General Politics Thread

[yoda]

It's a "yer da" take but it is very much to be expected in a Politics forum which is populated by a majority of "Yer Woke Da" types.

[D Angelo Barksdale]

[Detournement]

I don't think you are using those memes right. As the article above shows the vast majority of people in the UK are not frequent flyers, half the people in the UK don't fly in a calendar year and globally being a frequent flyer is a tiny proportion of the population. Those memes concern issues of production and governance which the left want to improve, flying cannot be made environmentally friendly.

Flying is a destructive habit, i've done my fair amount but facing up to that is going to be a big issue to confront if we are going to meet climate targets.

 

[NotThePars]

I'd love to travel by train to a lot more places but you would probably have to change the working culture in this country and garrotte Richard Branson in the streets first to make the replacement of flying across Europe with train journeys.

 

[Thistle_do_nicely]

there's some back of a fag packet stuff I'd be interested to explore, tbf. Getting rid of domestic flights when there's reasonable alternatives and the journey path doesn't cross large bodies of water (if there's suitable alternative train travel, motorway links) is something I'd probably be ok with. I'm shooting from the hip here so if it's a glaringly horrible idea and I've missed why then apologies.

Wonder if there's any sort of scope for hybrid/electric powered aircraft too, although (still spraying wildly from the hip) I highly doubt if that sort of tech would be suitable for high altitude multiple passenger flights, especially over any sort of meaningful distance. Maybe in general aviation for gliders and similar smaller engine craft but not commercial flights?

have never been but travelling to, say, Oceania any other method than a commercial aircraft wouldn't cross my mind. Crossing to Ireland and France I'd be ok with exploring alternatives, but any sort of significant distance crossing large bodies of water feels incredibly challenging to manage without getting on board a plane.

Edited September 25, 2019 by Thistle_do_nicely

[welshbairn]

Just now, Thistle_do_nicely said:

there's some back of a fag packet stuff I'd be interested to explore, tbf. Getting rid of domestic flights when there's reasonable alternatives and the journey path doesn't cross large bodies of water (if there's suitable alternative train travel, motorway links) is something I'd probably be ok with. I'm shooting from the hip here so if it's a glaringly horrible idea and I've missed why then apologies.

Wonder if there's any sort of scope for hybrid/electric powered aircraft too, although (still spraying wildly from the hip) I highly doubt if that sort of tech would be suitable for high altitude multiple passenger flights, especially over any sort of meaningful distance. Maybe in general aviation for gliders and similar smaller engine craft but not commercial flights?

I'm expecting electric planes powered by renewables by the end of next decade for short haul flights, hybrid planes for long haul with considerably less carbon impact.

[ICTJohnboy]

6 minutes ago, welshbairn said:

I'm expecting electric planes powered by renewables by the end of next decade for short haul flights, hybrid planes for long haul with considerably less carbon impact.

 

This one could be first.

 

[Detournement]

13 minutes ago, NotThePars said:

I'd love to travel by train to a lot more places but you would probably have to change the working culture in this country and garrotte Richard Branson in the streets first to make the replacement of flying across Europe with train journeys.

 

Labour have been talking about a 32 hour week which gives scope for longer holidays and less flying.

[strichener]

2 minutes ago, Detournement said:

Labour have been talking about a 32 hour week which gives scope for longer holidays and less flying.

[Detournement]

1 minute ago, strichener said:

I don't see what's funny about that.

The only decent future clearly involves working less and polluting less.

[welshbairn]

3 hours ago, pandarilla said:

In terms of punching up or punching down I'd say it's the exact opposite.

I work with folk who fly abroad at least three times a year and fair do's but in terms of tackling climate change this is as big as getting folk to drive more efficiently (or less).

 

Per mile of pumping carbon, flying isn't much worse than driving. Far more efficient train and bus travel is usually more expensive than either. Pricing should reflect carbon usage imo, but this wouldn't affect Detournement's 1%, just the common people.

Edited September 25, 2019 by welshbairn

[NotThePars]

strichener would've been on Tyurva and Vodka in 1883 laughing at strikers petitioning Tsar Alexander III for a 12 hour day.

[pandarilla]

Per mile of pumping carbon, flying isn't much worse than driving. Far more efficient train and bus travel is usually more expensive than either. Pricing should reflect carbon usage imo, but this wouldn't affect Detournement's 1%, just the common people.

The solutions to this incredible problem are not going to be simple, or found by targeting one group.

We are consuming far too much and we need to put the breaks on quickly.

Tackling inefficient cars and air travel - not one over the other.

Cheap, throw-away clothing and eating meat are also high on the list.

[CaspianChris]

The Tories are showing their true nasty colours.  Lose a court case fair and square and want to change the judiciary to be corrupt to their will.

Getting rid of Human Rights Act, can this party become even more scum than they are now.

 

[Detournement]

A written constitution is a great idea.

And 11 posh white judges can't be the ultimate arbiters.

[CaspianChris]

1 minute ago, Detournement said:

A written constitution is a great idea.

And 11 posh white judges can't be the ultimate arbiters.

No but 11 Consevative diehards picked by their cronies can be.

A constitution written to help the very rich and upper class and demean and utterly humiliate the rest of society.  

If Conservatives get their way.

[Benjamin_Nevis]

Not gonna lie. I'm impressed at H_B maintaining this Citizen Smith act for so long [emoji23]

[strichener]

2 hours ago, Detournement said:

I don't see what's funny about that.

The only decent future clearly involves working less and polluting less.

Sure, the answer is to work less and take slower modes of transport to spend our extra leisure time.  The horse and carriages will be the transportation of the future.

Oh and Labour enacting a 32 hour week is as likely as you getting back your Northern Rock investment.

[mizfit]

I believe Stormzy summed it up best by stating “f**k the government and f**k Boris yeah”

[DA Baracus]

2 hours ago, pandarilla said:

The solutions to this incredible problem are not going to be simple, or found by targeting one group.

We are consuming far too much and we need to put the breaks on quickly.

Tackling inefficient cars and air travel - not one over the other.

Cheap, throw-away clothing and eating meat are also high on the list.

None of which will happen unfortunately.