Do something

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Hello, my name is Ivanka Majic and 2 years ago on the 17th of January Donald Trump accidentally tweeted me.

I replied:

And you’re a man with great responsibilities. May I suggest more care on  Twitter and more time learning about #climatechange.

I had lots of retweets and made it onto TV, Radio, and the newspapers. It was all very exciting.

Two years on and the UN has issued a terrifying report on the reality of the climate crisis and how far it has already go to.

All evidence would suggest that President Donald Trump did not read my reply.

However, my purpose here is not to add myself to the queue of people who are able to find fault with President Trump – he is just one man. It is also not my intention to terrify you with climate statistics. I am here to remind you that you have power. That we, the human citizens of planet earth, have power, and to encourage us to use that power.

Our home is facing a real crisis which threatens our very survival. Our politicians are busy playing childish games that this current system rewards them for playing. They support industries that think only of their immediate commercial goals with no thought to the cost to our home. Their own home. If you are up for election every 4 years, why would you care about something that we have 12 years to limit?

We humans though, we are not like that. We imagine our futures long past 4 years. We think of our children, our nephews and nieces, our neighbour’s children, and we like to picture them happy and fulfilled. We think of ourselves. Our own old age and how we will be spritely, active, healthy old people living out the fruits of our hard work. Or something like that.

We don’t want to think of futures where there isn’t enough clean water to drink or where we have to live up in the sky because the earth is too poisoned or where our babies no longer survive because the environment is so harsh we can’t get them past infancy.

Lots of  companies make money AND contribute to the health of our planet.

It is time that we put our home first. As humans – together – outside of market and political systems, we have the power to make sure the planet we live on survives. I’m not just talking plastic straws here – that is cool ’n’ all, but it isn’t enough.

Some of us will eat more veg.

Some of us will join rebellion groups.

Some of us will buy less stuff.

Some of us will start groups to come together to think of ways to help.

Some of us will switch energy providers.

Some of us will write to our politicians.

Some of us will invent things that will help.

Some of us will protest.

Some of us will travel less.

Some of us will volunteer to help others.

Some of us will fight for political change.

Some of us will do nothing.

Please be a person who does something. Be on team human.

I know it’s not easy. We all lead busy lives rushing around trying to keep on top of things but I’m afraid that this is a fight we can’t afford to ignore.

Turn to a person you know and love and ask yourselves, what will we do?

Each of us comes from a long long line of people who fought to survive – let that effort count for something. Show each other the love and respect that makes all the difference.

This home of ours is beautiful in lots of big and little ways. We deserve to keep it that way

I for one think we are worth fighting for. Don’t you?

About the author

Ivanka

Ivanka Majic works in technology. She was Head of Design for Ubuntu, service managed Digital Marketplace through to beta, was acting director of digital for the Labour Party. She lives and works in Brighton where she works with the council’s digital first team, does a bit of teaching at Sussex University, and works with her husband on projects like restaurantsbrighton.co.uk and the BRAVOs. She has also started a podcast with her friend Michael which you can listen to at grandpodcast.com.

By Ivanka

About Author

Ivanka

Ivanka Majic works in technology. She was Head of Design for Ubuntu, service managed Digital Marketplace through to beta, was acting director of digital for the Labour Party. She lives and works in Brighton where she works with the council’s digital first team, does a bit of teaching at Sussex University, and works with her husband on projects like restaurantsbrighton.co.uk and the BRAVOs. She has also started a podcast with her friend Michael which you can listen to at grandpodcast.com.

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