Climate Change

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John

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Climate Change
« on: August 12, 2021, 12:52 »
I know this post is going to anger some of my regular readers. Sorry if that's so but I've always posted what I believe rather than what I think you want to read.

Read the post here: Climate Change
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ImogenM

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Re: Climate Change
« Reply #1 on: August 12, 2021, 14:16 »
This is great, I think it's so important that we do all we can to prevent the worst excesses of climate change but also prepare to make ourselves and our communities more resilient too, and gardening for food is a really important tool for that. Thanks for writing it!

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mumofstig

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Re: Climate Change
« Reply #2 on: August 12, 2021, 14:53 »
I agree the climate is changing, and I agree that we probably do need to do something about it.  My worry is that the IPPC insist on using worst case scenarios for their projections (apocalypse now!) despite many scientists disagreeing with those scenarios. :(
I suppose their plan is to scare everyone into taking the precise actions they've decided on, if they can -whether that's the best/only way forward, for the whole world, or not....
Am I cynical/sceptical? Probably both  ::)

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Aunt Sally

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Re: Climate Change
« Reply #3 on: August 12, 2021, 15:39 »
Who was it said that we don’t have a climate in this country… just weather ?

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rowlandwells

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Re: Climate Change
« Reply #4 on: August 12, 2021, 16:38 »
most of what your saying John makes sense however the one stumbling block is getting everyone to buy into adopting ways to combat climate change more abroad holidays as you said more Chelsea land rovers and how many people actually walk anywhere these days all be it for a Sunday stroll in the park

how many people actually put all there plastic waste in the recycle bin or just through it out the car window for some other person to clear it up when you travel along the A14 from our house its just a s---t tip this country must be one of the worlds worst for litter louts

it would be great to see everyone pulling together to save the planet but I'm afraid its not going to happen look when we where told there was going to be a lockdown and there could be food shortages and other commodity's  the supermarket shelves became empty so plenty for some and the rest can go without that sounds like pulling together in a crisis or just panic buying

so yes your topic makes very good reading John but will it fall on many deaf ears i wonder?

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John

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Re: Climate Change
« Reply #5 on: August 12, 2021, 18:18 »
Thank you ImogenM and welcome!

I agree the climate is changing, and I agree that we probably do need to do something about it.  My worry is that the IPPC insist on using worst case scenarios for their projections (apocalypse now!) despite many scientists disagreeing with those scenarios. :(
I suppose their plan is to scare everyone into taking the precise actions they've decided on, if they can -whether that's the best/only way forward, for the whole world, or not....
Am I cynical/sceptical? Probably both  ::)
I'm actually more concerned that they've toned down the reports to get all the governments to agree on the report. Effectively it's a meta-analysis of many published studies from a wide variety of respected sources so I really can't accept there is an underlying agenda shared by the sources.
most of what your saying John makes sense however the one stumbling block is getting everyone to buy into adopting ways to combat climate change ....
...so yes your topic makes very good reading John but will it fall on many deaf ears i wonder?
I'm sure it will fall on many deaf ears but the longer we ignore this the worse it will be and eventually the disaster scenarios will be actualities. Depressing.

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ImogenM

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Re: Climate Change
« Reply #6 on: August 13, 2021, 16:13 »
Thank you ImogenM and welcome!

Thanks! I've been a subscriber to your email list for a while and thought it was probably time to join the forums  :)

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Aunt Sally

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Re: Climate Change
« Reply #7 on: August 13, 2021, 17:29 »
Welcome, Imogen

Pop into the Welcome forum and tell us a bit about yourself and what you grow.

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Aunt Sally

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Re: Climate Change
« Reply #8 on: August 17, 2021, 14:37 »
I think it's so important that we do all we can to prevent the worst excesses of climate change but also prepare to make ourselves and our communities more resilient too, and gardening for food is a really important tool for that.

