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UK opinion: Environment or Economy? - 7/2/2008 2:29:36 AM

RealityLicks

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Is this an indication of over-confidence in our economic resilience, or of a far-sightedness few credit the public with possessing?

quote:

When asked whether tackling the environment or the economy - given global economic problems - should be the government's priority, 52% said the environment and 44% said the economy. That contradicts the widespread assumption that environmental issues are seen by voters as a luxury to be put aside in tough economic times.
Almost two-thirds of those questioned also backed the idea of introducing green taxes to discourage actions that harm the environment: 63% support new taxes, against 35% who are firmly against them.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jul/02/climatechange.ethicalliving

Which is your priority, environment or economy?

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RE: UK opinion: Environment or Economy? - 7/2/2008 3:21:47 AM

meatcleaver

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The two aren't incompatible. In fact there was a government report and a report by the EU that indicated that being environmentsally responsible could make for a more efficient economy. 30% of all energy is wasted in Europe through reasons from traffic jams through to night lights in offices.

I'm sure you have tried to travel across Britain, it is a nightmare and very expensive. That is because the UK has refused to invest long term in transport infrastructure which ends up making Bristish products more expensive than more their more efficient neighbours. For all the talk of cheap produce in Tescos, compared to like supermarkets of the UK's near neighbours, they are still expensive. Transport efficiency would eb more environmentally friendly and cheaper. One copuld work through the whole economy this way. The problem for Britain is that Germany and France have already recognized this and stole the march on them.

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RE: UK opinion: Environment or Economy? - 7/2/2008 4:41:36 AM

kittinSol

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Perhaps this shows that people are starting to realise the environment and the economy have to be tackled simultaneously. They're intrinsically linked, after all.

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RE: UK opinion: Environment or Economy? - 7/2/2008 6:16:34 AM

RCdc

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That poll only shows that the economy and the environment are thought of as equal concern. and need to be worked on at the same time.

the.dark.

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RE: UK opinion: Environment or Economy? - 7/2/2008 6:28:49 AM

Sanity

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Go with the 63% then, majority rules. Tax British fuel until it hurts, and then tax it some more!

(All the more for us...)

(And the Chinese).

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RE: UK opinion: Environment or Economy? - 7/2/2008 7:24:35 AM

RealityLicks

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Sanity

Go with the 63% then, majority rules. Tax British fuel until it hurts, and then tax it some more!

(All the more for us...)

(And the Chinese).

From today, you'll pay a higher road tax if you drive a gas-guzzling SUV and less if you drive a Prius. There are other green taxes apart from fuel duty.

quote:

ORIGINAL: the.dark.
That poll only shows that the economy and the environment are thought of as equal concern. and need to be worked on at the same time.

I agree that there isn't an immense discrepancy between the percentages, but would contend that the poll is aimed at ranking which single issue is considered most pressing and since more respondents answered for the environment's cause, I'd read the results in that light.

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RE: UK opinion: Environment or Economy? - 7/2/2008 8:23:13 AM

RealityLicks

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quote:

ORIGINAL: meatcleaver
I'm sure you have tried to travel across Britain, it is a nightmare and very expensive. That is because the UK has refused to invest long term in transport infrastructure which ends up making Bristish products more expensive than more their more efficient neighbours.

Good point. Although there has been some significant road-building in the last 30 years, like the M25, we definitely dropped the ball where investing the North Sea oil revenues is concerned. Yet Thatcher is a hero.

PS - not suggesting that roads were the only place to invest, the rail network is parlous.

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RE: UK opinion: Environment or Economy? - 7/2/2008 8:24:50 AM

Sanity

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As "gas-guzzling" SUVs are often used for business, I have to say that it's awfully nice of the Brits to so unselfishly grant China and the U.S. such a huge advantage over them, or at the very least to cram themselves into dangerous little shockboxes and endanger themselves so that everyone else on the planet can burn the fuel that they're sacrificing themselves for.

quote:

From today, you'll pay a higher road tax if you drive a gas-guzzling SUV and less if you drive a Prius. There are other green taxes apart from fuel duty.

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RE: UK opinion: Environment or Economy? - 7/2/2008 8:30:05 AM

RealityLicks

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Thanks "Sanity". We're using the money we save to emigrate to a new planet.

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RE: UK opinion: Environment or Economy? - 7/2/2008 8:49:18 AM

Sanity

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Will the reverend Al Gore be piloting your starship?

That would be nice...

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RE: UK opinion: Environment or Economy? - 7/2/2008 9:01:05 AM

RealityLicks

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Actually there is no such person. Al Gore is a myth propagated by muesli-wearing sandal-eaters. An Al Gore-shaped mirage occurs each millenium as a result of solar activity.

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RE: UK opinion: Environment or Economy? - 7/2/2008 10:12:44 AM

Politesub53

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Sanity

Will the reverend Al Gore be piloting your starship?

That would be nice...

Bush will be piloting us, aboard the starship "Free Enterprise". We told him there is supposed to be oil near Uranus, George.

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RE: UK opinion: Environment or Economy? - 7/2/2008 12:17:59 PM

Sanity

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If we extracted oil from Uranus that couldn't really be considered to be 'clean energy' could it?

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RE: UK opinion: Environment or Economy? - 7/2/2008 12:54:58 PM

meatcleaver

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Sanity

If we extracted oil from Uranus that couldn't really be considered to be 'clean energy' could it?

Not if it was polluting the earth.

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RE: UK opinion: Environment or Economy? - 7/2/2008 4:35:13 PM

seeksfemslave

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To make any sense of the replies you would have to know the exact wording of the questions asked.

The hair shirts are ascendant at the moment but as soon as their lucrative tax financed privileges are threatened expect a swift change of heart.

Public transport my arse. Whats my chauffeur going to do if I have to let her go ?

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RE: UK opinion: Environment or Economy? - 7/3/2008 12:51:55 AM

RealityLicks

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quote:

ORIGINAL: seeksfemslave

To make any sense of the replies you would have to know the exact wording of the questions asked.

The hair shirts are ascendant at the moment but as soon as their lucrative tax financed privileges are threatened expect a swift change of heart.

Public transport my arse. Whats my chauffeur going to do if I have to let her go ?

If you view the linked article, you'll see that there's a link to the survey's results, giving the questions and responses in complete detail on the second line.

As for your chauffeuse, if you let her go, I imagine she'll run like hell.

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