In my last post I ranted about the need for us all to write letters, speak up and do whatever we could to get governments and corporations to pay attention to the recommendations of the recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Chance (IPCC). https://www.ipcc.ch/assessment-report/ar6/

I’m ranting again now but the post after this will be about joy which is still present in the midst of all the chaos.

A few weeks ago there was an article in the Guardian about a different kind of climate change denier, the people who hear the alarm bells ringing but shrug their shoulders and carry on as usual.  Life is not usual at this time on our planet.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/aug/13/denial-anti-vaxxers-climate-sceptics

In her convocation address, delivered in blank verse, at Simon Fraser University in 1991, Canadian poet P.K.Page reminded us that imagination is our star and

                      though we are

Trapped in the body of an animal

We’re half angel and our angel ear,

Which hears the music of the sphere, can hear

The planet’s message, dark, admonishing, as the archaic torso of Apollo

Admonished Rilke, ‘You must change your life.’

 Art and the planet tell us. Change your life.

Of course, one person can’t change the world singlehandedly, but everything each of us does makes a difference. Even small actions have a ripple effect, and one person taking action can inspire others to do the same. You can change your life by

·         Writing letters to government, corporations, the newspapers

·         Signing petitions

·         Consuming less

·         Growing food

·         Cutting back on car and plane travel

·         Eating a plant-based diet

·         Educating oneself and talking to others about the need for action.

David Suzuki has a good list of things that help: https://davidsuzuki.org/what-you-can-do/top-10-ways-can-stop-climate-change/

My brother sent me a link that proposed to offer short works of literature that is meant to inspire one to work on climate change.  I must warn readers that I found them to be depressing as much as they may be inspiring, especially the one written by a Nigerian teenager describing a future Lagos that could come true if we don’t do something. She imagines how life might be different:

https://apple.news/AIwTH0tkIRk2hQmUYcdGz3w

It’s easy to become depressed when one reads about the state of the planet, but I remind myself of the motto of my old friend Dr. Margaret Fulton who said, “We cannot afford the luxury of despair."  We must do what we can. Everything matters.

But it’s also important to take the time to feel gratitude and joy about our good fortune here at this moment. 

It’s a beautiful day, and I’m going out to meet a friend for lunch. These things matter too.

Note: I wrote this yesterday but found I couldn't get into my blog so it didn't go out in a timely way. Fortunately, my excellent nerd assistant, Jason Seale, got it sorted out today. So here it is.