Words of an eight year old...

Just a quickie, people of the world!
I found my first ever 'climate change blog' from when I was eight years old on my computer.

We have used too much electricity and energy witch is producing carbon-dioxide and is creating global warming. You may have heard of this before. It means the earth is getting warmer and warmer. Sounds good to the sunbathers doesn’t it? NO!!! They won’t be doing sunbathing any more. By summer 2050 the temperature will have rose by 2 degrees. Not a lot. But it will melt Greenland’s ice cap and it will flood the south-east of England. Thats US, in case you didn’t know  . And it will cause more forest fires. SO WE BETTER BE CAREFUL!!    

Oh, you've got to love the bad grammar, excessive exclamation marks and Comic Sans font, haven't you?

I think we'd better heed Young Me's advice. 

We really had better be careful. 

Arrivederci!

-SavingTheWorldFromMyKitchen

(yes, I know that was a very abrupt post, with a very abrupt end. It's designed to create impact.)

www.savingtheworldfrommykitchen.blogspot.com 

If you could, can you share, tweet, facebook, comment or whatever on this?
Read my previous blog posts :)

Although the last one was decidedly a little dodgy. Perhaps ignore that one. 

An Ode To Dave

Hey, people of the world,
I just wanted to say a few words about one of my heroes: David Attenborough (how predictable!).Yeah, so it's no surprise I idolise him, but I don't think I can keep a conservation blog without mentioning him at least once. As he celebrates his sixty years in broadcasting, now seems as good a time as ever to compose my Ode to Dave.

Dear David Attenborough, 
Words cannot convey the vast extent of respect I have for you, so I wonder why I'm even trying. Where could I start? Perhaps I could start at how you're bloody amazing for your age, you dog! Honestly, I don't know many 86 year olds who get around as much as you.
I have to ask the question: where would the world be without you? You're almost singlehandedly responsible for saving whole species on some counts. Your work is accountable for making environmental issues a household talking point, in Britain if not internationally. Most personally to me, you have fuelled my passion for the environment, and my desire to just do something to protect the world that you have shown to be so beautiful. Maybe you don't even know yourself how instrumental you've been in protecting the planet to the level we have so far. As far as I see it, if you hadn't been on our screens and our radios for the past sixty years, the message wouldn't have got through to us, as a nation, until it was far too late. As it stands, the notice you gave us has borrowed us significant time. Of course, one picks up on the fact I said borrowed; that's not escaped anyone's notice. As this is an open letter, I'll address them too: yes, people. We have time. It is borrowed time, granted, but it's time nonetheless. Let's choose what to do with it wisely, eh? Sorry about that, Dave. Back to the letter. 
I don't know what else I can say except for the fact that I admire you so much. This is probably getting a little sickening now, but words, as aforementioned, aren't enough to express just how much your work has meant to me over the years. I mean, I turn on the TV and see you just casually sitting there right next to wild gorillas, chatting away beside the last ever giant Pinta tortoise (R.I.P, Lonesome George. We’ll fight in your name), not to mention gone to the bloody North AND South Poles for weeks of filming at the age of bloody 85! Sir David Attenborough, you are a legend among men. I don't think there is a person on this whole planet who I respect QUITE as much as I do you (Hmm, perhaps this makes me come across as rather disrespectful in general. I'm not. I realise this statement would create much more of an impact if you knew me. Well, if only! ... Okay, that was one step too far. Move on!). I think I will round this thing up due to risk of overkill. 
Honestly, if I could be half the conservationist you are, if I could just see a quarter of the things you've seen, God be my witness, I would die fulfilled. And no, I don't think I can finish this post without admitting that I really, really love you. 
Thank you, Dave / Mr A. / Sir David.
It has been life changing.


(N.B: I find it mildly amusing to think that whilst many of my peers are swooning over pretty-boy bands such as One Direction, I'm sitting here declaring my love for an 86 year old man. And believe me, folks, I wouldn't have it any other way.)

www.savingtheworldfrommykitchen.blogspot.com

Hope, opportunity, and all that stuff comes to mind.

