travel.
iii) It won’t convince the public to join the cause.
Most importantly though, it’s not going to save the environment!
I’m sorry guys but this sort of thing is pointless. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that this kind of action doesn’t get results. I honestly think that the “father’s 4 justice campaign” has raised the profile of this issue and in time it will be properly addressed. This type of action doesn’t just work for anything. It’s all about progress. When Emily Davison threw herself in front Anmer it was an act that broke big enough hole in the dyke to ensure that no one could hold back the force of change. Unfortunately, where this issue is concerned, it’s not something that the public are going to warm to in their droves. That is what makes it different from the ending of apartheid or the start of female suffrage.
I agree that we should be making a plan to save the planet what I don't think we should be doing is fooling ourselves! I think recycling is a good idea but just collecting rubbish every second week is a daft way to force people into it, of course rubbish is just going to pile up outside people's houses. Why not provide more recycling facilities, maybe even incentivise recycling with money off shopping? Imagine you took everything to Tesco and they gave you a voucher for money off your shopping, how cool would that be? Where there is stupidity, bring common sense....
As economic, political and practical barriers to travel are broken down I quite honestly increasing the cost of flying is really the answer. If you think for a second that businesses are going to start sending people to Europe by train because of increased flight taxes, you need locked up.
More people are going to need to fly in the future, demand is going to increase; that's a fact that there's no getting around. The problem with regard to flying is that we have to fly more whilst polluting less. The only way we can do that is by driving technology forward to provide a solution. Encouraging that is a whole problem in itself.
The solution to the environment issue is quite clear; it's how to implement it that's the difficult part. For starters there has to be a clear commitment by every government on the planet to reducing emissions, recycling, stopping the destruction of animal habitats. If everyone doesn't sign up, it won't work. That means if China and the USA don't get involved now, there's no hope of doing anything. It's that simple. The way to get these guys together is to bring Europe together and speak to the rest of the world with one voice on this issue. Strong leadership, a single voice and less bureaucracy is quite frankly our only hope.
Poorer nations and individuals within these nations need to be given incentives to not pollute the planet or cut down trees. Telling a poor man with no fuel to cook food that he can’t cut down a tree because it’s illegal is surely ludicrous and ultimately a death warrant for the world we live in.
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