Alarming disconnect stops us from imagining a solution

-       by Robert McLean

A disconnect of cosmic-like dimensions frustrates climate change activists.

Considered in geological terms, climate change is happening at a withering rate; confusingly however, on a human time-scale, it is moving at snail’s pace.

Therein lies the massive, confusing and ultimately hugely risky disconnect.

Our response to climate change demands an immediacy of action never seen outside modern times, except that of World War Two.

Many, who live with the misplaced comfort that nothing appears to be happening, don’t see any need to change personal or societal behaviour and so the human contribution to the disruption of earth’s climatic machinery continues largely unabated.

So, climate change is arriving at an alarming speed, but to many, it is dawdling along, if happening at all and so will not impact on their lives and in what is an instance of tragic intergenerational irresponsibility, they choose to do nought or align themselves with some feel good green ideology.

This year, in the Goulburn Valley at least, has seen residents treated to mild weather with temperatures below that those expected for this time of the year.

And so the disconnect worsens with even more people not understanding, or even caring about, the fact that the weather (that’s what we have been experiencing since the New Year began) is different from the climate; a dynamic that continues to change and become even more remote from preserving conditions that ensures the earth is habitable for humans.

So here we stand in the midst of this alarming disconnect – geologically we are rushing toward an irreversible difficulty, but looked at through the human prism that is evolutionarily about “now”, nothing of any concern is happening.

Imagination has led us to where we are now
and it's about all we have left to rescue us
from the difficulties of climate change.

Humans have what it a unique skill in in that they can imagine, but for centuries now that ability has been perverted and applied to imagining things and ideas that we know now are clearly not in humanity’s best interests, hence we have climate change.

Yes, we can still imagine, but after many decades, if not centuries under intellectual assault form the capitalist/commercial world, that ability has become impoverished, almost skeleton-like, and so is largely limited to ideas and things that are profitable in our consumerist ways and being energy hungry make us even more remote from resolving the dilemmas that will, and are, disrupting life on earth,

To make our way through the unfolding disruptions brought upon by climate change, we need to renew, refresh and refocus our imagination and figure out a new way of living, a way that is far less energy intensive, kinder to the world and more about equality, rather that the amazing and disturbing inequality the world now suffers.

Expo can help show the way to a secure future

Farming, depending on how it’s approached, can rescue or condemn us to somewhat difficult times.

Activities engaged in by farmers, or by their industrialized counterparts who claim to be farmers, but which are little more than corporations that desire nothing but financial wealth, play key roles in worsening or improving our climate.

Alternatives open to the farming sector can be seen over three days at the Seymour Alternative Farming Expo that begins on Friday, February 17.

The expo is an outdoor supermarket for leading edge farm machinery, products and services from Australia and around the world and showcases Australia's unique engineered and technical solutions to the challenges of farming on one of the world's driest continents.

Technology at Seymour Expo focuses on advances in alternative livestock, cropping enterprises, small to medium farm machinery, implements and building systems (home and farm).

“The Expo,” the organizers say, “has a strong lifestyle focus including food growing and preparation, animals such as cattle, sheep, goats and backyard chooks.

“Regular event features include the Snake Show, Chainsaw Carving, Working Sheep Dogs, Country Cook Off and the Butchers Shop, Gourmet Food Marquee, The Owner Builder Lectures, Agricultural Society Lectures and the NMIT Ag Zone Lectures,” the say.
The expo is set up at Kings park in Tallarook St, Seymour.