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Opinion Time is running out to save planet earth so we are organising a campaign of civil resistance

‘If we don’t act now we are condemning our children and grandchildren to a world of wildfires, hurricanes, storm surges and droughts – which will cause the collapse of our societies,’ writes Ciaran O’Carroll.

IT HAS BEEN two weeks since I was released under investigation by the Metropolitan Police in London for taking part in the International Rebellion.

My arrest took place under slightly surreal circumstances. Having just given an interview to RTE news I decided to attend a talk being given by a young woman from East Africa at the centre of Extinction Rebellion’s blockade of Oxford Circus.

As she explained how extreme weather events had destroyed her village’s crops and left her family destitute the Metropolitan Police requested that I, and the rest of her audience, leave the immediate area.

I explained to the police officers politely that I wanted to hear what the young woman had to say since she was making a very important and emotional speech about how climate change – caused predominantly by emissions from the world’s richest nations – had destroyed her community and that I believed it was our moral duty to listen to what she had to say.

However, as she pleaded with the police not to arrest her audience, we were taken away one by one, herded into police vans and duly taken into custody.

If there is one positive thing about sitting alone in a cold police cell for hours and hours with just a blue blanket for company – it is that it gives you plenty of time to think and there was only one thing on my mind.

Will this finally be the moment that governments start to take climate change seriously?

But it should never have come to this. Scientists have been ringing the alarm bell about climate change for more than 30 years and in that time global emissions have risen by over 60%.

Governments should have acted years ago, instead, we’re faced with a climate change catastrophe that threatens the existence of life on Earth as we know it within our children’s lifetime.

And that’s not according to some eco-hippie-warriors, that’s according to the UN Secretary-General, NASA, David Attenborough and the world’s top climate scientists.

Our own president recently decried the world’s treatment of the planet. At Ireland’s first national biodiversity conference he said: “If we were coal miners, we would be up to our knees in dead canaries.”

Yet, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, Ireland’s emissions are projected to continue to “increase from most sectors”.

Faced with government inaction and the impending collapse of our ecosystems ordinary, law-abiding citizens have been forced by their moral consciences to rebel against their governments.

For many people, the Extinction Rebellion appears to come out of the blue – but it hasn’t.

Two years ago a group of researchers and activists started to meet to seriously consider two questions. Why has campaigning failed over the past generation? And how can we make it work?

Drawing on the ground-breaking research of Erica Chenoweth and Maria Stephan in their book Why Civil Resistance Works, they came to the conclusion that the only way to overcome entrenched political power is through extensive campaigns of large-scale, nonviolent direct action.

Nothing in these tactics is new. Extinction Rebellion is humbly following in the tradition of Gandhi and Martin Luther King. We are simply rediscovering what people do when they can no longer tolerate an unjust status quo. 

And it does appear to be working. Already in we’ve seen declarations of climate emergencies in Scotland, Wales and Wicklow which suggest that – along with the inspirational school’s strikes – Extinction Rebellion’s protests are finally forcing governments to at least acknowledge we are in a crisis.

And this is just the beginning.

Since the wave of protests began in recent weeks, support for Extinction Rebellion in the UK and Ireland has soared. In the UK 30,000 new backers or volunteers have offered their support and in Ireland, our Facebook followers ballooned from 1,000 to over 5,000 people in the space of a single week.

Attitudes are changing as well, a poll released on Tuesday found that two-thirds of people in the UK recognise there is a climate emergency and 64% said the government is responsible for taking action on climate change.

For the first time in a long time, there is a real feeling of hope that the message is beginning to sink in. What we need now is to translate that feeling into meaningful action and relentlessly keep up the pressure on governments to act.

For those who don’t believe in our methods we can only apologise for any inconvenience caused.

However if we don’t act now we are condemning our children and grandchildren to a world of wildfires, hurricanes, storm surges and droughts – which will cause the collapse of our societies and ultimately the extinction of the human race.

We in Extinction Rebellion have decided to rebel as if our children’s futures depend on it – because they do.

Dr Ciaran O’Carroll is a member of Extinction Rebellion Ireland and lives in North Dublin. 

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126 Comments
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    Mute Daniel Dunne
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    May 4th 2019, 7:39 PM

    How was the flight back from London, Ciaran? How much C02 was emitted from the jet engines?

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    Mute Frodo Baggins
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    May 4th 2019, 7:42 PM

    @Daniel Dunne: He swam back

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    Mute John Kelly
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    May 4th 2019, 7:46 PM

    @Daniel Dunne: but but but

    Poor auld Ciaran has a clue

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    Mute Dean
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    May 4th 2019, 7:53 PM

    @Daniel Dunne:
    Isn’t that exactly why he is protesting? To bring it to our attention that the likes of jet engines emit CO2 instead of being fueled by ecofriendly means.

