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Hi again Gill,

There's a lot in this that interests me. Some of my response may be random, but I want to give my intuitive feeling, (nearly) full rein. I should be clear, these are my own views;

Viva Thunberg!  Viva Packham! James Lovelock has had the most insight for the longest time, on this (Gaia theory). Charles Darwin might have predicted this, though the world during his lifetime, 1809-1882, was only beginning or early through, the start that has led, more directly, to where we are today. Since that same period, homo sapiens have increased their presence, by over 5 billion individuals.

With that increase and all the subsequent individual differences, has led to all the (marvellous) technologies that we have today. These have been both a benefit and a contribution to the difficulties. However, we have to consider certain dogma or theories in other fields. In ECONOMICS there is the law of diminishing marginal returns. In HUMAN BIOLOGY (nod to this year's OU module, for me, SK299), homeostasis, or balance. Goethe once said, something like (translated); 

"All comfort in life is based on the regular occurrence of natural phenomena". It is the occurrence of our weather systems, atmosphere, that is under threat, to a large extent, because of homo sapiens success and our proliferation. There has to be a balance.

What you've also touched on indirectly Gill, has been one of the very few positive insights, arising from December 2019 to now, with COVID-19. That is, CAPITALISM per se, is no match, for Mother Earth or viruses (nod to 2018's OU module SDK100, for me). COVID has revealed, how easy it is for pure capitalism to be put under strain. GLOBAL warming and more severe weather patterns, are another demonstration, of the same. 

Business is not a dirty word. Taxes from corporations and individuals working for businesses generate the wealth for services.

I have to break off here...but I may come back to this...best wishes...

continuing / part of my comment, this morning...

In my view, the UK (which I love), has slipped too far 'to the right' politically, particularly, in England. This was already happening before Brexit (which now, should be 'left in bed', democratically done - even though it wasn't what we voted for). Business isn't a dirty word though, as I said. I ran my own (small) businesses, in 1995-2012 and 2014-2018. 

At one time or another, I have voted for all of the three biggest parties (since 1979), and I am as responsible as all the rest of the electorate, for where we are now.

However, the water and energy utilities, water, and rail, - none of these should have been privatized.

It's not all doom and gloom. Only 5% of UK energy today is generated from fossil fuels (this has to be completely eliminated, soon). 17% is generated from nuclear, 37% from renewables (this is EXCELLENT) and 41% is generated from gas (this too, has to change). The source for this data, was a recent TV programme on Hinckley Point C, the construction thereof. 

This year we are phasing out our gas boiler/system (already we are no longer using the boiler for central heating - just for the kitchen and bathroom hot water - only until about October 2021, when we'll be fully electric).

There are more electric or hybrid cars on the road every year, and this will continue, as manufacturers benefit from further economies of scale, better design in batteries (just like the IT industry has seen with mobile phones and computers - stronger batteries, increased storage capabilities, etc). We can't have an electric car at the moment, because we are in a conservation area, living in part of a listed former malthouse, and we can't get the car near enough to an available point. This will change, hopefully in the near future.

We are farthest apart, Gill, on your closing four lines. I admire your reference to co-operatives (a relation of my Dad's - and therefore a distant relation of mine - was involved with the creation of the Co-op, in Manchester, which I'm very proud of), but trade as we know it, is likely to continue (its already in the process of major adaptation, as you know). The only thing that may stop it, would be the complete breakdown of the World ECONOMIC SYSTEM, which is something that we all fear, rightly.

We've hardly any right (given what we have done to our own forests in the UK, since the Dark and Middle Ages) to tell South America or Borneo, two examples, from many that still have this beautiful natural resource, to stop ALL deforestation, but theirs are extremely important, because they are in that large band of glorious land habitat, closer to the equator, with the greatest biodiversity of anywhere, outside the oceans (which are also under pressure - much of this is lack of care and respect - all that plastic, for instance).

There is no doubt that there needs to be some considerable continuing cooperation between Nations - Viva the G7, G20 and every nation on Earth! 

As the underlying message of your thread, Gill, some/continuing CHANGE, is necessary, with the present macro and micro systems. We have to try and do our best. We as individuals, can, have to, contribute, where we can - even if that's just keeping a small part of the garden (those that have one) wild and free.

All the very best,

Jeremy

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Thank you for your comments Jeremy, that was very informative.

All the best Gill