100,000 gathered in Melbourne in protest against the lack of action on climate change by our government and governments around the world. Equivalent numbers of protestors were in cities around Australia. They came from all walks of life, the protest initiated by school children but clearly many adults were involved too.
It is interesting to read that some teenagers are really fearful about their futures if nothing is done on climate change. Our niece Little Jo cares passionately about the environment, without particularly understanding how our destruction of it benefits her.
Yes, you hear right. Our destruction of our environment. No generation is to blame, no politician, no lifestyle, it is just all of us on this planet who over the last 200 years have overseen massive deforestation, the loss of innumerable numbers of creatures great and small, from animals, birds, sea life and tiny gnats that all go to make up how Earth's ecology evolved.
We can't turn back the clock, but we can do something for the future. Complain, protest, send emails, sign lists and petitions, least of all to television stations that begin a news story about kangaroos invading some new outer suburb and bounding down a street. Duh, I think the kangas were there first.
The elephant in the room is of course the huge growth of the population on Planet Earth. It must be curtailed.
A bit odd! Australia's the most underpopulated country on the planet. Global population growth meanwhile is currently slowing, and unless there's some unforeseen global cultural shift it will almost certainly go into reverse in your niece's lifetime. Fundamentally there's nothing really wrong with the natural environment. It's the human race we need to worry about.
ReplyDeleteLHB, not so. It is full. Only the coastal areas are suitable for habitation. The large inland area is only for creatures and a few of our original people.
DeleteI did my part by not reproducing.
ReplyDeleteTravel, funny. So did I.
DeleteAnd me.
DeleteI couldn't agree more Andrew and as drastic as it may seem to some a limit of two children would be a good start! I was fed up missing our protest in the city today, I had a similar situation that you had with your hand but on my face, not prepared to go out until stitches are out 😁
ReplyDeleteGrace, so sorry to hear. I hope the red haired one attended. Love to see you girlfriend.
DeleteI agree, its humans being humans that's responsible for environmental degradation. I'm not sure we can change really, since everything we do, magnified by the billions of people on earth, is destructive in some way to parts of the environment. We clear massive amounts of land to farm to feed the massive number of people, and to house them and the industries they work in so they can buy food and housing. The smartest approach might be population control. Fewer people on earth means less stress on habitat and resources. I read about how destructive tech devices, like phones, computers, TV's are on the environment. We consume therefore we destroy. Fewer of us on the planet might save us. Those of us who have never had children are climate warriors!
ReplyDeleteStrayer, we are our worst enemies for sure.
DeleteCount me among those doing their part by not having children, though it's more an unintended consequence of my sexual orientation than any kind of environmental protest.
ReplyDeleteKirk, well you still could have children, as many gay people do, especially now.
DeleteOh, Andrew, I'm fine with not having children. I think "unintended consequence" was a poor choice of words on my part. I only meant that it's not for environmental reasons I didn't have children.
DeleteI replaced myself, period, as did father of children. And we did try to adopt 2 more but failed.
ReplyDeleteAll the protests won't stop the out of control greed of the corporations who fuel this and us stockholders who count the coin of profits. It is a fatal system and as Naomi Klein says in her latest book (paraphrasing here) we have to make a decision today whether we want a gentle cooperative civilization or destructive mob rule. I know where my money is.
XO
WWW
WWW, we all know what the problem is, private profit above all else, but we seem powerless to do anything.
DeleteAnd our political leaders are trying (quiet hard) to stifle the protests. They are certainly not listening (or at least not to the many people for whom this is a very real worry). When I see comments suggesting that protesting is a path to unemployment or is only undertaken by dirty, smelly greenies I fume.
ReplyDeleteAnd feel more than a little guilty that prior commitments prevented me joining the protestors in fact as well as in spirit.
DeleteEC, I so agree about your dirty, smelly greens. Everyone likes to shoot the messenger, but they would do well to listen.
DeleteThe climate change summit is happening in a couple of days and where is Scummo ? Partying with Trumpet, and he said his schedule is too full for him to attend.
ReplyDeleteCheryl, and I am rather disgusted at how the uncritical media is showing their meeting as a love fest.
DeleteI agree with you 100% Andrew.
ReplyDeleteIn my neck of woods, nothing on the environment anyhow these people are made fun of.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on
Dora, that is sad to hear.
DeleteWe can start by writing to the Chinese government, where the pollution is appalling. Once that is sorted, we should limit families to one child only.
ReplyDeleteCro, China is becoming much better at being good environmental citizens, as it burns coal bought from Australia.
DeleteHuge crowd here in Adelaide, I saw them on the news last night and also earlier in the day as I dodged through them to cross the street to get my bus, the shouting made my ears hurt.
ReplyDeleteRiver, you should have joined them. Were any of your children at the protest?
DeleteNo, all of them were working and I was on my way home looking forward to coffee after cleaning someone's kitchen and bathroom. I'd look a bit funny marching along with my fingers in my ears, which get quite sensitive during hayfever season.
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