The Monday Mix (08/03/2021)
Happy Monday!
Today I wanted to go with a theme for this week’s email, the environment. I’m a passionate environmentalist. It took me a while to reach this point, but in the last few years and my experiences travelling have made me care more about the environment.
I remember sitting out outside a museum back in January 2013, in 40-degree heat. The first time I’d experienced such weather, and thinking to myself, this is insane!
It was a nice change to the weather in the UK but it was intense. Another vivid moment is walking through Manila in the Philippines and coming face-to-face with poverty and rampant pollution.
I’ll never forget walking past a canal which was black due to the levels of pollution and the sheer amount of plastic trapped in it.
Hiking to the top of Monte Igeldo in San Sebastian was when it really hit home. San Sebastian is one of the most beautiful cities in Spain. The view from the top of the mount is unbelievable. There was just one problem.
The plastic littering the road to the top.
It was everywhere. It hit me how beautiful this spot was, yet it was tarnished with litter everywhere I turned. It was a horrible juxtaposition and one that’s stuck with me since.
The coronavirus has exposed how quickly our lives can be turned upside down. How fragile our lives are. The growing threat of climate change could render Cornrovirus a stroll in the park by comparison. I’m not sure we’re ready for what’s coming if we don’t act.
The scenes of devastation in Australia and America from wildfires could become the norm. In this email, I want to share a few pieces which highlight the trouble we’re in and solutions, some of which are batshit crazy, proposed to get us out of a mess of our own making.
Is Anywhere Free From Pollution?
This is a harrowing read. while it’s not surprising, it’s still uncomfortable. Plastic has invaded almost every corner of the globe. Nowhere is safe from its scourge.
Even in my hometown here in the UK, Chester, which isn’t the biggest city in the country by any stretch, plastic is everywhere.
I take a bag with me to pick up plastic whenever I go for walk. I tend to go by one route most of the time, a path that runs parallel to a busy road.
It’s no exaggeration to say I’ve picked up over 200 bags worth of plastic since I started picking plastic up back in late 2019. That terrifies me because I know it’s much worse elsewhere. Yet, there’s still so much of it here in my small city.
The UN estimates there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish by 2050. If that happens, it’s a sad indictment of our species. It will be our biggest legacy on the planet, one which will far outlive us all. A paean to rampant consumerism.
Will Tech Solve The Climate Crisis Or Make It Worse
This article is a review of a new book by the American journalist, Elizabeth Kolbert. It’s called Under A White Sky and details the technology which may or may not save us from climate disaster.
It looks at all manner of solutions, but the most troubling is the plan to geoengineer the atmosphere to thwart climate change. The plan involves simulating a volcanic explosion by filling the atmosphere with a million tonnes of sulphur dioxide each year.
While this might bring down temperatures it could also lead to devastation for millions around the globe. It’s a solution that wouldn’t be amiss from a Bond villain. Yet it may happen.
The regulations around geoengineering are lax. What’s to stop a country from taking matters into their own hands too? The following quote from the article sums up the predicament:
“We have paleolithic brains, we have medieval institutions and space-age technologies.”
Bill Gates is optimistic technology can solve the climate crisis. But we could fall foul to unintended consequences if we’re not careful. The review made me want to buy Kolbert’s book, and I left a link at the top of this section if it compels you to do the same.
This video isn’t environment-related but it’s so eerie I had to share it. Someone captured a morning in Pyongyang from their hotel and posted it on Youtube.
It’s compelling viewing. I could barely take my eyes away from the screen. North Korea is a brutal dictatorship and you can only feel pity for the people who live there as they engage in a daily charade best exemplified in the video by the traffic controller.
Tv Show I watched - The Mole: Infiltrating North Korea
I haven’t gone down a North Korea rabbit hole this week, even if it looks like I have! I came across this documentary while scrolling through my Twitter feed and was intrigued.
After watching it, this may be the most bonkers show I’ve ever come across. If you live in the UK, you can watch it on the BBC iPlayer. If not, I suggest using a VPN or searching for it online. It’s a remarkable story, which will leave you scratching your head!
Book I’m Reading - A Tough Mind and A Tender Heart
This is a collection of essays by Martin Luther King. It’s only 100 pages long but his thoughts are still relevant today especially in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests last year.
King’s thoughts on nonviolence are fascinating. His assassination was a tragedy. He really was a giant amongst men.
Quote I’m pondering
“You can commit an injustice by doing nothing.”
That’s it’s for this week. I’ll continue to send out the essays I’m writing for Ship30for30. If you want to follow me on Twitter and check them out there, as well as some more of my thoughts, check out my profile.
Cheers,
Tom