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    Mute Colonel Grant
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    May 4th 2019, 8:09 PM

    @Frodo Baggins: where were the sharks when you need them

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    Mute Bruce van der Gutschmitzer
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    May 4th 2019, 8:42 PM

    Lads, ye can slag him off but let’s face it, he’s making a stand and should be applauded. Getting a flight is a drop in the ocean compared to the fact that there are oil tankers that are circumnavigating the earth in case there is a nuclear fallout which are destroying our planet 10x that of all vehicles in circulation. That is a fact I learnt from a teenager. They are acutely aware of the devastation that is ahead of humanity. The apthay that this generation is treated with will make us look like neanderthals. We shouldn’t nit pick what these ppl do, we should get behind them. Mol an óige and tiocfaidh sé.

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    Mute Frodo Baggins
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    May 4th 2019, 8:48 PM

    @Bruce van der Gutschmitzer: Hahahahaha inspiring

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    Mute Bruce van der Gutschmitzer
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    May 4th 2019, 8:53 PM

    @Frodo Baggins: your contributions leave a lot to be desired, young squire.

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    Mute Frodo Baggins
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    May 4th 2019, 8:58 PM

    @Bruce van der Gutschmitzer: Whys that

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    Mute Bruce van der Gutschmitzer
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    May 4th 2019, 9:02 PM

    @Frodo Baggins: because all you ever say is a whole load of nothing!

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    Mute Frodo Baggins
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    May 4th 2019, 9:04 PM

    @Bruce van der Gutschmitzer: To you maybe , to others I’m a valued contributor

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    Mute Bruce van der Gutschmitzer
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    May 4th 2019, 9:09 PM

    @Frodo Baggins: it’s lovely to see when ppl have positive self worth, fair play to u. All I’ve noticed is infintile slaggings. I’m sure you make concrete contributions elsewhere though.

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    Mute Frodo Baggins
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    May 4th 2019, 9:10 PM

    @Bruce van der Gutschmitzer: At least I’m good fun , do you know what that is , fun?

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    Mute Conor Kennelly
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    May 4th 2019, 9:20 PM

    @Frodo Baggins: you certainly don’t contribute anything of value unless you mistake your cynicism for profundity? It’s also revealing that you require others approval rather than defend the “value” of your contributions on their own merits,

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    Mute Frodo Baggins
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    May 4th 2019, 9:25 PM

    @Conor Kennelly: Be nice

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    Mute Bruce van der Gutschmitzer
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    May 4th 2019, 9:37 PM

    @Frodo Baggins: pot kettle

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    Mute Dave Barrett
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    May 4th 2019, 9:47 PM

    @Frodo Baggins: hope he didnt swallow any beer can plastic rings.

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    Mute Jack
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    May 4th 2019, 9:50 PM

    @John Kelly: brilliant!

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    Mute Shelley Byrne
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    May 4th 2019, 11:04 PM

    @Frodo Baggins: Really? Who is that?

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    Mute In my opinion
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    May 4th 2019, 11:59 PM

    @Daniel Dunne: see it’s ignorant morons like you that has us pretty much in the situation. Your one of these people that gives out when there’s a demo or protest complaining that your in a traffic jam. Instead of pointing out things join in stand up and be counted as one of the people who actually did something to help your children’s future.

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    Mute Chaos_Ape
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    May 5th 2019, 2:49 AM

    @Bruce van der Gutschmitzer: well said Bruce. Anyone showing resistance at this stage is braindead… like their non existent future grandkids.

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    Mute Jack
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    May 5th 2019, 10:09 AM

    @In my opinion: you just hammered his point home insult only shows your own ignorance

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    Mute Darren Byrne
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    May 5th 2019, 2:51 PM

    @Bruce van der Gutschmitzer: the tankers are emmiting much higher amounts of sulphur dioxide. It would be bad if they were in cities emitting it because it would effect your health but out on the ocean it dissipates. It’s not really consider a significant green house gas and all shiiping accounts for about 3% of all greenhouse gasses. Cars are much worse and it’s nothing to do with potential nuclear fallout

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    Mute Ronan O' Grady
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    May 5th 2019, 4:04 PM

    @Frodo Baggins: hahaha ;)

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    Mute Dermot Killian
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    May 5th 2019, 11:03 PM

    @In my opinion: He provides something of a more immediate requirement such as entertainment As for the global warming alarmists and apocalypse predictors give me a break. Nothing wrong with keeping a clean an tidy nest. As for the end of day predictions that we are going to combust who seriously believes that. Global warming is second to the food pyramid being healthy for us as the biggest hoax of our time. I should add a third…the government is here to help you. Don’t have your grandchildren look back on you as an idiot for falling for that modern version of moving statues.

