Branson's climate pledge Classic or Greenwash?

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5368194.stm
Monbiot before the announcement

― Ed (dali), Thursday, 21 September 2006 17:21 (nineteen years ago)

If he can affird it, why not?

― mei (mei), Thursday, 21 September 2006 17:33 (nineteen years ago)

Although its good that there is money for research, it doesn't make air travel any more sustainable and there's a good argument that nothing will. Better than nothing but people shouldn't feel absolved of the damage they do by flying (I should know my work means I've flown close on 30 times in the last year).

― Ed (dali), Thursday, 21 September 2006 17:38 (nineteen years ago)

It doesn't seem likely that air travel will be able to be made cleaner quickly. We need to accept that many emission sources will continue on. What is important is recognizing the niches where green energy sources can be introduced and exploiting those for maximum effect. Power generation seems a good place to start.

― • Galaga 88' • (ex machina), Thursday, 21 September 2006 17:45 (nineteen years ago)

Totally. If he'd announced that all his trains would run on renewable fuels (biodiesel and renewable electricity) I'd have been slightly more impressed. However, until such time as air travel is sustainable its use should be curtailed (I realise that I'm a huge hypocrite here).

― Ed (dali), Thursday, 21 September 2006 17:46 (nineteen years ago)

To be fair on him there, he probably can't specify where the electricity comes from very easily - I don't think train companies in Britain get charged for their traction electricity directly even.

(electric trains in Germany, on the other hand, all have on-board electricity meters)

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Friday, 22 September 2006 07:50 (nineteen years ago)

Also it appears that this $3bn is going to be an investment rather than a donation, which i guess is a good thing as it will stimulate a market in renewable and semi-renewable energy technologies.

― Ed (dali), Friday, 22 September 2006 07:53 (nineteen years ago)

From the Beeb:

Sir Richard Branson's announcement that he is to donate the next 10 years' profits from his Virgin travel businesses to the fight against global warming is the latest - and most significant - act of philanthropy from one of the world's best known businessmen.

Really don't understand how this investment decision is painted as philanthropy. Besides, how much CO2 do you need to pump into the atmosphere to end up with £3bn in profit anyhow?

― NickB (NickB), Friday, 22 September 2006 07:59 (nineteen years ago)

Estimate 7.4 million tonnes of CO2 a year from Virgin Atlantic alone

― Ed (dali), Friday, 22 September 2006 08:03 (nineteen years ago)

The $3bn figure appears to be contingent on Virgin's new Us based airline being a success:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage/story/0,,1878589,00.html

― Ed (dali), Friday, 22 September 2006 08:04 (nineteen years ago)

maybe he should put it in space exploration instead since no one is going to do anything in time to stop this planet being totally fucked up sometime in the next 100 years, so we're gonna need another one to totally fuck up.

― emsk ( emsk), Friday, 22 September 2006 09:10 (nineteen years ago)

Greenwash. After you subtract all the hype and the obfuscation of his motives, means and goals, then there might just possibly be some net good out this -- but that is hardly a justification for all the fawning publicity he's had from it. There are no results to show yet, only announced intentions.

― Aimless (Aimless), Friday, 22 September 2006 17:52 (nineteen years ago)

eh - every little bit helps.

― Shakey Mo Collier (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 22 September 2006 18:11 (nineteen years ago)

"maybe he should put it in space exploration instead since no one is going to do anything in time to stop this planet being totally fucked up sometime in the next 100 years, so we're gonna need another one to totally fuck up."

uh, you have heard of Virgin Galactic, right?

― Shakey Mo Collier (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 22 September 2006 18:12 (nineteen years ago)

This is publicity for environmentalism, ergo classic.

― === temporary username === (Mark C), Friday, 22 September 2006 21:20 (nineteen years ago)

People will take this as absolution for air-travel, not so classic.

― Ed (dali), Friday, 22 September 2006 21:23 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/n3/n15731.jpg

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 23 September 2006 06:55 (nineteen years ago)

Hai guys, let's all revert to sailing around the world instead of flying! PROBLEM SOLVED

― ALLAH FROG (Mingus Dew), Saturday, 23 September 2006 07:15 (nineteen years ago)

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