Religion and Ethics Forum

General Category => Politics & Current Affairs => Topic started by: jeremyp on October 04, 2021, 04:01:34 PM

Title: Insulate Britain
Post by: jeremyp on October 04, 2021, 04:01:34 PM
They're blocking the Blackwall Tunnel.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-58787144?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Elsewhere, the public is taking things into its own hands.

https://twitter.com/talkRADIO/status/1444935063075016704

The thing about this is that their demands aren't really that outrageous. All they want is government subsidies for insulating homes in Britain.
Title: Re: Insulate Britain
Post by: ProfessorDavey on October 04, 2021, 06:27:18 PM
They're blocking the Blackwall Tunnel.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-58787144?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

Elsewhere, the public is taking things into its own hands.

https://twitter.com/talkRADIO/status/1444935063075016704

The thing about this is that their demands aren't really that outrageous. All they want is government subsidies for insulating homes in Britain.
I'm not sure these protests, and others by extinction rebellion, are sensible at all.

There is little doubt that climate change is now a mainstream issue with, I suspect, the vast majority of the UK population thinking that we need to act. And there is also little doubt that climate change is extremely high profile. So any campaigning group should be pushing against an open door in terms to public opinion and sympathy. But by using extreme methods they risk alienating the very people who support the basic principles they are campaigning for. The danger is that it makes climate change look like a fringe issue for extremists - perhaps it was once, but not anymore. I doubt they'll win friends and influence people by sitting in a road and preventing ambulances getting to hospitals.
Title: Re: Insulate Britain
Post by: ad_orientem on October 04, 2021, 07:21:12 PM
I'm not sure these protests, and others by extinction rebellion, are sensible at all.

There is little doubt that climate change is now a mainstream issue with, I suspect, the vast majority of the UK population thinking that we need to act. And there is also little doubt that climate change is extremely high profile. So any campaigning group should be pushing against an open door in terms to public opinion and sympathy. But by using extreme methods they risk alienating the very people who support the basic principles they are campaigning for. The danger is that it makes climate change look like a fringe issue for extremists - perhaps it was once, but not anymore. I doubt they'll win friends and influence people by sitting in a road and preventing ambulances getting to hospitals.

Spot on! Stopping normal people going to and from work (or whatever else they might be doing) is just going to turn people against them.
Title: Re: Insulate Britain
Post by: jeremyp on October 05, 2021, 10:01:27 AM
I'm not sure these protests, and others by extinction rebellion, are sensible at all.

There is little doubt that climate change is now a mainstream issue with, I suspect, the vast majority of the UK population thinking that we need to act. And there is also little doubt that climate change is extremely high profile. So any campaigning group should be pushing against an open door in terms to public opinion and sympathy. But by using extreme methods they risk alienating the very people who support the basic principles they are campaigning for. The danger is that it makes climate change look like a fringe issue for extremists - perhaps it was once, but not anymore. I doubt they'll win friends and influence people by sitting in a road and preventing ambulances getting to hospitals.

I completely agree. Their demands are "insulate Britain's houses". That's good for the climate and it's good for the pockets of the people who pay to heat those houses. We can argue about how much or whether the government should pay for it, but generally, it's a good idea.

Unfortunately, all the news stories are about the protestors and how they are disrupting people's lives. The cause has been totally lost in the condemnation.
Title: Re: Insulate Britain
Post by: Nearly Sane on October 05, 2021, 10:20:25 AM
I completely agree. Their demands are "insulate Britain's houses". That's good for the climate and it's good for the pockets of the people who pay to heat those houses. We can argue about how much or whether the government should pay for it, but generally, it's a good idea.

Unfortunately, all the news stories are about the protestors and how they are disrupting people's lives. The cause has been totally lost in the condemnation.
and creates the perfect climate (pun intended) for the introduction of measures such as this


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-58796805.amp
Title: Re: Insulate Britain
Post by: SqueakyVoice on October 08, 2021, 02:10:03 PM
They're blocking the Blackwall Tunnel.

.... All they want is government subsidies for insulating homes in Britain.
That's the first time I've even seen what they're protesting, so thanks.

I still can't even imagine why they think blocking roads is a way of winning the hearts and minds.
Title: Re: Insulate Britain
Post by: SweetPea on October 24, 2021, 08:35:56 PM
Absolutely ridiculous and completely nuts (but I actually agree with them!):

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/oct/24/why-arent-we-in-prison-ask-insulate-britain-protesters

How these people expect to make friends and influence folk .....

.... is a bit of a mystery..