It is the tradition now that Festivals have a Fringe and so too does Orkney’s International Science Festival.
‘Tomorrow’ an award winning film which captured many different responses across the world to tackling climate change was shown at the Phoenix Cinema on Thursday 5th of September as part of the fringe events for the OISF.
The film was hosted by ‘Take One Action’ , and the Extinction Rebellion campaigners in Orkney.
There was nothing particularly new or revolutionary in what the film covered in that the projects sampled have been on the go for many years. Some were even going back to practices familiar in communities in the early 20th Century. It covered themes ranging from: agriculture; energy; democracy and economics to education.
The one overarching theme was localisation. Local solutions to global problems. If you can tackle one thing where you live and make a difference in your community it will have wider consequences – the butterfly effect. Given the state of the plummeting £sterling it was interesting to see the promotion of local currencies which have been very successful in many parts of the UK. Totnes, Lewes, Brixton, Bristol and Exeter all have local currencies and Hull has a digital one.
A local currency means the money spent stays within the community. If you have been to the Channel Islands you will know how that works.
The film covered transport as we looked at examples in Denmark where streets in Copenhagen have cycle and pedestrian ways. A bit different from Orkney where the few cycle ways there are stop abruptly meaning cyclists either have to get back on the road or use the pathways.
It was, however, more than ironic that the film makers drove around the areas they visited – which they had reached by flying there.
The Extinction Rebellion activists had post-it notes for audience members to write on – one action that Orkney could take to tackle climate change. It was a very well attended film which must have been encouraging for the organisers. Orkney is indeed fortunate that we have a local cinema which caters for the Blockbusters and the independent film makers.
Reporter: Fiona Grahame
Categories: Uncategorized
I really take exception to Ms. Grahame’s comment that “It was, however, more than ironic that the film makers drove around the areas they visited – which they had reached by flying there.”
Does Ms. Grahame not only expect that climate change protesters volunteer their time to get governments to toe the line but they also have to invent the solutions as well?
Does Ms. Grahame not understand that there has to be a transition time for zero carbon technology to be invented and to become cheap enough for the general population to use?
The speed with which climate change is happening and the slowness of the governments to take on board the huge changes we have to make has not been conducive to zero carbon technology inventions. However, climate change protestors are trying to make that happen!
Or are you of the opinion that if you drive a car, use a mobile phone or any other technology invented to date that you have no right to protest about climate change?
I am from Australia where 90% of the population are in denial about climate change and this is their stock response to climate change protestors. It is a very smug response to climate change protestors to keep them in their place.
If you are in denial about climate change, then it would be a good idea to keep your non-scientific ideas to yourself or come to Australia, go to the Bahamas or any other parts of the world experiencing severe floods, cyclones, hurricanes and heat waves and see what climate change is like in action! From personal experience it is not nice!!
Yours sincerely
Helen Day
Bundaberg
Queensland 4670