Gnomeaggeddon

I've been stressing about climate change again this week. I do that a lot, but it's got worse this week. My jubilant mood of last week has given way to somethig more sombre as I watch the mainstream media assuming that our new Prime Minister (brrrr!) is going to swiftly remove any pretense that we're even trying to tackle climate change and the ALP is showing ominous signs of getting the wobbles about stopping him in the Senate. He's going to 'axe the carbon tax' the reporters keep saying (even the ABC!) abandoning all pretense of journalistic correctness or even-handedness. The states with Liberal-National governments have already wound back most climate change action on the excuse that they weren't going to duplicate what Canberra was doing, waste of tax payers' money, etc. etc. Now, of course, Canberra doesn't want to do anything either except give the clean energy fund money back to the polluters. So what are we left with? Maybe the LNP will get a few trees planted, which I suspect is code for more pine plantations to replace the forests they intend to log? Maybe a few farmers will have a bit of a crack at 'carbon farming' which I deeply suspect is code for 'more timber plantations'. They want to ramp up coal and gas mining 'investment' and build '21st century roads' whatever that's supposed to mean.

It's difficult to stay optimistic when things appear to be getting nothing but worse. Rupert Murdoch's execrable publications have been out in force this week slamming the upcoming IPCC report before it's even been released, sowing the seeds of confusion in the minds of the masses. I've had people say to me - 'You must be glad. It seems like the climate change thing isn't as bad as we thought, eh?'. I have to patiently explain to them that they are being systematically lied to and it is indeed still just as bad as we thought, probably worse, but the report's not out yet. Abbott's own business advisor has been sufficiently emboldened by the recent events to write an opinion piece in the Financial Review, claiming that climate change is a myth and a fraud perpetrated by the Bureau of Meteorology. Barely anyone even commented on this outburst in the 'commentariat'. No doubt many people, even many now in high places, agree with him because they don't know any better, or do but don't care. If our respected newspapers publish these lies, and senior figures in society perpetuate them, what hope is there to convince people of the seriousness of our predicament?

I toss and turn and have bad dreams. I know I should be thinking more positively about it, but it's been difficult this week. I've been using up excess nervous energy hassling Rupert Murdoch on Twitter and picking fights with climate change deniers on Facebook. Always good for temporary relief of steam! I've also been trying to bend my mind toward solutions to the problem. Short of global popular uprisings, it's hard to imagine what's to be done to turn this thing around in time when many governments are either complacent or complicit. Not all of them of course. There are some shining examples.There are glimmers of hope of course. People are stirring, banding together, organising, mobilizing, doing stuff... I went to the Environmental Film Festival last week and saw 'Bidder 70' the story of Tim de Christopher and his courageous action against illegal mining lease auctions. I went to the demonstration in the city on Saturday by the brave people of Tecoma, who are fighting McDonalds. They might even win. I wouldn't put it past them, or their gnomes. I watched a documentary called ' Favela rising (Preview) ' which is about the people of Rio De Janeiro's slums rising up against the drug lords and winning, largely through organising music and dance groups amongst the youth, focussing on traditional Afro-Reggae music (strange but true). Even in the darkest times, little green shoots continue to struggle up where you least expect them. People are doing things, even if it doesn't merit coverage in our 'mainstream' media. Even if we are continually being bombarded and brainwashed with images of war and fear, consumerism, greed and stupidity, it's good to remind myself that in the real world there are good people everywhere and there is always hope that things will change for the better.