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    Mute Martin Critten
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    May 4th 2019, 7:42 PM

    Ffs wish these ‘middle class virtue signallers’ would go find a worthwhile hobby.

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    Mute Charles McGuire
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    May 4th 2019, 7:46 PM

    @Martin Critten: I wish people would stop using the term virtue signalling, did you wait for an article just so you could say it.

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    Mute Patrick Nolan
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    May 4th 2019, 7:52 PM

    @Charles McGuire:
    Not too often I would agree with Martin….

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    Mute Sean O' Donovan
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    May 4th 2019, 8:01 PM

    @Charles McGuire: Quit your virtue signalling.

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    Mute sean o'dhubhghaill
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    May 4th 2019, 8:27 PM

    @Martin Critten: Something more worthwhile than the planet?

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    Mute Frodo Baggins
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    May 4th 2019, 8:56 PM

    @Bruce van der Gutschmitzer: That’s a bit mean Brucey

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    Mute Bruce van der Gutschmitzer
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    May 4th 2019, 9:05 PM

    @Frodo Baggins: it actually is a tad mean, frodo. What I meant was….i think his opinion is idiotic. I’ve no idea if he is an idiot or not. He might well be though based off of that comment.

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    Mute Frodo Baggins
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    May 4th 2019, 9:09 PM

    @Bruce van der Gutschmitzer: Well I think the majority of your opinions are idiotic so each to their own I guess

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    Mute Simon Murphy
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    May 4th 2019, 9:13 PM

    @Martin Critten: did you learn a new Phrase today

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    Mute Bruce van der Gutschmitzer
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    May 4th 2019, 9:18 PM

    @Frodo Baggins: you never seem to have an opinion on anything so I can’t say if I align myself with you or not. You enjoy mocking ppl so I know I don’t like that trait in you anyway.

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    Mute Frodo Baggins
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    May 4th 2019, 9:23 PM

    @Bruce van der Gutschmitzer: Ahhh Brucey don’t be getting so upset over everything

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    Mute Conor Kennelly
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    May 4th 2019, 9:25 PM

    @Martin Critten: pathetic cynical comment which contributes absolutely nothing to addressing the most urgent and critical issue of our time unlike Ciarán’s well worthwhile activity.

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    Mute Frodo Baggins
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    May 4th 2019, 9:28 PM

    @Conor Kennelly: Yeah guys ciaran was so close to saving the planet and yer comments are after preventing it

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    Mute Jack
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    May 4th 2019, 9:49 PM

    @Frodo Baggins: it’s that blasted Mount Doom belching out CO2.. but I’m afraid Frodo they are right we are destroying the planet, we are over populated I suggest we cull the herd and start with Bruce, Conor, Simon and Ciaran

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    Mute Martin Critten
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    May 4th 2019, 9:50 PM

    @Conor Kennelly: go take the argument to China or India for a bit of realism. Oh, that would mean you won’t be able to buy cheap gear so.

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    Mute Martin Critten
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    May 4th 2019, 9:53 PM

    @Bruce van der Gutschmitzer: back at ya.

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    Mute Frodo Baggins
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    May 4th 2019, 10:08 PM

    @Martin Critten: Don’t mind him Martin. He’s one of these “If you don’t agree with me you’re an idiot” type of people

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    Mute Bruce van der Gutschmitzer
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    May 4th 2019, 11:13 PM

    @Frodo Baggins: not at all. I value discussion and debate. I’ll happily accept if I am wrong on an issue. What I despise is frivolous cynicism. And that’s all I see. Empty slaggings. It must be exhausting finding the bitterness in everything.

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    Mute Connell Murdock
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    May 5th 2019, 8:35 AM

    @Bruce van der Gutschmitzer: Don’t totally agree with the whole global warning. When i was a kid it was holes in the ozone layer. Haven’t heard that one in a long time. Were just getting a bit warmer as the earth does. A more important issue is plastic.

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    Mute Dermot Killian
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    May 5th 2019, 11:08 PM

    @Martin Critten: My God I have lost all patients with them They have so good and want to ruin it for themselves and others dreaming and praying for the secular version of the apocalypse. Clean and tidy nest yes but no to spontaneous combustion because we fart too much.

