The "well, what's your alternative?" question ENRAGES me. Because I have answered it so many times, and the people asking me (almost always) know that I have; they just don't like my answers. These answers would move them out of their comfort zone, decentre them, force them to do (different) hard work. It enrages me... Continue Reading →
We should give our age in ppm. No, hear me out. (I’m 97ppm, btw.)
One thing people don't get about climate change is just how quickly the blanket of C02 is thickening because of our emissions. Sure, there's that Al Gore on his elevator stunt in the film "An Inconvenient Truth." And there's this that shows we are thickening the blanket more and more quickly (because we are burning... Continue Reading →
We need to see what isn’t there
Quick thought, because a) working on an overdue Doctor Who article, b) working on The Job (CCS) and c) have a call imminently with an old friend. So much of what frustrates me about me/social movement organisations comes down to the inability/unwillingness (because it's hard, and if you don't practice, you never get better --... Continue Reading →
Elephants don’t tapdance. And they don’t even do elephant-y things any more. We are so screwed.
Take it as a given that elephants don't tap dance. (They are super smart, and we are a horrible horrible species, busy exterminating them, but you knew thtis). Elephants don't even jump - because, why would they need to? And the elephants, if you don't know me, are one of my favourite metaphors for big,... Continue Reading →
“Isn’t it entropic, I really do think” – or “How Groups Zombify, and what, in theory, was to be done…” #HowGroupsZombify
If you are Really Damn Old you may recognise the song lyric reference in the first half of the title. "Whatever," as the young people used to say. "How Groups Zombify" - HGZ, as we will call it, (but which could also stand for Hypocrites Going Zealous?) is a key question. For me, anyway. Not... Continue Reading →
What am I good for? Of “All Our Yesterdays” and “Yes, but let’s BELL the BLOODY CAT.” That’s about it, I think…
A house move is a chance to reflect (because I don't ever ruminate otherwise, oh not at all). So many books. So so many bloody books. So many of them not read (so many not written, too.) You get to thinking, as per my Twitter header - What has it all been for? What am... Continue Reading →
The hypocrite-zealot trap
Those who are trying to do something about the climate crisis are used to being lied about, smeared and sneered at. Some of those doing the lying/smearing/sneering are defending their own (short-term) economic and political positions (politicians, pundits and other poltroons)A larger number of people are terrified, but feel powerless (and, frankly - in the... Continue Reading →
Fear, “apathy” and self-cauterisation around #climate change
So the obvious question is why aren't tens of thousands of people involved in the "Just Stop Oil" actions? There are loads of different answers to this question, that will convince different people. I don't think it is as simple as "people think climate change isn't a big deal" or "people don't like to Get... Continue Reading →
Why “we” ignore the IPCC, and what to do about it.
This is a (light) expansion of this Twitter thread, about an article on the Guardian website by one of their environment reporters, Fiona Harvey. Ms Harvey is anticipating (plausibly - tomorrow we shall see if she is right) that the latest Working Group 3 report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change will sink without... Continue Reading →
2022 is gonna be hella interesting – roadmaps and guides to all this? My initial two cents
I saw this below on the Grauniad website today and tweeted that 2022 is gonna be hella interesting. I have MUCH else to be getting on with (Sarah, if you're reading this I have got about 3/4 of the crap out of the attic). But I want to throw an initial schema and a set... Continue Reading →