I was amazed today to discover that Rupert Murdoch is only 5 years older than I am! Nothing to do with age and everything to do with mental outlook.
He is one of a group of wealthy individuals whose use of power has been incredibly damaging.
Since the 1990s, if not earlier, the knowledge has been available to establish that our profligate use of fossil fuels could not continue without severe damage to the planet on which we live.
I know that Australia had various restrictions and forms of rationing during WWII, although, given that England had to import a major part of its food, I suspect that the UK had more extreme shortages. European countries, on whose soil the fighting took place, suffered even more and far more civilian lives were lost than is appreciated in later years.
Concentrating on the ‘war effort’ was accepted as necessary and if we did not have enough food coupons to invite friends for a meal, we still did not die from starvation! In fact, we learned to avoid waste – a lesson needs to be re-learned in today’s world of wanton waste!
So where is all this rambling going?
Greed for wealth and power has pushed our planet to the edge, with many species already extinct and many more on the verge of that fate.
The attraction of convenience means we are using, but not recycling, enormous quantities of plastic and other materials with a significant proportion of the discarded materials fouling up our oceans and damaging marine life.
Because the powerful coterie (with its enthusiastic lobby group making donations to political parties) which benefits from continued exploitation of fossil fuels has denied the need for change, we have pushed ourselves so close to the tipping point that it will be touch and go for our youngest generation to have a viable future.
Every day that we fail to reduce emissions and pollution results in a far harder job to claw our way back to a world where plants can grow and we can breathe.
And where does Rupert Murdoch come into this?
Well, you may ask!
His craze for power and influence has enabled him to surround himself with people whose desire for personal wealth and power prevents them from developing any sense of moral responsibility for the destruction that their actions and policies are causing.
Individuals all around the world are working to reduce the amount of waste they send to landfill, to avoid polluting water and generally doing their bit to help fight climate change.
But that is not, and never will be, enough!
Without government leadership – as occurred when there was a war effort to support – individuals will make too small a move towards the necessary outcomes.
We have had, worldwide, several School Strikes 4 Climate, which have not galvanised any serious action at government level.
Maybe we need to really go over the top.
I have 4 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren and my concern is for them to be able to have a life as good as the one I have had – and I am neither wealthy nor important.
I think everyone over 70 – particularly if they also have grandchildren – should be out there, in a coordinated way, to make sure the government is in no doubt that we demand immediate and effective action. This must be designed to reduce emissions and pollution, create effective carbon sinks on a massive scale and develop policies which ensure that everyone is required to play their part.
And an essential early step would be to make it a punishable offence to continue to publish lies from the climate change deniers – like Rupert Murdoch!
The science has been done, the evidence has been provided and yet our governments are still hesitating because, in large part, they are held back by vested interests.
Already many people who truly understand the situation are saying it is too late. As an eternal optimist, I refuse to accept that, but urgent and immediate action is called for.
Greta Thunberg shows a wisdom way beyond her years and far greater than most of the candidates for election to high office.
We cannot afford to delay!
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