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    Mute Rocky Stefan
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    May 4th 2019, 7:52 PM

    The effect of European countries on the climate is absolutely negligible when compared to how China & India are destroying the environment. The plan of action for European countries should be to
    1.) Increase the forest cover to around 20 per cent.
    2.) Set a deadline for when ALL cars should be a Hybird model.
    3.) Reduce resource consumption by reducing the population through an immediate halt on immigration and the deportation of so called refugees.
    Taxes are not the way to do so and should be fought at all costs.

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    Mute Bilbo Baggins
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    May 4th 2019, 7:57 PM

    @Rocky Stefan: You’re not entirely wrong there, but your assuming that India and China are doing it all by themselves? Europe and North America is where all the insatiable need for material goods is coming from, China and India are just doing what we ask.

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    Mute Rocky Stefan
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    May 4th 2019, 8:03 PM

    @Bilbo Baggins: very true and to combat that the only realistic solution I can think of would be to move away from this cancerous ideology of capitalism that demands constant growth towards a more humanitarian ideology that is suited 100 per cent towards helping the general population and the maintenance of the environment for future generations. I say realistic but in reality it will be very difficult as the 1 per cent have a stranglehold on media, politics, business etc. Also the general population seems to not care about issues until the negative consequences have already happened and can’t be reversed.

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    Mute Tim Pot
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    May 4th 2019, 8:49 PM

    @Rocky Stefan:

    OK so the plan to solve one of the biggest problems the world has ever faced is for OTHER countries population to decrease through war and starvation (thats why they emmigrate!) and to plant some trees, (but probably far away from where you live) all while making sure you pay no more taxes.

    Thats not a good plan.

    and btw european forest cover is already about 47% (lots of trees in eastern europe)

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    Mute Lar Meyler
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    May 4th 2019, 8:03 PM

    Upper and middle class snowflakes looking to occupy their time while mummy and daddy jet off to the Caribbean. I am not falling for this…

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    Mute Jack
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    May 4th 2019, 10:12 PM

    @Lar Meyler: you summed it up brilliantly..sheep…

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    Mute Lar Meyler
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    May 4th 2019, 10:30 PM

    @Jack: All living in their own filter bubble..

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    Mute Michael Maher
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    May 4th 2019, 7:42 PM

    Hoax, Climate change is a hoax…

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    Mute Tim Pot
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    May 4th 2019, 8:56 PM

    @Michael Maher:

    Just because you don’t understand it doesn’t mean its a hoax!

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    Mute Neville Bartos
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    May 4th 2019, 9:11 PM

    @Tim Pot: just because you think that you understand it doesn’t make it true

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    Mute Simon Murphy
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    May 4th 2019, 9:15 PM

    @Michael Maher: if your mum is a hoax, do you actually exist

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    Mute Bruce van der Gutschmitzer
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    May 4th 2019, 9:35 PM

    @Simon Murphy: the whole thing is a massive illusion. What we see is merely a mental image of what we perceive to be reality. It all bullsh it man! Basically….your mam is a pure figment of your imagination

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    Mute Michael Maher
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    May 4th 2019, 9:47 PM

    @Tim Pot: I understand the high taxes and other such gimmicks that delight lazy governments who are also lobbied by greedy companies that thrive from your climate change illusion.

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    Mute Tommy Roche
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    May 4th 2019, 10:46 PM

    @Tim Pot: We don’t have to understand it anymore. Apparently Mother Earth is now endowing it’s citizens with superpowers to see the damage being caused. Greta Thunberg’s mother is now claiming that Greta is able to see carbon dioxide in the air. I’m all for action to highlight the perils of inaction in the face of climate change, but this kind of nonsense is ridiculous and does a disservice to those who use scientific fact to explain the situation, and don’t need to resort to voodoo’esqe rubbish. https://www.afrinik.com/my-daughter-can-see-co2-with-the-naked-eye/

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    Mute Ned
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    May 5th 2019, 4:54 AM

    @Michael Maher: agreed hoax

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    Mute Brian Ó Dálaigh
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    May 5th 2019, 6:25 AM

    @Tommy Roche: That was a complete mistranslation and also taken completely out of context. Stop spreading fake news and lies.

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    Mute Niall Power
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    May 4th 2019, 8:37 PM

    Mummy can you come collect me from the climate demo in the 4 x 4.

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    Mute David Washington
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    May 4th 2019, 7:47 PM

    “We want the government to act” What actions would you like the government to take? Emmmmm, take action now. Sums up these easily led, easily influenced clowns.

