The Filthy Rich
“WE’RE all dirty and idle,” says Princess Anne.
The Princess is on an “official” visit to Antarctica.
Anne has been staying at the British Antarctic Survey’s Rothera Research station.
As the Mail reports, Anne is now on HSM Endurance, the Royal Navy’s ice patrol ship. Anne will remain on the boat for eight days to visit other sites.
And the purpose of this trip? No, not to ski on some virgin snow. No, not to stick a flag in Antarctica and claim it for Queen and country. There is only one reason to travel to Antarctica in these environmentally conscious times and that is to highlight the effects of global warming.
Everyone’s at it. How long before Easyjet and other budget airlines begin a Green Dream flight to the unchartered continent?
The Mail has a shot of the Princess surveying the snow and ice. On her head she wears a furry hat. Real fur made from skinned animals? Or fake fur made from chemicals and toxic waste?
It is clear that Anne is taking the climate change issue seriously. But is everyone? “No,” says Anne, “we’re probably rather dirty and idle because we’ve produced things that make our life easier but, at the same time, we’re rather dirty.”
Anne names no names. But the Mail has an idea as to what Royal “we” Anne thinks idle and dirty. The paper makes mention of Prince Charles’s use of the Royal Flight and charter planes.
Not that the Prince will be travelling by private jet when he accepts the Global Environment Citizen Award from Al Gore. The award is in New York. Charles is in Blighty. But rather than post the gong over here, Charles, Camilla and their 18-strong entourage will make the flight to collect it in person.
But, as noted, they will not be flying on a private jet. That would be environmentally costly. Instead, Charles and his team have booked the entire first class section and rows of business class seats on a commercial airliner.
Meanwhile, Anne is still talking. “We accumulate more and more and we’re less good at using waste,” says she. “We’ve got to tidy up our act because we are filthy.”
The time to act is now. With Anne at the helm we can make the place spick and span.
The sailors aboard HMS Endeavour just need to pull together. Dip those oars in the water lads (wooden oars made from sustainable forest and old bits of furniture).
Pull! Pull! Pull!
Posted: 19th, January 2007 | In: Tabloids Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
