Support our high street shops and save the planet

Manxman_in_exile

HollyTrees said:

Manxman_in_exile said:

HollyTrees said:

SingleSue said:

HollyTrees said:

But what about the conception of the super shopping malls in big cities like Manchester. I doubt a person would go there to buy one item. They would make the trip viable and end up purchasing a car boot full.
Compared to someone might just go online for one item without realising that one item needs a delivery van. 
Thats all the debate was about. I cant really add to that. But I kinda agreed with them. 
I think society today has reached the half way house anyway and beyond. What I mean is if we conpare to when the high street shops were King back say 20 years ago to now,  it probably was a more economical way of living. You only have to look around on the roads today and you see loads of those delivery vans, I should know cause they always tail gate me and break speed limits as they have a dead line for so many deliveries I suppose. 
How can that be environmentally friendly compared to 20, 30 years ago when our roads were free of these vans. Its common sense to me. And thats what they were debating at like 6am in the morning. And no I didnt dream it. 

I quite often go to a shopping mall and not buy anything! I'm just there for the mooch around and the reward of tea and cake somewhere along the line...

Tea and cakes? Well ok your forgiven for that lol.
I have had days like that where I just like window shopping and chilling out that way with no intent to buy anything can be quite therapeutic, and possibly see people you know etc. This is the kinda thing that online shopping doesn't give you.  But I really do think that if we are not careful the way things are heading into the future the only way to shop will be online as there is no big rental bills or business rates etc for companies to pay, unless the internet finds ways to charge rental space. So highstreet shops really will be history. Its started already in smaller towns. It really is in our hands, do we use them or lose them forever.
I personally cant imagine a life without shops, life will be quite boring.
Plus how would people manage if they are on holiday, not necessarily in another country but say for example you are on a vacation to another part of this country, but with no shops how could you buy things to survive with during the holiday as you couldn't have it delivered to a caravan or tent.
I honestly think in 30 years from now we are digging ourselves a big hole to be in. But then what do I know? 

I actually agree with some of the points you make above.  They're more significant than the impact of "increased(?)" road traffic because of the increase in internet purchasing.

Thanks at last someone sees what I was getting at. And thats what the debate on the Radio was about. Increased internet purchasing as increased our traffic on the roads.
Thats why they we're on about support your high street shops and in the long run we are saving the planet. 

Errrr.... no.

If you'd read properly my post that you've quoted above and my other posts earlier in the thread, you'd realise that I most certainly do not agree that the growth in internet shopping has necessarily increased road traffic, and that it must therefore be bad for the planet.  I do not want anybody thinking that I believe (or that I agree with people who believe) that "every time somebody orders something on the internet an additional delivery van is on the road"!

What I do agree about with you (I think) is that the physical presence of shops on the high street and even the act of "shopping" itself can contribute towards some social cohesion or beneficial shared activity that the internet cannot replicate.  But saving the planet - No.

Now - if you wanted to save the planet by reducing traffic levels the answer is now obvious - get people working from home!  However, I suspect that the detrimental impact on social cohesion, etc, mental health etc, boredom etc and the diminution of shared social experience etc will be so awful that it won't last long...

(It often strikes me as ironic that those who want to "save the planet" really seem to mean that they want to "save humanity's existence on the planet" - ironic because it mostly seems to be people f'ing up the planet.  Personally, I'm sure the planet can look after itself - and may already have started to fight back...  OK - you can take the tinfoil hats off now)