I have been thinking about how to write this blog post for a long, long time. In my head I know what I want to write, I just have been unable to communicate it properly as soon as the typing starts. This one is especially important as it is all to do about how we as naturalists/filmmakers and conservationists communicate to the general public. This is what I really care about.
It has honestly being going around my head for weeks now, ideas, thoughts, quotes, you name it. First of all, what I am going to be is blunt and honest and say that as a profession we are pretty poor at communicating to everyone else, and the planet is not getting any healthier. The problem is that wildlife conservation is seen as a niche, a fashion statement so to speak, a topic and subject that is trending now and again, but is not really taken seriously and is not connected to the real issues of our economies, health system's, education systems and communities, because if it was then our politicians would not be kicking us into the bin, which is what they are basically doing. To put it simply, wildlife conservation is not seen important enough to do anything for, which makes me so, so sad and becomes even more ridiculous every time you read that, over and over again.
To sum it all up, our Prime Minister, David Cameron has recently said that he wants to do away 'with all the green crap', when it comes to our energy bills. Speechless...
If things are to really change, we need a bigger movement, a shift in our communities and to do this we need to stop preaching to the 'converted' (I hate saying that as we are not a religion) and to take a different direction. I know what this direction is, but I am going to stew on the idea until I really get it right. This then leads me to the alternatives to our government, if we really care about our environment, who do we vote for? (Unless you are Russell Brand and you do not vote, and I totally understand his views on politics).
Well, the first thing that comes to mind is the Green Party, surely? I am an environmentalist and love the outdoors, so surely I would vote for them? And yet, I am not sure, there is just something about the party that makes me back off and think about this, which I hate saying (apologies to The Green Party).
But why? Why am I so apprehensive about the Green Party? Considering how much I love wildlife. I think, like many organisations they are stuck a bit in the 1980's or 1990's, a bit this, a bit that and not really with it, so to speak. It is really hard to explain, but I just do not think they are 'real-life' enough, which goes back to the start of this post. They suffer from the same problem as we all do, they are just not seen as relevant. A bit of a fashion statement.
I could talk about this for hours, so to cut things short, if I were to lead the green party I would be more direct, more aggressive, more clear on my policies, I would create a link between the environment and how it can help the economy, our families, our energy worries and tackle issues that effect the lives of everyday people. (They may actually be doing this, I am just not aware of it). Basically, there are decades of scientific research to show how the environment can make us happier, healthier and help grow our economy, we need to embrace it and to tackle things head on. Stop being a movement/party on the side and to actually start wrestling with everyone else. At the moment, they are too quiet, I would also consider a name change as well as Green party just makes me think of activism, rather than a body capable of running the country.
The ethos would be community and social engagement, to create a different identity for the MP's of the Green Party compared to everyone else, I want real-life MP's that people can engage with (tough, I know). We also need to do this for the environmental movement as well, or nothing will change quick enough.
Here is one final thought. Imagine how amazing it would be, imagine the social change if Cheryl Cole, Andy Murray and other high-profile 'celebrities' (do not like that word at all) started speaking out about conservation issues as well as working as patrons for wildlife charities. It would change everything. There is your different route...
slq
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
It really is time to talk...
Hi all,
Sometimes I am not a great fan of sitting myself down in a quiet place to write what is on my mind, or what I feel needs to be talked about. I would much prefer to be outside, swinging in the trees, planting trees and putting up bird boxes, in other words each blog post needs to be mean something to me for me to actually write on here (which I am sure you can tell if you have read any of my previous posts).
Originally I had planned to write a bit about what I am planning to do next, but then this news story (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-24818048) has shot into the media today and it has put many thoughts and ideas into my head.
If you have not read the article, a new report and review of medical records has shown that depression is now the second biggest cause disability in the world, pretty crazy ay? (No pun intended).
One thing is for sure and that is mental illness cannot be under-estimated or ignored anymore, it is a debilitating disease that will effect 1 in 4 of us for some parts of our lives.
