Yesterday I participated in some peaceful #protest in #Letchworth as part of the Global Climate Strike. A friend organised an event to do some busking outside the local council offices. They have already declared a climate emergency, but there is no harm in showing that we think this is an urgent problem.
We were not sure what to expect, but lots of people turned out with drums, guitars and other instruments as well as loads of kids. We had representatives from Extinction Rebellion and Friends of the Earth there.
This is not quite on the scale of the Guildford protest that 
This is not just a white, middle class concern. Everyone from the richest to the poorest is affected by the pollution we pump out and will suffer as the climate changes far quicker than is would by natural means short of a super-volcano or giant meteor. I had someone on a previous post expressing doubt that humans are to blame, but the fact that we are intent on burning all previous forests as well as the current ones shows we are on a very dangerous path. Nobody can deny the pollution issues and it is convenient that fixing those will go a long way towards reducing climate impact.
The protest was a peaceful on with kids drawing slogans on the path. They had made some great banners and some had decorated t-shirts too. A few police wandered past, but did nothing to move us on. We made a lot of noise, but it was joyful.
That is not my bike in the picture, but I did cycle there, with my old guitar on my back. Some parents brought their kids along in cargo bikes that look great if you want to reduce your car usage.
After our busking there was another event in town that was largely aimed at younger kids. I really do wonder if many of them can comprehend what is happening and worry that they will grow up living in dread. I have had some of that as a lot of the issues have been known for decades, but a lot of action has been put off as making profit was considered more important. Of course we need to give people a decent life, but we have to be brave enough to find alternative ways of doing this. It may mean having less stuff in our lives and less international travel, but these are recent luxuries that are not necessarily needed for a happy life. A lot of the pressure to have stuff comes from the corporations who want to sell it to us.
I was pretty worn out after all this activity, but still made it to our open mic evening where I played a few more songs with my friends.
Life has to go on, but we have to keep thinking about ways we can make the world better.
Live well.
The geeky guitarist and facilitator of the 10K Minnows Project.
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