Why Friends of the Earth are a bunch of idiots
Dear Friends of the Earth,
You really don’t get it, do you. If organisations like yours came up with sensible policies to guide us towards more sustainable lifestyle choices, I might be willing to listen. However, the reality is that you just spout utter nonsense that ends up making you look foolish and ill-informed, thereby completely removing any respect I have for you.
One of your Economics campaigners has said that “we want [the government] to push ahead with the 2p rise in fuel duty and we are concerned they won’t. It would send a message that the Government is going to be buffeted around and pushed around on the issue of climate change.” If this is how your resident economists think we should address climate change, your organisation really is screwed. Do you honestly think that the latest fuel tax, car tax and showroom tax increases have ANYTHING to do with saving the environment? The government is absolutely raking in our hard-earned money at the moment because of the latest oil prices rises – they’re loving it! The only motivation they ever had for these tax rises was screwing some extra pennies out of those people who can’t change their habits, as demand for driving is so inelastic and many families have no choice but to drive thanks to the lame public transport across most of the UK. How can you tax people extra for a car they bought years ago, irrespective of the emissions produced by the car? Why should family cars (often carrying several people at once) pay more tax than other cars carrying just one person?
Sorry, but much as I’m willing to listen to environmental concerns and sensible ways of addressing climate change, Friends of the Earth clearly have little to contribute to political debate in this country. Stick to hugging trees.
Yours sincerely,
A.Tory
As a confirmed non-driver (well except for the annual trip to Le Mans) it gives me great amusement watching everyone get their knickers in a twist over fuel prices and motor tax – they seem to forget that perfectly acceptable alternatives exist and if they don’t like the price of motoring they should use them.
Or perhaps it’s simply that they know that all the other alternatives are hugely more expensive and they want to whinge and whine on that just because motoring used to be cheap it must continue to be.
Eh?! Since when do acceptable alternatives exist in rural areas the UK? Many people are lucky to have a bus service at all, let alone a regular one. Trains are non-existent in many areas.
I live in London so I’m alright with public transport, but what about families getting their children to school in more remote areas, especially when parents have a car that’s a few years old and liable to get hit for an extra few hundred pounds thanks to Labour?
If proposed VED had anything to do with the environment, all cars would be included rather than just those cars built since 2001.
As it is, the Government seems intent only on penalising those people who can afford to buy newer, safer and more secure vehicles!
Right, I’m just off to buy a 3l Ford Capri…
Hmmm they have horses in rural areas don’t they? Or are they unwilling to go to the expense of supporting a horse?
Glad to see that this blog continues to support the very highest levels of political debate.
*eyes roll*
There’s no political debate in motoring – it is all purely selfish greed on the part of car users who expect motoring to be cheaper than the market price.
“they have horses in rural areas don’t they?”
Oh, the stoopid is strong in this one….
I’m a member of Friends Of The Earth. But don’t stop reading just yet
As I hope you’ve realised, I am more economically liberal than most greens seem to be. I share your view that there are better ways of achieving environmentalist goals than bludgeoning people with the state.
We should link environmentalism to small-c conservative goals such as financial responsibility, living within one’s means, saving money. Cameron, with his slogan “vote blue, go green and save money”, his concern with saving energy and so on, is in touch with the finest Tory tradition (which I respect, even though I don’t belong to it). I may doubt his sincerity, or effectiveness, but it’s certainly not something to be utterly dismissed.
Additionally, there should be policies such as women’s education and contraception, which will reduce birth rates and allow a higher standard o’ living for those who are “left”.
We should tell people that true greenery is their friend. They want to do something. Obviously, since, as you are aware, all of us live on this planet and take an interest in its welfare for that reason.
JuliaM
No not stupid merely wondering why people aren’t prepared to consider alternatives to motoring if they resent paying the market price.
“No not stupid merely wondering why people aren’t prepared to consider alternatives to motoring if they resent paying the market price.”
That’s simple. There aren’t any – not any that provide advantages of the car, at any rate. Horses certainly aren’t going to make a comeback…
right having established you want to use a car for your own selfish reasons because there is nothing else with their advantages can you kindly stop whining about the cost of doing so.