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Letter: Young Campaigners Are Right to Think That Older Generations Have Failed Them
Published on: 6 Jul, 2019
Updated on: 6 Jul, 2019
From Brian Creese
spokesperson for the Guildford Labour Party
I applaud the attitude, energy and concern shown by the two young activists, Petra Todd and Hattie Twigger-Ross. They are quite right to feel that older generations have failed them.
I first learned the science of climate change at university in the 1970s and have been constantly astonished at the failure of my generation to take the decisive action we need. I was largely in despair about the issue until the current generation of school students showed they have the necessary drive and concern to push for actual, fundamental change.
Small steps are better than no steps, but we need massive strides to reform the economy away from an obsession with GDP, to change our lifestyles, our transport systems, the ways we eat, the way we heat our homes.
Becoming plastic-free sounds easy, but think about how much plastic is used by the NHS. The detail is complicated, but the overview is clear. So far we have done very, very little and time is running out.
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Responses to Letter: Young Campaigners Are Right to Think That Older Generations Have Failed Them
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Dale Miller
July 7, 2019 at 9:10 am
Brian is absolutely right. Climate change is a scientifically proven fact, not a fiction. You only have to look at the graphs which show it really taking off with the industrial revolution and we have all seen how our weather is becoming more extreme.
The resolve and derring-do of these young people is inspiring. Young and old Guildfordians must support them. There is no Planet B.
It would be good to have the contact details of the local Extinction Rebellion group to pass on to others.
John Perkins
July 9, 2019 at 11:47 am
I completely agree that climate change is a fact and a problem that needs to be addressed.
But if what is meant by “the graphs” is the infamous “hockey stick” then people should be aware that it was a fake created in order to prove that the industrial revolution was the main cause, which it is not and never was. That graph was no more than snake oil – it only included those facts which supported it, leaving out any which were inconvenient.
There are many reasons for climate change and none of them will be offset by those closing roads in central London and flying drones around airports. I’ll take XR more seriously if they start weaving their own clothes, growing their own food, generating their own power from the sun and walking to their protests.