ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS

Published on 13/09/2006 17:21

"SOMEBODY ought to do something about it" is often our response when we hear or see problems in our world or even up our street.

We mutter and moan, blame "them" for causing it all and then we just get on with our lives, having voiced our little protest to ourselves or to those around us. We've got it out of our system. It is not our problem anymore.

But the problem has not gone away. We have just "passed the buck," which hasn't done anything has it?

You won't need reminding of the recent Camp for Climate Action, which took place in Barlow and resulted in a demonstration at Drax.

I do not go along with law-breaking but I did visit the camp and met campaigners. And those I met I admired for their concern and for the way they were doing what they could to highlight the very real problems we have in our world.

I have to confess I couldn't have camped out in a field as they did, living very basically, and it challenged me as a Christian to look at my own lifestyle and my taking for granted so much of what I use day by day.

I also admired those two wheeled bin pushers Rod Possnett and Mark Taylor who took the bin from Thorpe Willoughby to Northallerton – a three-day walk – to highlight the problem of having trials of a "municipal solid waste" composting plant in the district. And with success.

I also read this week of Robin Kevan, nicknamed "Rob the Rubbish," who is moving rubbish from beauty spots in the mountains of Wales near his home. Now he's off to Everest to help clean that area up too.

A fool or a saint? Well I reckon he's a good example to us all, just like the other folk who don't just grumble about things but do what they can about it. As Rob said: "I decided right from the start I would not get angry about litter, I would just pick it up."So what is your moan at the moment and what are you going to do about it? It has made me think and realise it is no use just moaning or thinking.

The only way is to do something, however small, about the issue. That way the negative energy in us can become positive. And that must be good mustn't it?

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ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS

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