30 years ago when I was a fresh faced naive graduate I was sitting chatting to my bank manager who was nearing retirement and the conversation turned to the topic of that age … How we were all going to be working a 4day week in the future!..
The BM’s realism and experience quickly cut in and my vision of 4 day week was rapidly dispelled. He pointed out that people like him and I would work the 5/6day week as we always have and others would work the 0day week (unemployed).The balance is on average we all work a 4/3 day week, some people’s lives don’t change and unfortunately some don’t work at all. This is how life was and as far as he could see would always be.
Which brings us to Climate Change.
Let us look at a few aspects in the madness and frenzy…
Energy Consumption:.. A while ago Government bodies actively lobbied other countries to cut back on energy consumption… countries in Asia and Africa… 3rd world countries. The premise is that the western world uses 10 units and the 3rd world uses 2 then on average we both consume 6 … hardly fair to say to somebody in Nigeria you can’t have the electricity to run a fridge to keep medicine in because I want to leave my 50” plasma screen on standby… which is basically what was being proposed. Let us cutback our consumption by all means possible… because it saves us money NOT lobby others to do without which is a morally corrupt road I have no wish to go down.
Carbon Sequestration… is defined as ‘The process of removing carbon from the atmosphere and depositing it in a reservoir’. The reservoir being trees etc, sounds great… well it isn’t… It allows for Carbon Credit Trading. CCT is the principle where companies can still produce the same pollution and massage the figures. A company owns 2 factories, both produce the same 10 units of pollution. Factory A buys 6 units of Carbon Credits and cuts its carbon footprint to 4… 14 overall for both or down to 7units per factory. In fact it can step up pollution per factory by 1 unit and still get a pat on the back for reducing its footprint. And who pays for the Carbon Credits that need to be bought …We do as consumers, as those on cost are added to our bill. Who makes the profit… Traders… It’s a whole new business for them….. Personally I would just rather pay for trees and cut out all the middlemen.
There are other offenders … but I’m not writing a book
Rant over … I would like common sense to prevail… I would like:-
Governments to stop interfering in people’s lives by taxing us on the pretext it is helping to fight climate change. I would like them to prevent Bankers, Hedge Fund and Carbon Credit Traders etc from making money from CC, or tax, excessive profits at least. Those profits can be used on providing an efficient cheap and clean public transport… Every major city should have a decent tram or underground rail system.
Building planners and designers to insist that new buildings as well as having the required thermal value, double glazing etc also have water capture and some suitable means of generating electricity … It can be done, it’s not rocket science and it should be done now.
Captains of Industry, CEO, MP’s, Celebs and other people of influence … set a bloody example and start influencing the world.
The Press and Media… highlight the good and decry the bad…. AND tell the truth.
Supermarkets to insist that suppliers remove as much packaging as possible. And they should all charge for carrier bags to make us bring our own…. sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind.
Businesses to use and supply products with minimal packaging and what packaging is required to be from biodegradable materials. AND do the correct and right thing to do… I don’t want 3 tee shirts for £10.00 if it means some child gets 50p a day wages… It’s not corporate responsibility… it’s a Moral responsibility.
People to think… COST and HEALTH rather than anything else… Walking to the shops saves money on petrol… Buying local food is buying fresher food, ask themselves if I need four apples or will 2 go in the bin… Putting a jumper on in doors rather than lash the central heating on… Reduce, Reuse Recycle.. Repeat the mantra until death…Switch stuff off…AND don’t believe everything you read… etc, etc.
Think MEAN and you will save money, be healthier, live longer, be happier, have more sex (not guaranteed) and cut down on CO2 as a consequence.
