The thread began with an article “capitalism is killing the planet”.
Some would say the ultra wealthy are a large part of the problem. I don’t fall into this category 
Edited to explain, I’m not ultra rich.
I can provide some insight into things that have a direct effect on our planet. Mining and power generation.
China represents more than a quarter of all global carbon emissions, and it has spent tens of billions of dollars to build coal power facilities in 152 countries over the past decade through its Belt and Road Initiative. Roughly 70% of the coal plants built globally now rely on Chinese funding. China finances most coal plants built today – it's a climate problem and why US-China talks are essential
China has been the world’s largest carbon emitter for 20 years. It’s been responsible for 28% of the world’s carbon emissions for the past decade. That number hasn’t budged, despite rapid growth of China’s renewable energy and clean tech industries.
One of the central reasons is coal, the most carbon-intensive fossil fuel. Coal accounted for 58% of China’s total primary energy consumption as recently as 2019 – even as coal use was collapsing elsewhere. China currently operates 1,058 coal plants, roughly half of all coal plants worldwide.
Nearly all of the 60 new coal plants planned across Eurasia, South America and Africa –70 gigawatts of coal power in all – are financed almost exclusively by Chinese banks.
Coal for power stations, three countries export the bulk of the worlds coal.
Indonesia exports 455 MILLION TONS OF COAL a year
Russia exports 217 MILLION TONS OF COAL a year
These two countries might not surprise you that they still export dirty, stinking, planet killing coal.
But here’s the kicker - AUSTRALIA exports 400 MILLION TONS OF COAL a year!
When talking about the ultra rich and their massive gin palaces, you should also consider how coal is moved. Obviously it’s transported by bulk ship carrier, but what you may not be aware of is how as part of the selling/buying coal process that the buyer MUST HAVE bulk carriers waiting at anchor, ready to dock and receive the coal being purchased BEFORE their coal is extracted from the ground.
Yes, you have read that correctly.
If you want to buy coal (I only have experience with Australian companies, but I’m pretty sure it’s the same the world over) then you MUST HAVE SHIPS WAITING ready to accept the loads before the mining companies will extract the coal.
Now let’s explore further - One port on Australia’s Eastern sea board is near Mackay (with two separate coal export terminals), during my stints there, the number of huge bulk carriers at anchor waiting to dock and load varied between 84 and 120 depending upon mine productivity rates (inclement weather slows production etc). Some bulk carriers can wait three weeks or longer before being loaded.
Let us get some perspective on this, I’m explaining about ONE PORT in Queensland. Australia has ten major coal loading terminals…
I am hoping that the picture is growing clearer about the size of the coal problem.
Now let’s look at how they extract the coal from the ground .
The Queensland mines that service the port mentioned are all open cut, or simply massive holes in the ground. They use massive machines to dig the surface of the ground, removing the topsoil (overburden) until the coal seam is revealed, then massive shovels (excavators) are used to remove the coal and load it into huge haul trucks that transport it to be processed and then transported by rail to the port.
Everything in coal production is huge.
Open cut pits 11 Kilometres long, 6 Kilometres wide, simply massive holes in the ground.
The haul trucks are up to 650 tons fully loaded, using 4000 litres of diesel every 24 hours if they are mechanical drive, 3000 litres per 24 hours if they are electrical drive (same engine but drives an onboard generator which then powers electrical motors instead of mechanical drives).
We are looking at hundreds of trucks per mine, (there are a lot of mines in Queensland) some have over 650 trucks in their fleet.
Are the numbers getting big enough yet?
And where does all this coal go after it leaves the port? Currently it’s for the most part China.
India is in the final stages of opening it’s own mines in Australia for it’s power stations in India, they have a ‘pit to plug’ ethos. Where the Indian company owns the mine, the transport system to the port, it owns the port, the shipping company, the port in India, the power station in India and it owns the power lines to the end users premises. Pit to plug.
Side note - talking about population and climate change - In India every week one million people turn 18 years old and it will remain this way for years to come. Consider how that could impact on climate change.
Ok, but what’s my point with this post?
Protesters, do they help or hinder the cause? (that could in itself be a new topic…) why not target the producers of the damage?
Why not directly target “Scotty from marketing” otherwise known as Scott Morrison Australia’s coal loving Prime Minister? Why are protesters not gluing themselves to his gates, car, road in his street? Why not disrupt directly the lives of people that can in one stroke of a pen outlaw the use and exporting of dirty, stinking coal?
Would “protesters” not get a better response and more exposure by targeting the Chinese embassies on mass around the world? Or Australian etc?
Because I can’t see what blocking Sarah from Longparish (pick a name and add a village) trying to get her elderly mum to hospital by gluing yourself to the road is going to achieve - versus preventing the Australian PM from getting to a golf game and making embarrassing news for him around the world about his love of coal and the damage it does to the planet.
And there was me saying to my wife " I won’t be long, just wanted to add some input to a discussion"…
