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Save the planet

Save the planet. YES we can. In 2015, during the COP21 in Paris, objectives were set in particular concerning the reduction of the increase in the temperature of the planet to 1.5 ° C.

In September 2018, during a participation in Climax, the French astrophysicist Aurélien Barrau dares to speak of “end of the world”. Therefore the urgency to save the planet in a speech edifying and accessible to all.

Aurélien Barrau speaks to us with simple words. True words, and proposes to invent “a radically different future” through strong and, perhaps, unpopular measures. According to him, we no longer have the time to save the planet. He explains it in this 12-minute video.

In October, it is the turn of the IPCC to question with its report.  400 pages made from 6000 scientific studies on the urgency of limiting global warming to + 1.5 ° C. Limitation that imposes new, stronger measures to reach the 2050 horizon without exceeding this threshold.  The IPCC pointing out that the objectives of COP21 will not allow this limitation.

Today, we must realize that every tenth of a degree of increase in the temperature of the planet will in the long term have consequences for populations and ecosystems.  Floods, violent hurricanes, deadly heatwaves.

READ | Diving And Eating Fish: The Unavoidable Contradiction ?

And of course, the rising waters and the heat waves caused by these climatic disturbances will inevitably pass by mass displacements of population. It will create a large number of climatic refugees.

But then, is it really time to save the planet and its oceans?

It would be easy to give in to discouragement or fatality by denying our responsibilities.

On one hand, we face our own contradictions. Yes we want to save the planet but are we ready to give up some idea of comfort?  Are we ready to engage in another fight while the end of months are financially difficult?  To adopt another way of living? Could we give up our travels by plane to discover the seas far away from home ?

Some time ago, I saw this ad.

https://youtu.be/Tejd7ntLGeE

I don’t know about yo. However looking at the video. I remember me as a little girl in the eighties, discovering the joys of plastic bottles very cool to carry to school. Consuming colorful toys without no idea that one day I will be partly responsible for that.

With all the goodwill (and the innocence of my 10 years), if someone had told me at that time that humanity would one day be in danger because of this. I surely would not have believed .

Our generation and that of our parents could not have seen anything coming. Is it not up to us to act now?

And yes, it is still time to save the planet and the oceans

We often hear about the “hummingbird” effect in reference to this  little bird deciding to do “his share of the work”.

In our daily life, there are many actions to reduce our impact and save the planet. We must stop the massive use of plastic. Reduce the energy consumption (reduce the temperature in your house, think before making a trip by car).  Save drinking water, recycle, reuse, prefer local food (no, grapes in April and strawberries in winter they are coming from the southern hemisphere. Read the labels of origin before buying.

Read also: Ocean pollution: 4 simple actions to participate in the fight

Similarly, through a strong mobilization, we may still not go to the unthinkable by (strongly) shaking our policy makers to take real action.

This Sunday, December 2nd, tens of thousands of people invaded the streets of Brussels to say YES to a protection of the planet. YES to the bees in the countryside. Clean the oceans. Another YES to politicians who would take finally, strong solutions for the defense of the ecological cause and therefore of our defense to us human beings.

More than 65,000 people of all ages and backgrounds walked together with the goal of awakening the consciences of their political leaders on the eve of COP24.

No more time to procrastinate!

Yet, in the face of this urgency to save the planet, we can not ask ourselves whether it is decent to ask the public to make an effort when many of us are already struggling to pay end-of-month bills.

So, even if our contradictions are real. Even if we are not ecologically perfect. It is urgent to push our leaders to take their ecological AND social responsibilities. In this area it would be illusory and intellectually dishonest to separate these two fights.

Maslow had explained the pyramid of needs. If basic needs are not met, the human being can not go further.

And above all … do not forget to be happy 🤗

Helene

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