Poppa says he's sorry ...

Autumn arrived this week. Leaves had hung on in the face of our pronged dry period. Then the rains came in huge downpour and now spent leaves are building along paths and the drive. Sweeping leaves and emptying gutters now added to list of jobs.

There've always been heavy rains but our country park rangers report that the ferocity of downpours is causing much greater footpath and bridleway erosion than was experienced in the earlier days of the park: a relatively trivial cost of climate crisis compared to the life-changing effects of climate change for so many others.

The sense that we’re sailing resolutely in the wrong direction smacks me every day. 

Such disconnectedness with the natural world and the de-naturing of everything around us.

Today, a study showing the levels of pesticide residues in commonly-eaten fruit and veg. Although said to be within legal limits:

A. Our experience tells us that formerly safe exposure is later judged unsafe as further evidence emerges e.g. lead, asbestos, thalidomide, cigarette smoking and so on

B. We have little idea of how the chemicals being used on our food interact together. My guess is it will not be benign.

And today too, the go-ahead for the eventual growing of genetically modified plants in the UK which are banned in the EU.

Too many intensive farms are over-abstracting water from underground reserves; degrading soils and creating massive, toxic no-go zones for invertebrates and therefore birds. Genetically-modified plants do nothing to reverse this. The only benefit to this initiative is to the massively wealthy and influential multinational companies who promote these for reasons of profit. 

Meanwhile, the HS2 politicians vanity project grinds meaninglessly, damagingly and expensively forward. 

Then there’s the report in which more microplastics were found in babies’ faeces than in adults. One cannot believe that the effects will be beneficial.

And my grandchildren (amongst the most- privileged on earth) can expect to grow up in a world of continuing climate crises where their lives are blighted by the consequences of this accumulation of awful environmental news and a succession of weather catastrophes.

Greta is right - it's just 'Blah Blah Blah'.

If my grandchildren ever read this, Poppa says he's sorry.