Older UK citizens have unknowingly lived through a golden era at the expense of future generations. The younger generation inherit a world in a state of escalating climate and ecological collapse. This is a direct result of the privileges that we in affluent countries like the UK have enjoyed during our lives. So far we have only taught the young the same mistakes that we have made. Therefore they, like us, are ill-prepared for the future that awaits. We are all overwhelmed by the coercive consumer culture that dominates our economic and ecological landscape. We are part of the modern human herd that does not know how to change direction.
We are now likely to soon face economic collapse as well as ecological collapse. My hope is that the UK might be ready for a paradigm shift in public opinion with regard to the motivations that underpin our society. A shift that would involve aspiring to voluntary Degrowth, and working towards operating a sustainable ecological budget . This objective was the inspiration for the booklet ‘Poems For Parliament’ . On the 11th September 2020 the booklet of poems was posted to every UK MP.
My name is Barbara Williams, I am the author of the booklet ‘Poems For Parliament’, and the book ‘Saving Us From Ourselves – Can we repair 50 years of ecological overshoot?’. The book was written to help people in affluent countries understand the extent to which we can change our behaviour to salvage our eco-system. It is free to download here. After writing the book I came to realise that we needed something global to inspire the necessary behavioural changes. My petition to the UN for a ‘Universal Aspiration’ might inspire the emotional maturity and humility which will be required to face up to the existential threats. I have been a climate and environmental activist since April 2019, I own and maintain this website. My most recent mission statement is available here. In September 2021 my activism was recognised by the Stable Planet Alliance and they added me to their list of Voices on GirlPlanet.Earth
Barbara can be contacted on bw@poemsforparliament.uk
