Branson Pledges Billions to Fight Global Warming

[muckshifter]

Sir Richard Branson, the British magnate and adventurer, said today that all of his profits from his five airlines and train company, projected to be $3 billion through the next 10 years, would be invested in developing energy sources that do not contribute to global warming.
Read more...

 

[floppybootstomp]

alright, first cynical thought, don't all them Virgin Airplanes burning costly fuel contribute to global warming?

I'd already read the article, first thought was 'where's his angle'

Did ya know, in Brazil, over a million vehicles run on alcohol?

Now then, what do you need to make alcohol?

Just about a field full of anything, blackberries, grapes, potatoes, whatever, sugar beet, it will produce a fuel when fermented.

So why the hell are we still using costly petroleum, bought at a price and a premium mostly from the Middle East, a lot of whom we are in conflict with. 7/7 anybody?

I do sometimes wonder. Them: Goverment. Us: Blindfolded sheep.

 

[Rush]

By flops

alright, first cynical thought, don't all them Virgin Airplanes burning costly fuel contribute to global warming?

because its cheap ..and we pay over the odds

We as the minority get frustrated by all the crap around us....flops , rational thinking will never win ..just obey and all will be fine ..i like your style though

 

[cirianz]

yes, as I understand it no significant changes are needed to change a car to run on ethanol.
The Ethanol does need to be extreemly pure however.
Indeed, I believe that it stated in the article that a significant portion of the money was going into the research on ethanol as an alternative fuel source.
Further money was also going into seeking an alternative for Aviation fuel.

As for angle... well, I would suspect that the recent fuel crisis would be a significant reminder that finding an alternative fuel source would definitely be in his own best interests.
I believe at least one arline company down here went out of business recently as a result of rising fuel prices.
None of us likes being dependant on others.
It would be nice to have the money to do something about it.
& it's not as if he's going to starve to death without the additional income.
And i would have to say that this sort of financial commitment is a bit more than the standard token 'guilt giving' by most celebrities.

 

[floppybootstomp]

Food for thought, youse two, food for thought....

You think maybe, just maybe, he means it?

 

[cirianz]

By flops


because its cheap ..and we pay over the odds

We as the minority get frustrated by all the crap around us....flops , rational thinking will never win ..just obey and all will be fine ..i like your style though

Yes, the industrial revolution & the victorian era created the middle class & with it middle class guilt.
We go down the shop & complain about the cost of clothes or electronics... whatever.
Even though we all know that the only reason we can get them so cheap is because some poor bugga somewhere is being payed a ridiculous token wage to produce those items for next to nothing.
We talk in outrage about the sweat-shops in asian countries.
But how many of us would be willing to pay the actual cost of that item if it was made by people being paid fair wages & working in clean, healthy working conditions?
How many of us would welcome the redution in our standard of living that would result from this?

I know all this...
But I live on $170 NZ a week... yet i still have a TV, DVD player, Video player, Computer, printer... etc etc...
I know how these things are produced...
So why aren't I boycotting these companies?
Attempting to do whatever I can to stop such exploitation?

Because I like having these things
I'm comfortable
I'm happy
so 99% of the time I ignore the exploitation my comfort results from.
Or blame someone else... the big companies usually.
Hah!


Edit: Whoops... sorry... was having a moment If this is too political please delete

 

[cirianz]

Food for thought, youse two, food for thought....

You think maybe, just maybe, he means it?

Who knows flops.

In the end he's just a person like the rest of us

& we all have our moments

 

[floppybootstomp]

politics?

my sense of self overcomes my sense of one life

once, it was not so

but i was broken and now I'm sad to say i don't give a damn as much as i once did

sad sad cynical me

 

[Ian]

I'm really pleased to hear that he's doing this, as I do think it is genuine. Afterall, he didn't have to give 100% percent of the profits from the transports companies to combat the thread - oil companies won't, they'll just install solar panels on a petrol garage and think they are saving the world. Actions do speak louder than words, and that certainly is a big gesture

I think it was branson that said he'd run the national lottery for free and give the profits to charity, but camelot have won the bidding each time - I know who I'd prefer any day.

 

[muckshifter]

Did you read the artical Flopps?

The money, he said, would be invested in a host of enterprises, including existing businesses within his Virgin Group of 200 companies, that are seeking ways to save energy or produce fuels, including aviation fuel, not derived from coal and oil.

not so daft is MR B ...

 

[cirianz]

plus, if he can make a personal profit from this (ie over & above what he's donating) & make pots & pots of money then that's even better.
Because if we really want to get unified striving towards this goal, then making saving our planet more profitable than destroying it would be a big step in the right direction.

 

[Anon_F]

Sorry for being cynical, but what a great bit of PR for Branson, Travel with virgin & save the planet!

 

[ChristopherP]

Top man

 

[cirianz]

Sorry for being cynical, but what a great bit of PR for Branson, Travel with virgin & save the planet!

Maybe I'm being cynical also but...

10 years worth of money for the planet (what was it... 3+Billion) at the cost of a few weeks worth of PR... hmmm
Yep, worth the price I think.

Few people do something for nothing,
If he wants kudos for this
I think he's earned it.
But, if PR was all he wanted he could've got it for a much cheaper price.

 

[Anon_F]

But it is a good bit of free advertising for him.
"Travel with Virgin and Save the Planet"
He may well go from being a Sir to a Lord for it

 

[itsme]

Its to damn late? the damage has already been done Even the Permafrost is melting in Siberia, letting off Gases at an alarming rate.

 

[floppybootstomp]

Hmm.

And hmm again.

OK, I've thought.

This whole thing is probably a case of him meaning it but with a nod towards fine fine PR and tax relief.

Our Richard didn't get where he is today by being Mr Nice Guy. Fact.

 

[cirianz]

Yes, but like I said, cheap at the price.
& he could've got just as much PR just from that initial donation of $400 mill
he didn't need to give the profits from the next 10 years to get it.
I don't know about being a nice guy,
But he sure as hell didn't get where he is by being stupid,
& it would take a very stupid man not to know he would get a cynical reaction at least as much as a warm fuzzy one.

& Feckit, trouble is that the essence of advertising is to make a profit.
but increases in flying Virgin are not going to make him a profit now are they.
& as for a Lordship... sorry but, so what?
Like I said, few people do something for nothing.
If what he wants is some antiquated title & a pat on the back...
So what? He's only human, 'respect' & the 'feelgood factor' are powerful motivators in most of us.
again, cheap at the price.
& if he does make pots & pots of money (as I said before, thats pots of money more than he's donating)
Then even better.
Because other businesses are much more likely to do similar if they think they can make more money saving the planet than destroying it.
A win - win situation.

Also, the entrepenurial personality is often driven by the challenge of what they do.
& when you reach a point where there is no challenge any more?
Where you already have more money that you can possibly spend in 20 lifetimes
& you are making money in the millions when you sleep.
What next?
Where's the challenge?
& what was it all for?
What now?
This is all generalisations of course,
But this type of personality often gets bored very easily
& needs a challenge/goal to work towards.
If this works for him
& helps save our planet at the same time
Then again it's a win - win situation.
Go for it.