Now IM no Green But !

Now on this post I need to be careful as I feel I may be at risk from doing the very thing that I so often harrumph! and tut tut about.

You know the posts on social media. on blogs and a lifetime ago in letters to the press that start with the obligatory “ I don’t mean any disrespect” as they go on to be totally disrespectful. They may start with “Now I’m not anti” and then go on to prove that they are indeed very anti whatever subject they were suggesting they were not Anti about.

The latest most prevalent one in my experience is the one used often about Brexit , its used when discussing migrants on boats in the channel , black lives matter ,and used even when discussing workers from other countries.

It’s the * I’m not racist but” start to any sentence.

Now most people don’t use it, and of those that do of course the vast majority are not racist, but we seem as a nation to be forming a habit of using these words to enable us then to have a freedom to express opinions that otherwise we might fear using. A free pass if you will. But if we are fearful of saying things, sometimes it’s because they are not the right things to be saying. Four words at the beginning of a sentence won’t be what you are judged on, you will be judged on what you say when giving your opinion. The rest of society will be the ones to gauge whether they feel you are, indeed, racist, whether you are anti kids playgrounds or anti-development or whatever you may have said you were not anti. It’s the rest of your audience who will decide if indeed you are being disrespectful.

So with that in mind I will quietly and rather sheepishly write the following.

Im no Green but!!!

Now I get quite a lot of pressure being Leader of a council run by various groups and where the input of all groups and parties is vital to our growth and progression. Quite a lot of the pressure is dealing with demands around climate change and the climate emergency from the Green Cabinet member responsible for that portfolio.

He drives me and his cabinet colleagues nuts on occasions, with this blinkered, tunnel vision about the climate and our need to act now, today, right now. His prophesises of doom for all of us don’t sit well to be honest and frankly it does get a little tiresome when every conversation we have turns to climate, the emergency and seas rising, temperatures rising David Attenbrough and Greta , that young Scandinavian lady

I get pressure form other groups, “ The Greens are having too much influence” Im warned. I was told by one Councillor that we were in danger of becoming an environmentally friendly council. Another went to great lengths to explain his theory of Carbon neutrality being all a bit of a con as it was the next step towards carbon deposits and carbon offsetting being the next global currency.

Many of these things are a little beyond my comprehension.

However, here’s the money shot. These Greens are having a habit of being right and also winning local elections.

The report into the condition of the world’s climate released last week was a stark warning that maybe, just maybe the Greens, the environmentalists those that annoy and go on and on. They may just have a point

I think we have struck a good balance in our executive. We listen to the Climate emergency fellas wishes and demands then throw it back to the money men to see if we can achieve what they suggest, hopefully making a quid or at best wiping its face.

Yes, capitalism and being environmentally active can work together, the Climate and the Money people at my council are doing it every day.

It means that sometimes our climate emergency colleague goes off in a sulk as he doesn’t get what he wants immediately, it also means that sometimes the money men must work overtime, scratching their heads to find a way to get it all to work.

But we find a way, we get it done.

Ill never agree that properly considered, , properly challenged and decent development should be prevented or held up by the continued over use of environmental issues at huge costs, Challenge , have the findings and abide by them .I think they have been used too much in recent years

However, where there are environmental issues that will affect our planet, we do need to take note and we need to act.

I have a 13 yo who was the inspiration for me when I supported the climate change motion in council. He remains my inspiration but whereas back then I may have supported the motion out of passion and concern for his future. Now I think I understand a little more and accept that something needs doing and we can all only start in our own back yard.

So as I say Im no Green , but I have seen enough to suggest that we are at a very important stage in this climate emergency.

Does it have to be ALL we do ?

No Of course Not !

But we must include it in ALL we Do . Whether we like it or not