World peace (or something that comes close) is a prerequisite for sustainable living. We need to work together if we are going to have a future.
So what are the consequences of war, for a world trying to go green? Will we spend more on weapons, and less on sustainable living?
Do we need more weapons to defend our borders against Russian tanks, Chinese planes or American troops wherever and whenever a superpower decides it has the right to occupy, subdue and oppress?
Power plants and refineries used as weapons
Armies attacking cities attempt to capture or destroy power plants and fuel sources to leave the people living there without fuel and power. The idea is that in winter people will suffer cold, and have no fuel to fight or flee.
If the oppressor controls electricity, gas, oil, they can use them to bend the oppressed to their will. In theory people who are cold should bend more quickly.
In the same way, perhaps Putin thought Europe would sit back and watch, do nothing to stop this war because it would rather stay warm this winter burning Russian gas.
Now what?
Russia has attacked a European country, Europe stops trading with Russia, blocks Russian planes and banking. Putin considers this a declaration of war, will almost certainly shut down gas supplies to Europe, and threaten the world with a cold and perhaps nuclear winter, which would do a lot for global warming.
Putin is right, it is a declaration of war
A declaration of war, against oppression
But Putin is wrong about weakening “the west”, stopping other countries joining NATO, thinking the threat of a cold or nuclear winter is enough to make Europe sit still, warm its ass with Russian gas, and do nothing to stop military oppression.
Will the leaders of European countries spend more on weapons?
They might.
Do we need to spend more on defence and less on renewable energy?
No, we don’t!
We do not need more weapons of war to live in peace. What we need is more friends.
Despite the death and destruction Putin’s war in Europe is causing, by declaring war on peace Putin is creating an opportunity for the future.
The free world (where the press is not controlled by the state, and people are free to speak against their leaders) is uniting against oppression.
And as the world unites with a resounding call of NO WAR, it sends a powerful message to all superpowers that the age of colonialism is over.
An opportunity for Russia
Putin sees Ukraine’s wish to join NATO and the EU as a threat. But that desire for unity, to be part of something bigger, is an opportunity for Russia. An opportunity not to attack its neighbour, but to work together for a better future in which we think of the world as a whole, the whole world as our home, rather than parts of it as countries to defend or fear and attack.
In a peaceful world Russia would be a prime mover in Europe, and a powerful member of something perhaps not called the USSR or NATO, but by another, more equitable name. A global organisation set up to protect world peace effectively, for the peaceful coexistence of all nations united.
In a peaceful world we spend less on arms, more on sustainable solutions, and stop climate change fast.
“East” and “West” have been allies before and fought despots who would rule with threats, at the end of a sword, or barrel of a gun. Anything is possible when we stop seeing East and West as the boogieman, as a threat, and see them as what they are, points of the compass, places in our world where we live, where people like us live and want to live as we do, in peace.
Dependence on fossil fuels
Dependence on fossil fuels has always fuelled invasion and war.
Next winter Europe will be a more costly and slightly colder place, but it will be stronger, and less dependent on Russian fossil fuel. Europe will do what it needs to no longer depend on someone who chooses war over peace.
Now is the time for change
The time and money spent importing oil and gas can be invested in developing local, renewable energy solutions.
When we have local, sustainable energy sources and are no longer dependent on fossil fuels, no superpower will invade a country for its oil fields on the false pretext it is producing weapons of mass destruction.
No superpower will attempt to hold a continent to ransom, threatening to cut off its gas mid-winter, as it invades its neighbour.
We need to stop using fossil fuels sold and coveted by superpowers.
Do the people of Russian want war?
Many people in the world have had a taste of war. Even more have had a taste of peace, of freedom to trade and travel, to make friends and see that their lives are really not so different to ours.
Russian people do not want war, like everyone else in the world, they want peace and prosperity.
The Russian people know peace, they have traded with the world, they have travelled the world, and that is what they want.
The people of Russia do not want war.
The people of the world
want
PEACE!
If you’ve got an article about how you’re going green, or a project you want content written for