Shame - I used to have a lot of time for Russell Brand ... sound like he's turning into a right-wing sensationalist click magnet ... *smh*

Anyway, this succinct 5 mins from Monbiot debunks some conspiracy theories that I'd never even heard of ...

https://twitter.com/Sentient_Media/status/1625853820059410434

Yes, there needs to be some Govt depts that sit outside the party system, so they can draw up 20+ year plans with confidence. I suppose the funding would need to be ring-fenced somehow. Perhaps we could even fund it via this wealth tax idea that's being bandied about - everyone with £5 million in assets pays a small percentage.

Now we know just how much damage the carbon is doing, nuclear becomes the lesser of the 2 evils I suppose. And if the current levels of air pollution are as dangerous as being reported, then even the risk of a (small) radioactive leak doesn't perhaps seem so bad! ? (that's kinda tongue in cheek)

I often wonder how much research has been done into building cleaner (i.e. producing less active waste) reactors over the half century since the first generation were designed.

It's not something I've ever seen mentioned.

Posted by: @qpw3141

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I often wonder how much research has been done into building cleaner reactors

Yes, good question - likely there have been great improvements in safety, but I would guess that waste is waste due to the processing involved, so disposal is the issue.

I wonder if they've thought of firing off radioactive waste into space ... ? Obviously lots to go wrong, but that would be very tempting ... good job I'm not in charge!

This is pretty surprising:

Visualized: Ocean Plastic Waste Pollution By Country (visualcapitalist.com)

I wonder how much of the waste the Philippines is responsible for originally came from other countries.

Interesting - thanks for sharing, @shteve ? 

This seems key - a huge coastal and river-adjacent population (and poverty).

The Philippines—an archipelago of over 7,000 islands, with a 36,289 kilometer coastline and 4,820 plastic emitting rivers—is estimated to emit 35% of the ocean’s plastic.

Even if their plastic waste is from other countries, that's no excuse.

Just googling to find out more ... here we go ...

The usage of single-use plastics is rampant - affordability and convenience
Corporations package products in sachets to reach the poor sectors.
Poor people buy daily necessities in small amounts in sachets
Food is often packaged in single-use plastic bags and Styrofoam, with disposable plastic cups, bottles, straws, and utensils.
Many of the plastic wastes still leak into the ocean because of improper disposal.
Waste segregation is not usually practised
Many dumpsites are situated adjacent to waterways and rivers, in close proximity to coasts.

Farming is the worst thing humanity has ever done to the planet, says journalist George Monbiot. What's more: the global food system could be heading toward collapse.

Detailing the technological solutions we need to radically reshape food production -- from lab-grown, protein-rich foods to crops that don't require plowing -- Monbiot shares a future-focused vision of how humanity could feed itself without destroying the planet.

https://www.ted.com/talks/george_monbiot_can_we_feed_ourselves_without_devouring_the_planet

Something else that gets my goat -

The Wealthiest 1% Generate Half Of The World’s Global Aviation Emissions ... when there's a simple solution by implementing a frequent-flyer tax, where a person/family would have their first annual flight completely untaxed.

By far the majority of flights are taken by people who fly 20-50 times a year, so they would face this significant tax as a disincentive from doing so. By linking the tax to a passport number it will be easy to make sure everyone is paying the right level, and that those who are making the most pollution are paying the most taxes.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesphillipps/2020/11/17/the-wealthy-1-elite-generate-half-of-the-worlds-global-aviation-emissions/

Whilst I'm not against the idea, I feel there's already a levy on people flying (ie the cost of the ticket/ fuel etc). And I'd also expect that if you own your own jet, you probably wouldn't care too much about another few % tax.

Posted by: @shteve

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you probably wouldn't care too much about another few % tax

Then that's the perfect method of taxation ... to tax people who don't care about paying more, cos the personal benefits far outweigh the financial cost.