As fires continue to burn and potentially escalate, the eyes of the world are on a new Australia. And possibly one of the most powerful symbols yet of the impact of extreme weather and what's in store for the world.We are a powerful community and it is increasingly clear that we can and have to do way more to influence the national climate agenda. Given what I do, I am clearly no climate sceptic, but things are way more real when they are happening to you. On 3rd December, things became a lot more real for me when my ex husband called me from near Narooma to tell me that the fire front was 5km from his property on the inlet at Black Bream Point Holiday Cabins and he is expecting it to arrive around 2am that night.He stayed to defend, but expected to lose the main house and hoped to save the fisherman's holiday cabins, but it all depends on the wind when you have a 60ft wall of fire headed toward you.He had not had power for 3 days until a neighbour kindly gifted him a generator that morning. With 3 tins of tuna and a box of crackers left and a mate to help him defend, he had escape route planned via the inlet if they get overwhelmed by the fire.As it turned out, he was incredibly lucky. The wind changed and the fires missed him. Unfortunately, his safety was another person's danger as the fires moved north.
AS WE WATCH OUR COUNTRY BURN DOWN AND LOSE PEOPLE, THOUSANDS OF HOMES AND MILLIONS OF ANIMALS, MANY OF US ARE GALVANISING AROUND THE KIND OF FUTURE WE WANT. AND WE HAVE THE POWER TO DO MORE. WAY MORE. Whatever you do, whoever you are, please look in the mirror and ask yourself what you can do personally, influentially and differently to do better yourself and also to influence the agenda of those running this country, making policy and supporting what matters.
PLEASE DON'T THINK FOR A SECOND THAT WHATEVER IS WITHIN YOUR POWER CAN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE. WE MAKE A COLLECTIVE DIFFERENCE AND WHILE I APOLOGISE FOR RANTING, I DON'T AND NEITHER SHOULD YOU, APOLOGISE FOR USING WHATEVER INFLUENCE I HAVE CREATE A MORE ECO WORLD.I can't influence policy. I am not a scientist or a meteorologist, but I am contributing a way of scoring how eco the products we buy are as a social enterprise and living as well as I can personally. Everyone of us can do something (beyond praying). Everything counts as long as you use the power you have. Wasting less food for example is something we can all do and something we each share with the people who have the power to influence the national climate management agenda. Not taking so many overseas holidays is also something we can all do.Here in Australia right now we have a crisis of political leadership, but there are still more than 24.5 million of us. We are strong. We have powerful activists, advocates, educators, scientists and business leaders. Among us, at community, work, social, friend groups are competent, insightful and decisive leaders. Please don't waste time sniping about useless politicians holidaying and praying. Make something good come of these fires.We have the power to do more. Way more. Whatever you do, whoever you are, please look in the mirror and ask yourself what you can do personally, influentially and differently to live your best life, influence those you can within the power and networks you have and support what matters. Please.
Image: Adam Stevenson Photographer, taken at Wallabi Point in NSW during the Spring fires
Well said. Monday, 10 February 2020