an eventful week

 7.9.2024

 

We have had an interesting week. On Tuesday the local council held a meeting to demonstrate a “game” they have got as a tool to get people talking about climate change and make people aware what the council is doing. Edd, GG and I were among the 9 individuals who actually participated.  Not a high turnout but probably enough for the presenters to cope with.

 

Reassuringly the council is doing something. They are setting up climate emergency hubs, planting urban shade trees and trying to move to an Aboriginal method of fuel load reduction to reduce fire intensity. They are also trying to support the introduction of solar roof systems and batteries.   As one lady in our group pointed out she is in rental accommodation and grants for solar installations are no help to her.  The saddest thing was our presenter, (a young lady around 30) said that she felt it was wrong for her to bring children into a world facing chaos and she could not even dream of affording a house or moving out from her parents.  Many young people her age are of the same mind set with little sense of hope. 

 

Light relief came to the evening when a recorded voice announced that we should leave the building quickly. I thought it was part of the show but when we did all move downstairs towards the exit door, we discovered that other groups were also moving out.  Next a fire engine arrived.  I asked some ladies from an Aboriginal dance group if they knew what was happening. They just laughed and told me that they were using a smoke making machine for their performance and it had set off the fire alarm!

 

On Thursday we had a school group come to look at features in a sustainable house. They were polite but did not engage in any communication. Some took photos on their phones. I got the impression that face-to-face talking is not a thing nowadays.