Today is EARTH DAY.

This year’s Earth Day Theme is “Our Power Our Planet”. Emphasising that it is people power, not only Government power, that can save our planet from the effects of climate change. This feels like a ‘big ask’ at the moment. When people and their communities, all over the world, feel ravaged by the effects of war on the horizon, economic insecurity, loss of trust in the institutions that give structure to our lives and an artificial intelligence that seems to be out of our control, to anyone living outside California or Beijing. The Global community is wondering how to cope with the day-to-day, let alone work individually to ‘do their bit’.

I still trust, though, that we will be saved.

People power is very important, and I have huge respect for those who fight personal battles every day to improve things for us all, but I need something more. I need someone to tell me: I must be a vegan three times a week, set limits for my electricity usage, fuel consumption, air miles, and tell me to pick up litter once a month. If I know we are all fighting collectively and actively to improve things, then I will sign up wholeheartedly. I’m sorry, I am just not one of the good guys who take individual action, but I am a great team player.

I want to pick up litter alongside people like Elon Musk.There are two excellent examples here: the Bodrum Mayor has been seen collecting litter alongside the refuse collectors, who are paid to perform this role. You can imagine how much respect he garners for doing this. Then, on the last Saturday of every month in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, the President and Cabinet join members of the public to clean up the city. Citizens there are obliged to participate and are fined if they do not, which has attracted some criticism, but, hey, ultimately, the streets are cleaner, and this initiative has fostered a culture of cleanliness and sense of community and pride among the residents.

In short, people power is important, but do we not need to guide communities towards better methods and leaders who set high standards and join in to meet those standards? Then, yes, we will all join. “ Our Power Our Planet”