Extinction Rebellion, a group inspired by the idea that the world-as-we-know-it will end in 12 years, has made its climate worries known by staging a week-long protest in London. Formed in May 2018 and desiring to wreak havoc, the organization is now demanding to be consulted and heeded on what they believe is an imminent global climate apocalypse.
While a handful of climate change alarmists were waving signs with messages of Armageddon by fossil fuel across London streets and at Heathrow Airport, Metropolitan Police reactions ranged from dancing alongside protestors, to making hundreds of arrests. Extinction Rebellion rallied crowds in the U.K. and a few smaller groups across the world to rebel, asking recruits to force their governments into taking decisive actions “on climate change and ecological collapse.”
In full-blown, dramatic style predicting the extinction of life, the group’s website trumpets this invitation:
“Join us as we engage in acts of non-violent civil disobedience against governments in capital cities around the world. This is not a one-off march – we will keep going for as long as we have to, shutting down cities day after day until our demands are met.”
They have, however, agreed to “pause” their occupation, now that police reinforcements have arrived from across the rest of England.
2019’s Answer to Woodstock
The London eco-anarchists did not shut down the airport, nor did they halt the comings and goings of people – too much – but did succeed in irritating citizens and several members of the police department over the course of the week. One man on the tarmac at Heathrow tweeted, “I’m not going to be happy if my flight is delayed by an old hippy hippie chick channeling Woodstock dancing on the runway.” The hippies didn’t attempt a runway breach.
The big winners, of course, were social media looky-loos having a heyday snapping photos and plastering messages across all media platforms. Participants held mini events across London, which included musical attractions, celebrity appearances – actress Emma Thompson burned 70 tons of aviation fuel flying from the United States to participate – and the ever-popular-at-fringe-fests performance art. How does one not love an interpretive boxing match between renewable energy and fossil fuels? Thompson bristled at being labeled a hypocrite, claiming she doesn’t fly “as often these days.” Fawning fans listened with rapt attention, swigging from single-use plastic water bottles and boogieing on petroleum-based sneakers.
Other protesters simply chanted, waved signs, or glued themselves to commuter trains and pavement, further chafing peace officers. Metropolitan Police have reported over 750 arrests – and apparently detaining limp, passive hippies who haven’t bathed for seven days in 80-degree temperatures is not for the faint of heart. As one member of parliament described:
“The protesters are using tactics of lying on the ground when approached. This means that it takes at least four officers to remove one person to ensure their safety, which is resource intensive.”
Where is Antifa when you need them?
Real Solutions to Climate Change
Besides the Woodstock atmosphere – the 1969 version, that is – what do these protestors want? Extinction Rebellion is demanding that Parliament “act now to halt biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025,” and “create and be led by the decisions of a Citizens’ Assembly on climate and ecological justice.”
But how to begin the unwieldy process of radically decreasing carbon emissions? The protestors may not like it, but, in fact, there are immediate measures that can be taken by all nations that believe the road to annihilation ends in a scant few years:
- No more globalization. If the United States adhered to a strict America First agenda, purchasing only American-made products with no more international shipping, the United States’ carbon footprint would decline rapidly. Other countries could also adopt a strict “buy local” policy.
- Stop immigration. When people from poorer countries enter richer countries, their carbon footprint grows larger as they adapt to their new way of life. According to the Center for Immigration Studies, “U.S. immigrants produce an estimated 637 million metric tons of CO2 emissions annually — equal to Great Britain and Sweden combined.” Which is almost 500 million tons more than if they had stayed within their own nation’s borders.
- Cease all aid to foreign countries – it is used to machinate and modernize third world nations into becoming polluters, manufacturing goods for themselves and first world countries.
And if Americans are seeking altruistic presidential candidates, they must demand campaign travel be limited to wherever a commuter train will run, the distance a candidate can walk in sensible shoes, or locations to which they can ride on a bicycle.
It’s a start, right?
It is entirely within the realm of possibility to reduce the carbon footprint we leave. The key is to reduce carbon emissions, not eradicate fossil fuels. And until proponents of such radical measures as the swiftly-slain Green New Deal walk the talk, they will be summarily dismissed as hypocrites. Or, in other words, “You first.”
The people of London are under a peculiar assault by eco-anarchists – one that is finally running its course. Perhaps some have jobs they must return to, or the retired hippie people are just too sunburnt, dehydrated, and sticky with glue remnants to continue. But what is clear: This is just the start of the assaults by those who believe the end is nigh.
