and I wish you would acknowledge it.
I am waiting for the abuse to be hurled at me. It will be. There will be some "activists" out there who will tell me I am wrong - and they will no doubt do it in vile language. Yes, it will upset me but this is something I need to say.
I am tired of people blaming "the government" and "government inaction" for climate change. We elected the government. They are our representatives. We have to take responsibility for what they do. We also have to take responsibility for what we do.
There have been some increasingly nasty exchanges between people on line and some even nastier things said about our elected representatives. They have come from people who often have no business to be criticising because they are, quite simply, equally culpable.
These are the "climate activists" who do some or all of them following.
(1) they drive cars when they could walk or take public transport. (They argue they "don't have time" to walk and that "one car doesn't make a difference" or that "there is no public transport".)
The vehicles they own are all too often 4WDs which they claim to need because they tow caravans or boats or because....
(2) they live in semi-urban areas surrounded by what they fondly believe is "natural bush land". They don't clear away the undergrowth because they believe it is "natural". Their houses are fire traps, often built of highly combustible timber.
(3) If they don't live in a semi-urban area they do live in the suburbs and they have what they fondly imagine to be a "water saving, minimal care garden" full of "native plants". In between the plants they have planted concrete pavers because that "saves" water. Such gardens actually add to global warming and do nothing to save water. They retain heat, especially in the summer and the native plants need extra water because of the concrete pavers.
(4) They may have solar panels on their houses but they don't off set the air conditioning needed to overcome the lack of verandahs, the low ceilings and the heat coming in the big "picture" windows.
(5) Some of them love (and even indulge in) the sort of motor sport or other recreational activities which use up fossil fuels. They go on holiday in far away places. While they may not fly to get there they will tow the caravan and cause unintended damage in remote areas.
(6) They insist on buying "organic" fruit and vegetables and don't take into account that the locally produced in season food may be a better environmental option for more than one reason.
I tried explaining all this - and more - to someone who believes he lives a "very responsible" environmentally oriented life. His response was that I was wrong. He insists "the government" is to blame.
Governments can take more action, of course they can. The action that they could take would likely be extremely unpopular and a future government might well repeal any action taken.
But shouldn't climate action start with us? As individuals we may not think we are doing much but each drop of water eventually makes an ocean.
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I am reaching the end of my life now, and I have always been "thrifty" as have my parents and grandparents before me. The reason is we have never had the wherewithall to be otherwise. A lot of things that many people seem to think are essentials are expensive in more than money.
I get a little fed up with being told that it is "all my fault" when it is not, nor is the government to blame. I get fed up with people being "Holier than Thou" - in fact I am rapidy coming to the conclusion that much that is said more resembles a religious attitude than scientific fact.
Climate change is largely the responsibility of Mother Nature, and though we can do a lot to care for the environment there is little we can do to influence Mother Nature and her biggest ally, the sun.
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