Alex Stevenson 's Letter

To future generations,

It is quite upsetting to write this letter as it forces me to think about what we have done to this world and what is coming to my children and if I am lucky, my grandchildren as well as every other child and animal and blade of grass.

Rather piously I say on my ‘walks and talks’ at the farm “I do not want to be part of the generation that did nothing when there was a chance to do something’. I then plough on with what I do here because if I don’t the realisation of the consequences are too great.
 
I sometimes add in a few expletives (whilst judging my audience), talking about short-term thinking and how extremely selfish and stupid we humans are. How making changes does not mean you need to be well off or adversely impact your lifestyle.
 
I throw in that I tend to give to environmental charities rather than cancer charities for example because I would rather treat the cause of the cancer than apply a sticking plaster.
 
We must value all nature, not because it is pretty to look at but spots because it is literally our life's blood. We must understand the economic value of nature; that the planets resources are not just to be exploited, that nature it gives back to us without us knowing and yet still we chop down those urban street trees under the cover of darkness, (literally), when they are cooling the air around us (for free) in our increasingly hot summers. I will go back to my creeping thistles and ponder their inclusion on the UK weed list and how many I should control and how many leave given the wealth of insect life they attract, and boy do we need insects.

I have been so lucky to be born in the late 70’s and ridden a wave of prosperity. I send to the future love and hope that all will be well. I promise to continue to try and do my best to help. To any one in power reading this, I utter an expletive and tell you that every single aspect of human life will be impacted by global warming: food prices, health care, war, migration – we ain’t seen nothing yet so stop pretending and do something, you were not elected for your own power trip you were elected to enable a better tomorrow.

In hope,
Alex
Jordasn Farm, Essex, UK