Live Earth 070707

070707 is not another lucky day, even if you believe in lucky numbers. Its just a series of numbers that happen to fall in the right combination, like 080808 next year or 090909 the year after. Expect inceased numbers of weddings next year on 080808 and all kinds of predictions about what a great day that will be. Me? I don’t subscribe so much to the power of numbers like this.

So, I’m going to talk about 070707 being the date that Live Earth is on. This is a worldwide concert to highlight the climate crisis and global warming. Have you noticed the black and white ads on television with some big stars showing how they recycle and how they do their bit for the environment? That’s all part of the Live Earth campaign.

I can’t help being a bit cynical about this. Sorry, but I am. There are 7 huge concerts going on around the world in 7 countries. Tens of thousands of people are being crammed into large stadium arenas all over the world. Its summer and its hot. People need water and the most convenient way to get it is in plastic bottles. How many people will discard these plastic bottles in the plastic recycling bins on their way out? Are there any provided?

Are there tickets for these events? Are they printed on paper? Paper must come from somewhere right? As does the ink. The huge speakers for the concerts use up a lot of electricity. Are there energy saving speakers?

Can you imagine the CO2 emissions from the people breathing in the area? LOL…

Its a good cause and I appreciate the effort. I appreciate that in many countries around the world, people are taking the trouble to help save the environment. The trouble is that most of these countries are the developed countries. In an non developed country like ours, the education is nearly non-existent and honestly, in many ways, of the many problems we face, the environment is hardly uppermost on our minds. Its a bit of an irony that one will only contemplate saving the environment after they are fully developed and have taken a hand in destroying the environment first.

Honestly, I have no hope in any form of environmental change in this country. When I look out at the haze outside my window, and I smell the arid smell of smoke on the air, I know there’s no hope in there being any change in our environmental policies so long as the big fish get to do what they want without consequences. As for recycling, I know of recycling centres but people only recycle because they get some money back for their old newspapers, cardboard boxes etc. They aren’t doing it because they care for the environment. Maybe some do, but the majority do not.

Other than the recycling of old newspapers and old papers, what other forms of recycling do you participate in? Do you dispose of organic and non organic rubbish in different bags, or do you throw them all into one bag? Do you use a lot of plastic bags? I’m afraid I’m quite guilty of using plastic bags, because I “recycle” them as rubbish bags. Does that count as recycling? I use energy saving bulbs because it saves me money, not because I’m saving the environment. So, you see the power money has in it all? If recycling were to cost you money instead of saving money, would many as many people participate?

I don’t think we have any environmental policies at all. So, can we make a change? If you believe the campaigns, then yes, you can make a change even if you are just one.

This is my carbon footprint and carbon output as per this Carbon Impact calculator. Why not get your own and see where you stand in the scheme of things?

Am I sufficiently moved by the Live Earth campaign to be environmentally friendly and to run out tomorrow to save the polar bears from suffocating in their fur coats? My honest answer is no.

But I will do what I can based on what I pick out from the tips available. In fact, I found I’m already doing some things right but only because, as I said, it saves me money as well. Are you doing your part? It could save you money too you know…