# Attenborough's dire warnings.



## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

David Attenborough is undoubtedly a very experienced environment expert. His dire predictions of extinction and pollution of the planet are of interest to us all for our families futures. But although he has been banging on for decades about the obvious effects we are having on the planet we take little or no notice.
Rare breeds and animals are threatened and much of our flora and fauna is either dead or in decline besides polluting our seas.

We are all responsible for this state in as much as we are the consumers who drive the destruction of the Natural World in favour of some very unnatural crops to feed our consumer society. 
Why is it knowing what we do today do we keep up this buying frenzy of pointless must have items to end up in landfill? 
For the next 2+ months we will be deluged with adds promoting totally pointless gizmos for Christmas? Why do we want all these 5 min wonders that rarely do anything to enhance our lives and only add to the land fill we are all guilty of creating?

Lemmings have nothing on humanity.!

Ray.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

He is a person I gave followed for more than 40 years, it may be his film teams but the quality of videos that have been aired have not been surpassed IMO.

His views on the environment have become increasingly clear over the last 10 to 15 years, we all remember his interview with President Obama in which they laid out the route ahead.

Sadly, Trump has chosen an eco-destructive pathway whenever he can, he has never even shown the slightest regard for the natural world.

So Attenborough v Trump is inevitable and there can be only one winner, the environment us now recognised as absolutely central to the younger generations - people that Trump has ignored to his peril. 

Hopefully the Trump era will finish very soon, in which case I expect that America will return to sense.

Attenborough is as inspirational now as Diana was 30 years ago.

His demise will provoke national grief. Let's hope it will be years away.....


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

But my point Dave is we ALL contribute to our demise.

Ray.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Sorry, should have actually addressed the point that you raised, totally agree we are ALL responsible and need to take action.

12 weeks away is the biggest excuse for junk each and every years, hundreds of tonnes of plastic and massive amounts of Xmas paper that cannot be recycled due to the shiny surface.

We are using the isolation to ensure just ONE present for each grandchild, and each to be wrapped in recyclable plain brown paper, secured by string not adhesive tape. That way we hope that the impact will be reduced, not eliminated, but reduced, no plastic permitted of course.

Our prime present for each of them is a printed on paper BOOK - those items that no longer seem to be promoted..... We will NOT be buying Boris's biography, but Attenborough's would be good....

"A Life on Our Planet" by Sir David Attenborough publish date October 6 2020 would be a great choice IMO.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

The warnings are widely know in the educated parts of the world but selfishness will be our downfall, in then years time little or nothing will have been done and by then it will be too late we will spiral down into oblivion.


We are already seeing the signs of bees dying out all over the world, when they die off we will soon follow.


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

raynipper said:


> But my point Dave is we ALL contribute to our demise.
> 
> Ray.


 Very true Ray and there are huge commercial interests trying to persuade us that it will be alright in the end and it's naysayers that are concerned with global warming, smoking tobacco, burning fossil fuels, campaigning against single use plastics etc, etc, And those commercial interests have eager accomplices in the Libertarian Right that they politically fund.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Those of us of a certain age, who grew up during rationing, and had "make do and mend" parents get it. So, how do we convince the younger generation? 

Having said that, Chris's mum went through the war years, was a widow on very low income, and so should have been thrifty, but was not. Her attitude to anything that was old was "just chuck it down the shute" (they lived in a flat) and buy a new one. So, is it up to parents? Chris is very much like his mum whereas my brothers and I are much more frugal having lived with our, very frugal, dad. No lights were ever left on, we only heated one room in the house, toilet paper was rationed etc etc.

Is it the same people who refuse to abide by the Covid 19 restrictions that also refuse to alter their lifestyle?


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

if the behaviour during Covid is anything to go by, I wouldn't expect much restraint from the younger generation in how they purchase or re-use things, they just don't care, live now pay later seems to be how they think.


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

Pudsey_Bear said:


> if the behaviour during Covid is anything to go by, I wouldn't expect much restraint from the younger generation in how they purchase or re-use things, they just don't care, live now pay later seems to be how they think.


