Tag: depression

Merry Jollity

Jingle bells, roast chestnuts,

Warm your hands on the fire,

Unwrap presents, Eat huge meals,

All of these things will transpire.

Be together, share a hug,

Forget work and hassle and news,

Watch the Queen speak, drink mulled wine,

Argue with family who have different views.

Play silly games, act out fave films,

Eat Christmas pudding and cover it with booze,

Sing karaoke and dance round the room,

Then lie on the sofa and have a long snooze.

Perhaps for five minutes, reflect and consider,

Those who are not lucky enough to enjoy Christmas day,

Whether religious or just conscious of society,

For a little while think about them who can’t play.

Consider the burning of forests and heatwaves,

Dwell on the cutting of millions of trees,

Imagine the pollution of smelting and jet planes,

Make a choice to save the planet, acknowledge climate change, please.

Christmas Problems

It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Well… apart from the fact that the weather is more autumnal. There isn’t a hint of snow. We basically don’t get those cold winters that we used to when I was growing up.

Global warming is having a massive effect on everything. Currently Australia is suffering from extensive forest fires and the hottest days on record, well above 40 degrees C. England is suffering from extensive flooding which is being repeated more than ever. I cannot recall many days when the road between my city and the neighbouring town has been open lately, due to a continually flooded road.

I try not to be too negative about the whole thing but it really is time we all woke up to global warming as the impact is massive. I read articles everyday about the increasing speed at which ice caps are melting in Greenland and down in the Antarctic continent. At the same time I see coastal villages sinking into the sea. Not because of land movements but due to the fact that sea levels are visibly going up.

Christmas is a time of reflection. Remember we can make a difference by following the lead of Greta Thurnberg and making choices about the way that we travel and use energy.

Maybe next year we can go on holidays without using planes. Perhaps we can walk or cycle to work more often. I guess one of the easiest things that we can do is look at packaging and not buy anything flown into the country by air.

I try to be positive and believe we can make a massive difference if we act now.

Happy Christmas! Please think about a small change you can make to help the environment next year.

Sorting the climate -step by step.

Where do we start? We want to help with climate change? We have all been made aware of the real threat that it poses. Now it is time to consider ways that each of us can contribute to change.

Pushing for political movement is a start. It is vital, indeed. But we need to look at other ways that everyday members of the public may do our bit to help slow climate change a bit. Lots of raising awareness has happened with protests and the wonderful influence of activists such as Emma Thompson and David Attenborough. We are all very much aware! Let’s act now by making changes to our routines, our choices and especially the way in which we travel.

Small change 1: Getting around

One small thing we can do is think very carefully with regard to our daily travel. On a small scale, something that might help is changing our routine with regard to visits to the local shops and dropping off kids at school. Sometime we get ourselves into such a rush that we feel we must use the car to make these tiny journeys.

Traffic would be so much lighter in urban areas were we all to be a bit more pragmatic. Most journeys to school are less than a mile and a half and so we could be encouraging our kids to walk or cycle to school, preventing a lot of standing vehicles churning out copious amounts of pollutants. Few cars on the local roads would make them safer. Plus, having more people walking gives a greater sense of security. Empty paths feel awkward. Busy paths feel safe.

A few schools have begun preventing cars coming near to their sites before and after school. This is refreshing to see. The gases produced on ignition and whilst vehicles are in slow traffic, is damaging to airways as well as contributing massively to environmental damage. We can do something about this, simple by adapting our timings and making the effort to walk, cycle or scoot.

Studies have suggested that some kids get into the car, switch on mobile devices and arrive at school, unaware of the journey they have taken. It is as if they go from island to island with no interaction with their surroundings. Walking to school wakes up their bodies and minds. The journey can be a social one if they walk with friends. It develops independent thinking skills and promotes geographical alertness. Children become aware of their communities, how to cross roads safely and have time to think about their lives, consider their day ahead and take in the world around them. I have fond memories of walking and cycling to school and loved picking up my friends en route as well as the exercise. It made me feel wide awake and ready to learn when I arrived for registration.

Let me know your thoughts.