Hey, people of the world!
Yes, I am awful. How many months has it been since I last posted? I don't know, but too many. What kind of example am I setting to you guys?
Moving swiftly on from that unsubstantial apology, I have something exciting to share with you! Earth Hour 2013's official video!! (hmm, maybe that came as a bit of an anticlimax for some...) So I was Youtubing - when I probably should have been doing something productive - and I just stumbled across it. Watching it just felt like it was satiating a deep craving of mine to see people taking action over climate change. To feel hope for the situation. Because we should take action and we have to take some action, and I always find Earth Hour a really exciting time of year. Hope, opportunity and all that stuff comes to mind - they're always my favourite kind of emotions.
Here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UywrjnOaUE&feature=g-hist
Even if you haven't got much time, it's three minutes. Watch and be inspired :)

This year, I'm probably going to have an Earth Hour party and get-together with my friends- I want to make it an occasion. And I want the difference we'll be making to be recognised with some kind of celebration. Why don't we all do something fun? I want the day to be associated with something good, not a day we have to inconvenience ourselves by turning out the lights just satisfy those tree-huggers out there. We do have hope - we do. We CAN stop climate change to some extent - we just need each other.
Fundamentally, it boils down the same situation our whole community has faced, that we've faced our whole lives. We can't do anything without each other, not really. But we HAVE each other - we have what we need to do this, and we shouldn't let ourselves forget that. Don't be too proud to ask someone to help you, for anything - they'll need help in their lives as much as we do.
So I'm going to swallow my pride and ask you now. I'm appealing directly to you, because, if we were face-to-face, whoever you are, whether you're a garbage man or the Queen, I would ask you straight out:
Will you help me fight this? Please?
Thank you.

(Even if you just said "NO!", I'm still thanking you for your consideration of even reading that far down in this blog).

This weekend, I think I'll go litter-picking. Yes, I actually have three exams next week that I should be preparing for, but do you know what, SO WHAT? Stuff it. Everyone wants a little piece of you, everything takes up a little portion of your time, but sometimes you just need to take a step back.
And realise what really matters.

Arrivederci, minions!
Oh, I shouldn't call you minions. It sounds too degrading.
Arrivederci, then, whoever you are :)
Don't forget to save the world!

- SavingTheWorldFromMyKitchen

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And, of course, the link to my favourite website ever: www.wwf.org

FREE FOOD

Hey, people of the world,
I recently heard this really neat little trick you can do to get a bit of free food every now and again. Apparently it's like magic! It seems with just the addition of plain water, you can actually create food from nothing! Isn't the world a remarkable place? Here's how it's done.

To claim your free food:
1). Get your hands on some seeds (OK, maybe I exaggerated just a tiny bit - it's practically free. At any rate, have you seen the price of food these days? Some fruit cost me like £3 last week. And there was not a lot of fruit in that salad).

2) Put the seed in some earth.
3) Water it regularly.

4) Wait a while.
5) Retrieve your free food.

Okay, so that was a GROSS oversimplification, I admit it. But the point still stands! Growing your own fruit and veg is so easy! I really don't understand why more people don't do it. It's low maintenance, cheap, and you don't need any experience or anything, really. It doesn't matter if you don't have a huge garden or an allotment.
Moreover, it is SO much better for the environment. Seriously. A trillion times better.
At the end of the day, my question to you is this:
Why not give it a go?

And if you can come up with a legitimate answer to that, which isn't some lame excuse, I will genuinely sit here in this kitchen and applaud you.

Arrivederci!
- SavingTheWorldFromMyKitchen.

(the proud mother of many a seedling). 

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Denial is a beautiful thing

Hey, people of the world,
Again, apologies for not updating this blog in months- I have my GCSEs next week and so am busy studying. But I thought I'd take the time to drop you a few lines- nothing particularly amazing or inspirational, granted (also, exams have meant that my sense of humour has been surgically removed), but here you go.

