Before the Flood

Discussion on living for a better and more responsible future
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lancashire lass
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Before the Flood

Post by lancashire lass »

Last night I finally got round to watching the documentary I had recorded on National Geographic called Before the Flood showing Leonardo DiCaprio visiting various continents which would be affected by climate change and the consequences of not doing anything to reverse the problem.

I found it particularly worrying when it was mentioned that simply changing light bulbs to ones with lower wattage wasn't anywhere near enough anymore to combat climate change and that drastic measures were needed. The images of ravaged countryside for the sake of extracting fossil fuels was sad to see, or seeing huge chunks of rain forests burned to the ground just to grow palm trees for oil, destroying natural habitats for some of the rarest animals and plants on the earth.

The film was clearly aimed at showing up the big oil companies and other businesses, and a campaign to educate people to reduce their carbon emissions. And I think most people would if the cleaner alternates were available and affordable. I just wondered if anyone else had watched it and what their opinion was.
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Re: Before the Flood

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I have not seen the programme but I will play a little bit of the Devils Advocate on this subject........................

"Roll up! Roll up!! Pay your green taxes here!! Believe what we your esteemed leaders say that you can make a difference and save the planet!

Why is it I have to cut down my “Carbon Footprint” and pay “Green” taxes to save the world? Especially when these “World Leaders” are dropping bombs and firing artillery shells at whatever country they decide does not fit in with their current ideology and they also go on constant flights to pointless conferences all over the world that do not achieve anything, surely these two things alone cause more damage to Mother Earth than I or any normal person can!

I do not think that me putting a glass bottle in a recycling bin or switching my light bulbs will make much difference, until they, our esteemed leaders sort themselves and the bigger issues out!"


I will point out that we do re-cycle everything we can and have very little waste but that is out of necessity and I will track down the programme to watch.
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Mo
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Re: Before the Flood

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lancashire lass wrote:And I think most people would if the cleaner alternates were available and affordable. I just wondered if anyone else had watched it and what their opinion was.


And we could still keep on doing just whatever we want.

I suspect that really it would need a bigger change than anyone would stand for. America has just come round to it but the electorate have spoken so Trump will change it again. And like Trev, I think if they can get away with it....
Look at the first Gulf war and all the burning oil wells (or was it refineries).

I like to think I am green, compared to some others. But sit here at my computer using power.
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Trev62
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Re: Before the Flood

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Two points for discussion on this subject...........

1. Before I left England the great world saver was going to be wind turbines, several of these were erected close to the village where I lived and they were an eyesore but the farmer was paid a lot of money for them to be erected on his land. Any energy produced by these turbines went into the National Grid. Why??? Surely these monstrosities would be viewed more favourably if the energy produced by these turbines was fed into the local communities allowing for energy at a discounted rate.

2. Solar panels, produced at a fraction of the UK selling prices by China but expensive to buy in England due the taxes levied on them by the EU in import fees etc. If those in power were serious about utilizing solar power cut the levies and make them available to all or even better invest in the industry within the UK and make them available to UK residents at close to cost price.

Overriding factor here though is that Big Businesses would lose out they really hold the power not the politicians.
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Mo
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Re: Before the Flood

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Trev62 wrote:Overriding factor here though is that Big Businesses would lose out they really hold the power not the politicians.


I think that's about it.
Plus the need for politicians to think about the next election, because whatever people say they want they vote selfishly
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lancashire lass
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Re: Before the Flood

Post by lancashire lass »

Trev62 wrote:I will track down the programme to watch.


The website details are:

Beforetheflood.com

Trev62 wrote:the farmer was paid a lot of money for them to be erected on his land. Any energy produced by these turbines went into the National Grid. Why??? Surely these monstrosities would be viewed more favourably if the energy produced by these turbines was fed into the local communities allowing for energy at a discounted rate.


1. the farmer was paid to have them erected on his land so it is not local community property, but belongs to the company.
2. the company, like any business, is in it to make money - most likely the National Grid have a standard price whereas discounted rates for local communities is not profitable

Trev62 wrote:2. Solar panels, produced at a fraction of the UK selling prices by China but expensive to buy in England due the taxes levied on them by the EU in import fees etc. If those in power were serious about utilizing solar power cut the levies and make them available to all or even better invest in the industry within the UK and make them available to UK residents at close to cost price.


I absolutely agree with you, and that it makes a lot of sense to have every house and every building fitted with solar panels. There is that affordability I mentioned in my earlier post - to have the panels installed would cost individual households £1000s and I personally would never recover the money in my lifetime, so there is also no incentive to have it done. And energy suppliers want to make their profits. I think investing in a project like this would be far more beneficial to the masses than say the H2S rail or a new runway at Heathrow which benefits just businesses and wealthy people.
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Re: Before the Flood

Post by Richard »

Hi

Wind Turbines - great, but killing countless numbers of Bats and Birds and anyone living close by it must be like Tinnitus.

Solar Panels - great, but countless nice looking houses changed to look quite ugly. Environmental eye sores !

So much to be done.

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Re: Before the Flood

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Lancashire lass - many thanks for the link.

lancashire lass wrote:2. the company, like any business, is in it to make money - most likely the National Grid have a standard price whereas discounted rates for local communities is not profitable


I agree that the Energy companies are in existence to make a profit but to veer slightly )ot: here surely any country should be in charge of its own infrastructure and this includes producing, managing and supplying its own energy needs not relying on (in the main) foreign companies to meet these demands. This way all customers would have a standard and fair tariff rather the mass of confusing plans and rates that seem to be in place in the UK today.

lancashire lass wrote: I absolutely agree with you, and that it makes a lot of sense to have every house and every building fitted with solar panels.


Richard wrote:Solar Panels - great, but countless nice looking houses changed to look quite ugly. Environmental eye sores !


Available on the market today are panels that take the shape and form of roof tiles, they blend in to the roof and prevent the eyesores that the traditional solar panels can become. Certain new build houses in Bridlington East Yorkshire have had these fitted when built. The issue yet again is the cost and the profits the production companies expect to make from them.

Richard wrote:Wind Turbines - great, but killing countless numbers of Bats and Birds and anyone living close by it must be like Tinnitus.


A good point and one conveniently overlooked in all the glossy brochures and on the open days held on site by the companies erecting these wind turbines. I attended one of these open days which was held locally to where I lived and was told by the Company representative that there was no "current evidence" to indicate that wildlife including bats and birds were directly affected by the erection and operation of wind turbines. I wonder if they could still state that case today?
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Re: Before the Flood

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lancashire lass wrote:The film was clearly aimed at showing up the big oil companies and other businesses, and a campaign to educate people to reduce their carbon emissions. And I think most people would if the cleaner alternates were available and affordable. I just wondered if anyone else had watched it and what their opinion was.


Having just watched the programme I felt it was a clearly one sided view that would have done well to involve someone with the opposing view point to set out their stand with a comparison of the available facts.

It was educational for me in many ways and once again I am searching out further information particularly regarding the Canadian Tar Sands as I have never heard of this process before so my Bulgarian and guitar practice are suffering yet again!!!!

Thanks for the posted link, there will plenty of debate in our house over the next few days )t'
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