# FILE NAME: 00001892.soc
# TITLE: Would we all be better off if we reduced our use of fossil fuels? [789341c5ea963591867845ed2e283d7d]
# DESCRIPTION: 
# DATA TYPE: soc
# MODIFICATION TYPE: original
# RELATES TO: 
# RELATED FILES: 
# PUBLICATION DATE: 2025-10-12
# MODIFICATION DATE: 2025-10-12
# NUMBER ALTERNATIVES: 4
# NUMBER VOTERS: 5
# NUMBER UNIQUE ORDERS: 4
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 1: Statement 1 - Yes, we would all be better off if we reduced our use of fossil fuels.  Fossil fuels are a finite resource and so we will run out one day.  Fossil fuels are also bad for us and our environment and we must do all we can to move towards more green energy.  In the long run, green energy will also benefit us all financially as fossil fuels are currently causing a great deal of stress and uncertainty for most people and what they can afford.  We must also respect that developing countries may need help.  In Victorian Britain, our use of fossil fuels helped the Industrial revolution, and we were totally ignorant of the impact on our planet.  Now we know the damage it causes, but we cannot expect poorer countries, who may have access to cheap fossil fuel, to just change without help.  Fossil fuels are also incredibly bad for the environment and are causing a huge amount of damage to the planet.  We need to move to green energy sources and do this quickly.  We all need to work together to move to green energy, both in developed and developing countries and both the government and energy companies need to work together to help this happen.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 2: Statement 2 - “Yes, we would all be better off if we reduced our use of fossil fuels.  Fossil fuels are a finite resource and so we will run out one day.  Fossil fuels are also bad for us and our environment and we must do all we can to move towards more green energy.  In the long run, green energy will also benefit us all financially as fossil fuels are currently causing a great deal of stress and uncertainty for most people and what they can afford.  We must also respect that developing countries may need help.  In Victorian Britain, our use of fossil fuels helped the Industrial revolution, and we were totally ignorant of the impact on our planet.  Now we know the damage it causes, but we cannot expect poorer countries, who may have access to cheap fossil fuel, to just change without help.  It will take time and money to invest in other sources, such as wind farms and harvesting energy from the sea.  It is definitely the way forward though, and there should be large financial incentives to those companies who wish to develop greener energy, whilst still supporting countries who must, for the time being, rely on fossil fuels.”
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 3: Statement 3 - “Yes, we would all be better off if we reduced our use of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are a finite resource and so we will run out one day. Fossil fuels are also bad for us and our environment and we must do all we can to move towards more green energy. We must also respect that developing countries may need help. In Victorian Britain, our use of fossil fuels helped the Industrial revolution, and we were totally ignorant of the impact on our planet. Now we know the damage it causes, but we cannot expect poorer countries, who may have access to cheap fossil fuel, to just change without help.” Discussion: This activity took much longer than expected. The group of participants found it difficult to choose only the most important information to be put in a consensus statement and they found that critiquing each other's work was also a time consuming task. They also found that reaching a consensus was actually more difficult than they had first anticipated. This is because the participants had to put aside some of their own opinions in order to reach a consensus that was agreeable to all. Reported by David Houston
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 4: Statement 4 - “Yes, we would all be better off if we reduced our use of fossil fuels.  Fossil fuels are a finite resource and so we will run out one day.  Fossil fuels are also bad for us and our environment and we must do all we can to move towards more green energy.  In the long run, green energy will also benefit us all financially as fossil fuels are currently causing a great deal of stress and uncertainty for most people and what they can afford.  We must also respect that developing countries may need help.  In Victorian Britain, our use of fossil fuels helped the Industrial revolution, and we were totally ignorant of the impact on our planet.  Now we know the damage it causes, but we cannot expect poorer countries, who may have access to cheap fossil fuel, to just change without help.” The advantage of this final consensus statement is that all of the participants contributed to it, none of them were forced to agree with it, and all of them fully support the final result.  It also gives a flavour of all of the views held, so if it is used by an external agency, then the agency will be aware that some people may have concerns about reducing the use of fossil fuels,
2: 1,2,4,3
1: 4,2,1,3
1: 2,4,1,3
1: 2,1,4,3