As we approach the UN Climate Summit at the end of October in Glasgow, I wanted to make sure my posts are regularly touching on climate change. Usually I write two thirds of my posts about books and TV and one third about environmental issues. However, right now it is my mission to keep the global warming discussion going.

Bloggers get very excited about Halloween and Christmas but I hope the blogging community can also get involved in heightening knowledge about the climate. This conference will be an important opportunity for world leaders to be proactive about implementing real changes.

It is promising that President Biden seems to take the subject much more seriously than Trump and Boris is giving it more air time. There is still so much that needs doing to reverse the effects of pollution around the planet and only continued pressure will keep it prominent amidst a backdrop of other problems.

Why Care?

As a geographer I studied environmental transport management at University and there was a good knowledge within academic circles of what climate change meant. Predictions were made about the speed at which temperatures would raise by one degree, but now we are starting to see signs that this rate is increasing much faster, particularly around the north pole.

There are lots of mixed messages about global warming and I can see many articles about small changes that people can make. Sadly, the reality is that we need massive institutional changes. Big businesses and governments need to implement new policies and procedures NOW.

Here are some things that need dealing with urgently:

1) Rainforests need protecting, even if it means richer nations funding countries like Brazil to preserve these delicate ecosystems. If money can stop poorer countries deforesting, then so be it.

2) Incentives need to be provided to use public transport and move away from using aeroplanes so readily. Good rail and bus systems should be funded and supported so that less road and air pollution is created. Meetings should be over Zoom as much as possible, rather than journeys between nations for the sake of get togethers which could be managed online.

3) The infrastructure for electric vehicles should be boosted nationally so as to quicken up the move away from petrol and diesel.

4) Environmental Education should be compulsory in all school settings. Young people need to understand the effects of climate change and what we can do to change course. My previous article about this is here.

5) We need to change the way we think about clothing. So much energy is used in the manufacture and transportation of clothes. Fast fashion needs to end and we need to promote and encourage reusing and fixing clothes rather than changing our wardrobes every season.

Hopefully you have enjoyed this post and it has prompted some thoughts. Please comment below and consider reblogging this and other similar articles, especially during this period leading up to the Glasgow Summit.