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    Mute Skimothy
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    May 4th 2019, 8:37 PM

    @David Washington: exactly. ‘we must act now’, ‘we have to change the way we live’. Big statements but very little details on what exactly they want done.

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    Mute Tim Pot
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    May 4th 2019, 9:04 PM

    @David Washington:

    They would like the governments to take the necessary action to reduce cO2 emissions to net zero by 2050. Pretty clear to me.

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    Mute Jack
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    May 4th 2019, 10:07 PM

    @David Washington: government laughing it’s bollox!@x off…oh sure we’ll act and tax the population…not a dickibird about Opec, Basta of G.E.

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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    May 4th 2019, 8:07 PM

    Governments are loving this. Climate change isn’t taken seriously by governments, all it is, is an excuse for more tax and forced lifestyle change. These protests will give them the further excuse to be seen to do something. And that something will be more tax and lifestyle change. All the while, deforestation takes place all over the world. The timber industry demands it. Fracking continues unabated, destroying land, rivers and deep water tables. Oil is plundered from the ground to make the plastics used. Wars are fought over it. War is about to happen again to control a country’s oil resource. The paper straw they hand you to stick in your plastic cup is pointless. Trees that absorb CO2 and give oxygen back were cut down to make the straw. There is an alternative. You don’t need non biodegradable plastic from oil when there’s the means to make biodegradable plastics. The raw material needed will make the paper and oil and absorbs CO2 and returns 25x more oxygen than trees do. The alternative is there, but it’s illegal, it’s a threat to the established industries that are the cause of the negative affects of climate change. So all you’re ever going to get is tax and forced lifestyle change. And the negative effects of climate change will continue.

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    Mute j4VEpUO8
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    May 4th 2019, 8:34 PM

    @Dave Doyle: well said, totally agree.

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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    May 4th 2019, 8:57 PM

    @T Jay O’Mea: The alternative is Hemp. One acre of Hemp produces in one year 3 tons of rich protein, 30 tons of fiber, 300 gallons of oil. It grows from seed to maturity in 90 -100 days. It needs little irrigation, no pesticides, no herbicides. it absorbs 4x more CO2 than trees, gives 25x more oxygen. It produces medicines that treat and cure. Biodiesel from Hemp is less toxic than table salt. Hempcrete will build homes, is a natural insulation, is pest resistant, water resistant, fire resistant. Produces more 4-10 times more pulp for paper than trees. It’s uses are endless. Looking at what Hemp can do, and see the threat it is to established industries you can understand why it’s illegal.
    Hemp may not save the planet. But it’s the only thing that can.

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    Mute Tim Pot
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    May 4th 2019, 9:22 PM

    @Dave Doyle:

    So your solution to climate change is to grow some ‘miracle’ crop and to not pay higher taxes.

    not convinced if i’m honest.

    btw, i googled hemp and its also really difficult to harvest and the profit margin is quite low compared to other crops.

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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    May 4th 2019, 9:35 PM

    @Tim Pot: So your solution is more tax, is that what you’re saying? I believe given the choice people would prefer Hemp over tax.
    As for harvesting, i’ll admit i don’t know all the “ins and outs” but it was the first crop to be grown and harvested in the world so it cannot be that difficult.

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    Mute Patrick Nolan
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    May 4th 2019, 9:53 PM

    @Dave Doyle:
    It’s very difficult to harvest mechanically, very labour intensive which at the moment makes unviable in the high labour cost Western world. It’s no surprise most is grown in China and India..
    It is undoubtedly a versatile product, but the hard reality is it is more expensive than oil based alternatives.
    How are we going to change that, tax????

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    Mute j4VEpUO8
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    May 4th 2019, 10:29 PM

    @Dave Doyle: Yup agree, the Uk have encouraged farmers too grow hemp as a substitute. So many uses, one comes to mind….election bill boards.

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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    May 4th 2019, 11:00 PM

    @Patrick Nolan: Versatile barely describes it. Labour intensive it may be, but what is the alternative to it? Tax? As i see it it is the probably the most important realistic step that can be taken to start reversing the causes of CO2 emissions and other damages taken place all over the world.

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    Mute Patrick Nolan
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    May 5th 2019, 10:19 AM

    @Dave Doyle:
    Bottom line, it costs more than oil based products. How will that be paid for? I don’t think anyone would agree with another tax. On the shelves alongside oil based products and products using hemp will cost more and will be largely left there by all but the most eco concerned.
    Ban plastics? The cost increase will be passed on to consumers so in the end what’s the difference between that and a tax?.
    Going Green is going to cost every Tom, Dick and Harriet on this planet a whole heap of money, now plenty of people will argue that it would be well spent and necessary and I’m not saying it’s not, but that IS the bottom line.

