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THE BACK PAGE
Notes from Selsdon
‘
A
nother day, another
climate change cam-
paign, this time from
The Guardian, a newspaper
whose ads for new 4x4s smack of
hypocrisy’, I Twittered early last
month. It was in reference to the
paper’s latest climate change
initiative, designed to get people
interested in cutting energy and
caring more about the environ-
ment. The campaign’s called
10:10, because it’s about cutting
the UK’s carbon emissions by
10% by 2010 (geddit?).
There seems to one of these
consumer campaigns launched
every week – some more bizarre
than others. In the past week
alone, we’ve had Wake Up Call,
involving thousands of people
forming a human sculpture in
New York’s Central Park to pro-
vide a “wake-up call” (geddit?) to
global leaders ahead of the UN
climate change talks in December.
Then there was One Giant
Leap in the UK – “the world’s “You should not target China to fulfil the
first global free-running jam
two degree target.That is just a vision. Reality
against climate change”. A jam
against climate change – geddit? has deviated from that vision and that target
No, me neither. The aim is to
encourage people around the
provides room for developing countries.”
world to get involved in global
warming issues “through a co- Across a double-page spread in smoking) promised she would
ordinated display of urban the newspaper ran a series of pho- ‘smoke only ten fags a day’
acrobatics and daredevil moves”. tographs of people that had (although what that has to do
Quote of
The mind boggles. attended the London launch with cutting emissions, I’ll never
These types of initiatives are no holding a placard with their 10:10 know). Elsewhere, an architect
the month
doubt well intentioned; raising pledge written on it. But the cynic pledged to green his house Deputy chief of China’s Energy
awareness of vital environmental in me just saw a bunch of people (because he knows how) and an Research Institute, Dai Yande
issues is now more trying to somehow energy consultant said he would says that even with massive
important than ever fit their personal “optimise my electricity with investment in solar energy and
– and probably agenda into a neat powerPerfector” (because he carbon capture technology,
should not be con- environmental works for powerPerfector). China’s emissions are unlikely
sidered as anything message to impress Has it really raised awareness? to fall low enough to remain
other than a positive each other. Did it garner any press attention below the temperature goal
activity. Here’s some outside of The Guardian? No. recommended by the G8 and
But I do wonder how success- examples: ‘Always ride a bicycle’ And let’s face it, most Guardian European Union.
ful some of these initiatives are pledged a 21-year-old student readers have middle-class ideals
and whether they really have the from Tokyo. (She hasn’t got a and are engaged (or want to be
impact that they set out to driving licence.) ‘Eat veg, not engaged) in climate change
achieve. Take the Guardian’s energy’, pledged a 25-year-old anyway, aren’t they? Now, if The
10:10 campaign. It launched with (vegetarian). ‘Buy and consume Sun did something similar, that
great fanfare and a Tate Modern less’ pledged a charity worker might be interesting. But it YOUR NEXT ISSUE OF
press event. It’s reportage (who is trying to tighten his belt). probably won’t. Unless it SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS
described it as an “historic envi- Meanwhile, a 16-year-old student involves Jordan. Or Peter Andre. WILL HIT YOUR DESK ON
ronmental commitment”. (who is trying to cut down on her Or Kerry Katona. 16 NOVEMBER 2009
Sustainable Business ❘ October 2009 35
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