05 December 2018

listen to Greta



 Greta Thunberg
"For 25 years countless people have come to the UN climate conferences begging our world leaders to stop emissions and clearly that has not worked as emissions are continuing to rise. So I will not beg the world leaders to care for our future, I will instead let them know change is coming whether they like it or not.
Since our leaders are behaving like children, we will have to take the responsibility they should have taken long ago. We have to understand what the older generation has dealt to us, what mess they have created that we have to clean up and live with. We have to make our voices heard."

Greta Thunberg is 15 years old.


We need to listen and act, we made the mess. One way or another.
I need to listen and act, I made that mess. One way or another.

I am about to fly to the other side of our planet. When I arrive back home in January, I will have contributed 11000 kg CO₂ to the atmosphere.  That's just me, not us, not the entire plane load of happy people.

And now what? Many years ago I decided to fly only for family emergencies and this is one, in a way. In my daily life, I work hard on keeping my CO₂ footprint as low as possible. I will offset the carbon emission from the flight. I act like a fool pedalling against the wind.



9 comments:

Ms. Moon said...

If we were all as thoughtful and loving towards the planet as you are we wouldn't be in this damn mess.

37paddington said...

What Ms Moon said.

molly said...

Pedal on Sabine! We, in the US, are the worst offenders, building our houses far away from the places to which we regularly need to go, hopping into our cars when it would benefit our bodies and our planet more if we were wise enough to pedal like fools into the wind. I promise to try harder, for you and for all the Gretas.

ellen abbott said...

Our studio has always been at home so we never needed to 'go' to work though producing the etched glass was exactly a green endeavor. I rode my bicycle for errands in the neighborhood when weather permitted. it was too dangerous to ride out in the big city. I have hardly ridden my bike since we moved out to this small town, outside town in the county but even so everything is close. I'll have to refurbish my bicycle. I've been meaning to anyway. do my part but it's a drop in the proverbial ocean. we've already ruined this planet, caused the extinction of so many creatures.

am said...

"... Since our leaders are behaving like children, we will have to take the responsibility they should have taken long ago. We have to understand what the older generation has dealt to us, what mess they have created that we have to clean up and live with. We have to make our voices heard."

Thank you for your part in making Greta's voice heard throughout the world. I have experienced the power of love. It is not a theory. My gut feeling is that love is what moves Greta to speak out and act on her love.

Sending all my love to you and R as your love carries you to welcome your grandchild to the world and to be there for that newborn family. It is occurring to me that all the pedaling you have done throughout your life counterbalances this present journey of love.

Anonymous said...

That young woman is the future, the one I hope will be born from her and her generation's response to the mess we are leaving them. We walk everywhere and feel lucky that we don't even need our car to get our groceries. You ride and do what you can to leave a small carbon footprint. This is all we can do, and cheer on the children who will take the reins. I wish them luck.

Secret Agent Woman said...

I am trying hard to hope that the young people will save us from our own idiocy and selfishness.

Elizabeth said...

Wow. You, bringing new life into the world, and so careful and loving always -- well, if more of us were like YOU, the world would be a greater place.

Elizabeth said...

And I just realized that I left a comment implying that you are a midwife! When that's a different blogger! How silly of me. I should have just stated that your concern and conscientiousness are a model for all of us. Thank you.