The National Election is a time for standing up for your
rights, but also to do the right thing. Sometimes, the two may not always go
hand in hand for many voters. Their conscience battles opinions by peers,
colleagues, the job post, you name it, it’s there. But how do we deal with the
fact that parties may not always represent our best interests and what we as individuals
require as a whole.
Some parties may offer, greater economic stability you can
trust, some offer greater environmental accountability and support climate
change, whilst others represent the rights of the workers, protection of the NHS,
control of immigration and vote against privatisation of services, including
education.
We’re in an age where Politicians and Politics no longer
offer stability. We are forced to put aside some values we hold dear and choose
according the majority of policies we agree with. Climate change is one of the
greatest discussions of our time, and I feel during the election process, we
hardly dealt with the issue and very few questions were debated around this.
As the rate of climate refugees begin to increase, countries
will begin to feel the pressure. Lack of food, resources and clean water are
among the ramifications of Climate Change. Many will loose their homes to
flooding, hurricanes, earthquakes and tsunami’s, all waiting to strike.
In 50 years time, we may no longer be arguing about the
protection of the NHS, or the education system and may be not even the economy.
In 50 years time, what will we look back at, except regret; that our
politicians didn’t even try to make a difference to stop Climate Change; that
our economy wasn’t stable enough for us to recover and rebuild our country after
such disasters. Haiti is such an example we need to learn from and the mistakes
that were made. We need to be prepared, which means our economy needs to be
strong enough to help us rebuild the country.
We may be leaving the EU and the legislations in place
already to prevent further carbon dioxide emissions, but as a country we need
to fight to protect our environment and bring about and keep legislations there to protect both us and the environment. It is not just up to Politicians, we
have a voice and a responsibility as individuals to be heard and play our part to
adapt to Climate Change.
Keep your environment clean, protect wildlife, plant trees,
fruits and vegetables, use water wisely without wastage, contact your local MP
and ask them about there stance on Climate Change, protection against flooding
and the level of pollution in the atmosphere. Join campaigns and organisations
fighting to be heard. The more voices that are heard and the more we unite, the
greater the impact we have!
Below are some thoughts and questions you can ask yourself,
Environmental Organisations and Groups, your local Councillors and MP’s!
Environmental issues are of great importance, especially
today, when the world is faced with climate disasters. The UK has been severely
affected by flooding these past years. With many homes and woodlands lost and
in chaos.
- Protect woodlands and trees. Will our voices as voters and concerned citizens be heard across the UK?
- Maintain
and enhance our existing environmental protections?
- Put
trees and woods at the heart of new land use policy?
- Champion
the health and wellbeing benefits of trees and woods?
- Work
to increase planting rates?
- Make
the most of the public benefits trees and woods bring?
- Make
our streets cleaner and keep them clean?
Current planning policy is failing our woodland habitats.
There are no central records, so the full extent and loss is unknown. A range
of EU laws and principles currently offer a degree of protection to the UK’s
landscapes, wildlife and natural environment. Post Brexit we need re-assurances
that current laws will remain part of UK law and be enhanced.
Our trees, forests and woodland habitats face many
challenges, including climate change, pests and diseases, loss and damage from
development, over-grazing and intensive land use. Strong vision for future land
use and subsequent legislations should recognise their contribution.
Restoration of ancient woods should also be a priority for the nation’s
publicly-owned forests as trees and woods are vital for protecting us against
climate change (The Woodland Trust, 2017).
The rate of deforestation over the past decade has resulted
in the increase of carbon dioxide in the air and flooding. A Tree is known to
take up approximately 48 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere per year.
Each tree is also said to take up approximately 50-100 gallons of water out of
the ground per year, depending on the tree. Ancient Woods and Trees provide a
safe haven for the UK, taking up to 50 years to grow and many more to develop
into what they are today. They consume high levels of carbon dioxide from the
air to protect and cleanse the air we breathe, they are vital for our survival.
If these ancient woodlands are destroyed we not only risk
high levels of carbon dioxide entering the atmosphere, but also increase the
risks of flooding. As natural flood prevention barriers, trees are vital for
the protection and sustainability of wildlife. Both animal and plant species
depend on trees, providing homes and shelter. We can not exist without them.
We run the risk of loosing what makes the UK so unique and
special - a perfect location for nature and wildlife to thrive. The beauty of
natural environments and vast landscapes increase tourism and provide clean
air, reducing health risks and costing thousands of pounds in health care as
the years go by and Climate related catastrophes increase.
As one of the least wooded countries in Europe, we need a more
ambitious approach that is not shy of setting targets, that tackles
administrative complexities and harnesses innovative sources of funding, in
order to capture the imagination of landowners and the public alike. It’s
crucial that tree planting initiatives are supported, encouraging more people
to get involved (The Woodland Trust, 2017).
Planting more trees near where people live could generate
£500 million in benefits every year. The Green Economy and the Green Industry
could boost job security, growth and development of the UK and its people.
Climate Change is a major cause for concern and adaptation
is the way forward. Changes in Policy should provide security and protection
from the destruction of Ancient Woods and Trees. This will provide vast
economic growth long term and prevent any economic and development losses in
the future.
Keeping our environment clean is just as vital. Littering,
spitting, dog waste on side walks and using the streets as a urinal have
negative impacts on a community. We need to keep our streets clean, not just
re-pave them, but put a stop to such incessant and disgusting behaviour. Severe
fines should be issued and cameras installed. Streets have worsened over the
years. Environmental impacts also mean clean environments for individuals to
enjoy and be part of, leaving individuals proud to live in the UK.
Young people need to be prepared and the education system should provide them with the knowledge and resources on how they can adapt to changes through Climate Catastrophes. New diseases and migration of insects will need to be taken into consideration. Our health care system and research institutes need to be prepared for what is about to come. Things will change drastically and we will fail to see the signs!
#TheWoodlandTrust #ClimateChange #ClimateCoalition
#Trees #TreeCharter #UKElection2017 #Environment