It certainly is important that we do all we can to help to reduce climate change but I feel that gardening for food will have so small an effect as to be unmeasurable. It’s a great hobby and the results often are so much better than shop bought products, so that is why we do it. 

Very few people have enough space at home to grow food and that situation will only get worse.  All the houses being built in our area have pocket handkerchief gardens with just enough space for a table and a couple of chairs.  There are allotments of course, but how many people live close enough to them not to use their cars ? 

So, in my opinion, a great hobby but many home growers and allotment gardeners produce will not have a smaller environmental footprint than commercially produced food.  I think it is good to eat food in season, produced as close to home as possible, rather than flown in from exotic and distant parts of the world.




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John

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Re: Climate Change
« Reply #9 on: August 17, 2021, 23:28 »
Oh Aunty! That's a bit negative. Even a small positive is reducing the negative. True, as individuals we cannot have much effect but the more who try, the better. Every little helps!
Tying down exact figures is very tricky but common sense says something grown at home has to save on transport, packaging, refrigeration etc. Plus much of our food involves agricultural systems that liberate rather than sequester carbon.
If you accept that 18% of global greenhouse emissions come from agriculture then clearly a reduction is significant.
Every cardboard box we use as part of a mulch or in compost is sequestering carbon. Tiny amounts but positive.
Locally produce in a sustainable manner is good but most of us will buy from a big supermarket. A lettuce or cucumber shipped in from Almeria, garlic from China, beans from Peru - all things we can easily grow at home.
Plus growing your own makes you appreciate the value of food beyond the money paid for it. Since 25% plus of food produced is wasted, that's an easy win on reducing the 18%
Question is "is there a will?" because if we don't we're in bigger trouble.

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New shoot

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Re: Climate Change
« Reply #10 on: August 18, 2021, 07:51 »
I think it is good to eat food in season, produced as close to home as possible, rather than flown in from exotic and distant parts of the world.

Actually I agree that that is a really positive step that can be taken no matter what growing space you have and extends beyond the fresh produce aisle.

Most of the world’s almonds come from California and are produced in a non sustainable way. Almond milk, flour or just the nuts themselves come with a high environmental price tag and that is just 1 example.

We have to be more aware of the resources we use, that is for sure. Growing your own food is a plus, along with recycling and being careful with energy use, but purchasing power makes big business listen.

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Aunt Sally

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Re: Climate Change
« Reply #11 on: August 18, 2021, 16:13 »
Not negative, John, just realistic. 

If Worzel goes to pick the runner beans most days, as he needs to at this time of year, that’s a round trip of 5 miles a day… say 15 to 25miles a week in his diesel car.  Per portion of beans it must be a much larger carbon footprint than British grown supermarket beans that are transported in bulk.  And that doesn’t count all the trips to the allotment he makes through the year without bringing home any produce.  It’s all extra mileage as we still go to the supermarket for all of our other shopping.  So allotment mileage is definitely extra carbon in the atmosphere.

We consider ourselves lucky to have an allotment, but the vast majority of the population doesn’t have food gardening space at home.  And allotment waiting lists are huge.

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John

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Re: Climate Change
« Reply #12 on: August 18, 2021, 17:44 »
He should walk or cycle, Aunty. Maybe one of those electric bikes. Healthier and better for us all. I'm sorry but I have reported your post to Greta and a scolding will be on its way  :D


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Aunt Sally

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Re: Climate Change
« Reply #13 on: August 18, 2021, 20:50 »
Ha,ha,ha… It’s still a job for the car.  A few years ago I was a witness to a man getting knocked off his bike and killed by a car.  It’s something I will never forget so a bike is definitely out, electric or not. 

A 5 mile (round trip) walk to the allotment might be a good idea and we do walk it occasionally, but I doubt he would enjoy pushing a wheel barrow full of spuds home  :lol: :lol: :lol: 

It took Greta Thunberg 2 weeks to cross the Atlantic in a solar boat, although she came back a lot faster.  But Aunty makes Worzel travel a bit quicker than that. 


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