Clinging to mum as the ice begins to crack
And the land bobs out of view
It’s something like a Titanic disaster
But instead of people the victims cluck
Their feathery down not yet waterproofed
And so a death we wouldn’t wish on anyone
Will steal their babies from their wings.
There has been devestating news coming from Antarctica today as 10,000 emperor penguins have died because the ice caps are melting too soon. If the chicks haven’t grown their waterproof feathers by the time that ice breaks up, they literally drop into the water and drown.
Now, I’m a privileged person in the Western world so I have a car and I use electricity and so it could be viewed as being hypocritical to go on about global warming, but this is one of the things that has really woken me up to the problem. When creatures that never even see human beings are being affected in such a way, I think that we need to reconsider our behaviours.
It’s selfish, it’s just that I don’t know what the answer is. Do we all live in sheds with no light and hear until the government decides to take some action? I have no idea but I wish I did.
Much Love
Rachel xx
Margot Kinberg
I wish I had the answer, too, Rachel. Climate change is already having terrible effects on the planet, and it’s not going to get any better unless we take drastic action. Like you, I live in a privileged Western society, so I have access to a lot. I’m trying to cut down on my driving (e.g. ordering online, walking when I can, public transportation, Kindle instead of paper books, etc..). And there are other things I could be doing. I think we need a complete parameter shift to really tackle these problems, but it’s going to take a lot of work.
clcouch123
I’m so sorry to hear about the penguins. I think all of us are empowered by living on planet Earth to be concerned about global warning. We can each do things to help, and maybe we can reach out to the industrialists and politicians who allow the current situation to happen. It’s a crisis that won’t stay in its current state. It’s getting worse.
juliadeniro
Climate change is terrifying. I’m furious that our government in the US is not taking it more seriously. The President keeps giving in to the fossil fuel companies and approving pipelines. It is so frustrating and scary. Apparently, Al Gore is the only politician in the US who gives a damn about the planet.