I had been toddling along without giving as much thought as I should have been to Global Warming. Late last year I read the EAT Planetary Diet guidelines, as per the findings of a group of leading scientists commissioned by Lancet. That was a light bulb moment in my life when I realised how serious things are getting. Then recently I read a book by David Attenborough, A Life on our Planet. 

Wow! If the Lancet report was a light bulb moment, then this book had the effect on me of shock therapy. This isn’t a book of prophesy, it’s a book detailing David’s life on this planet, and the changes he has actually witnessed. It’s a book supported by science, and verified by David’s observations and experiences. If anyone on this planet has the credentials to drive home the urgency needed for rapid change to prevent catastrophic carnage to our planet then surely David Attenborough has. It’s a scary book, very scary, and sadly it’s not a book of science fiction.

I had been complacently thinking I would be long gone before this world as we know it implodes in on itself. I was wrong! The world as we know it doesn’t have centuries left, it doesn’t even have decades. We have to make drastic changes NOW. Not next century, and not even next year. We have to start NOW. We all thought a global pandemic was something we’d never see, then it was upon us. Food shortages and famine, if you’re like me, you’ve probably had them categorised in your mind alongside a global pandemic – great for a sci-fi movie, but it’ll never happen. David has caused me to re-think that. I will most likely see food shortages in my lifetime, in fact very soon. That is unless some drastic changes start happening immediately.

There is something we can do, something that doesn’t rely on Governments making all the changes. We can change the way we live our individual lifestyles. We all know a lot of what we should be doing. What I hadn’t realised is how much the consumption of animal products contributes to global warming. I think that animal farming and the practices needed to support the farming, along with food wastage comes in at 2nd to the use of fossil fuels at creating CO2 emissions. I’m no expert, and I don’t profess to understand the science behind David’s book. I didn’t need to understand it though to get the gist of it. It’s time to change, not next year, and not even next week. The time is now. Yes, I hope the governments implement changes in regards to fossil fuels, but on an individual basis we also need to make some drastic changes.

I’m not going to say anymore at this point in time, except please pick up a copy of this book. Read it, and pass it on to others to read. I hope you find it as life changing as I have.