Responding to climate change

I sat in a coffee shop today reading the Independent and feeling unhappy.

I know we have known for a long time that the lifestyles we choose to lead are having a disastrous effect on our planet, but it now seems even more definite and even more real.

A lot of the things that usually occupy my mind, such as the problems in the Anglican church (Yes, I know – I do need to get out and about more) now seem really very unimportant.

So, what can we do? Well, I can only speak for myself.

First of all there are lifestyle changes. In my case I think the campervan needs to go. I’m beginning to come to the conclusion that someone who calls themselves a Christian can no longer own a campervan with a clean conscience. Campervans are a lot of things, but green really isn’t one of them. Perhaps I should scrap it rather than selling it so that no-one else gets to pollute the atmosphere with the dashed thing.

I also need to be a bit more serious about using my bicycle rather than driving places. I’m quite good at this, but I could be better. I haven’t been very good over the last few months as my bike keeps on developing stupid little problems that I can’t fix, but I need to resolve to do better.

I suppose the other weapons I have at my disposal to do something, (even if it isn’t much) are my cartooning ability and the fact I can make websites. Therefore I am thinking that a good thing to do would be to build a new website with cartoons that have an environmental message, and somehow (via means that I have not exactly fathomed out) use this as a lobbying tool to put pressure on governments to do something. If you can think how this might work please let me know.

I think that is the main thing we can do – demonstrate that we feel strongly about the issue and use whatever skills we have to influence people in power to do what they can. And do what we can to fight apathy and ‘nothing I do will make a difference anyway’. I don’t know what else to suggest.