A British radio host hoped to humiliate a climate change activist — and ended up humiliating himself
In the U.K., the group Insulate Britain has been trying to draw attention to the climate change crisis by blocking roads during its protests — a move that inspired U.K. Transportation Secretary Grant Shapps to seek an injunction banning the group from England's "entire strategic road network." British radio host Mike Graham hoped to humiliate Insulate spokesman Cameron Ford when he featured him as a guest on his show on Tuesday, October 26, but the only one Ford ended up humiliating was himself.
The tension between the two was obvious when Graham, in a condescending tone, asked Ford, "What are you glued to, Cameron?" — and Ford, sounding equally condescending, responded, "Just your screen, unfortunately."
Mike's interview with Insulate Britain spokesman Cameron lasts less than a minute.\n\n@Iromg | @InsulateLovepic.twitter.com/yJS7DheACq— talkRADIO (@talkRADIO) 1635231463
It went downhill from there. When Graham asked Ford what he did for a living, the climate activist replied that he was a carpenter. Graham obviously thought he had found a way to humiliate Ford, saying, "A carpenter — how safe is that for the climate?" And Ford explained, "Well, I work with timber, which is a much more sustainable material rather than concrete."
Graham asked Ford, "You work with trees that have been cut down…. How is it sustainable if you're killing trees?" — to which Ford responded, "Because it's regenerative: You can grow trees…. You can't grow concrete." And Graham replied, "You can" before ending the segment and saying, "Cheerio! That was Cameron. He grows trees, cuts them down, and then makes things from them. I don't think I ever want to talk to any of those people."
Here are some of the tweets mocking Graham for saying that one can grow concrete:
In over 36 years as a builder I have yet to see concrete growing.\n\nYou plant a tree, you wait for it to mature, you cut it down, this has been going on for 1k's of years\n\nCarbon footprint of concrete is massive— Retroclick Media (@Retroclick Media) 1635233483
Hello Mike. Can you explain why my house always stays the same size, despite being regularly exposed to sunlight and rain? HELLO, MIKE?— Terry Owen (@Terry Owen) 1635250589
Can't stand what they are doing but he is correct Mike, virtually all constructional timber is FSC certified which means it's replaced with new planting, and grown to good sterwardship standards, your gotcha was shite.— Definitely not vp (@Definitely not vp) 1635231916
Mate timber IS sustainable. Concrete is one of the worse carbon creating materials 'grown' to man. Timber is grown and cut down in sustainable forests. You are taking liberties with the view that cutting trees down is lamentable. managed foresting is where his material comes from— Steve! - Please always wear a mask in public. (@Steve! - Please always wear a mask in public.) 1635245738
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