Don’t get me wrong I’m no party pooper but I thing that we in the UK now have our priorities wrong. Here we are at the beginning of 2007 with the largely false festivities of Christmas and the New Year celebrations behind us and me wondering if I’m living partially on another planet. Why do I say this? I say it because I’m totally disgusted at the virtual disappearance of the true celebration of the birth of Christ – a disappearance that has been replaced by an obscene quest by most toward worshiping and obeying the new religion of commercialism and excess. Add to that the disgusting spectacle of waste that now threads almost any “occasion” in the UK where the Country wastes huge resource in the form of fireworks – fireworks that are mostly imported at that!
On one hand the Government tries to tell the people it represents that it is running the country well and doing it’s bit toward creating sustainability in environmental issues yet many of us now look on and realise what a joke that all is. What have we as a country to celebrate with the departure of 2006 and the arrival of 2007; little I believe. We are a Country under heavy threat of fresh terrorist atrocities. We are a World under huge threat from environmental disaster. We are told on one hand to do our bit for the environment by switching to low energy light bulbs and increasing our recycling rates yet on the other hand we are almost encouraged to squander resource during the “Festive Season” by festooning our houses with imported display lighting and wasting millions of pounds on excessive firework displays. Firework displays that undoubtedly damage both the environment and the economy of the Country. Fireworks that scares the life out of domestic animals and wildlife and fireworks that must remind our armed forces on R&R of the war torn area of the World they have been fighting to preserve?
Isn’t it time our Government took a real lead and yes encouraged celebration when it’s due but in the framework of respect. Respect for celebration of Christianity and other religious festivals. But in these environmentally challenged times above all a respect for the environment by consistently encouraging stewardship not an ebb and flow waste of our planets finite resources?
