Chatting beneath the Wisteria about climate change

Responses to impending human-induced changes to the world’s climate were discussed by eight people beneath the Wisteria in Shepparton’s Maude Street Mall late on Saturday morning.

A conversation on Saturday, the
last day in 2011, beneath the
Wisteria helped raise awareness
 about the challenges of human
 induced climate change.

Among the group were Al Gore trained climate change advocate, John Pettigrew, of Bunbartha; former Numurkah Shire President, Lou Cook, a Numurkah friend, Jack Betts; former Shepparton solicitor and now employee of Murray Goulburn Water, Steve Rodgers; Mooroopna community enthusiast, Jim Douglass; Kialla landscape garden designer and builder, Roy Roberts; Berry Street teacher in Shepparton, Julie Beer; and former Shepparton News editor, Robert McLean.

The somewhat impromptu meeting was obviously not able to come to any workable conclusion to what is an issue of near endless complexity, accept to agree that it was exactly that: complex in the extreme.

However, despite the seemingly overwhelming knotty problems it presents, all appeared to agree that the solution to the dynamics that are changing our world’s climate begin with each person recognising that they too, as individuals, are making a contribution and react in the way that illustrates their concern for what those to come will inherent.

The solution, it was generally agreed, rested with each of us believing in our hearts that we could make a difference, and actingly accordingly.

Generally it was agreed that in a broad sense people need more information about what is happening, how the changes to our climate will impact on them individually, how those same changes will affect the wider community and so those with some knowledge about what is happening, and why, must talk with others about this world engulfing dynamic.

Those at Saturday’s gathering, or “chat” as it has be originally touted, left in a positive and optimistic mood and before parting agreed that they meet again at the same time, 11:30am, in the same place (beneath the Wisteria in the Maude St Mall) on the last Saturday in each month, meaning the next chat is set for January 28, 2012.