A Grandmother’s Dream
Once upon a time there was a grandmother. She was small, bouncy and slightly chubby with white hair, and normally she had a lovely infectious smile. When she was younger she had been a scientist and had always loved Nature and the beauty the world had to offer.
As she got older she continued to enjoy the wonders that were to be found in the environment, but she began to feel sad and distressed as the world round about her changed.
The climate became more extreme. People and wildlife died in the forest fires, floods and droughts which increased as the planet’s temperature rose. The futures of her beloved children and grandchildren and all succeeding generations became threatened with catastrophe as manmade climate change began to alter the environment and endangered the future of humanity.
What also made her sad was that people were suffering so much. There was injustice and inequality everywhere. Life was so much harder for poorer people experiencing the problems that had begun to affect her world: the poor health, bad diets, isolation, depression, unemployment and general lack of hope for the future.
But this grandmother had a dream.
A dream of a better world where people could live their lives with hope and the ability to fulfil their potential. She dreamt of a world that was based, not on acquiring “stuff” but on the values of caring and compassion, with communities where people could thrive and support each other. A world where people nurtured the planet and its environment and took only what was necessary.
As a scientist she knew this world was possible, although people would need to adapt to the climate changes that already existed. She visualised a world where the emissions that were causing the problems were cut back to zero, and many good quality jobs were created in restructuring a new society, while communities and countries talked together to build a world of equality and possibility that worked for everybody. She knew it would not be easy.
Most importantly she knew that this dream would not become reality unless everybody worked for it.
The most important part of her dream was that millions of people would see that it would only happen if they helped to create it. If they cared enough to act, to be willing to change their lifestyles and to push the politicians into making the changes required to transform society.
But WE need to act and WE need to act now!
Reacting to Climate Change
My reaction to Climate Change (and all the other challenges that confront our planet) is a daily roller-coaster of fury at our governments’ inept responses to the issues. I feel outrage at the multinational organisations that seem to care only about profit. I am depressed at the loss of biodiversity that helps to fulfil humanity’s needs and provides much needed beauty and wonder in our lives. I want to scream with dismay at the greed of rich countries that seem to care little for those that have contributed less to Climate Change yet lack the ability to adapt to the problems they face because of it. It also leaves me with a sense that as an individual there is absolutely nothing I can do against these enormous forces.
HOWEVER, I know that there are many others out there that feel like I do and they need my support. I have a deep-seated belief that we need to work together as citizens of the world. We have to make clear what we want. Only then can we create better and more fulfilling lives for ourselves in the future.
There are also many others who care deeply and who are committed to making the transformations required to create that better future. Some of these changes are already making a difference to our lives and others are well on the way. See this article about new ways being developed to tackle the climate crisis.
So, if we move fast now, we can still, just, change how we live to avoid the worst effects of a warming planet. However, we all have to act differently and we have to work together to create a word that works for everybody. We CAN all make a difference and we CAN create a better and happier world.
Useful links and background reading
Background Reading
Hope in Hell by Jonathon Porritt
This Changes Everything, Capitalism versus the Climate by Naomi Klein
The Future we Choose by Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac
Less is More, How Degrowth will Save the World by Jason Hickel
Useful Links
NASA Climate Change
The Met Office UK Causes of Climate Change
Worldwide Fund for Nature Effects of Climate Change
The BBC Ten Simple Ways to Act on Climate Change
For something different – try Outrage and Optimism Podcasts here
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