"Sustainability"

As evidenced on Twitter today I had a bit of spat with an associate at a meeting which I'd like to go into in minute, excruciatingly boring detail for all of those who weren't *lucky* enough to be a rock on my Twitter stream today.  Many (I am an eternal optimist) of you know that I am in the field of sustainability - I actually had to fight the urge there not to put the word in inverted commas à la most people who introduce me at meetings.  It turns out that if you work in the area of trying-not-to-bugger-everything-up-for-everyone-else you get your very own punctuation with your title - thankfully the ickle baby speech marks aren't as heavy as the tree we're expected to cart round with us at all times for impromptu hugging sessions or padlocking emergencies.

The spat stemmed from a simple - though evidently highly hypocritical - action of mine.  Imagine the scene: ten of us, small meeting room, smaller window, typical British summer weather outside (lashing rain and force ten gales) - so I, in all my wisdom, turned the lights on.  Cue the "witty" and clearly rehearsed "Ooooh! Turning the lights on, are we?? Thought you were into "sustainability!"  Yes, because clearly this bestows infrared vision on all of us treehuggers.  I'm pretty used to most people finding the whole concept of "saving the planet" at best new age-y and barefoot, at worst some sort of hare-brained, dope-fuelled scheme thought up by Swampy to steal money from innocent, tax paying citizens.  I am the first to admit that the science is confusing and can seem contradictory - but the root of it, to try and ensure that future generations aren't igniting their farts to keep warm isn't exactly a hangable offence, is it?

As you can imagine, the recent cold winters have been particularly frosty for us "green people" - "Global warming?? You're having a laugh!" as they shake the snow off their boots and try to stab us with the nearest icicle.  "Climate change, it's called climate change actually" can be heard, muttered, through the gritted teeth of fellow "environmental types."

Whether we've had an effect on global temperatures through our flagrant disregard for the laws of nature and our out and out greed is a matter for debate - whether we're using up our natural resources at a blistering pace is not.  Us eco-warriors aren't out to get you, steal your money, brainwash innocent children and puppies - making the world a better place is a bit grand, but even so, it's not exactly a bad aspiration. And what if we go all out to try and achieve this and it turns out the science wasn't right?  Well, I think this cartoon sums it up perfectly: