Planet Hopcott news articles, stories and discussion from Rob Hopcott

In my opinion the 2008 Green Standard 'Fit for the Future' published today by nine of the leading UK environmental organisations accusing the three main UK political parties - Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats - of inadequate progress on the green agenda is itself a waste of valuable energy.

Signatories to the report include the RSPB, Friends of the Earth, Woodland Trust, WWF, The Wildlife Trusts, The National Trust, the Green Alliance, Campaign to Protect Rural England and Greenpeace.

Together, these organisations have over 5 million supporters and could have an immediate impact on reducing the effect of fossil fuels on our climate and moving our country to a low-carbon economy by direct action through their members.

Why don't they simply lobby their members to join the buying strike on new fossil fuel powered motor cars?

Now that would have a real impact on the companies who have the power to genuinely initiate change!

Instead, these nine NGOs are passing the buck to the UK Government through the three main political parties. The reality is that the Government can probably do little effective so it is all an empty gesture.

With over five million supporters these nine NGOs could have an immediate impact on the car companies in a way that would really make them speed up their plans to start producing electric cars and create the infrastructure to support electric car recharging.

Instead these NGOs are doing what NGOs do which is all talk and no action - rather like the three main political parties they are criticising.

If these NGOs were 'Fit for the Future', they would canvass their members immediately to join the buying strike on new fossil fuelled cars and then we could really start making progress to a low-carbon economy.

Todays Adventure in Thought on a Bench is brought to you from the heart of Exmoor at Porlock Weir, West Somerset, UK.

Bye for now

Rob

Rob Hopcott - online author