We’ve heard what the ‘baby-boomers’ have to say about the global warming controversy. How about us linksters’ turn? What we can we find out that you can’t?
It started at quarter past six in the evening, the blues in the Roding Valley Hall took part in an interesting joke played by fate as Dame Eleanor Laing glowed in electrically conservative hues. Standing behind a small child’s desk, she bellowed her voice bending it to arch against the hemispherical domes that sat proudly in the ceiling. The Dame role called the judges giving her gratitude for their presence and ‘taking time out of their busy schedules.’ Her register included two very Tory officials (local councillors), Mrs Elspeth Bond; a head teacher of Theydon Bois Primary School, Les Burrows, the dedicated author of Everything Epping Forest and ultimately she gestures her hand to her assistant Carol Chatfield, who sits cross legged in another small cadet-blue chair as she would be keeping the regementation; the time-keeper.
I can say it was a very tory night.
She throws her voice around once again to draw similarities between the house of commons and the amateur debate, grasping at adolescent enthusiasm and devotion to the future: she paints what could be their political aspiration. Diving into the structure of the debate she gasps after each list off, a four minute speech; the first minute an intro; excluding interruptions, the bell will signal, two minutes of imposing rebuttals but “[she does] encourage people to intervene”. The quote that sits idly on everybody’s lips is ‘will the honourable lady/gentlemen give way’ to challenge the ideas and points of the opposing side and sometimes on the same. The final bell will chime to encourage the student to wrap up their points.
The students nod off in this part, knowing the flow of the schedule like blood in a vein - practised instinct. Roding Valley High School; situated to the front right of the Dame; Charlotte Copeman (14) and Florence New (15); it was home territory. To the right of Florence, Davenant’s Mac Sadler (17) and Adele Tondu (17) followed by King Harold’s Emily Baldwin-Thompson (15) and Lois-Rose Sarrat (16); newcomers and then finally Chigwell’s Hari Vadher (15) and James MacArthur (14). All listed prior are in favour of the motion. Opposing them Max Bolton (16) and Amelie Ashton (15) from Debden Park High sit parallel to them. To the left of Amelie: West Hatch’s Hannah Saunders (17) and Luke Drummond-Poynter (18) and Epping St John’s Oliver Warren (16) and Lewis Martin (15). All listed ultimately aren’t in favour of the motion.
The declaration that finishes the exterior buzz but alights the interior buzz torpedoes out of the Dame’s mouth… “This House believes that global warming is a myth.”
It starts with Charlotte defining the word ‘myth.’ She talks about how we are coming out of an ice age. She finishes with talking about the “silenced scientists”, who don’t want to speak otherwise they could be fired and denounced.
Following that point, Max, who is a constant highlighter of the California’s Wildfires and its correlation to global warming, states that we are “more sure greenhouse gases cause global warming than we are that smoking causes cancer.” Roding Valley rebuts that the media states there are arsonists that are creating the fires. Bolton says ‘yes’ it it arsonists, that we are the arsonists setting alight our earth.
Then, Adele opens with statement: “I’m not saying climate change ain’t real, of course it is.” She carries on to say that the earth is always in stages of warming and cooling - this will be a consistent argument throughout the ‘in favours.’
Afterwards, Hannah states her say - reaching at the hearts of the older generations making comparisons to their memories and the naturally disastered nostalgic memories of the future generation if we don’t solve the issue of climate change, “betraying future generations.”
It then goes to the opposing side. Emily suggests how it’s all caused by mass hysteria, much alike the ebola outbreak. People keep warning that the world is going to end but they have been covering this story for 20 years. Debden try intervene twice but are denied, but West Hatch are accepted and then denied. She ends it with “can you really exist in a world without access to a train?” An obvious referral to how we will always choose comfort over practicality.
Finally it is Oliver, who wraps up the debate of against the motion by addressing the controversy: “perhaps you’re right to be sceptical” as many have debated this issue. However he assures us that it is not a scam invented by the internet and that our scepticism is a result of our lack of knowledge as there are people suppressing information for profit.
It is then Hari who finishes the whole first half using that same fact that scientists are being corrupted.
Break.
The engine is revved again by Florence, who also picks up on the media sensation (“hysteria”) around the topic.
Driven by Amelie, who condescends the opposing side stating lists of wildly mythical creatures: the loch ness monster and the abominable snowman - that myths often have little or no basis in science or facts. The engine is then blown by Amelie’s shocking fact that 97% of climate scientists say global warming is definitely real.
The engine is sputtering already when Mac shares his argument, also says that scientists are corruptible.
The exhaust is starting to recover as Luke serves us with the clever metaphor of treating global warming as a homicide. The california fires were created by humanity - we are the murderers.
Lois-Rose challenges this idea saying we aren’t killing it… but that it is actually growing. Antarctica is growing. However, she doesn’t seem so sure of this “no…yeah… climate change.”
Then Louis uses his previous speech skills from the speak-out challenge to pose a question: “could you honestly say you would vote for a politician that would lie to your face?” He carries on and says that the global warming issue is morphing so quick that eventually we won’t be able to perceive what happens to us - everything will be destroyed.
James is the finale also mentioning how politicians are corruptible, as well as scientists. Says that there is other factors that contribute to global warming, like volcanoes.
All has been said and the judges begin to deliberate.
Debden wins, with their humor and clever rebuttals throughout they deserved the victory. West Hatch are runner up. To end, Florence, Charlotte and Louis are rewarded with oxford books and a pen.
