Cribb shares his optimism

Julian Cribb has shared his optimism with the Goulburn Valley.

The acclaimed science communicator was brought to the area by Landcare Goulburn Broken and spoke to about 60 at Tatura’s Department of Primary Industry on Thursday, August 30, about 30 people that evening at Shepparton’s Hotel Australia and some 120 at Trawool on Friday, August 31.

Julian Cribb.

Cribb, an articulate fellow who well understands dilemmas the world faces with shortages or every kind and the collision of “peaks”, including food, oil, earth and water was not reluctant to discuss the downside of those difficulties as he was seriously optimistic about the opportunities those changes brought.

Those emerging differences, worsened in every sense by the world’s changing climate, filled the first part of his address, but then he shifted emphasis, looking with enthusiasm at the positives that await all able to see beyond those changes and understand the possible profits.

Particularly, he pointed out for farmers, whom he saw as the true caretakers, unpaid, of the land, that rich opportunities awaited those who were innovative and prepared to change.

Cribb’s boosterism brought on a sense of “yes we can” enthusiasm, but optimism quickly eroded, at least for me, once I considered the tight that corporations have on the world’s economy and the how the changes Cribb proposed threaten their superiority.

The fossil fuel companies see their survival linked intimately with business as usual and it seems their grip on society will not loosen until there is nothing left to hold.

Ideas proposed by Cribb warrant applause, but little hand clapping will be heard until courageous and charismatic leaders emerge to help us understand that the food security Cribb so worries about is not about rude profit rather the simple survival of most people.

The short-termism of most people, their governments and the corporations they have constructed equates with doom.