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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    May 5th 2019, 1:34 PM

    @Patrick Nolan: Lets take cotton that makes clothing among other things. Cotton is very hard on the soil it’s grown in, uses a quarter of all pesticides produced in the world, that takes a further toll on the soil. Uses minimum twice as much water as hemp. Hemp makes 33% more fiber than cotton per acre. Paper, hemp makes much more paper making pulp per acre than timber does. It is far better quality, takes less processing work, the paper lasts, is more durable than timber produced paper, doesn’t age and yellow as timber paper does. How can using one plant that can be grown on the one patch of soil continuously for 14 years, uses no pesticides, no herbicides, uses far less water can make 25,000 products, including the densest, nutritious, benificial, easily digestable food. Medicines made from hemp, a natural product, makes far more effective drugs for many ailments and disease than chemical based drugs,be far more expensive? It doesn’t make any logical sense. Plastic bottles and containers biodegrade in 90 days, that’s unsuitable and unpractical at present, but the process can be tweaked to give a longer shelf life and stays biodegradable. Were the USA to give 6% of the land to the production of hemp, it would be energy independent.
    One Plant doing all this would be much more economical and so environmentally friendly and tackle the causes of CO2 pollution in a very positive way. That IS the real bottom line.

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    Mute Frodo Baggins
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    May 4th 2019, 7:37 PM

    No thanks

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    Mute Bilbo Baggins
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    May 4th 2019, 7:48 PM

    @Frodo Baggins: Pipe down child.

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    Mute SFNutters
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    May 4th 2019, 8:39 PM

    @Bilbo Baggins: how did he get to London for the protest?

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    Mute Bruce van der Gutschmitzer
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    May 4th 2019, 8:47 PM

    @SFNutters: who cares. He got himself there to speak out. You that criticise wouldn’t be happy unless he swam the Irish Sea and hit his head against every drum of nuclear waste on the way.

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    Mute SFNutters
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    May 4th 2019, 10:54 PM

    @Bruce van der Gutschmitzer: Poor lil snowflakey wakey…I didn’t criticise, I asked a question…who cares? well if he used travel powered by burning fossil fuel he is a hypocrite and all his fellow eco warriors will care.

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    Mute Michael Kavanagh
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    May 4th 2019, 11:14 PM

    @SFNutters:
    Hot air balloon- fuelled by protest speech.

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    Mute Bilbo Baggins
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    May 4th 2019, 11:53 PM

    @SFNutters: whoooosh

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    Mute Mick.
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    May 4th 2019, 8:18 PM

    Ciaran if you and the rest of the Eco Warriors are really serious then I suggest you take your protest to the likes of Tianimin Square. China being one of the worst offenders for pollution would be the right place for you to make your point.

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    Mute Tim Pot
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    May 4th 2019, 9:26 PM

    @Mick.:

    and why would china listen to a tiny nation of 4 million that can’t even reduce its own cO2 emissions to net zero?

    suggest we get our own house in order first.

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    Mute Mick.
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    May 4th 2019, 9:53 PM

    @Tim Pot: I suggested China because they are the number one polluter and Ireland’s pollution is virtually negligible in comparison. Protesting is only about feeling good about themselves. You could have mass protests in every single city in Europe and it wouldn’t make a blind bit of difference to China, India or the US. Not one gram of pollution would be stopped from them. Added to this protesting in Europe is “Safe”. No chance of getting shot, being tortured, sent to Re-education Camps for years. Its more a case of “Hi guys look at me, aren’t I great, I am doing my bit for the planet by protesting, in a safe environment that will have no effect but it makes me feel better”.

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    Mute Tim Pot
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    May 4th 2019, 10:47 PM

    @Mick.:

    My point was that if you wish us to influence the major polluters then perhaps if would be benifical to demonstrate that we can commit to our own greenhouse emissions targets.

    Plenty of protests have achieved successes. Criticising people for protesting in a western third world democracy is a bit ridiculous to be fair.

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    May 4th 2019, 11:13 PM

    @Tim Pot: “Protesting have achieved success”. Yes they have. But they took place where they had the most effect. Protesting in London has Zero effect in Beijing. And protesting in Paris wont prevent a single gram of polution from Mumbai.
    The protests in London in fact caused more pollution than would have been created normally. Traffic held up burning fuel, forced to detour around the protests taking longer and thus burning more fuel.
    But ask these eco warriors to protest where it’s worst, that’s a no no.
    There it would be diffrent. No legal protections, arbitrary arrests with long prison sentences in concentration camps, possibility of being shot. Not too many willing to be martyrs for the cause. No feel good factor there.

