I’m fascinated by the amount of neurons my kids devote to holding grudges. I mean somehow they forget to do their daily chores, but dare to suggest a bowl of hearty porridge and they’ll nail me with the infamous “burnt breakfast of 2013”.
As “we don’t inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children”, I’m praying they don’t resent me too much for my past carbon-intensive indulgences. They incentivise me to do better, so preparing them for an uncertain climate future is now part of my parental responsibility. Here’s how we can all make that happen –
✅ Equip ourselves with the facts by listening to Cara Augustenborg, Kevin Anderson & Peter Kalmus and reading articles by George Monbiot & John Gibbons; foster green skills among our children like zero waste, composting, upcycling, gardening and energy-saving behaviour; lead by example by avoiding single-use plastic & minimising food wastage; and teach them about renewable energy & nature-based solutions.
✅ We can also get them involved with Junior Tidy Towns beach clean-ups, tree planting & biodiversity scavenger hunts; give them opportunities to appreciate wild places by taking them hiking & camping; and share positive stories of people and communities that are making a real difference.
So let’s encourage them to live lightly on the Earth… and not to hold a grudge!