I was going to comment on the content of this: Last warning: 10 years to save world
But it's really the consequences that matter. Who, now, is listening, much less acting?
And something pretty obvious has (belatedly, I'm sure, compared to a lot) struck me, as I read a Sunday Times columnist having a go at Yummy Mummy CEOs having oodles of kids to validate their womanhood, and some Minister without Portfolio (or much grasp of real life) saying on Breakfast TV that childcare facilities and costs are so good now there's no excuse not to get every Mum back into the workforce, to produce more to improve their earnings potential.
So my epiphany has been... what's the point?
Indy - Parents spend third of wages on nursery, says study
I mean, there are all these folk earning all this dosh, and really all they can do then is spend it on stuff which is not going to help the old Carb-con, clunking footprint.
Most of my chums stayed in London forging successful careers. By which I mean I'm sure they love what they do 'n all, but seem to get up at 6am, wave the kids' nanny goodbye and drive with the power-spouse to the station to work waaaay beyond the Euro-maximum to spend a day in a box earning squillions before coming back in time to kiss the kids goodnight. The kids meanwhile all go to very good, very pricey schools to learn to do the exactly same thing... and how to want... to spend.
What else is there to do?
At work there is only so much you can blow the £esult of all this hard work on. Suit. Hairdo. Lunch. Lap-dancers. Prius. The company can add a few more to the tally: bonding course in Bali with Club to First upgrade, Blackberry, etc.
But in the little time you have at home, really the only thing to do with all this wonga is blow it. Quick trip to Whistler to catch what's left of the snow. A 500" LCD. Another Prius.
My family lives modestly... now. Mainly because we're broke. I'm sure hoping by our efforts that we soon won't be, and a comfy retirement beckons. But if and when it all floods in, what would... could I do with it all? House is sorted. Car looks good until the alternative arrives, or I'm taxed into getting a new one.
I don't think I am one of those green-advocates who feels like telling folk what they should be doing, but reserve the right to hunt around for things they could do, and in as informed a way as possible come to their own conclusions as to the best options.
And in this regard I really think we are being bombarded with some very mixed messages from those who claim to be on top of what's going on, will happen and how to sort it, namely the Government (work harder to make more, and..?) and Media (Fancy a spa break for two in Bali this weekend, simply enter our..).
Tricky.
1 comment:
Re: "Last warning: 10 years to save world"
Agreed, it IS the consequences that matter, but there is also an urgent need for the eco-conscious amongst us to comment. No comment and no discussion means no increase in public awareness of a problem (GW) that is descending on the planet faster than anything in geological history (comet and meteor strikes excluded).
The comment in the Times (and hidden away in other papers from Saturday through to yesterday) about the next IPCC report seems to have raised few eyebrows so far, though it has produced the expected barrage of abusive comment from the deniers brigade.
I hope, and trust, but not necessarily expect, that the report, when fully published, makes massive headline news. It is time that the human race woke up to the fact that just about everything else that we do is starting to become irrelevant. We've had the warnings for years, now we are getting consensual scientific agreement about climate projections that we, as a species, will not be able to do anything about.
The human race stands on the verge of becoming a christmas turkey and cooking itself along with all the trimmings. I wonder if there will be anybody left to pull the wishbone?
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