How are you feeling going into the new decade? I've been going through a range of emotions. As fires rage on around Australia and the devastation continues to unfold maybe you're looking for a silver lining in all of this.
One that's shone through is the incredible generosity and support from around the globe for our volunteer fire-fighters and communities affected. The power of human kindness never fails to astound me. Beyond this I'm struggling to find anything that justifies the cost of the loss. And this is not a one-off cost. Numbers have been crunched before and will continue to grow but how do you put a price on the loss of wildlife, jobs, crops, livelihoods, homes, the 'great outdoors', carefree summers, old mountain huts, beach spot and favourite wild places. And with the loss has comes a feeling that everything has changed, that this is the new normal.
Is 'this is 'the new normal'? It feels a little defeatist to me and I want you to go away feeling like you can do something to divert that thinking.
To me it's highlighted the need to saddle up the Green It Yourself horse and get back on with draught-proof tape, energy monitor and some renewed vavavavoooom in my saddle bags. My revolution starts with energy efficiency. - sexy things like only filling the kettle with as much water as you need and draught-proofing the bajasus out of your home to being bold to ask questions to your bank, to your super provider, to your kids about how long it REALLY takes to have a shower as well as pulling out a few greenish-tinged principles so that the footprint you leave is small and people want to follow in them. To wherever it leads them. Hopefully a better planet. Without fights over evidence-based, peer-reviewed science over dinner.
Climate changes moves slowly. We don't always see the effects of it until it's too late. We humans respond to explosion rather than erosion - we've shown that in spades in this crisis. This sadly is an explosion that many climate change scientist have forecast and known will come. It's devastating. There's no salve for the losses now but perhaps there's thinking going on for how we lessen the devastation in the future. That's my hope.
That is no silver lining.
The silver lining is this (and rest assured this is scraping the bottom of the silver-lining barrel ... and for those affected I can't imagine what you've been through) but were there's fire, there's smoke. It's acrid and get's into everything including your house.
There it is. It's a perfect way to smell and see how well you've draught-proofed. Air coming into your house is smoke coming in. Draught-proofing will stop the smoky air now and when it clears, it will keep your home warmer in winter and cooler in summer.
Do it. It really makes a huge difference. Clarity. Begins at home.
Here are some videos to get you started. I've just edited a new one for your viewing pleasure.
And don't stop there. I'm not. Stand-by.
- Log in to post comments