But, what I am always asking myself is why? Why is depression on the increase? Why are people becoming more unhappy? This is the key question, one that we all must ask ourselves…why is mental health becoming more common? Then a whole range of issues come into view, solvable ones.
Personally, I feel it is the way we live our lives, our hectic, non-stop, stressful lives that are topped by the pressures brought to us by technology. I know from personal experience that I sometimes get swept up by social media and sitting in front of screen, letting my mind compare myself with everyone and everything, which does me no good whatsoever. How many times have we all compared our lives with our friends on Facebook? It does us no good at all and will only lead to negative opinions of ourselves.
I really feel that we need to put less focus on material wealth, money and what we have and more on inner wealth or depression will become biggest health issue across the globe, as our lives become more hectic, more stressful and more distant from what we really want.
I know that I have not been too happy as of late because I feel trapped, like life is passing me by and that I am not doing enough of what I love. Yes, my mind has distorted this to a certain extent, but I do think the core issue of not leading the lives we want is one of the core factors for depression.
The solution? 4 day working weeks, 1 day to volunteer with charities, less technology, more green open spaces and more family time.
A quick sentence to an awfully complicated subject but the research is there to help us, especially when we look at the benefits of the natural world. A variety of green, open, wild, spaces means a healthy vibrant community and that is backed up by ALOT of science.
We are all different, but I know I am at my most happiness when I am outdoors and there is nothing but piece and quiet and I finally have time to myself.
It really is time to talk about how we live our lives, how we can can things for the better and how the natural world can help us with this. I am not trying to preach the natural world, I just think we all deserve to be happy as life is too short not to be, but at the moment we seem to be going the other way.
SLQ
Sometimes I am not a great fan of sitting myself down in a quiet place to write what is on my mind, or what I feel needs to be talked about. I would much prefer to be outside, swinging in the trees, planting trees and putting up bird boxes, in other words each blog post needs to be mean something to me for me to actually write on here (which I am sure you can tell if you have read any of my previous posts).
Originally I had planned to write a bit about what I am planning to do next, but then this news story (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-24818048) has shot into the media today and it has put many thoughts and ideas into my head.
If you have not read the article, a new report and review of medical records has shown that depression is now the second biggest cause disability in the world, pretty crazy ay? (No pun intended).
One thing is for sure and that is mental illness cannot be under-estimated or ignored anymore, it is a debilitating disease that will effect 1 in 4 of us for some parts of our lives.
But, what I am always asking myself is why? Why is depression on the increase? Why are people becoming more unhappy? This is the key question, one that we all must ask ourselves…why is mental health becoming more common? Then a whole range of issues come into view, solvable ones.
Personally, I feel it is the way we live our lives, our hectic, non-stop, stressful lives that are topped by the pressures brought to us by technology. I know from personal experience that I sometimes get swept up by social media and sitting in front of screen, letting my mind compare myself with everyone and everything, which does me no good whatsoever. How many times have we all compared our lives with our friends on Facebook? It does us no good at all and will only lead to negative opinions of ourselves.
I really feel that we need to put less focus on material wealth, money and what we have and more on inner wealth or depression will become biggest health issue across the globe, as our lives become more hectic, more stressful and more distant from what we really want.
I know that I have not been too happy as of late because I feel trapped, like life is passing me by and that I am not doing enough of what I love. Yes, my mind has distorted this to a certain extent, but I do think the core issue of not leading the lives we want is one of the core factors for depression.
The solution? 4 day working weeks, 1 day to volunteer with charities, less technology, more green open spaces and more family time.
A quick sentence to an awfully complicated subject but the research is there to help us, especially when we look at the benefits of the natural world. A variety of green, open, wild, spaces means a healthy vibrant community and that is backed up by ALOT of science.
We are all different, but I know I am at my most happiness when I am outdoors and there is nothing but piece and quiet and I finally have time to myself.
It really is time to talk about how we live our lives, how we can can things for the better and how the natural world can help us with this. I am not trying to preach the natural world, I just think we all deserve to be happy as life is too short not to be, but at the moment we seem to be going the other way.
SLQ
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