I think that's very unfair Kev. Any of the demos I've seen have lots of representatives from the younger age group.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

I gather there are grants up for grabs for green stuff in the house but apparently finding an approved supplier to do the work is proving difficult. I was reading up on air source heat pumps earlier which can apparently replace your traditional boiler and I think they are pretty green and there is some scheme where you get money back from the government and it pays for itself over seven years. They don't sound that great to me though in that they don't heat the water from the taps or in the radiators to as high a temperature so you have to run them longer and make sure your Insulation is up to scratch


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

I was asking our Residents Management Co. the other day about the possibility of installing electric car charging points in the communal parking area, and possibly solar panels to feed these (tho I've no idea if that's feasible). 

They manage numerous developments n have not been asked this question before, which surprised me.

Someone said when you install solar on your roof you no longer own your roof, you merely rent it. I'd never heard that before - is it true? There was the fear that whoever owned it wouldn't look after it as well as you would yourself.


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## peribro (Sep 6, 2009)

I think all this environmental stuff is a nonsense in the grand scale of the life of this planet and what has happened to it.

Earth is some 4.5billion years old and has seen phenomenal changes including ice ages, global warming, earthquakes etc etc. 

Humans are very new indeed and this idea of us destroying the planet is irrelevant. We may be destroying it for ourselves but we aren't destroying the planet - it will vastly outlive humans and if that means other species come into existence in the billions of years ahead then good luck to them.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Yes Peter it's our environment along with many species that is being destroyed by us. Yes the planet is going to continue turning but quality of life for all creatures is in peril. Just ask an Orangutan. 

Ray.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Man is the only organism that has ever existed on this planet that has developed the ability to totally change and destroy very large parts of the planet.

So, yes, man may be newly around, but the effect of the species is catastrophic.

Think of whole mountains being hollowed out in North Korea, or destroyed in China, think of the desertification that has happened due to the destruction of the Aral Sea, think of the destruction of natural forest in the Amazon jungle, and in the U.K. Where the natural deciduous forest has been removed and ciniferous forests planted so densekybthat no ground or shrub layer can exist below the ever present canopy.

As a direct result of man's activities the forest that used to exist in North Africa has been totally destroyed SINCE ROMAN TIMES and the Sahara desert has been formed - now spreading eastwards at a rate of at least 25 km a YEAR. All because the Romans introduced wild goats that destroyed the seedlings - the Romans used to capture lions and zebra in, where now is Tunisia and Libya. The "Cedars of Lebanon" have virtually all been destroyed, except those in artificially maintained ornamental gardens.

New ? Yes but totally out of control.

Attenborough is 100% correct and the destruction is hastening in an extrapolating manner as bigger and bigger machines are developed driven by more and more desire to destroy for short term profit.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

barryd said:


> I gather there are grants up for grabs for green stuff in the house but apparently finding an approved supplier to do the work is proving difficult. I was reading up on air source heat pumps earlier which can apparently replace your traditional boiler and I think they are pretty green and there is some scheme where you get money back from the government and it pays for itself over seven years. They don't sound that great to me though in that they don't heat the water from the taps or in the radiators to as high a temperature so you have to run them longer and make sure your Insulation is up to scratch


You are right about the scheme, Barry but it is very complicated and many people think it is not worth the hassle. Air source heat pumps do not, as you say, heat the water hot enough for them to be safe in that bugs can grow in the hot water cylinder. You have to have an immersion heater, as well, that will do that.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

jiwawa said:


> I was asking our Residents Management Co. the other day about the possibility of installing electric car charging points in the communal parking area, and possibly solar panels to feed these (tho I've no idea if that's feasible).
> 
> They manage numerous developments n have not been asked this question before, which surprised me.
> 
> Someone said when you install solar on your roof you no longer own your roof, you merely rent it. I'd never heard that before - is it true? There was the fear that whoever owned it wouldn't look after it as well as you would yourself.


I think there were schemes like that, Jean, and the extra power generated went to the owners of the roof. You can, however, buy the panels outright and install them just like any other home improvement. There are also roof tiles that have photovoltaic cells in them but they are very expensive at the moment.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

patp said:


> You are right about the scheme, Barry but it is very complicated and many people think it is not worth the hassle. Air source heat pumps do not, as you say, heat the water hot enough for them to be safe in that bugs can grow in the hot water cylinder. You have to have an immersion heater, as well, that will do that.


Been doing some further digging today. I got as far as looking up "approved" companies that can do the work required and the first four I found when I googled them they didnt even have websites! When I worked on the North East Suppliers register as an IT Consultant and advisor to One North East you wouldnt have even got on the list without a website and that was well over a decade ago. Ill pursue it but it already smacks a bit of another "Excel" Spreadsheet Tory corner cutting cock up to me.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

I am finding that many tradesmen are using Facebook as a means of displaying their skills and touting for business. If I don't find a website I go on Facebook.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Yes Pat but all the 'rouges' on Rouge Traders have super websites but operate out of a spare bedroom. It's too easy to present a glossy online image.

