Choose life and vote for our planet on December 12
- Text by Alex Beasley
The clock is ticking. Everything we hear from the experts – people who have devoted years of their lives to understanding the root causes and effects of climate change – points towards us having, at best, 10 years to change course and prevent the worst impacts of global warming. In that time, we’re going to have to undertake “rapid and far-reaching transitions” in land, energy, industry, buildings, transport, and cities, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s October 2018 report.
Concerned citizens around the world are taking action in any way they can: over seven million people around the world mobilised for Climate Strike Week, Greta Thunberg has galvanised a generation and Extinction Rebellion has put the climate emergency on the front pages of the daily news, at the centre of public consciousness and firmly on the political agenda.
And on 12th December, every voter in the United Kingdom general elections has the power to make their voice count by voting for our planet. Whoever moves into Downing Street next Friday will be stewarding the UK through up to half of those 10 crucial years. They must be trusted to implement radical systems change if we have any chance of a future as we know it. Immediate transformations such as managing a just transition – for the people – from the current system, holding the big gas and oil companies to account and shepherding the country towards net zero carbon emissions are vital to the protection of our planet, our eco-system and our children.
Working for Patagonia, our mission statement – we’re in business to save our home planet – is a philosophy I carry with me every day. For almost 40 years we have partnered with grassroots environmental groups fighting the root causes of climate change. And we know that democracy is one of the powerful ways for citizens to help to bring about systemic change.
Every day brings more sobering news. From fires raging across the Amazon, California, and Australia, to extreme weather and flooding across Europe and nature declining globally at an unprecedented rate – evidence is mounting that the ‘tipping point’ into a climate emergency is imminent. However, 12th December is an opportunity for us all to take action and voice our support for a healthy planet and a future that is liveable for humankind.
So while the clock continues to tick, put aside an hour of your day to read up on the party manifestos and find out what your local candidate is saying about the environment and how they plan to handle the responsibility of these extraordinary times.
This is our moment for collective action – to elect leaders who will fight, at a local, national and international level, for the future of our planet and people. Everything we love is at stake.
Alex Beasley is the UK & Ireland Country Manager for Patagonia.
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
You might like
Louis Theroux’s ‘Manosphere’ shows men aren’t the problem, platforms are
No Ws for Good Men — The journalist’s new documentary sees him dive headfirst into the toxicities and machinations of the male influencer economy. But when young creators are monetarily incentivised to make more and more outrageous content, who really is to blame?
Written by: Emma Garland
Cold camping in Svalbard, at the edge of the world
Longyearbyen — The Norwegian archipelago is just 800 miles from the North Pole, where temperatures languish far below freezing, but it’s also one of the world’s fastest warming areas. Steph Pomphrey sleeps on the ice with Db to find out more.
Written by: Steph Pomphrey
Inside Bombay Beach, California’s ‘Rotting Riviera’
Man-made decay — The Salton Sea was created by accident after a failed attempt to divert the Colorado River in the early 20th century. Jack Burke reports from its post-apocalyptic shores, where DIY art and ecological collapse meet.
Written by: Jack Burke
As salmon farming booms, Icelanders size up an existential threat
Seyðisfjörður — The industry has seen huge growth in recent years, with millions of fish being farmed in the Atlantic Ocean. But who benefits from its commercial success, and what does it mean for the ocean? Phil Young ventures to the remote country to find out.
Written by: Phil Young
Why is the Amazon’s ‘great roar’ river wave shrinking?
Pororoca — Set in northern Brazil’s edge, a miles long tidal bore has become a destination for waveriders attempting its endless surf. But its future is uncertain, as landscape and weather changes have seen its power mellow in recent years.
Written by: Gaia Neiman
Clavicular isn’t interesting, really
Dreaming Small — The ‘looksmaxxer’ of the moment has garnered widespread furore over recent controversies. But newsletter columnist Emma Garland asks whether the 20-year-old influencer is actually doing anything that new, and what his rise says about modern turbo-nostalgia’s internet dominance.
Written by: Emma Garland
