Should kids be encouraged to become "climate cops?"

Question

"A leading British energy company blitzed the newspapers with full page colour advertisements this weekend which encourage children to sign up as “climate cops” and keep “climate crime case files” on their families, friends and neighbours.

The ads, run by Npower, promote a website at www.climatecops.com where “trainees” must complete three missions before they can join the “elite cadets” and “train to become a climate cop.”

These missions basically consist of a barrage of eco propaganda which the child must simply engage in in order to be accepted as a special agent of the green brigade.

The site offers a selection of downloads, including a pack of “climate crime cards,“ which instruct recruits to spy on families, friends and relatives, encouraging each of them to build up a written “climate crime case file.”

http://www.gnn.tv/threads/31701/British_Kids_Encouraged_To_Become_Climate_Cops?page=1#347817

Answer 1

For decades, environmentalism has been the Left's best excuse for increasing government control over our actions in ways both large and small. It's for Mother Earth! It's for the children! It's for the whales!

But until now, the doomsday-scenario environmental scares they've trumped up haven't been large enough to give the sinister prize they want most of all: total control of American politics, economic activity, and even individual behavior.

Answer 2

Yep ,that would seem correct. The AGW Proponents are following in the footsteps of the other socialist movements, n**i Germany, and Communist Russia. Spy on parents and friends, as the government is the only one you can trust.

Answer 3

Wait a couple of seconds here (and think for longer than that before bashing the UK and praising the US); this does look a little like a knee-jerk reaction:

1: It's an educational tool. When trying to teach people, you use methods that will engage them. Children respond to this type of medium hence the medium itself should not be objectionable.

2: It is just a tool. Teachers can use it or not as they see fit. No one is forcing any agenda upon anyone here.

3: The bulk of the material is non-controversial knowledge that needs to be imparted as part of the national curriculum (see the lesson plans). After all, what is so sinister about "What is electricity and where does it come from?"

4: The 'offending' site is www.climatecops.com/ but I could find no info about climate crime cards or the like - googling that brings up a lot of second hand info and opinion pieces; I would have preferred a link to the actual advert and/or info so I can judge for myself...

However, assuming all of this is true, let's keep some perspective. It is, after all, a game format and games are often based around an exaggeration of reality:

Monopoly encourages slum lords and forcing your family into bankruptcy;

The Weakest Link revolves around belittling people and making fun of their ignorance;

Grand Theft Auto contains explicit pornography and lionises theft, drugs, gangs and senseless violence.

How does encouraging kids to turn their TVs off standby compare to encouraging them to shoot people?

As for whether it is appropriate to have environmentalism as part of the national curriculum, I, for one believe it has more of a right to be there than fundamentalism and "intelligent creationism" or whatever it's called nowadays.

Then there is the physical club culture that is mentioned by some of the blogs (but, again, I cannot find where the original site advocates these): How much worse can these be than the pseudo-military Boy Scouts or the violent and demeaning pledging by fraternities based on "conform or get out" peer pressure.

I will agree that it is a bit over the top, perhaps even gulity of some bad taste but to view this as the end of civilisation as we know it?

Lighten up guys - the world won't end... well, by teaching about conservation - it might if we don't!

Where I am, it's a lovely Friday afternoon - I'm not going to let a light-hearted approach to education ruin it!

Answer 4

you mean private spy`s for Obama

Answer 5

It's the same thing PETA tries to do to recruit younger, more impressionable, members.  Do a search for Peta's "your mother is a murderer".  It's a comic handed out by the wackjobs with all sorts of tainted claims.  ANY organization that resorts to these types of practices is in it for only one thing.....money

Jello is wise beyond his years, his comment rings so true...

Answer 6

You should have checked out the website before posting the question. They are not encourageing children to 'spy' on people. Its just an educational resource. I was given a similar pack by the fire service, when i was at school to do with fire safety. It told us why our families should have smoke alarms, do you think the fire service were being unethical spreading propaganda like that?

Those cards just list ways to cut wastage such as not leaving things on standby, they just have a theme. Yes it does encourage children to be aware of energy wastage all around them, but why is that so objectionable, are children not allowed to have an opinion/say what they think?

Sorry about the rant, but i think children are intelligent enought  to be allowed to say what they think too.

Answer 7

no, that's straight out of George Orwell's 1984

Answer 8

If they try that in the US, my kid'll be a double agent.  ;-)

I have a few questions concerning the men in the UK, but they'd get reported.  Needless to say, this is a bad idea.

Answer 9

Yea - Dress them in little brown shirts.  No wait, this has been done before.

Answer 10

just gives you a new dimension to the term"eco-n**i" right?

Answer 11

So it makes kids turn into snitches. I'm not for it.  

Answer 12

Sounds remarkably like the "brown shirt" kids movement in n**i Germany-- prior and during World War II. Kids were encouraged to TURN-IN their parents if they did not appear to support "the fatherland".

Answer 13

Thank God I don't live in England.

I thank God even more, my kids don't.

Its not really a big deal though. in a few more years, Islam will end the British nation all together.

Answer 14

I felt like throwing up as I read that. I know they mentioned it in the article, but have you read Orwell's 1984? These kids are becoming just like the spies in 1984.

Heaven forbid America shall ever be like that.

Here's an excerpt from 1984:

"At six-a year early, by a special relaxation of the rules-he had joined the Spies; at nine he had been a troop leader. At eleven he had denounced his uncle to the Thought Police after overhearing a conversation which appeared to him to have criminal tendencies."

This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of. Please keep us updated if you hear anymore!

Children are being encouraged to be heartless spies and turn on their own parents, families, and friends.

... ... ... ... ... down with big brother... yeah, right. Big Brother is coming to life. I won't be able to sleep tonight.