It Strikes Me Funny: What’s the big deal? Even greybeards can change

Recently an email arrived that lumped me in with (David) “Suzuki and other hypocrites” which is pretty good company as far as I’m concerned.

[See yesterday’s post: It Strikes Me Funny: email re my hypocrisy and golden pension]

If I get gobsmacked for encouraging people to read Gwynne Dyer’s recent column re climate change or buy The Little Green Handbook re seven critical global trends that’s the least of my worries.


To the sender I replied:

Hi Alex,

You were a little wiser than I was at 10 and 18 years of age; I didn't think much about sustainability (other than inside my own house) until much later in life.

You make some good points.

I did commute to work for a good number of years, and apart from a few years on the bus, a few more on a bicycle and many on foot  (during 15 years at Aberdeen P.S. I usually walked to work), I put a lot of inner city miles on cars (a VW bug, Toyota Corolla, Ford Escort, 4 cylinder Caravan and 2 Civics).

Also, now I do sit at home and write a column (after I've counted all my money or motorcycled to Port Bruce on my '84 Yamaha; 8 bucks includes gas and coffee at the Sand Kastle), in which I occasionally remind people to be more earth friendly.

And because I'm not the brightest penny in the jar I thought it a great idea to encourage folks to buy an inexpensive book that provides excellent insight into the reasons why we should (be more earth friendly).

Though this greybeard is guilty as charged in some areas, I think I am not alone in coming to the table late, and to others like me I hope to offer a few helpful words.

So, while you toil away, telling the young about the hypocrites and preparing them to be tough enough to survive, I'll keep plugging away in my small corner too.

I think the problems are so immense a steady effort is required from both of us.

GH