The headlines this week are full of the debate about opposing terror with terror. That’s understandable – we can all plainly see and empathise with the horror of horror. By contrast, the threat of climate change feels positively cosy. It’s not.
The climate is a critical life support system – google ‘climate change deaths’ and you’ll find reports like this one comparing terrorist killings (18,000 in a peak year) to climate related deaths (100,000 on average)
Happiness is deeply affected by nature. It’s VERY hard to be happy where nature is suffering. We tend to forget we’re a part of nature itself – that’s why simply being in green spaces is good for us, and why so many care so much for the planet.
If we don’t care about the environment, we don’t care about ourselves.
Paris is the focal point for debates about both terrorism and environmental threats. In a way, both are about who we are.
In debating terrorism, lots of people will declare we’re ‘civilized’. To live up to the claim, we have a responsibility to look after each other AND the natural world to which we belong. Read on for signs of civilized behaviour from COP21 and beyond…
COP21 – Insider news
Bristol features in the Cities & Regions pavilion where this great little video about the Green Capital Partnership is playing on a loop. Rich Pancost is blogging for partnership and Dominic Kotas for ICLEI. And finally, here’s a brilliant act of ‘brandalism’ apparently endorsed by COP21 sponsors on the streets.
Can you help?
Do you know how to set up and manage a Wikipedia entry?
Or how to speed up an old macintosh computer? Or might you be interested in helping us promote Happy Cafe’s in partnership with the Brighton Action for Happiness group?
Or perhaps you’re handy with wood and can build us a small phone-booth so we can avoid disrupting others in the office?
If you’re up for any of these, please write to mike@happycity.org.uk
Check out the HappiNews Exchange
In January 2012, we set up the HappiNews Exchange on facebook as a space to help communicators promote happiness as a sustainable measure of prosperity and a power for social, environmental & economic good
We’re now planning to put some zip into the HappiNews Exchange, so if you’re keen on happiness and the conversations it provokes, please check it out.
Other interesting stuff
- Six websites for campaigners campioning social, economic & environmental justice as recommended by George Woods of NEF
- Action for Happiness set up a lovely antidote for those affected by Black Friday mania, offering a platform to James Wallman, author of Stuffocation
- Entries are now open for Bristol’s 2016 Fairtrade Awards
- and finally…Kentucky are running a ‘food for fines’ scheme accepting items for foodbanks instead of money for parking fines.
Comments are closed.