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    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
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    May 9th 2019, 4:24 AM

    @Mick.: Did you ever consider the amount of toxic waste that was shipped to China from the western industrialised countries – until they recently declined to accept such shipments? Poorer countries were paid to accept all sorts of byproducts from factories elsewhere.
    It’s all the one planet.

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    Mute William Tallon
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    May 4th 2019, 8:43 PM

    From a purely practical point of view if you seriously want to get a message you passionately believe in across to people you’re employing a very flawed strategy that more than likely will backfire eventually. Most people will soon tire of being told by a small group of unelected activists that time is running out, they’re doomed, it’s all their fault and they must repent and change their lifestyles, which will cause them great inconvenience and possibly even money. It’s basic Psychology. They become inured and deaf to the message. You won’t win many over to your side of the debate that way. I think all you’ll achieve is just to alienate the majority and split your movement. It’s not an uncommon pattern with protest groups. I think you’re setting yourselves up to fail.

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    Mute Patrick Nolan
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    May 4th 2019, 8:52 PM

    @William Tallon:
    Well said.

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    Mute Jack
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    May 4th 2019, 10:24 PM

    @William Tallon: cracking comment

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    Mute Bruce van der Gutschmitzer
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    May 5th 2019, 12:39 AM

    @William Tallon: so what’s the solution? Just sit on your arse and say nothing?

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    Mute William Tallon
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    May 5th 2019, 1:46 AM

    @Bruce van der Gutschmitzer: I really don’t know why you’re asking me for solutions to a crisis Extinction Rebellion believe exists. I’m not a member of the group. I’m also not qualified or knowledgeable enough to suggest a course of action that I imagine would meet with your approval. Extinction Rebellion say they have solutions to this crisis and the means to implement and achieve them so I would suggest you ask one of them. I simply commented on what I consider to be the ineffectiveness of the tactics they have so far adopted in purely practical terms. I think that as time goes on and protests continue they’ll be viewed more and more as cranks by the public which would I think be quite counterproductive to their efforts to convince those same people of the righteousness of their cause.

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    Mute Cryptoalcho
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    May 4th 2019, 8:24 PM

    The smirk on his face says it all really!!

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    Mute Neville Bartos
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    May 4th 2019, 9:01 PM

    Once the virtue signallers who account for at least 75% of the ‘climate change outraged’ actually work out what this means for them on a day to day basis we will see less numbers protesting. The naivety on show followed up with the hypocrisy is astounding.

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    Mute Tim Pot
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    May 4th 2019, 10:20 PM

    @Neville Bartos:

    on a day to day basis these people would like some reassurance that their lives in 50 years time will have some resemblance to the ones we have now.

    Its naive to think that it won’t cost the public more tax euros to only react to the effects of climate change.

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    Mute wacker macker
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    May 4th 2019, 8:08 PM

    The biggest polluters India, China (still opening coal mines), South America, America and Russia. Go to any of these countries and see how far your protest will get. You are preaching a gospel to the converted. Al Gore was predicting the IceCaps would totally be melted by 2014, the UN was predicting the world would be doomed by 1975, revised to 1985, revised to 1990, revised to 2000, revised to 2005, revised to 2010, revised to 2024, finally settling for 2030. 2015 NASA reported in 2015 that there was more ice on the earth caps than ever. It’s May and we have the heat on.

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    Mute Patrick Nolan
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    May 4th 2019, 7:49 PM

    The only thing that you will extinguish will be any respect your movement has.
    Education will bring about change, pi**ing people off will drive them into the arms of the climate change deniers.

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    Mute Colette Kearns
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    May 4th 2019, 9:27 PM

    @Patrick Nolan: the “Education “ should have started 20 years ago & that’s the problem!

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    Mute Patrick Nolan
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    May 4th 2019, 10:27 PM

    @Colette Kearns:
    Agreed but most people prefer practical suggestions not sitting down in the middle of the street and shouting.

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    Mute EillieEs
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    May 4th 2019, 11:45 PM

    @Patrick Nolan: it’s too late for ‘suggestions’. We’ve been told what needs to happen but those in authority aren’t listening. If suffragettes hadn’t p**sed people off women still wouldn’t have the right to vote.

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    Mute Colette Kearns
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    May 5th 2019, 12:11 AM

    @Patrick Nolan: Great, but nothing is happening/ changing!

