Letter: We Need to be Awake to the Threat of Climate Change, Not Woke

Published on: 3 Aug, 2021
Updated on: 5 Aug, 2021

From: Chris Heath

In response to: Beekeeper’s Notes – A little Surprise Turns Up On The Allotment

I totally agree with Hugh Coakley. As a parish councillor myself I have seen first hand how much development is occurring not just locally in Surrey, but nationwide.

To me, it seems non-sensical that simple CO2 emotions and a few degrees in temperature alone are responsible for the massive decline in insect, mammal and bird species.

If we humans keep removing vital habitat at the rate we are from our remaining natural spaces what chance does our wildlife have?

We need to put aside political agendas and look further into the future for ways we can help protect, not destroy these fragile habitats.

Maybe it’s time we all stopped being shepherded into this social norm or needing housing and started sharing housing? We should be proud to live with our parents not ashamed. We should have penalties for having multiple children, not compensation.

The Woke are not as their name implies. It’s time we really woke up and made a difference.

Responses to Letter: We Need to be Awake to the Threat of Climate Change, Not Woke

Jan Messinger Reply

August 3, 2021 at 8:04 am

I agree with you Chris Heath. Despite last year with lockdown and so much not happening, eg vehicle driving and flying and offices closed, not using the normal vast amounts of energy, we are being told the environmental crisis is worse and not better.

The pandemic encouraged us to create even more waste in some areas with masks, disposable cups and boxes for takeaway foods in increased use.

We have sadly moved so much of our wildlife habitat for this relentless building of houses.

Leaving just a few verges to grow wild can’t be the answer.

Once green space is built on we don’t ever get it back for the wildlife. Another agricultural field turns into a housing estate, I have never seen houses knocked down and turned back into fields.

We are an island with an increasing population. We need food to feed everyone and as everyone knows our wildlife aids this. A decline in wildlife habitats has to be a bad idea.

And that’s without the issues of flooding and the changes to the climate in relation to losing the vital wildlife areas. The more we build the more the flooding.
Sam Peters Reply

August 3, 2021 at 8:18 am

What a strange letter. Is the implication that ‘The Woke’ claim climate change alone is impacting insect and other species populations? Nobody is claiming any such thing – anyone with any interest at all in the mass extinction currently occurring is well aware that it’s a combination of climate change, habitat loss, pesticide/herbicide use, destabilisation of food chains, and many other factors that are involved.

It’s all very well calling for “The Woke” to “put aside political agendas” to protect habitats, but unfortunately it’s precisely the policies of some parties that are causing this mass extinction in the first place – and it’s the woke parties whose policies are aimed at reversing this, not the other way round. When the problem is being caused in no small part by national and local policies on development, climate, housing, agriculture, land use, tax incentives and more, “putting aside politics” is not going to solve it.

Sam Peters is a spokesman for The Green Party