apocalypse now

For most people these past few months with abnormal temperatures, with its forest fires and floodings, seem to have passed as an insignificant blip on their non-existing climate change radar. They continue their lives as usual, possibly with a 'phew it's hot', showing off their endless meals of meat and dairy on Instagram and Facebook, drive their fossil fueled cars for errands (to which they could just as easily walk, bike or take the bus), plan and fossil fuel fly to their sixth holiday of the year. A holiday they clearly need to shop for a new wardrobe for.

The TV-news and papers report "How to escape the heat in Sweden by taking a holiday in country X or Y" - to which you obviously have to fly.

In 2017 we apparently were more frequent flyers than ever. In an age where the opposite should be norm. Laying on my sunbed in the garden shade these past few weeks I've noticed there are a lot of airplane routes over this part of Stockholm. In 30 minutes I counted to over 10 planes passing over my head. Which is only a small portion of all the ones going in various directions here every day. Madness.

The upcoming September election in Sweden and its campaign has been disturbingly void of talks about climate change and what drastic measures that need to be taken, by ALL of us PERSONALLY, to at least alleviate global warming slightly.

Because at least those of us who like to use our brains for thinking, analyzing and see the connections that have been there for years, ignored for years, know it's not a question of escaping it anymore. If my memory serves me right, the last year we could have made a real difference, if politicians hadn't been cowards and people not complacent and selfish, was 2015.

Three years later, mother Nature really shows who is the ruler of the planet we all live on. Most of us humans carelessly and void of compassion.

I've read absolutely heartbreakingly frank threads on Twitter from scientists and people working with green energy saying they've avoided telling the harsh truth about climate change and how really, really bad it is, for years now. Since they've then been dismissed as alarmists and next up for losing their job.

One scientist said she was very afraid that her young daughter would in a not so distant future have to kill other people or be killed in the fighting over a place in the rapidly shrinking habitable spaces on earth. And she deliberated whether or not to have another child. On the one hand it would mean another citizen in the Western world burdening the planet with his/her lifestyle. On the other hand, it would mean someone would be there to have his/her siblings back when the reality changes.

That people still. do. not. get. that there is no point arriving, in this planetary crisis, when things will settle into a new stable, long-term state, is deeply disturbing. There is no new normal. And the hard payback for our human behaviour for centuries has arrived with a vengeance. Karma is a you-know-what.

Don't ask what the planet can do for you, ask what you can do for the planet. When you're making a decision ask yourself "Is this good for me? Is it good for the planet?". Since there is no planet B, make the decision based on the planet's needs not your own selfish ones. Do I need to change my habits? Can I satisfy my wishes in another, more sustainable way?

Instead of being the inspirational Ms Sustainability 2018 I had aimed and hoped to be, I find myself in a serious state of climate angst. Last year I even backed a book called "The Happy Hero - how to be a climate optimist" by Solitaire Townsend, the co-founder of Futerra agency, on Unbound. That seems like eons ago now.

I'm no stranger to being an odd bird, but this current state of feeling I'm living a completely parallell life to your average Swede, with no connections to their way of very limited thinking about their own part in the puzzle of the planet, it's honestly really rather depressing. The let's snooze the wake-up call (for the umpteenth time) attitude is quite distasteful.

I had planned to write a bit about the hedgehog family, good food, great food, tea, human behaviour, books - because strangely enough I've had the inclination and energy for that lately. If little else, I have at least read books this hot hot summer - fantastic, simple DIY vegan nicecream - which has been my go to dinner a few times when cooking really isn't on the agenda sweltering days -, the blood moon too, but that seems so... frivolous given everything else.

So for now, let's leave this party pooper post here as a food for (after)thought. And ask yourself, what can you do for the planet in an apocalyptic state of no new normal?



When a temperature of 32C is concidered a bit cool after a couple of days of 35C. I continue to long for rain, which is said to come plenty this upcoming week. I do hope that will be true.