Have you made the connection? Climate Change and YOU

A few short weeks ago the news was full of stories of the bush fires in Australia. Whilst summer bush fires are not unusual the number this year there were many more than normal, they were bigger, they burned longer and the loss of life (wildlife, plant life and human) was greater than ever before.

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Now the news is full of a completely different natural disaster with catastrophic floods affecting many parts of the UK.  As with the fires in Australia there are more floods than have been seen since records began, they are deeper and have lasted longer.  Whilst deaths due to the flooding have thankfully been kept very low there have been deaths caused by falling trees etc in the storms than bought the flooding.

It is not just the UK either. In January 2020, 66 people were confirmed dead in Jakarta as a direct result of flooding and there are countless other examples of extreme weather events leading to loss of life, property and damage to land.

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The bush fires started earlier than usual and with greater ferocity due to exceptionally hot and dry weather.

The UK floods were caused by extremely heavy rain brought in on 2 severe winter storms.

These and many other extreme weather examples indicate that the overall climate is changing. Australia is becoming hotter and drier and whilst the UK is experiencing warmer and drier summers but having more winters with severe storms.

Climate Change is the result of increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.  One of main ways this happens is through the burning of fossil fuels.  Fossil fuels are burned to create the electricity used to create all the stuff we buy and what it is powers aeroplanes.  Our excessive consumerism and addiction to flying are 2 of the main reasons we have bush fires and flooding.  We are therefore all responsible and have each played our part in these disasters played out around the world.   

Is your addiction to so much STUFF (clothes/imported food/electronics/cleaning products/plastic etc.) and the desire to FLY to a foreign holiday destination really more important than leaving behind a planet for our children to thrive in?

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