Every so often, there comes a time when we need to do something, as the human population on this planet, that will help. We need to take part in something. Whilst in the vast proportion of the time, it's okay to sit passively on this planet and enjoy the ride, using the world as your vehicle, every so often, we need to stop riding in the vehicle and start driving it. If need be, we need to start mending it.

Wherever you are in the world, global warming will impact you. If you live on the coast, greater sea levels and thermal expansion will erode the cliffs or flood the land. If you live in a desert area, like Australia, you're going to be facing severe droughts and unbearable heat. If you live near a volcano, global warming can increase the chances of eruptions in certain places. If you're involved in any of these industries- agriculture, fishing, forestry, energy, construction, insurance, tourism - chances are, you'll be badly affected, maybe not in the very distant future. Low lying cities across the world: London, Amsterdam, Miami, Venice, New York, Mumbai, Singapore, New Orleans, Tampa, Essex and Tokyo to name just a few, don't stand a chance if global warming really kicks in. People don't want to get involved in fighting global warming because they don't want to make changes in their every day life. But change is imminent and unavoidable- whether you decide to make changes to your lifestyle and fight global warming, or whether you decide to kick back and relax- and let global warming swallow us up later.

Sorry, it's a bit heavy this time, but over the past few months I've done a lot of thinking. Denial provides a beautiful time in life, but destroys you later on. Ostriches have a fun time burying their heads in the sand, but it makes them vulnerable.
For me, all forms of denial stop at this point, the 8th of June 2012.
I'll leave you with this:


Global warming is our chance as citizens of the world to be part of something- something that will actually help. Once in every generation, or every few decades or so, there comes an opportunity where we as the people are needed for the cause- whether it's to help the people or the planet. In those times, we're called upon, and every decent person offers themselves to help. In the 1910s and 1940s, people were called upon to help with the wars, and people answered. When natural disasters happen, when international monetary aid is needed, people help. When people need us, we have a duty as human beings to do everything we can to help them.
When the people call, we're there.
Our planet can't call us. But we can still be there for it.

This is your call.



Share the link: www.savingtheworldfrommykitchen.blogspot.com
Call the world, and say that we're coming for her.

Earth Hour on the horizon...

Hey, people of the earth,
This is just a quick post to say Earth Hour is this Saturday! Hope everyone's going to be turning their lights off for an hour at 8:30pm to help fight against climate change!

Arrivederci,
SavingTheWorldFromMyKitchen

http://savingtheworldfrommykitchen.blogspot.com
http://earthhour.wwf.org.uk/

Saving The World From My... Study?

Hello, people of the earth,
Sorry I've been away for so long. I... had a pretty bad case of the hiccups.
Anyway, so how's the climate change fighting going? I'm really glad at some of the positive responses we've had so far!

I'm not in the kitchen today, as you can see from my title. I'm actually in the study on a *gasps" desktop computer. Yes, I know. Apparently, desktop PCs use almost seven times more power than a laptop. Shoot  me. (don't take me literally on that one). BUT, anyway, in relation to my display name and general blog, I've got you a tip on how you can actually save the world from your kitchen.

But first, it's high time I introduced myself further.

As a teenager, I have a dream.

Not for a new iPad or computer (despite the awful wireless range of my poor laptop) or a new bike (saying that, one of those electric bikes WOULD be pretty cool), or even a list of exemplar dreams to write about that aren't RIDICULOUS overused cliches.

My dream is to save the world.

Not in a superman fashion, a doctor who fashion, or even ... SHUT UP WITH THESE LONG BORING CLICHE LISTS, OKAY?

I think I'll just cut to the chase and say I want to prevent climate change.

In fact, scratch that.

Because saving the world isn't just about global warming. It's about making the world a better place in every way we can. Sure, the "be nice to everyone" angle for making the world a better place isn't exactly my forte, but it shouldn't be overlooked.

I am a member of the "Problem Generation", also known in eco-warrior terms (i.e, I made this up myself) as the "Victim Generation". This includes citizens of the who, despite many inventive obscenities used to describe us, are commonly known as "teenagers".

