Bon voyage Greta Thunberg

Yes she is being exploited, and its her Father behind this I believe reading the Swedish papers ( I live in Sweden) why they make her look like a twelve year old with plaits I dont know,maybe to get more sympathy for her cause.She is sixteen for goodness sake she should act like one, she has a disability, maybe thats why they tone down her age, who knows she has 50/50 popularity here.She may have taken a car or train to Calais or somewhere then a car or train to Plymouth,who knows.I say good luck to her on that boat trip.

Yes Happiyogi, I would wish for her to become a scientist. She obviously has the interest. We need many, many products to be designed or modified so that they will be cleaner to use. Ideally we would be able to cut the world’s population, but that seems unlikely to be honest. We must put our faith into innovative scientific design, and that requires highly educated scientists. We have already seen some small changes, but we need many more. Wringing my hands and eulogising Greta won’t make one jot of difference.

Of course it would have - it's Greta. With the right marketing and publicity it would have shown that she's serious about making real change available to everyone.

How could she stir up the youth of American by a video link?

A video link would not have given her cause so much coverage. She will be interviewed on many tv channels, make public appearances as with XR, as well as addressing the conferences.

America needs this.

How did she get to Plymouth?
By train. Europe has a few trains and, handily, there's a train tunnel under the Channel.

See my previous post Gone. That real enough for you?

SirChenjin Wouldn't it have made more sense for her to show ordinary folks the alternatives to air travel that is within their means

What are you actually thinking of? Are we back to the rowing boat? Kyak?

Shall we keep it real?

There are alternatives Happi - on this occasion she could have presented via video link.

It's great that young people are becoming more aware of environmental issues (although they don't seem quite so keen to curtail their globe trotting unfortunately) but this feels very much like a publicity stunt.

Stansgran, there is a sickening abundance of information about the UK's polluted rivers.

Yes to Sandelf. She reminds me of that maths child genius many years ago. As my mum used to say it will end in tears. And out of interest has anyone else seen the WEF tweet about polluted rivers. We need to get the Chinese on board no pun intended before anyone addresses the UN.

sandelf, many people have an uneasy feeling about the very future of humanity.

Yes, she seems a little different to the sixteen year olds of our acquaintance. Most of the inventions and changes in the world have been made by those who see things differently. A cookie-cutter brain can only repeat, not innovate. And we desperately require innovation.

that was to absthame*. Particularly last sentence of her post.

hear hear

SirChenjin, perhaps the greater point is that there ARE no alternatives. Which, on a global scale, has contributed to the polluted mess which will not sustain life indefinitely.

If my generation and that of my children only screw the world for our own advantage; our grand children need to undo the harm that we did and do. Who better to lead the campaign than someone on the spectrum who is fixated on finding solutions. God bless her.

I just have a very uneasy feeling about her.

How dare...?

Because we are entitled to our opinions? She may be gathering a following, but unless she can demonstrate something more meaningful that a journey that's beyond the reach of 99.99% of the population she risks becoming a media play thing who doesn't affect real change.

Yes to SirChenin and Pippa22. Absolutely.

The carbon footprint of our royal family is a complete disgrace. Perhaps Greta could come and lecture them. Yesterday Prince Andrew took a private flight back from Balmoral to London. Last week Prince Harry took a private flight to Italy (I think it was Italy) and then a private helicopter to the location of the conference, attended by many celebrities who no doubt took private flights to draw our attention to how huge our carbon footprints are, but not apparently, it would seem, not their carbon footprints! They obviously have no need to change their behaviour, whilst lecturing all those who took an overfilled Ryanair/EasyJet flight for their only holiday of the year! It makes me sick! And don’t even get started on Meghan, who took a private flight all the way back from New York after her vulgar baby shower.
Yes, there are more worthwhile targets for Greta to get to grips with.

She is an amazing young woman. We need more like her. She is gathering a following of young people. They all realize that time is running out to save this planet. How dare anyone run her down....

Maddyone, that is very condescending of you. Would you wish her to become a 'great scientist' like the ones who have stood by as we have descended into this crisis?

She has already done an astounding amount in her young life. Read her book of speeches (published by Penguin). I can't think of another sixteen year old who has achieved so much. I think we should wish her every success since our futures literally depend on radical change being made to the status quo.

Wouldn't it have made more sense for her to show ordinary folks the alternatives to air travel that is within their means as opposed to travelling in a multi million pound boat with an international yachtsman and a member of the Monaco RF?

What a contrast in what this young girl is doing and our helicopter hopping about by our royal family whose carbon footprint must be enormous.

I watched a clip regarding Greta and her trip. The girl looked about twelve! Whilst I respect her courage and sentiments I also think that someone could be pulling her strings, whether family or activists.

I just hope that she fully understands the rigours of her journey: she said 'I may feel a bit sea-sick'. Speaking as one who is very sea-sick, it is extremely debilitating and the thought of carrying on for a fortnight without remission is too distressing to contemplate.

Perhaps there could be a transfer to a different type of craft if she should be really ill... who knows.

I also have the query... will she undertake the return journey by the same method? If so, she really is brave and earns more of my respect.

I think she is being exploited by others. However, air travel is here to stay. Perhaps when she’s puking over the side she will wish she was flying?