are "they" selling environmental change in the wrong way?

darkcrow

On this thread I do not really want it to turn into another argument about global warming/climate change etc... Personally I think we do need to change if we are to make the world better.
What i wanted to ask/debate/argue is are "they" (governments, environmental groups, presusre groups etc) selling "going green" in the wrong way? they keep trying to scare people that if we do not change we (or our grandchildren) will die.
i think an argument that would work better which would negate the "is there climate change" debate would be if you go green it will save you money.

this argument would work with business... if they are more energy efficent, ie. turn lights off when rooms are not used. design buildings that use more natural light. businesses will save money and therefore give more money to their shareholders.

the similar thing can be used towards normal people. if you buy an economical small car you will save money. if you use low energy light bulbs then you will save money. more money saved means you can get that new kitchen you wanted or you can go on that family holiday etc etc...

thoughts?

musicismylife78

trying to scare people is the only way, or one of the more effective ways. You have to scare people out of their middle class status quo lifestyles.

One of the more interesting films back in the 60's, was I think Deniros first starring role, in Hi Mom.

Deniro played someone who was radicalized. Anyway the film has an elaborate seen where white patrons of a play, think they are going to see a play by and about the Black Panthers. Instead, in the hallway, all the "actors" ask for the white peoples purses and money and wallets and such. The whites reluctantly do this. Then the black actors force the whites to cover their faces in "blackface" makeup. The black actors start acting crazy, they pull out guns, and act as if this is a stickup and a robbery and that they are not really actors but robbers and theives.

Anyways the black actors start "raping" a white woman and sexually assaulting her, and then several white actors come in and treat the blackfaced whites as the real blacks. They start arresting them.

Its a horrifying sequence, and one of the more realistic scenes I have ever seen. The whites come out from this "play" dazed

The point is obvious, to make people understand racism and police brutality, they felt they couldnt just put on a play. They had to use guerilla theater and scare tactics.

To me, this is something the antiwar movement is seriously missing and needs to take up, and the same is true for the environmental movement,

We dont end war or stop destruction of trees by making people feel better, we tell them the truth and the truth is frightening right now.

Part of the reason Thom Yorke's record or the new NIN record or the new Bright Eyes record, name your newly released cd here, all of them are so powerful in that they dont say "hey things are sort of bad, but not really bad". No these records tell the truth, Bright eyes says "hell is coming, hell is here" or NIN suggests "shame on us, god have mercy on our dirty little hearts". Trent reznor creates an elaborate world, trying to tell us where we are heading if we dont change things now.
Children of Men the movie was another scare tactic movie trying to wake people up and say "hey we need to stop this madness and start thinking, because this is where we are headed".

In my mind, guerilla theater needs to be utilized by advocates of social change. The standard protest at the federal building isnt doing its job. We need to continue to protest, but also use other tactics as well

breakmarysfall

I think this post is another proof that we get informed differently about this subject all around the world

Yesterday they broadcast on every channel the results of the UN Climate change working group and the results are so scary as some "going green" people announce, too at the other side of the ocean.

But they also pointed out in the documentaries that even so the results are obvious, some countries just forced the team to communicate it in a soft way. They made the report to sound soft and harmless.
Those countries are:
Russia, China, Saudi Arabia and USA.

So, the argumentation of those who just communicate the facts of course sound scary and panic-like cause the official report is just a soft way.
But all in all, what we learn here, is that the situation is that scary as the extreme US greens talk of.

..... and the suggestion to argue with money is an interesting one I think, but needless if the big heads still focus on OIL money.
Why everything must be always related to money. Why has money become the higher goal and law? Does it really makes you happy? Does it really makes you change things?
I completely doubt it!!

and btw. happy easter

Jeanie

I don't think they are "selling" climate change alternatives here in Oz.

They come up with a bit of lip service and they've made it plain that any pathetic attempts by the federal government at change will be implimented at great cost to the people and of great fiscal benefit to the corporations.

Which is how it should be really. Right? I mean surely there's money to be made from this climate change business?

I know Johnny thinks so. And the corporations are laughing all the way to the bank.

We need other organizations to step in and show people the way in terms of what the individual can do to make change. Practical, easy to follow suggestions. And we need those same organizations to lobby hard to hold the government accountable for it's actions here. One of the problems in this country is the systematic way in which this government has silenced all criticism, removed funding from bipartisan organizations and generally shut up academics and experts alike. The common folk have to really hunt for info.
And then it's all questioned and howled down as false.

It's how they've managed to stay in government for as long as they have.

Hopefully there is a groundswell backlash about to hit them fair in the ass and boot them out. In the meantime, I think most Aussies are generally doing everything in their power individually to battle climate change. I mean we do have that nasty hole in the ozone layer directly above us, so we've been aware of climate change for years. And now the drought is driving the message home.