Plane stupid

[Fiat]

Not impressed Fiat.

Do you want to explain what syphalis has got to do with me?

Hi Amy forgot to put a full stop rereadit

[Amy]

Lol
Warrateg, you were thinking fast there. 

[Fiat]

there is an incredible difference between goods being brought to these shores by boat in bulk, and millions of blobbies heading off for long-haul flights to no particular end but to get utterly pickled somewhere hot, and to come home with an exotic STD..........

Hi Martin some one had to go to these places in the first place several times possably before getting an order then there is the making of the product and all that entails handling shipping to here and transport to the ware house and then out wards to customers so large foot print is left .I certanly would not like to go back to the days of the feudal lords life being short and grim

[martin]

but "short and grim" is precisely what the profligacy you suggest as  your "right" will bring upon all of mankind, starting with those with the least, in the countries of the third world.........

[David]

Hi Martin dont you think that by going to these places and buying goods is helping the local economy and bring up they standard of living

http://www.stopclimatechaos.org.uk/about lists the members of Stop Climate Chaos, at the bottom. It is worth studying who they are.  In my view the "third world" charities were slow to get climate change, but they have now got it and are bringing their big guns to bear on the vested interests behind airport expansion. Those who suffer first from climate change (there are some already) are not be the rich who have caused the problem.

One of these members is Christian Aid, not generally branded as environmental nutters. http://www.christianaid.org.uk/issues/trade/index.aspx is their view on trade and http://www.christianaid.org.uk/issues/climatechange/index.aspx is their view on climate change.

The portrayal of these campaigners as "terrorists" and so on follows a yawningly familiar path. Much the same things were said about the Suffragettes, Chartists, Martin Luther King Junior and every other campaigner. I can still remember the Young Conservatives' delightful little ditty, "Hang Nelson Mandela", another person who was called a "terrorist". In reality these people are very much not what they are made out to be by the police and others, as the Climate Camps at Kingsnorth and Heathrow demonstrated. As it happens I have spoken to the chap who glued himself to Gordon Brown's suit http://www.planestupid.com/?q=content/plane-stupid-campaigner-superglues-himself-prime-minister-inside-number-10 a couple of times. Dan is a quiet, thoughtful and very intelligent person who has other things he would rather do, he is nothing like he is portrayed by some.

"In many Western countries, including the United Kingdom, civil disobedience is an honourable tradition which goes back to Antigone. It may be vindicated by history - think of the suffragettes - but often what makes it honourable and demonstrates the strength of conviction is willingness to accept the punishment." http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200203/ldjudgmt/jd030320/sepet-2.htm paragraph 32.

[Ivan]

Hi Fiat,

I totally agree with reducing unnecessary trips abroad. I've only ever been to China once, and almost never take a holiday, and if I do, it would be in this country.

As far as importing goods from China. We import everything by sea - it's slow and requires more investment to cope with the cashflow (Navitron does not, and has never borrowed from the banks, incidentally). Yes, it's more £s going abroad, but it offsets a much greater amount burnt up in feeding the middle East our oil dollars. In short, the implementation of equipment producing energy renewably, whether made in this country or abroad is going to make us less dependant on foreign fuel suppliers, and therefore, as a nation, more wealthy (I probably should say 'less poverty-stricken') in the future.

[Fiat]

Hi Fiat,

I totally agree with reducing unnecessary trips abroad. I've only ever been to China once, and almost never take a holiday, and if I do, it would be in this country.

As far as importing goods from China. We import everything by sea - it's slow and requires more investment to cope with the cashflow (Navitron does not, and has never borrowed from the banks, incidentally). Yes, it's more £s going abroad, but it offsets a much greater amount burnt up in feeding the middle East our oil dollars. In short, the implementation of equipment producing energy renewably, whether made in this country or abroad is going to make us less dependant on foreign fuel suppliers, and therefore, as a nation, more wealthy (I probably should say 'less poverty-stricken') in the future.

Hi I dont have a problem with tradeing abroad or money going out of the country to third world countrys for there future investments and i dont realy belive in climate change is totaly man made what i do belive in is a fair trade between nations and helping people that have a very low standard of living get a better one this bunch of fools we have in now would sooner send young lads to get killed over a barrel of than go and sort out some of the african leaders who are slowly killing their country man for there own greed

[martin]

just in case anyone's missed it, the new series of "Beyond Belief" has just started on Radio 4..........

[northern installer]

its rather disheartening to hear the government say that an environmental tax on international air travel is unworkable,and even more disappointing to see them sit and do nothing about taxing cheap local flights;isn't there something rather wrong in a system that allows you to travel by air at a tenth of the cost of rail travel? 

[martin]

that'll be the power of brown envelopes the airline lobby!

[David]

Brown envelopes indeed.

http://www.planestupid.com/?q=content/plane-stupid-shuts-stansted-airport puts it well,

"We all grew up listening to Blair and Brown talking about the urgent need to slash emissions, but nothing ever happened. Even now politicians from our parents' generation are in Poland holding talks about talks, but still nobody's actually doing anything. The scientists tell us we've got about seven years to make emissions peak then drop, and if we fail it will be the people on this runway, and our children, who'll live with the consequences. That's why I'm doing this."

"Terrorists"? People in bright green jackets with, "PLEASE DO SOMETHING", written on the back?

http://www.planestupid.com/images/Stansted3_high_res

[Amy]

Its a shame that some countries which dont have our history of leadership, democracy and Victorial philanthropic ability can get off their asses and make action happen but Britain still wants to debate and preach but achieve nothing.

How can our politicians appear to lead the way in Kyoto, brussels, in the press releases and photo shoots but actually not do anything practical.  Nothing to show for it.

I would love to see the cabinets weekly timesheets and find out what they do all day.

[mespilus]

The next G8, or rather G8+, summit should be by video link.

Add security cost savings to the aviation fuel foregone.

[wattmiser]

Plane Stupid activists in action at Aberdeen Airport  , protesting against further expansion

 BBC Radio Scotland " Morning Extra" hosting live phone in , talking directly with Plane Stupid activists at 09.05 am

[David]

http://www.planestupid.com has reports on this and other things, including links to a gallery.