There is so much despair and gloom about at the moment as a result of the current economic and political crises that it is all too easy to fall into a quagmire of negative thinking and hopelessness.
We must not, however, give into the temptation to despair. It is essential for the good of all that we think positive and recognise the many good things happening in our country during these difficult times.
The crises are forcing us to re-think our values and, as people realise they are facing into an uncertain future, there has been a resurgence of community spirit and goodwill towards others. Movements like Eco-Congregations, Transition Towns and Grow It Yourself groups have mushroomed in the past couple of years as people explore how they can foster local resilience and prepare for a low-carbon future.
The recent spell of Arctic weather saw people calling on their elderly neighbours and joining together to clear roads, push cars stuck in the snow etc.
As the saying goes, “You shouldn’t waste a good crisis”, and it is good to see that the Celtic tiger did not kill off our community spirit. Every crisis presents an opportunity. Did you know that the Chinese characters for the word ‘crisis’ are ‘danger’ and ‘opportunity’?!
Let’s work together to build a better, more sustainable future for the good of all creation. After all, we are asked to spread the good news … and that good news must surely include the environment too.
Colin Beavan, a New York writer who lived a year without making any net impact on the environment, says in his book about his experience, No Impact Man – Saving the Planet One Family At A Time: “I sometimes wonder if our lack of social connection and community is at the root of our environmental problems. I wonder, at least in my case, if that lack has meant that I don’t feel responsible or accountable to anything beyond myself. Without real community, where is the visceral sense of connection to something larger, to something to which I owe my care? Maybe one reason I felt like I couldn’t make a difference … was because I wasn’t firmly connected to anything to which I could make a difference.”
See http://transitiontownsireland.ning.com/ andhttps://giy.ie