Coming together for the common good of all

The weather patterns recently have been odd for the time of year. The seasons seem to be slightly behind where things would normally be in May. This struck home when an organic grower recently posted two pictures of broad bean plants. One was this year in flower, the other, at the same time last year, with pods on. The pictures nicely illustrated how things are about three to four weeks behind where they usually are at this time of year. The effects of the delay can also be seen in the trees, now bursting forth with leaf, though slightly late. There have been long periods without rain, then a period of deluge. It has been very unseasonly cold at night. Resilient stalwarts have been refusing to put on the heating in May, which has meant piling on the jumpers at night. The climate is changing. The gardeners and wildlife observers will be well aware of the change, seeing it at first hand. I recently visited Rye Harbour nature reserve in Sussex. Again, the reserve was more reminiscent of April than May, with birds like the bitterns booming in the reeds, as part of their mating ritual. The long dry spell had held back some of the birds. All around us things in nature are changing due to fluctuations in climate. What all these things show is how inter-related and dependent we all are on each other. It is no good putting ones head in the sand and pretending nothing is happening. Unfortunately, this does seem to be the attitude of many humans to climate change and biodiversity loss. Whilst many people have recognised what is happening, believe the science and are acting to bring about change. Others seem in complete denial, rather than read the signs of the times, they prefer to carry on exactly as before - polluting the atmosphere, consuming to excess and dumping their waste everywhere. What will it take to wake some people up and make them realise we a have to change - have some respect for each other and the planet on which we all depend. Everything is inter-telated, we are literally all in it together. And as such we all need to come together for the common good of all.