Fear December 16, 2007
Posted by CamdenKiwi in : Camden, Environment , trackbackHow much does fear stop people doing the right thing for climate change? Our society now seems pervaded by fear - terrorism, crime, and the world about to end.
There is an excellent initiative going on in Camden, that will probably do more to save the planet than all the carbon-generating talkfests in exotic places held by central government. Led by Liberal Democrat councillor Alexis Rowell, and including councillors from other parties, particularly the Greens, the Camden Sustainability Taskforce is starting to make a real difference. Each quarter, it produces a report on a particular issue for the executive, and its recommendations are being accepted. The first report, on Energy and Energy Efficiency went to the Executive in May, and work is now underway on a number of its recommendations.
The task force’s meetings are open to the public, and are well worth attending. A series of talks by experts in the area being discussed is followed by a brainstorming session of ideas to include in the report. The latest meeting, on biodiversity, included the council’s Biodiversity Officer, a representative of the Peabody Trust discussing the challenges facing social landlords in increasing biodiversity on their land and a specialist in Green roofs.
The Peabody Trust speaker talked about how green space in housing estates is often seen as a liability, rather than an asset. A culture of fear - health and safety worries, along with muggers hiding behind bushes (but not cars) - pervades many social landlords, and is indeed very evident in the housing department of the council, and this makes it difficult to create imaginative outdoor spaces. Being asked to cut down trees because they spread disease (its called pollen), or children’s playing areas having to be sealed because dirt is, well, dirty. This isn’t just the fault of the landlord by a long way - its also the view of many residents. If you have been brought up in a place where green space is rare and not very inviting, its probably natural to dislike and fear it.
I go walking in the countryside on my own sometimes. Its a little risky perhaps, but we’re talking farms and small woodlands, not going bush in New Zealand. I’m never far from a pub, or out of mobile range for long. I once got lost, and it took a couple of hours to find myself again. Hardly the end of the world, though falling and breaking a leg might be a bit more of a problem if hardly life-threatening. So often, I’ve had someone tell me its dangerous, and suggest that I’m either extremely brave, or just foolish.
But this fear of the world around us is debilitating and dangerous. Whether its fear of losing out to China and India stopping major governments setting realistic emissions targets, fear of someone getting hurt by falling on a rock stopping wildlife gardens, or the notion that three teenagers constitutes an ASBO stopping our communities from talking to each other. This is the first thing we have to overcome if we’re to get anywhere beyond the low-energy lightbulb approach to saving the planet.
How do we get rid of the fear?
Comments»
I go cycling, and sometimes walking, on my own in the British countryside, and I’m sure it is statistically no more dangerous than driving on the road - which is by far the most dangerous thing most of us ever do.
I was also today discussing fear of terrorism - which I find ludicrous - what we need to do is to teach kids how to evaluate risk rationally.