CLIMATE CHANGE, EXTINCTION REBELLION & WHY I'M BOTHERED
Telling people that I’ll be lending my physicality, my voice and my social media platform to the maverick cause that is Extinction Rebellion raised some eyebrows and ruffled some feathers, as well as peaking some interest and getting me a few pats on the back. The raised eyebrows sounded like this “Really? You want to be one of them? Can’t you do it some other way?” and the ruffled feathers were more like “They’re extreme and disruptive, they’re just causing chaos and all I want to do is get to work, and besides they don’t even have any solutions — it’s not like everyone has the money to switch to green energy,” while the peaked interest was along the lines of “oh now I’ve heard you out… I thought the government would be sorting this but you’re right — we've got to do something. Tell me more.” and the pats on the back were like “Yes! I’m already involved!” or “Brilliant, can I join you??”
I’ve drafted a bit of a long blog post on my thoughts about everything on this subject title but truth be told, it’s not ready and I’m preparing for a Climate Anxiety panel talk at lunchtime today at Trafalgar Square. The gist of it is this: whether you believe that we’ve got 6, 60 or 6,000 years left of our planet before it all goes to pieces, unless you’ve been living under a rock (which may or may not be overheating or flooding — depending on where you are) then you’ll agree that while scientists don’t agree (I mean on exact predictions here), the ill effect of humans stripping more than they should from the planet’s resources without giving back is undeniably taking its toll. And right now, while climate change is the topic du jour, it seems to have slipped away from the government's agenda all over the world (especially in the UK with the Brexit farce). Despite all the UN announcements that we’re in a critical time, perhaps even heading into a global disaster, little has actually changed or been done to universally combat climate change. Yes, we’re more aware of recycling and saying no to plastic straws but seriously — we need to start changing policies around the world and working as one to take care of planet home.
Other than Greta — the young woman who needs no introduction and has inspired millions of us — there are not many other groups or individuals making such an immediate impact as Extinction Rebellion. What we need now isn’t lots of little groups doing their own thing but instead, a diverse community united in telling the government to listen up and take action. To stop dancing around the subject, and arguing the minor points, whilst missing the big picture in pursuit of petty party politics. We all have a voice and if we care about our future, the planet and ultimately each other, we shouldn’t be waiting on the sidelines for someone else to take a stand. While we might be welcoming warmer summers in the UK and patting ourselves on the back for using a reusable water bottle and cutting down on plastic, we are not equipped or prepared for the mass food shortages, rising sea levels, the mass extinction of flora and fauna and the deterioration of air quality that is predicted, as well as the chaos this will bring. Aside from the devastating affect on the physical world, this is also a humanitarian crisis. ‘Climate change’ is already affecting, and will continue to affect, people across the world in the same structurally racist, oppressive way that the system works.
Extinction Rebellion are using peaceful protesting — just like Mahatma Gandhi, Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King — to highlight an issue that affects everybody: their aim is working for the greater collective good. Based on previous peaceful civil protests, it looks like 3.5% of the population is the tipping point, the magic number that we need to turn up to get the country fully on board and oblige the government to radically rethink existing climate and eco policies and start making decisions on technology and solutions that can help the UK to play its part, as well as inspiring other nations around the world to face climate change head on, rather than each of us sitting back and passing the buck.
It may sound clichéd but I believe it’s time to stand up and be counted. Why wait any longer? Let’s join together and take this opportunity to be heard. If you feel moved to do so please lend your voice to the movement — it’s the best shot we have. Come and join the peaceful protest out of love and compassion for humanity, not out of fear. The only constant in life is change, but as humans we are creative and adaptable and have it within us all to be the change we seek. Some things are worth fighting for and I think this one might well be one of them… This is a call to action to show up in the best way you think you can, even if just to utilise your own network to highlight the issue and raise discussion amongst your friends. A peaceful AND urgent demonstration to exercise our right to design our own future is what is needed — hope without action is not enough.