Читать книгу BOSH! How to Live Vegan - Henry Firth - Страница 17

A warming planet also means we can expect more global conflicts.[14] We were surprised by this at first, but it is inevitable: as the natural resources people depend on – water, food, fuel, etc. – become increasingly limited and unpredictable weather events cause climactic damage to landscapes and communities, governments will find it harder to protect and manage their societies. Severe droughts,[15] drowned coastal cities[16] and millions of climate migrants from scorched, desertified countries[17] will leave people feeling uncertain about their futures, resulting in widespread instability and political unrest.

These threats will materialise for the world’s poorest first,[18]particularly those around the equator, and there are already communities whose homes are being threatened or destroyed by climate activity across Africa, Asia, South America and even Alaska,[19] where temperatures are rising more dramatically than elsewhere. Meanwhile, our overconsumption is also affecting the poorest. Isn’t it terrifying to learn that although we produce enough food to feed every human on the planet, over 800 million people go to bed hungry each day?[20]

When we learnt these facts, we have to admit that we found ourselves losing faith in humanity for a while. As soon as you hear statistics like these, it’s easy to feel resigned and deflated – as though you don’t have any control. But we pulled ourselves back out of that hole and realised that there is something we can do – we can all act in a way that does some good for the world. Let’s use these depressing and humbling facts as a motivator to make a change!

We know we are lucky to live in the western world. A world where we import avocados from the other side of the globe to take photos of them in our meals and show people on the internet. It’s not useful for anyone to go around feeling endlessly guilty every day about all that we have, but we do need to acknowledge how privileged we are.

We may not have intentionally caused these problems, but indirectly, by just existing and enjoying the modern world we live in – with all its luxuries and technologies – we have. We must take some responsibility.

We are young professionals who travel on a regular basis around the UK and also around the world. We buy and eat food when we’re out and about. We enjoy our laptops, our phones – in fact, our whole living stems from being online 24/7. We buy clothes that are in fashion and we don’t refuse napkins or take our lunch in a metal box every day.

We have to own up and accept some responsibility for our choices.

Human civilisation has been around for about 12,000 years. The addition of excess carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the planet’s atmosphere has all happened in our lifetime, in the last 30 years.[21], [22] And science shows us we have about the same amount of time left to fix it.[23]

It’s like some kind of sci-fi film plot that the entire history of humanity as we know it lies in the hands of just two generations. And at this point in the story, it doesn’t look much like a happy ending.

How terrifying is that?! But also, how amazing that it is potentially still possible to fix it.

There is, in fact, a lot to be positive about. As we all become more aware of what needs to be done, it’s incredibly encouraging to see people all around the world taking action and making great strides in the name of climate change and the environment.