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    Mute Patrick Nolan
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    May 5th 2019, 10:27 AM

    @Colette Kearns:
    Because the people in power know that to achieve zero CO2 will cost a lot of money and if the try to bring in anything to pay for it they will be out on their ear come GE.
    Younger people who are out protesting often don’t vote, older people who pay a lot of taxes, do.

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    Mute Colette Kearns
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    May 4th 2019, 7:38 PM

    If we are heading for extinction, then that’s exactly what’s going to happen. World governments are all talk & nothing else!

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    Mute Daniel Dunne
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    May 4th 2019, 7:40 PM

    @Colette Kearns: World population is north of 7bln – extinction is not happening anytime soon!

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    Mute William Bayle
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    May 4th 2019, 9:10 PM

    @Daniel Dunne: I want to make sure I understand: the more people the less chance of extinction ? No sorry that makes no sense

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    Mute Mark Gough
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    May 4th 2019, 8:47 PM

    Politicians only solution is let’s tax people more. They should use our already excessive taxes to lessen the cost of solar power and electric cars. But they have limited intelligence

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    Mute Tim Pot
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    May 4th 2019, 10:22 PM

    @Mark Gough:

    Those politicians with limited intelligence manged to create a website with everything you have just asked for:

    https://www.seai.ie/grants/

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    Mute Michael Maher
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    May 4th 2019, 9:59 PM

    It would be great the save the planet people who help picking up litter or help cleaning up the country if they want to be useful instead of being a nuisance.

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    Mute Michael Maher
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    May 4th 2019, 10:05 PM

    @Michael Maher:( would help)

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    Mute Michael Anthony
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    May 5th 2019, 8:43 AM

    Why do people poke fun at people like Ciarán he s trying to the right thing. To dismiss this is unfair on future. We Irish live a life of excess.The waste we produce daily is staggering. One of plastics etc.

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    Mute dick dastardly
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    May 5th 2019, 8:00 AM

    Let’s set fear into people and tax are way out of the problem!!!

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    Mute OpenLitterMap
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    May 4th 2019, 8:14 PM

    Join us and embrace open data on plastic pollution @ OpenLitterMap.com – it’s like Pokémon Go for Tidy towns

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    Mute Alan Currie
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    May 5th 2019, 9:24 AM

    Humans intent on saving the planet, yet talks about children and grand children, which is exactly the thing that’s killing the planet, is he blind to the fact that reducing human population is fastest way to fix things?

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    Mute Gerard Heery
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    May 5th 2019, 1:22 AM

    Over population end of story,we all want to get a better life ,cars ,holidays, university for kids ,homes, jobs ,every thing comes with a carbon footprint no matter what part of the world you come from

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    Mute Trish Talty
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    May 4th 2019, 9:13 PM

    Hey Ciaran. Breath of fresh air here. You and ur like rock. Bring it on. The smarmy mouthed uninspired will always be there ranting at their screens. Like you, I see the ch ch ch changes emerging over the horizon.

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    Mute Jack
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    May 4th 2019, 10:26 PM

    @Trish Talty: lol brilliant!! best tonight..

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    Mute Kath Noonan
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    May 5th 2019, 9:21 AM

    Govts and big business won’t change. They’ll just do as they did in this instance, use police to ensure nothing changes and shut down/buy out media outlets.

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    Mute nora boyle
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    May 5th 2019, 8:30 AM

    So how come the co-founder of Greenpeace is now with the climate change denial scientists??????

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    Mute Marianne
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    May 4th 2019, 11:08 PM

    First of all thank u fr trying to save the planet…governments dont want to introduce the laws to help save the planet as it will make them unpopular wit voters its criminal …

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    Mute Patrick Nolan
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    May 5th 2019, 11:24 AM

    @Marianne:
    Agreed, but then that wouldn’t be the governments fault then but the people who voted then, wouldn’t it?

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    Mute thesaltyurchin
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    May 5th 2019, 4:07 PM

    put a cap on how many kids people can have. This outweighs any other contributing factor by massive amounts.

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    Mute M Stuart
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    May 5th 2019, 10:38 AM

    H0R5E5H1T

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    Mute gureth
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    May 5th 2019, 2:56 PM

    So weird the focus is almost always on climate change (and so hurricanes droughts etc), poisoning the air water and soil not allowing us to live is a bit more of a serious problem than temperature.
    Smells like distraction.
    Anyway, AI robot successors don’t need clean air so doesn’t matter really ;)

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    Mute Adolf Galland
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    May 5th 2019, 6:31 PM

    Hey dude I was on Waterloo Bridge the first day.

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