Mike Parker shares with us his latest Sustainable Living Column
THREE weeks ago my computer’s spellchecker struggled to cope with my failed attempt at spelling “coronavirus.”
The best alternate option it could find, for what was an unknown quantity at the time, was an apt “carnivorous.”
Spot on I thought. Promoting it as an apex predator seemed more appropriate than the more sanitised covid-19.
It highlighted the virus as a tiny, brutal living pathogen intent on consuming the flesh of the only top apex predators capable of controlling its growth, we humans.
Covid-19 might pose the greatest threat ever to our current lifestyle but luckily we humans have the intelligence and technology needed to restrict its damage and growth.
Yet Covid-19’s threat to our lifestyle is dwarfed by another well documented threat; the potentially more lethal climate emergency.
They are tiny inanimate particles which if uncontrolled too long have, unlike the virus, a tipping point of no return.
Co2 levels decide the size of our global carbon footprint. Despite our intelligence, and knowing technical solutions exist, we humans have wilfully continued activities that stoke dangerous levels of global heating.
Interestingly the changes in lifestyle harnessed to support the economy, and combat covid-19, are inadvertently replicating and exploring many aspects of the urgent action needed to reduce Co2 emissions and global heating.
All are actions justified by our leaders listening to scientific advice, adopting bi-partisan planning; government investment enabling difficult changes, with vested interests changing their business models; support for small businesses and the self employed; community co-operation; local food and goods encouraged; reduced road journeys; home working and living locally increased; air flights curtailed; energy use reduced; pollution lowered; support for the vulnerable.
There’s an old Chinese proverb that says: “The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”
Even acting late as we have in implementing the science behind containing Covid-19, it will eventually work now.
Continued failure to follow scientific advice in lowering Co2 emissions and global heating means we miss that final vital target, a successful low carbon economy.
No second best time for us there then!
