Whilst there are compelling reasons to invest in social upliftment and environmental health we add significant value by maximising advantages and benefits to donors. In the final analysis, unless we collectively invest in sound environmental practices soon, we are in very real danger of eradicating all life on Earth within the next century.

As Climate Change at last moves to the top of world leader’s agendas there is a global dawning of awareness of the importance of two of the most common substances on Earth - fresh air and water. Yet these could soon be as rare as the largest diamonds or the shiniest platinum. And as valuable too! So throw out the gold bars and go get some fresh air and water to store under your bed for the next thirty years or so. Those elements trapped in glaciers are your safest bet for a guaranteed return on your investment. You don’t even need to go to Antarctica, or use dynamite to get some. Just a bucket and spade will do, since glaciers are collapsing faster than, for instance, Robert Mugabe’s Fan Club. or the oil industry’s search for a viable alternative to fossil fuels. In fact a short paddle past Robben Island should yield ice blocks from a genuine arctic glacier or two.

The Human Race Against Nature

Place your bets folks!
It’s the human race against nature!
Will we run out of air and water before we learn from our mistakes?
Will we invest in clean energy generation in time to save the Earth?

What a thrill it is to be alive in this - the twilight of man(un)kind’s sojourn on Planet Earth. Never a dull moment in this last century before we burn ourselves - and every other form of life left on Planet Earth - to a frazzle under the merciless glare from that which actually sustained life until now - the sun!

Now there’s an ironical reminder that absolutely everything is dose dependent...

My theory is that global warming is being hastened by all the hot air being spoken by those claiming to be “green” in the interests of making even more money out of trendy environmentalism. However, in yet another compelling irony, the link between excess consumerism and environmental collapse appears to have eluded most of the general public.

The fact that you can paint your bandwagon green and put your horse into a quagga outfit yet still increase your market share is perhaps a sad indictment of academics and journalists from all disciplines, who have clearly failed in their task as educators, entertainers and trend setters.

We are slowly (albeit reluctantly) evolving solutions to our inordinate energy generation requirements that are just a little more evolved than what we did in those good ole Paleolithic days. Basically in those halcyon days of yore humanoids lived in caves, said things like “Ug” and kept warm on rainy evenings due to the miraculous discovery that heat could be obtained from burning dried matter, bits of old dung, granny’s hair, recalcitrant neighbouring tribesmen and decomposing plants.

Fortunately we have moved along since then, and modern humanoids are no longer tribal. They now LOVE their neighbours! They also have wonderfully large, sophisticated methods of burning dessicated dung and old plants. Okay, perhaps not that much has changed after all, except for the speed and volumes involved and the terrifying efficiency with which we are now burning old plants in the form of non-renewable coal and oil.

It’s certainly challenging to be upbeat about it, but let’s focus on the fact that crisis management has always been our strong point. Humans are endlessly innovative and might well invent and even implement viable options when our backs are against the collective wall of survival itself. Or when some humanoids work out how to make as much money out of sustainability as they did from burning old plants!