What can we do?

A thought occurred to me recently, it's one that may well have occurred to you.

What struck me was the question of priorities .  . .   are our current priorities what they should be?
In our blinkered obsession with the ramifications of Brexit, are we ignoring factors that are far more important?

Rather like the voyagers on the 'Titanic', are we concentrating on the collapsing deckchairs and ignoring the looming iceberg?

To show you what I mean, let's reflect on what's happened to our environment over the past few weeks.

Paradise, a town in California, has been reduced to ashes by forest fires.  Unprecedented dust-storms have created chaos in China.
In Australia, equally unprecedented bush fires in Queensland have caused thousands to evacuate their homes;  whilst, after receiving its average monthly rainfall within an hour, Sydney has experienced critical flash flooding.

Nor have we escaped in Europe.  Amongst many similar incidents elsewhere, Vienna, Rome and Paris have all experienced serious flooding, whilst storms have caused havoc on Sicily.

Added to this, the UN has just announced that, after four years of steady decline, the levels of carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere have risen significantly.

And what is this rise ascribed to?
In large part, it seems that we are to blame.  Not just for our prolific use of fossil fuels, but also for our love of meat and dairy products
 . . . every day, so we are told, the cattle on our farms emit six hundred litres of methane into the atmosphere.


But, take heart, there is also some good news to share.  Namely, that there are many ways in which we can offset these critical problems.
Our actions have created this crisis, it's our actions that are needed to prevent it from getting worse.

Let's consider what can we do.

According to the European Commission, if global aviation was a country, it would rank in the top ten emitters, which is a sobering thought.   However, in response to this announcement, two undaunted Swedish mothers took positive action.   They have already persuaded ten thousand people to commit to taking no flights in the coming year, and called their initiative 'No-fly 2019'.

Perhaps we could follow their example?

Then there's the question of our diet . . . what we eat is paramount to saving the environment.

Our excessive consumption of meat is the prime factor.  If this can be dramatically reduced, and we can ensure that the other components of our diet are grown locally, or have traveled a relatively short distance, this would make a substantial difference.


Out of curiosity, when preparing the vegetables for lunch today, I looked at the details on the packaging.
It came as a shock to discover that the asparagus was from Peru, the broccoli from Kenya, and the beans from Guatemala . . . only the mushrooms were British.

I'm sure I don't need to add that, in order to reduce the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, we must seize every opportunity to plant trees, encourage the installation of solar panels, and support the vigorous campaign against fracking.

And breakthroughs are occurring all the time.  A recent encouraging discovery has shown that, by mixing powdered rock into the soil, the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by the plants growing in that soil is markedly increased.

This coming Monday, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change will meet in Poland.  The delegates will have much to consider before circulating their conclusions to the waiting world.


But, let's take heart.
As we've outlined, we can curb our flights . . . change our diet . . . plant trees . . . install solar panels . . . oppose fracking . . . mix powdered rock into the soil . . . and face up to the reality of the situation that confronts us.

And, yes, you're right . . . we haven't even mentioned our plastic-strewn oceans, or the planet's endangered wildlife.

It certainly puts Brexit into perspective.

Which world shall we choose?

A few days ago, in an office block not far from where I live, two people were badly injured in a knife attack.  The police were called, the surrounding roads cordoned off, and the injured rushed to a nearby hospital.

I'm thankful to say that they both fully recovered.
However, as I learned recently, violent crime in this country has risen by forty-nine per cent in the past year.  As I write, two teenagers died of stab-wounds on London's streets in the past twenty-four hours.

What's happening to our world?
Over the past week, thousands have been marching in Pakistan, baying for the blood of a Christian woman accused of blasphemy.   Whilst, in the United States, along with the horrific tragedy at the Pittsburgh synagogue, there's been the active fostering of fear and anger on the subject of immigration, all part of the build-up to the mid-term elections.

But, before we allow ourselves to get too worried and depressed, let's turn our attention to another event, one that took place last month in Australia.

Were you, I wonder, able to watch the Invictus Games on television?
It was a remarkable sporting event.   More than that, it was also a vivid demonstration of the benefits gained from sport, both by the competitors and their supportive families.

The Invictus Games, as I'm sure you know, were launched by Prince Harry in 2014.  Those taking part are ex-members of the world's armed forces, members who have been invalided out on account of serious injury, be it physical or mental.

What makes the Games so remarkable is not only the courage and determination of the competitors, but also the whole-hearted support they receive from the families who accompany them.
It's also true that, in many cases, war veterans participating in these Games find them every bit as restorative to their well-being as the extensive medical care they've received in hospital.

Yes, the war veterans are competing against each other, but, as is all too evident, they are also supporting each other in every possible way.

Let me give you a perfect example from the Sydney Games, one that I watched on television.

A wheel-chair race for women athletes was taking place.
There were four competitors, one of whom was comfortably in the lead.  The competitor in second place had already won two medals.  The competitor in third place, an Australian, had won a race the day before.

However, the competitor in fourth position, who had traveled to Sydney from the UK, was a woman who, up to that point, had won nothing.

She had been housebound for many months after receiving her crippling injury.  Only with her family's strong encouragement had she decided to travel to Sydney and take part in this, her first Invictus Games.  Her husband and children were amongst the spectators, cheering her on.

As the race neared its conclusion, the competitor in third position allowed herself to drop back a little and place herself alongside the woman lying fourth.  Leaning over, the Australian urged her fellow competitor to make an extra, final effort.

Spurred on by this encouragement, the British woman gave all she had to the final stage of the race . . .  and succeeded in achieving an unexpected third place.
Not only were her excited children hugging their mother and her Bronze Medal, they were hugging their new Australian friend with equal enthusiasm!

So, which world would we rather have?
One in which competitors disregard their own interests in favour of supporting their fellow, less-successful competitors . . .  or one in which politicians foster anger and fear?


A world like the Invictus Games, which offers support, compassion, integrity and courage . . .  or the fearful one that many of us find ourselves immersed in at the moment?

Darwin was only partially right.
Survival is not restricted to those most adaptable to change.  Survival is for those who collaborate, co-operate and support each other.

Isn't it time we got this right?