This planet is all we have
Just Words...
If I was a betting man I would estimate that the planet has another two to ten centuries max – not long in the scheme of things – before the Earth starts burning up and becomes uninhabitable for human life.
That’s a bit of a bummer really because I can’t see too many available planets where we could jump off and set-up home. Unless you are banking on time travel or discovering another universe, this planet is all we have but we are doing a good job of systematically killing it.
We can no longer ignore the warning signs telling us that earth is beginning to struggle to regulate itself as it slowly but surely is in the process of overheating without the necessary tools to cool down.
Denying climate change makes us feel comfortable, why should we care anyway, we won’t be around when the earth disintegrates. But it’s not that far down the road as we are already witnessing the extremes in weather conditions.
Cyprus is getting hotter for longer – during July and August temperatures can become unbearable as they soar above 40 degrees Celsius. There have been killer heatwaves in Japan and Portugal while the UK has experienced extremely hot temperatures and snow in March.
There are no seasons anymore – it is boiling hot or bloody cold. Areas of Cyprus are becoming drought lands with water a scarce commodity. Not to mention the tourism industry – how will tourists be able to cope if temperatures during August consistently remain above 40 degrees.
A recent environment performance index showed Cyprus was doing relatively well in efforts to combat climate change and keep the air and water quality clean – but there are huge challenges ahead.
I’m a recycled warrior gathering my plastic, paper and metals to be collected for recycling each week. Although when it comes to glass, there is no system of collection which means pointlessly driving around to find a bottle bank. The energy expended in car emissions defeats the exercise in trying to save the planet.
And not every household in Cyprus has access to a recycled waste pick-up service and then there’s the issue of where to take old furniture and household appliances and garden waste.
There is no eco-friendly policy for handling such waste apart from offenders dumping their rubbish in open fields or in the countryside.
Sadly, Cyprus has become a glorified landfill site as it has struggled to create a joined-up policy for tackling waste management. This is partly due to the government not having a robust environmental policy – if it has one at all. Government strategy is to do nothing unless forced into action by the EU.
Cyprus is a leader in generating more waste per head of population than most other European countries, without a clue what to do with the stuff once we’ve used it.
Given a prod in the right direction Cypriots do care about their environment, given the chance of empowerment in the form of direct action.
Look at the response to the charge for plastic carrier bags, Cypriots quickly changed habits with over 80% of shoppers bringing their own reusable ones. Beach cleaning campaigns also generate a great response and genuine enthusiasm.
Nevertheless, our behaviour towards the environment must change. We must use less plastic, recycle more, stop dumping waste in fields and rivers, respect natural habitats and drive more fuel-efficient cars while not leaving the engine to run while parked.
We all like to do our bit for the eco-system but we need to look at the end result, such as what happens to recycled waste in Cyprus processing.
Where does that go and what happens to it, since China is longer a willing dumping ground for excess plastic and other waste.
According to recycling company Green Dot, half the Cyprus households it serves participate in the recycling programme, and that from 2007 to 2016 about 400,000 tonnes of packaging waste have been recycled.
Which suggests there is a large swathe of households who treat recycling as a nuisance – a bit like drivers who flick cigarettes or rubbish out their window.
Cyprus is drowning in waste and the trail of pollutants we leave behind is screwing the planet big time.
More worryingly, top scientists this week warned that even if humanity slashes greenhouse gas emissions in line with Paris climate treaty goals, the planet could overwhelm such efforts and irretrievably tip into a hellish ‘hothouse’ state.
Under such a scenario, Earth’s average temperature would stabilise 4 or 5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, rather than the 1.5C to 2C cap called for in the 196nation pact.
As it is, the world is struggling to curb the man-made carbon pollution that, with only one degree Celsius of warming so far, amplifies the likelihood and intensity of deadly heatwaves, droughts and superstorms.
Simply put, climate change continues to outpace the transition to a green, clean global economy. Technology might not save us from ourselves.
In a doomsday scenario, the Earth System could switch from helpful to harmful, eventually dumping more CO2 and methane into the atmosphere than all human activity combined.
I’m not asking you to make your clothes out of hemp or disregard fossil fuels and fast cars – but the Amish might have a point.
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