Ellie Good's Letter

To my amazing children,

Many letters start with 'How are you?' but I am nervous about how you will answer this question in the year 2030. I've been an optimist all my life, but recent events are beating me down and making me less so. By recent events, I refer to the continual ignoring of the climate crisis by many world governments (war, the lifting of vital conservation laws etc), members of the public (fast-consumerism, unwillingness to change behaviour etc) and large corporations (unethical practices, plastic manufacturing, encouraging fast consumerism etc).

And so I worry that if I ask 'How are you?' you will answer 'Surviving'. As a parent, you always wish for your children to be thriving. 'Surviving' isn't good enough. But I know this won't be your fault. I'm trying really hard to raise you to live without judging or blaming others, and to take responsibility for your own actions. But when so many hugely destructive actions come from so many different angles it's hard to stay strong. I see that. And then there's the pending doom that nature will mercilessly eat us all for breakfast.

However, the glimmer of hope I have left tells me that, if everyone pulls their heads out of the sand, we could still create a future where, when someone asks you how you are, you will say 'Great!' Could it be that governments in 2030 are fully invested in renewable energy sources and storage, and countries won't fight over dwindling resources? Could it be that people work WITH nature, rather than just take from it (that was never going to end well, was it?) Maybe people will act with forethought, and with kindness and empathy to others, though still with a little healthy competition thrown in (Gutsy recently made me realise how important that is). And that businesses are required to have a greater purpose than to just 'sell' or create addiction.

So perhaps when you read this you will be sat in a beautiful, biodiverse park somewhere, and the human world has put on its grown-up pants and sorted itself out. I really hope that is the case, more than anything.

I love you, and I'm sorry for any part I have played in the climate crisis. I want to lie on my death bed (not just yet though!) and say that I've done everything I could to give you a better future, even if it's just in my own small way,

Mum xxxx