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Branson offers $25M reward to save Earth, Science and Technology

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Sir Richard Branson today offered a $25m (£12.8m) prize for scientists who find a way to help save the planet from the effects of climate change.
Flanked by the former US vice-president Al Gore and other environmentalists, the boss of Virgin Atlantic airlines called for scientists to come up with a way to extract greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.



what u think? a step in the right direction? or a little to late?

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    £12 Million quid. Great, the world's saved!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It's an interesting idea, but i think in the world of science it's probably not that much? Just think about r&d costs for some technical machines, let alone production costs.

    He likes ballooning, maybe he can invest it himself into advancing zeppelin technology for his airline ;)

    Still, it can't really be a bad thing can it? No matter what his motivation.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Exactly, I think this can only be a positive.

    Plus I know talk about the machines etc.

    But don't forget, people will be able to create and invent ideas these days without actually making things in some cases.

    They will develop a sound theory aided with computer modelling etc and then that could get put into production.. etc..

    Here's hoping!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Will i win the money if I suggest that halting his space tourism industry might be a good start?
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    Teh_GerbilTeh_Gerbil Posts: 13,332 Born on Earth, Raised by The Mix
    Will i win the money if I suggest that halting his space tourism industry might be a good start?

    The best bit being how his "Space Tourism" doesn't even go into space!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    The silly thing is we know lots of things now which can and would reduce our CO2 emmissions, we just choose not to do them.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    All credit to Richard Branson though.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5368194.stm

    I think he is actually serious about it :)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ShyBoy wrote: »
    All credit to Richard Branson though.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5368194.stm

    I think he is actually serious about it :)

    Greenwash.

    What does he think about all the money he puts in to aviation? Like it says... he owns "low cost airlines" so people can get their cheap flights to Ibiza or Costa Del Sol...

    And what green energy projects exactly? Because biofuels are hardly sustainable if that's his plan.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Namaste wrote: »
    Greenwash.

    What does he think about all the money he puts in to aviation? Like it says... he owns "low cost airlines" so people can get their cheap flights to Ibiza or Costa Del Sol...

    And what green energy projects exactly? Because biofuels are hardly sustainable if that's his plan.

    Greenwash? Sorry, bit thick me :D

    That's the thing though, he's not going to stop his low cost airlines. Everyone uses them pretty much. We just need to find more energy efficient ways of having them running.

    I don't believe in revolutions really; except when it's the culmination of evolution - we can't simply say 'Today everyone will stop flying unless they need to', we need to

    a) educate people and encourage them to walk or cycle or use public transport, and be more aware of their 'energy footprint'

    b) invest in renewables for free energy

    c) research into ways of increasing fuel alternatives for planes, cars, etc.

    Hydrogen cars and motorbikes are already here, just the petrol station doesn't sell hydrogen. However, that in itself is damaging to the environment as hydrogen must be distilled from hydrocarbons or something which produces nasty fumes. I think.

    He's come out in public and said he's serious about climate change - whilst we may say it's just a publicity stunt or he just wants tax benefits (both fair enough) - at least he has acknowledged the problem rather than many CEOs who will just pretend it doesn't exist.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Perhaps (and I know this is revolutionary thinking) he could use some of that money to lower the cost of travelling in his trains so people who are not millionaires might consider using them. Seeing as 3 out of 4 people would rather fly than take the train between London and Scotland, there's much room for improvement...
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Aladdin wrote: »
    Perhaps (and I know this is revolutionary thinking) he could use some of that money to lower the cost of travelling in his trains so people who are not millionaires might consider using them. Seeing as 3 out of 4 people would rather fly than take the train between London and Scotland, there's much room for improvement...

    :yes:

    When I go back to Wales from London, it costs £40 (though maybe more now) and I get a third off with a travel card.

    I think maybe next time I'll get a Megabus to Manchester, then a train from there (so I can see my brother too).
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Come to think of it, we flew to ireland for the price of the tax. I can't fathom what train / ferry / train would have cost.

    Why are trains so expensive? It's not just virgin, it's all the providers.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ShyBoy wrote: »
    Why are trains so expensive? It's not just virgin, it's all the providers.

    Because they've got to pay the government lots for renting the track, and because the over heads for running trains are massive.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    budda wrote: »
    Because they've got to pay the government lots for renting the track, and because the over heads for running trains are massive.

    Surely the overheads for running a jet engine are bigger though? I would just assume so, anyway.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ShyBoy wrote: »
    Come to think of it, we flew to ireland for the price of the tax. I can't fathom what train / ferry / train would have cost.

    Why are trains so expensive? It's not just virgin, it's all the providers.

    - Privatisation

    - Decades of underinvestment by the government

    - A culture of subcontracting and greed that appears ingrained in the fabric of this country

    - Britian as a whole being a mecca of overcharging and ludicrous prices across the board where private businesses take the piss and charge what the hell they want without as much as a whisper of protest from anyone

    Though I do not wish this thread to be derailed (no pun intended) further...
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I was on a train between Middlesbrough and Darlington a few weeks ago - 6.30 in the evening (prime commuting time) and the two carriages contained a total of six people (plus driver and conductor). I'm sure it'd have been both cheaper and more environmentally friendly to put us in a car.

    There's a hidden downside to this great rail system with 100% coverage.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ShyBoy wrote: »
    Greenwash? Sorry, bit thick me :D

    Thick? Not at all. :)

    Greenwash is a term used to describe when somebody is putting on a green image in public to make themselves look positive, but really are quite ungreen and naughty.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    the most obvious answers are to stop deforestation, and to reduce production of greenhouse gases

    all the other options other than if used minimally would have too severe side effects

    id be happy for the money from the carbon trading schemes to go towards paying countries to leave their forest alone
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I think that it's easy to sit here in a warm house, using electricity and then criticise low-cost airlines (which don't have as much effect on global arming as the hysteria suggests)...

    It's also easy to abuse a man for running said airline and ignore the fact that he also runs a train company.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Will i win the money if I suggest that halting his space tourism industry might be a good start?

    I am uneducated on the subject of Branson`s "space tourism", but why are you antagonistic ?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You'd think all the powers in the world would have done something like that years ago for the planet.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Dan, not many votes in it I'm afraid.
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