Where were you?

Last night, from 6pm to 8 pm, I attended Dr. Heather Short’s SDSG Greens-hosted talk about global warming, at the Library.

Where were you?

City Councillors were all invited. Not one showed up. Where were you?

Other than a handful of Green Party members and myself – no one from a visible political party showed up. Where were you?

I am a visual artist and other than my artist pal Jacquie Milner who is a known advocate for global responsibility and who was one of the organizers, no visual artists (to my knowledge) showed up. Where were you?

Most of my friends have families including children and grandchildren and none of them showed up. Where were you?

Of the 356 Facebook “friends” that I have (100+ live in Cornwall) only Jacquie Milner was there. Where were my “friends”?

I know a variety of people who are trying to be spiritually evolved and earth friendly. I didn’t see any of you there last night. Where were you?

To the people who asked questions in the posts about this event. They could have been answered. Where were you?

I am heartbroken to see such a lack of interest in the biggest and most deadly issue confronting every man, woman and child in this world.

The scientific community has been studying human caused global warming since oil company scientists in the 70’s & 80’s reported that burning fossil fuels would cause global warming. This community is overwhelmingly in agreement that we have a serious, man-made and preventable global warming crisis.

I’ve read about ecological issues for over 40 years. I read about global warming extensively. I’m very well informed.

Dr. Heather Short gave a truly excellent presentation that hit every possible note explaining causes, timelines, scientific consensus.. you name it. She has been teaching climate science for over 25 years. She is very, very knowledgeable.

And who was there to listen to this excellent lecture? About 20 or so people who are probably among the most informed people in Cornwall.

Who needed to be there? YOU!

You may have heard the philosophical thought experiment about observation and perception “If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?”. The answer is yes.

In the same way: If global warming is going to render huge portions of the planet uninhabitable in 50 – 100 or so years will it happen if nobody listens – yes it will. Your denial, lack of attention, or prayers won’t change a thing. Only action will.

When your kids or grandchildren ask you what you did to stop this from happening in 10, 20 or 30 years from now, what will you tell them? Where were you?

Imagine your children struggling to breathe on a sun-scorched playground or your grandchildren rationing clean water. This isn’t a sci-fi scenario; it’s their future if we don’t change course. And yet, none of you showed up.

We complain that food prices are high now. Wait until prices for basic groceries skyrocket because extreme weather makes it harder and harder to grow and raise food. It’s already happening.

Imagine evacuating your home again and again because of relentless floods, wildfires, or hurricanes. Locally we have had but a taste of it with forest fire smoke in 2023. This will soon be an annual threat.

You turn on your taps now and get clean drinkable water. Can you understand that in many parts of the world today this is a luxury? Climate-driven droughts will make fresh water increasingly scarce – even locally. I used to swim in areas where the water was drinkable. Not anymore. This has changed in my lifetime.

Climate refugees will mostly exist within their countries. Each country will have its own challenges. If you live near a forest, you will see it burn, you will breathe the acrid fumes, you will lose your house, your workplaces, your churches. If you live near water, you will see it flood your homes, your streets, your buildings. If you live near farms, you will see animals perish from thirst or by overheating and crops shrivel from the heat and droughts.

How proud will you feel when you face younger generations when you have to tell them about animals and insects that have gone extinct in your lifetime when you did nothing to prevent it? Are you seeing pictures of dying polar bears? I am. It’s REAL. When I was a kid there were tons of butterflies and bugs and bees to say nothing of enormous animal diversity on land and in the oceans. The planet has experienced five previous mass extinction events, the last one occurring 65.5 million years ago which wiped out the dinosaurs from existence. Experts now believe we’re in the midst of a sixth mass extinction because of man-made ecological disasters.

I could go on and on about the looming health crises, food scarcity, extreme weather disasters, water shortages, displacement and loss of livelihood, loss of biodiversity, economic decline, increasing conflict over resources, mental health issues, mass extinctions and ecosystem collapse. I really could.

But talking when nobody is around to hear it is like making noise in an empty forest.

Last night, hundreds of people should have been there.  But no, too many think it’s someone else’s job, or that the government will figure it out. But it’s crystal clear they won’t unless we demand it. That means showing up—not just at events like this but at every council meeting, every protest, and every voting booth.

This is not my usual polished article. I spend days on those. This is me talking to you.. unpolished.

The science isn’t up for debate, and the responsibility to act isn’t optional. Every time I read another study, every time I listen to a climate expert, it’s like adding another brick to this unbearable weight of knowledge. For those of us who read, who learn, who care—it feels like shouting into a void. It is soul destroying.

I feel very alone this morning.

Where were you?

Louise Mignault

PS> I realize that the tone of this is accusatory. It’s not aimed at anybody in particular but it is reality. Few bothered to come last night.

The bottom line is that if we don’t show up for this, things will not change enough fast enough to prevent catastrophe.

I would like to see Dr. Short return for another lecture or workshop. I am asking you to put your name and email on my list and if I can organize a second lecture or workshop, I will email everyone on my list to notify you when she can come back so you don’t miss it the next time.

We can and really must do better. We can absolutely change things if we care enough.

Photo by Pixabay

NOTE: INFORMATION YOU SHARE IN THE FORM WILL NOT BE SEEN BY OTHER READERS. It will be used to compile a BCC (blind copy) email list to notify you if we can get Dr. Short to return for another talk or workshop. Thank you for submitting your name.