Over the last hundred years, as the global population has rocketed, so has the rate of environmental devastation. Growth is slowing, but it's still growth: the UN's most likely projection is that today's near 8 billion will be 9.7bn by 2050, and 10.9bn by 2100. It just seems intuitive, then - if we've caused the … Continue reading Is the problem overpopulation?
Category: Thinking green
The story of our climate crisis
Marley's Ghost Appearing to Scrooge - excerpt from an Arthur Rackham Illustration to A Christmas Carol In 1843, Charles Dickens was planning to write a political pamphlet documenting the poverty of children as a consequence of the Industrial Revolution. But knowing that a well-told tale would spread his message 'with twenty thousand times the force', … Continue reading The story of our climate crisis
It’s legal and it’s affordable – so why shouldn’t I?
Photo by Jon Tyson Morality is premised in part on an ability to recognise the impact of our actions. And where transgressors are more distanced from their victims - in large cities, for example, where anonymity is more likely - we have laws to reinforce the link between action and consequence and so steer us towards … Continue reading It’s legal and it’s affordable – so why shouldn’t I?
Soapbox or silent example?
Titanic's Lifeboat #6, as seen from rescue ship The Carpathia.For a superb song on the Titanic analogy by John Hartoch, have a listen here. When you believe passionately in the value of the message, it's difficult to know how evangelical to be. When our family's decision to stop flying has come up in conversation, I've … Continue reading Soapbox or silent example?
Talking green energy in the home, with Times Radio
Hugo Rifkind, Times Radio, Saturdays 10am - 1pm Imagine my wife's delight when someone else actually volunteered to listen to me talking about green issues. She got half an hour off on a Saturday morning, and I got an interesting discussion with others far more qualified than me, ranging from the value of solar panels … Continue reading Talking green energy in the home, with Times Radio
What can I do to have the greatest impact?
Photo by Markus Spiske Let's not pretend we can save the planet by rejecting plastic straws or switching our detergent, or even off-setting a 'business as usual' approach. The truth is we've left it too late for any response but the most urgent and far-reaching, involving each and every one of us. 'We are now … Continue reading What can I do to have the greatest impact?
The greatest opportunity ever wasted
Photo by Anne Nygard Everyone agrees that the misery of COVID-19 presents an opportunity. Never has it been more necessary to reset our broken world, and never has there been more willingness amongst the public. Policies that only recently were inconceivable, from mothballing airports to shutting us in our homes, have become reality. Consumers and … Continue reading The greatest opportunity ever wasted
Where have all the leaders gone?
Photo by Annie Spratt There are terrifying parallels between our Government’s response to the Coronavirus and their response to the climate emergency. On Monday 12th March, 2020, our Prime Minister stood before the country and acknowledged that ‘many more families would lose loved ones’. Four days later, he told us all to ‘avoid pubs, clubs, … Continue reading Where have all the leaders gone?
Give fear a chance
Photo by Thomas Ehling Telling people how to live their lives isn't always popular, which is why many environmentalists prefer carrot to stick. We aren't going to fix this by telling people they are doing the wrong things.Chris Stark, Chief Executive of the UK Committee on Climate Change Instead, they want to elicit change by … Continue reading Give fear a chance
Which party will save the planet?
Action: VOTE! Photo by Heather Mount It’s THE issue of our age - perhaps even the issue of our species - so the increased attention on the environment in this election is long overdue. And with the experts warning again and again that we need strong leadership with urgent, radical policies, the actions of our … Continue reading Which party will save the planet?
Positively Green 