Where were you when the first Government Red Alert went off daddy? Well, I was at Victoria Park Christmas Fayre. What happened? Well, people started screaming, running around, ducking under tables, grabbing their babies, staring up at the skies. I thought the Tories had got back in! But no, it was just a cataclysmic weather warning. And of course, we’ll be getting more of these as global warming catches up with us. But while we’re all stopping using plastic, converting to electric cars, eating only vegan mooseburgers and dusting out our old velocipedes, is the rest of the world listening?
The carbon footprint of the Russia-Ukraine war is an extra 175million tonnes of greenhouse gasses
The worlds military are intense users of fossil fuels. If all the worlds’ armies were one country, they’d be the 4th highest emitter after China, USA and India. So now your one little recycled item looks a bit of a drop in the tsunami.
Red
Of course, it might be that when the 3-minute warning for the actual incoming nuclear missile attack comes we’ll all get that red alert again. Presumably instructions will come up “Seek shelter, preferably underground. You should expect to stay inside for at least 24 hours years.”
A far cry from the 1950’s government warnings of ‘duck and cover’ when in the event of a nuclear attack US school children were told to do just that. Of course there’s an element of effectiveness. Troops are told to do this in the event of a blast as it minimalizes contact with the skin. Well, providing they’re not very close to the actual blast epicentre. A 10-megaton airburst has a range of 8.6km. Better start running now….
Duck
Of course, there never was a public information film at the time called ‘Duck and consider the option of not having nuclear weapons in the first place’. But we live and learn. Although that’s not looking promising.
One of our new years resolutions was to not let Donald Trump anywhere near the nuclear button. It’s odd to break resolutions a month before actual new year but looks like we’ve done that. Trump has promised to end the Ukrainian war. With 100,000 North Korean troops poised on the Kursk salient that’s dangerously looking like ‘with a Russian victory’.
But at this time of year, we think of peace on earth, goodwill to all mankind and our eyes turn to the Holy Land itself. Or what’s left of it. 47,000 people have died there in war during the past year. 45,000 of them Palestinians. And of course, rebuilding Gaza alone with the schools, hospitals, water plants and bakeries destroyed in the war will generate another 60m tonnes of C02 equivalent.
Humanity
In 1984 we were inspired by the humanity of several wealthy pop stars getting together and recording a Christmas single for drought-stricken Ethiopia. ‘Throw your arms around the world at Christmas time’ they sang. People are capable of immense kindness and charity.
The Ethiopian crisis was caused by Western capitalism and Soviet militarism competing for influence. The result was war, famine and drought. An entirely man-made catastrophe.
Climate change, competition for scarce resources, famine and war are all man made. But….. that means mankind can stop them. Before there’s no humanity even left……..
Shall we try? Answers on a Christmas card please…