Ray.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

I find that extremely unprofessional using Facebook as your only form of internet presence. I want to see case studies and more importantly reviews and structured detailed information about their products and services. I found none of that for any of the first four companies I searched on. Fair enough if you are just looking for a bob a job plumber to fit a leaky tap I would be happy enough to take a recommendation from Facebook but if we are talking of £10k worth of home improvements I want to know whoever is coming to do the work has a glowing long standing reputation. 

I think you have six months to go through this process. I bet finding the right suppliers and getting the quotes in will take until well after Christmas.


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## greygit (Apr 15, 2007)

Just thought I would he mention he did say along the lines of unfettered capitalism was contributing to the demise of the planet.


Perhaps that is why peribro thinks the planet is not in danger as that would mean rethinking his politics.


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## peribro (Sep 6, 2009)

greygit said:


> Just thought I would he mention he did say along the lines of unfettered capitalism was contributing to the demise of the planet.
> 
> Perhaps that is why peribro thinks the planet is not in danger as that would mean rethinking his politics.


Yes bring back Mao Zedong - and Pol Pot whilst we are about it. Let's go back to an agrarian economy.

Leaving aside the tens of millions who died under those despots do you want me to quote the increases in life expectancy over the last 20, 40, 100 years etc? Or the enormous reductions in poverty and infant mortality etc etc. It's about getting an appropriate balance. If you want to go and live in a cave somewhere then up to you.

I'm actually thinking about an electric car I'm sure you'll be pleased to hear. Tesla is bringing out one next year that can do 0-60mph on less than 2 seconds! I'll let someone else worry about where the electricity comes from that will allow me to drive that fast!


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

peribro said:


> I'll let someone else worry about where the electricity comes from that will allow me to drive that fast!


Ahhhh yess that would put me off along with the pathetic range that necessitates having another fossil fuelled vehicle for longer trips.

Ray.


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## greygit (Apr 15, 2007)

peribro said:


> Yes bring back Mao Zedong - and Pol Pot whilst we are about it. Let's go back to an agrarian economy.
> 
> Leaving aside the tens of millions who died under those despots do you want me to quote the increases in life expectancy over the last 20, 40, 100 years etc? Or the enormous reductions in poverty and infant mortality etc etc. It's about getting an appropriate balance. If you want to go and live in a cave somewhere then up to you.
> 
> I'm actually thinking about an electric car I'm sure you'll be pleased to hear. Tesla is bringing out one next year that can do 0-60mph on less than 2 seconds! I'll let someone else worry about where the electricity comes from that will allow me to drive that fast!


I take it your ramblings are about the dangers of communism and in that I would agree with you but you still don't seem to recognize the dangers of capitalism and the dangerous aspect of the greed that drives it. There are countries that have turned to socialist principles and believe it or not they are a lot better off than the British. 
As for your electric car and were the electricity comes from you totally discount that power from alternative sources are quite possible if governments did not take sweeteners from the major power suppliers to not seriously look for them. 
Reactionary ways of thinking will not save the planet, not that we will be around to witness it.


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

peribro said:


> Yes bring back Mao Zedong - and Pol Pot whilst we are about it. Let's go back to an agrarian economy.
> 
> Leaving aside the tens of millions who died under those despots do you want me to quote the *increases in life expectancy over the last 20, 40, 100 years etc? Or the enormous reductions in poverty and infant mortality etc etc. It's about getting an appropriate balance. *


It is indeed about getting the appropriate balance Peter. And when that's not right this is what happens -

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.ft.com/content/35003f82-565d-11ea-abe5-8e03987b7b20

https://www.leeds.ac.uk/news/articl...infant_mortality_in_england_linked_to_poverty


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## greygit (Apr 15, 2007)

jiwawa said:


> It is indeed about getting the appropriate balance Peter. And when that's not right this is what happens -
> 
> https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.ft.com/content/35003f82-565d-11ea-abe5-8e03987b7b20
> 
> https://www.leeds.ac.uk/news/articl...infant_mortality_in_england_linked_to_poverty


Don't bother he will not listen the blinkers are firmly attached.


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