The reasons that we are known as a "Problem Generation" are as follows:

- We're mostly lazy, whinging, internet-obsessed little arses.

- In eco points of view, corresponding with the above point, our internet obsession is contributing to climate change (many hours of writing pointless blogs uses a lot of juice) and the laziness factor means we are too lazy to do anything about this and instead sit writing more pointless blogs whinging about it.

- Either way, from our point of view, we're more worried that in fifty years time we'll be struggling with morbid obesity than we worry about what state the world around us is going to be in.

The reasons why we *cough... only me* classify our generation as a "Victim Generation" are as follows:

- We're all unfairly stereotyped as being lazy, whinging, internet-obsessed little arses.

- We're going to be the ones to feel the effects of climate change when (not even if) it really starts to become a problem, even though despite my above point, we are not the sole contributors to global warming.

- Hence, we're going to have to be the ones to do something about it.

And if you're not a teenager and you're reading this, YOU DON'T ESCAPE from having to sort this world out with us. We're roping you in, too.

Okay, back to my original blog topic. Do you like lemons?

Hmm... I know it sounds like a completely random question  (the "I'm just that random and quirky" persona seems to be in vogue with the teenage social scene at the moment, and for the record, my disapproval for the whole in-vogue persona thing is outstripped only by my disapproval for CLIMATE CHANGE).
But for me, the answer to this whole crisis is lemons. "What aspect of lemons?" I hear you cry. Well, it's the eco-warrior's favourite response, "trees".

Trees are what I call the lazy escape from global warming. One of the key causes of global warming is deforestation, because, as I'm sure you know, trees take carbon dioxide out of the air and replace it with oxygen. What you might not know is that when a tree gets cut down by, let's say, McDonalds, to make space for their cows, (why, hello, 99p beefburger. I will not question why you are so absurdly cheap, I will just eat you), not only have they taken away one of the only ways to reverse greenhouse gas emissions, they have also ADDED even more to global warming by burning the trees to make room, thus releasing all the CO2 that the good old trees had stored. 

So, back to the lemons. Just over a month ago, I was using some  lemons in the kitchen (making a lemon posset. It was delicious), and came across the seeds, which I was about to throw away. But, as I hate waste, I decided to plant them and see what happens. Although it required watering every day, within about two weeks all the seeds had sprouted above the surface of the soil, and after two months the seedlings are around three inches tall! Not bad, considering those seeds were about to go for a holiday in the trash can. Now those saplings are literally like my children. Too much love for seeds. 

Trees are a great friend to us. If you REALLY can't be bothered to turn a couple of lights out *flashes you a look of immense disapproval*, then the lazy people among us should plant a couple of trees. If you do it from a seed, you're being productive (if you just buy a sapling, you're not really being productive as that sapling will probably be planted by someone else eventually anyway). And you know, they're pretty effective. They'll take a while to take in a lot of CO2, and one tree alone isn't going to make you carbon neutral, but it's a start. And with the state the world's looking like it'll end up in, every start, even by the most lazy among us, really counts.

Of course, the best way to combat global warming is cancelling the cause- stop emitting as much CO2. You all know how to do it- turn off your lights! This brings me nicely on to my last topic of this blog, Earth Hour. If this is your first time on my blog, check out my last blog post for more info on this inspirational project- DON'T miss out on it! I'm fully conscious that today's blog is the length of an essay (ironic, considering as I came on the computer to write an essay for homework) so you're really going to have to check out my last blog to find out about Earth Hour. I can't emphasise how great a project it is, so I'm relying on you to help me help you, and take a few more minutes to read my last blog, and take one hour on March 31st to help, with millions of others worldwide, to turn off your lights for one hour and fight global warming for everything it's worth.

Here's a link to the Earth Hour site: http://earthhour.wwf.org.uk/

"It's not about an hour of darkness, it's about a brighter future."
Oh, and if you don't mind, sharing the link to this blog to your friends would really help me out :)
http://savingtheworldfrommykitchen.blogspot.com/

Arrivederci!
- SavingTheWorldFromMyKitchen