Make this a force for good
THROUGHOUT the entire world humanity is experiencing a shared life-threatening trauma.
Never before have world populations fought a common enemy and never before have we witnessed a worldwide response.
I am moved to write to the media for the first time in my life, not to comment about the threat of this virus but to broadcast the wonderful opportunity which could arise from such a terrible situation.
We might only imagine in science fiction governments closing down industry, acting as if money is no object in order to protect lives.
For the protection of the vulnerable populations we adhere to strict regulations, and lives quite rightly are put above qualifications, socialising, the economy or sport.
Whatever the financial cost people must be fully committed to the protection of lives.
Populations have provided their full support to drastic measures and looked to the hard work and skills of the medical and scientific communities to look after them and get them through.
As the world populations act as one for the very first time we collectively acknowledge what is really most important – health.
Our health and perhaps too the health of our planet?
Now is the time to instigate a drastic change to human life for us to make it better forever.
There are perhaps just three short months to do so. A narrow window of opportunity whilst we are all paying close attention and actually caring.
Many voices have shouted loud and clear that we are damaging ourselves and our wonderful planet: Greenpeace and Greta etc.
But as individuals or even small groups we feel helpless.
The world of politics, religion, global economies are just so at odds with one another, so complicated to collectively respond in any meaningful way. Well here is the opportunity. It is now proved that governments are able to work well together and respond so positively .
The Chinese are once again free to roam outside. They are breathing clean unpolluted air possibly for the very first time.
Right now the governments of every country should agree to stop burning coal and shut down nuclear power stations.
Think of the financial savings of unilateral disarmament, not to mention the use of science and scientific minds for construction instead of destruction.
The world could reinvest economies focusing on what we now agree really matters – life itself.
Whatever the initial economic cost let’s protect the rainforest, the lungs of our planet and discover the medical solutions contained in yet undiscovered plants. We can carbon capture worldwide and invest in clean energy delivered by the sun, wind and tides.
There are so many wonderful changes we could make to our lifestyle and living environments.
Our cities could be reconstructed as could our transport systems.
With people in full support, backed by governments these changes could take just a few years instead of decades.
This experience has proven that with a common goal nations can bring about incredible changes in a very short period of time.
Over the coming months we will hear little else other than the suffering resulting from Covid-19.
Let history record that 2020 gave us a clear vision to collectively change our world for the betterment of us all.
Glenn Wright Southport