Well, almost 7 years have passed. I’m now nearer 60 than 50 and my little children are now teenagers. We have continued to try and live as lightly as possible but life has taken over and we have fallen off the ‘green wagon’ frequently.

COP26 has just been held in Glasgow – the 26th Global Climate Summit. The lack of progress towards slowing down, let alone reversing, climate change is extremely disheartening. We have gone from hoping that our leaders would take on board the seriousness of the issues faced by our planet to frustration and now anger that they seem incapable of taking the radical action which is now urgently needed.

As individuals we want to make better choices about how we can live in harmony with or at least cause as little harm to the world and all its inhabitants as possible. But governments and multinational corporations are only interested in short term gains. They are not being honest with us about what is needed to prevent the destruction of the planet. We cannot carry on as normal whilst doing a bit of recycling and turning off the lights and expect all will be OK.

Profit-making organisations will not take measures which will reduce their profits. Individuals will not pay more for more ‘environmentally friendly’ products even if they have the financial freedom to have the choice.

It should not be difficult for us to get the information we need to make an informed choice. But it is. The ‘green-washing’ we are fed by advertisers is astounding.

As a family we want to reduce our reliance on plastic packaging and plastic in general. Look at our use of energy and try and reduce it and look into renewables. Buying less in general and not wasting what we do buy. We have been researching alternative products and looking more closely at their claims. And calling out companies who are recklessly trashing our planet by the relentless pursuit of profit whilst claiming to care about the environment.

We are just one family but I’m hoping these writings will hold us accountable for doing our bit and exchanging ideas with others who feel the same.

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