The idea that I’m a “greenie”, an “environmentalist,” or a “tree-hugger” is not personally offensive, but I do get upset when people confuse those issues with my concern about the climate crisis.
They are, of course, distinctly similar issues, but examined with any forensic intent, they are decidedly different matters.
Of course, I care deeply about the onslaught of plastic in the world, our lack of interest in littering (not everyone, of course), our lack of interest in providing efficient and sophisticated public transport, the need for the correct disposal of our rubbish; composting; excessive packaging; towns and cities not caring about or employing urban design that allows for and encourages walking and cycling; the geographic spread of our towns and cities; our addiction to flying and driving; and our needless consumption of goods and carbon-intensive foods.
But none of those things are in and of themselves responsible for our wounded climate system.
Just a few days ago, I heard NASA climate scientist Dr Peter Kalmus talk about how we can be distracted by any of those topics and forget, largely, that at the root of all those problems are fossil fuels.
He argued that if we are to worry about anything and demand change, our voice should be added to those calling for an end to our use of fossil fuels.
And while people confuse my concern about the climate crisis with the many environmental matters that trouble the world, strangely, it is evident people around the world, including here in Shepparton, have what has been described as a “worryingly” low level of understanding about the climate crisis and environmental policies.
Writing in The Guardian, Sandy Laville said, “Only a quarter of people questioned clearly understood the term ‘green’ and about the same number could accurately describe what ‘sustainable’ – making something in a way that causes little or no damage to the environment – meant.”
Frequently, people point at me and say, “If you really cared about the environment, you would...” as they make me responsible for something that damages, of course, our environment but does little to worsen the climate crisis.
Coal, gas and oil are the major contributors to the climate crisis, and they allow for the many things that also accelerate the climate crisis.
Recently, I was harangued about the state of our roads when it was argued that rather than commit to repairing the pothole-littered thoroughfares, the money is diverted to attend to issues raised by “greenies”.
Ignored, conveniently, is the fact that road damage was the outcome of huge falls of rain that are a product of the climate crisis.
And what do we do?
We must bang on the door of every politician we know, and here in the Goulburn Valley, it is the Federal Member for Nicholls Sam Birrell, and the State Member for Shepparton, Kim O’Keeffe.
Once we get to talk with them, we must demand they act to remove fossil fuels from every aspect of state and federal operations.
Personally, that’s a practice I’ve followed for some time. Still, I now carry too much “climate baggage”, as do many of my friends, and so I’m always politely dispatched to the “eccentric” corner for being pessimistic in the extreme; I’m a “doomster”, I’m someone who doesn’t understand the economic or political realities of addressing the climate crisis head-on, and can’t grasp reality.
Whatever we do, making a real effort to tackle the climate crisis is going to be difficult beyond imagination. There will be both winners and losers; some things will work, and some won’t. We need leaders with charisma, vision, courage, boldness and a tenacity that many equate with a dog and a bone.
And, of course, they must accept and understand the quickly emerging seriousness of climate change.
Yes, I’m a greenie, a tree-hugger and an environmentalist, but first and foremost, my concern is about the rapidly evolving climate crisis.