Have the rules really changed? / Is it socially acceptable?

[Metyu]

I have this morning been browing a presentation of architect Bill Dunster, available at building.co.uk under the heading "Sustainability Masterclass." (it is a 28MB file).

Slide 7 (of 118) is laid out thus:

"The rules have now changed ?

- a typical 4 person UK household responsible for 12 tonnes CO2 / year over 4 generations will be directly responsible for the deaths of the same number of people in a climate change hot spot. This figure will increase exponentially as climate change accelerates.

- is it still socially acceptable to continue to celebrate the consumption of fossil fuel?"

Note in particular the words, "directly responsible". This is quite a claim, and is representative of the kind of hysteria that currently surrounds the climate change debate.

My questions to you:

Is it socially acceptable to celebrate the consumption of fossil fuel?

Is it socially acceptable to stir the public into a frenzy over a subject they have little or no control over?

[FabianPattberg]

On the first question: I am not sure because 95% of our economies still depend on fossil fuels. I think we need to gradually get away from that of course. And we need to start now. But celebration, definately not.

On the second question:

A clear yes. Change is painful often and we have been sitting in our comfortable armchair for too long already!

[CapGhG]

Originally Posted by Metyu

I have this morning been browing a presentation of architect Bill Dunster, available at building.co.uk under the heading "Sustainability Masterclass." (it is a 28MB file).

Slide 7 (of 118) is laid out thus:

"The rules have now changed ?

- a typical 4 person UK household responsible for 12 tonnes CO2 / year over 4 generations will be directly responsible for the deaths of the same number of people in a climate change hot spot. This figure will increase exponentially as climate change accelerates.

- is it still socially acceptable to continue to celebrate the consumption of fossil fuel?"

Note in particular the words, "directly responsible". This is quite a claim, and is representative of the kind of hysteria that currently surrounds the climate change debate.

My questions to you:

Is it socially acceptable to celebrate the consumption of fossil fuel?

Is it socially acceptable to stir the public into a frenzy over a subject they have little or no control over?

If "celebrate" is used to mean social acceptance of the use of fossil fuels as energy then I vote no on the first question.

A definite yes to the second question. I disagee the public has little or no control over the globalwarming issue. The public needs to know all of the scary and frightful dangers of globalwarming so that, hopefully, they will make changes in their lifestyle and demand actions by governmental officials to fight it as much as possible before it gets worse. However, I don't believe I would have used the word "directly" in "directly responsible".

[isenhand]

Originally Posted by Metyu

Is it socially acceptable to celebrate the consumption of fossil fuel?

no

Originally Posted by Metyu

Is it socially acceptable to stir the public into a frenzy over a subject they have little or no control over?

Each individual may not have much control over the situation but groups of people do but even so, getting people into a frenzy may not forma constructive way forward. However, I do think we need to get people think and think about our current socioeconomic system and how we should, move forward.

.ui

[marklad2020]

No, I don't think it is acceptable, but the problem is that many people are just ignorant to the impacts.

Personally I would feel embarrassed to be driving a large off-road vehicle around the streets of London, but there are plenty of people who are proud to do so..