EDITORSLT
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I
t is amazinghowfast,and at the
same time how slow, change is
happening on the climate crisis.
Only a couple of issues ago, we reported on the extraordinary
and electrifying speech from Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg
to the British Parliament. I’d only just become aware of her and
the youth ‘climate crisis’ movement she had helped spark.
Now, Thunberg is a global icon, hailed and denigrated alike.
While many media commentators in Australia (which sadly
is way behind in accepting the science of global warming) deride
her as a ‘mentally ill’ teenager controlled by her parents or
unknown forces, many others see her as a plain-speaking
heroine who has cut through the politics and greenwash to
tell things as they are.
Her recent words to world leaders at the UN Climate Action
Summit will go down in history: “You have stolen my dreams and
my childhood with your empty words... We are in the beginning
of a mass extinction and all you can talk about is money and
fairytales of eternal economic growth – how dare you!”
UN secretary general, António Guterres, recently said he can
see a new momentum and turning point in action on the climate
crisis and that Thunberg and the youth movement was helping to
fundamentally change the thinking of people and whole nations
on the emergency we now face.
Perhaps some readers are bored by all the talk of climate
change, or climate crisis as it is more accurately named and ask
“What does this have to do with organic gardening?”
Our view at Organic Gardener has always been that gardening
cannot be done in isolation. We cannot quarantine our gardens
from the effects of climate change, just as we can no longer ignore
the social unease that is building around the world and taking
hold of our consciences. Some years ago, the legendary Peter
Cundall, when writing in this magazine, began referring to the
‘climate crisis’ or ‘climate disruption’. He woke me up to the fact
this was not some far away event in 2100 – a slow and gentle
and stoppable warming – it was already happening. It is now
the defi ning issue of this generation who hold the future of life
in their hands. Peter Cundall, was revered for his organic
gardening know-how but also for his love of the planet.
I have read a lot recently about what the future holds and how
we should respond. My view is that we focus on the here and now,
on what we can do that brings joy to us and good to the world, on
what we can do to protect what we love and to stem the worst. To
be awake to the reality but not overwhelmed by it. A tough ask
I know, but one we will pursue through the articles of this magazine.AWKE BUT NO
OVERWHLMD
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