DIRT CAR RACING IN SCOTLAND - we are all climate deniers

6 May 2024

Lovely to hear from you, John and to write in the way you have.

SORRY THIS IS SO LONG but just read what you want to read and scrub the rest.  I had fun writing it!

Five years ago, the authorities around the land declared local, regional and national 'Climate Emergencies'.

For five years it has been a complete joke.  Their net zero has not made a scrap of difference to a single policy.  All the politicians and officers have spewed out their totally unachievable net zero but it has not, of course, made a scrap of difference to the way they have actually behaved.  Totally unnecessary, climate devastating schemes like High Scam 2, tramways and Sprint routes have continued here in the West Midlands.  150 miles of trams, alone, to come by 2040!

The authorities have behaved as climate deniers.  And we, too - for your writing shows that you also have not made the slightest concession to climate, even though you acknowledge, correctly, that "the human race has left it too late".  We have known for 200 years that burning coal and oil emits CO2 and that CO2 is a global warming gas.  Scientists have repeated the experiments, ad nauseum but, we've continued in our warfare and killing of one another and with our warfare on Nature as we have exploited finite fossil fuels for all they are worth.  We foolishly behave as though we are a cut above nature rather than part of nature..

The people in power and the people who vote for them are in total denial over climate.  They do not believe that it is an emergency and should be acted on urgently.  For example, one simple measure is for the 70 mph speed limit to be treated as strictly as 40/50 mph average speed limits through road works on public roads.

The authorities should not be allowing the public to walk through the Forrest Estate on its roads when they know of "Possible Walkers" at certain points.  I saw these two words on their official racing circuit plan of the course.  Presumably, there hasn't been an accident - yet!

Our blind leaders are leading the blind.  They are deceiving the blind (us lot) into thinking we can carry on with our overpopulation and overconsumption for an eternity in defiance of the warning from the Royal Society in the 1990s that these are the two main drivers of global destruction.

WARNING!:-

I'm having a go at the thoughtless, rich racers to greed and luxury, living infinitely on a finite planet and unnaturally on a natural planet. 

MY REPLY John, for pointing the finger at F1 racing and to China, India, etc to justify ourselves, in the rich, greedy, lover of luxury Western world, to also joining in the high life, quite apart from ripping into the world's resources as if there is no tomorrow:

What I'm on about in the piece, below, is postponing the inevitable, not acting like eco-fools and hastening our own demise.

It's also about personal integrity and minimising our personal hypocrisy in the way we behave to one another.

It's about being honest, responsible, being true to your lights and what you think, personally, is right.

It's about keeping the law ourselves even though our prisons are jam packed with criminals who have broken the law.

It's about, if you want a less greedy, selfish and violent world to actually, yourself being more thoughtful, sharing and non-violent yourself.

Just because violence and warfare is so popular does not mean that you have to be joining in the revenge, the anger and hatred we see in Gaza/Israel since 7 October '23.

It's about standing up for what you want in building a more responsible, sustainable, socially just and other regarding world instead of the gung ho, live it up today and to hell with tomorrow; never mind the poor and future generations mentality.

I can take all I want for my own happiness and well being.

I only live once, anyway so why not be selfish and greedy and live for myself, alone?

SPECIFIC RESPONSES:

A bit of car racing in Scotland is peanuts when compared to global Formula 1, which in turn is minor compared to the industrial emissions by China, India, etc.  UK was the workshop of the world first and for a century.  Now its China producing many goods for us as the workshop of the world.  India was under the heel of the UK for a century and suffered much.  It also wants electricity to run a similar rich lifestyle to ourselves.  Who are we to stop them after our century of material excess and a century of ruling over India as the British Raj and, over so many nations, so unjustly?

I'm an optimist by nature but even I fear the human race has left it too late and is not acting in a concerted way - so don't get too worried about your individual emissions It has to start with individuals, with you and me, John - I'm not 'cos it's governments who need to work together to solve things.  NO!  We, as individuals have to live and be, in order "to solve things".  Governments are made up of you and me!  You and I are the leaders, not the failed governments of the world who can only govern if we let them.  Prisons only operate with the consent and co-operation of the prisoners.

 But oil & gas reserves running out would surely be a good thing in the prevention of global warming? YES!  But no point in hastening it.  Instead, minimise gas/oil burning and use renewables fully and living more simply so that others may simply live.  Oil is more important for 101 things than wasting it in burning the stuff in racing round and round in circles on roads that the public have been invited to walk round to enjoy the peace and quiet and tranquility of a forest.  The organisers plan of the race track that I saw does concede 'Possible Walkers' at points on the race track!  You can't drive or fly using coal!!  Might cause chaos in developed countries but so what if it saves the planet?  I can assure you, John, the planet will go on its merry way without us arrogant humans.

Cheers